Title 9 threat immediately recognized by President Rhine who has quickly moved to remedy the threat posed to the Community College by adding women’s soccer team; Governing Board has never addressed Title 9 compliance issue as part of its oversight duty despite potential serious impact of a knowing violation on the District
Dr. Rodney Jenkins
At the April Governing Board meeting, The Yavapai Community College Administration revealed that the Community College was put into a position of high risk of civil rights violations because it had failed to comply with federal law, specifically Title 9. It is one of the first issues addressed by president Dr. Lisa Rhine following her hiring.
Yavapai Community College Vice President of Community Relations and Student Development, Dr. Rodney Jenkins, told the Governing Board that “to be out of compliance with Title 9 and know it, is a dangerous line to walk. We are now very close to being in compliance once we field this [women’s soccer] team and add a couple other components. [Then] “we will be within the 54th percentile range, where we should be” with federal civil rights law.
He also said that the athletic teams, athletic spending have to recognize and be equal to the number of enrolled female students. You may listen to his complete short report to the Governing Board at the April meeting on the video clip below or alternatively when the video of the meeting is posted on the Governing Board web site.
The Blog notes that the District Governing Board has not considered as a part of its oversight role looking into whether the Community College was following Title 9 in the last decade, if ever.