[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 168 (Thursday, August 29, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55388-55389]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-22112]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Secretary of Education's Commission on Opportunity in Athletics; 
Meeting

AGENCY: Secretary of Education's Commission on Opportunity in 
Athletics; Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of open meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of a 
forthcoming public meeting of the Secretary of Education's Commission 
on Opportunity in Athletics (the Commission). The Commission invites 
comments from the public regarding the application of current Federal 
standards for ensuring equal opportunity for men and women and boys and 
girls to participate in athletics under Title IX of the Education 
Amendments of 1972 (``Title IX''). The meeting will take place in 
Chicago, Illinois. This meeting will primarily focus on Title IX as it 
relates to High Schools and Two-Year Colleges; however there will be an 
opportunity to comment on Title IX in general.
    Individuals who will need accommodations for a disability in order 
to attend the meetings should notify the Commission office no later 
than September 12, 2002. We will attempt to meet requests after this 
date, but cannot guarantee availability of the requested accommodation. 
The meeting site is accessible to individuals with disabilities.
    Notice of this meeting is required under section 10(a)(2) of the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act. DATES: September 17-18, 2002.
    Location: Drake Hotel, 140 East Walton Place, Chicago, Illinois 
60611.
    Times: September 17: 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 2 p.m.-5 p.m. September 18: 
9 a.m.-1 p.m.:
    Meeting Format: This meeting will be held according to the 
following schedule:

1. Date: September 17, 2002, Time: 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m.-5 p.m.
2. Date: September 18, 2002, Time: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

    Attendees: If you would like to attend any or all of the above 
listed meetings, we ask that you register with the Commission Office by 
e-mail or fax to the address listed under ADDRESSES. Please provide us 
with your name and contact information.
    Participants: The meeting scheduled for September 17, 2002 will 
begin with presentations from panels of invited speakers. After the 
presentations by invited speakers, there will be time reserved for 
comments from the public.
    The meeting scheduled for September 18, 2002 will consist of review 
and discussion by the Commissioners of the information from the 
previous public meetings in preparation for the Commission's 
forthcoming report to the Secretary of Education. The public is invited 
to observe this meeting; however there will not be opportunity for 
public comment.
    If you are interested in participating in the public comment period 
to present comments on the Federal standards for ensuring equal 
opportunity for men and women to participate in athletics under Title 
IX at this meeting, you are requested to reserve time on the agenda of 
the meeting by contacting the Commission office by e-mail or fax.
    We request that you submit a request to the Commission office by e-
mail or fax. Please include your name, the organization you represent 
if appropriate, and a brief description of the issue you would like to 
present. Participants will be allowed approximately 3 to 5 minutes to 
present their comments, depending on the number of individuals who 
reserve time on the agenda. At the meeting, participants are also 
encouraged to submit two written copies of their comments. Persons 
interested in making comments are encouraged to address the issues and 
questions discussed under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
    Given the expected number of individuals interested in providing 
comments at the meetings, reservations for presenting comments should 
be made as soon as possible. Persons who are unable to obtain 
reservations to speak during the meetings are encouraged to submit 
written comments. Written comments will be accepted at each meeting 
site or may be mailed to the Commission at the address listed under 
ADDRESSES.
    In addition to making reservations, individuals attending the 
public meetings, for security purposes, must be prepared to show photo 
identification in order to enter the meeting location.
    Request for Written Comments: In addition to soliciting input 
during the public meetings, we invite the public to submit written 
comments relevant to the Commission.

DATES: We would like to receive your written comments on the Act by 
November 29, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Submit all comments to the Commission using one of the 
following methods:
    1. Internet. We encourage you to send your comments through the 
Internet to the following address: [email protected]
    2. Mail. You may submit your comments to The Secretary of 
Education's Commission on Opportunity in Athletics, 400 Maryland 
Avenue, SW., ROB-3 Room 3060, Washington, DC 20202. Due to delays in 
mail delivery caused by heightened security, please allow adequate time 
for the mail to be received.
    3. Facsimile. You may submit comments by facsimile at (202) 260-
4560.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: See the Commission address under the 
ADDRESSES section of this notice. View the Commission's Web site at: 
http://www/ed.gov/inits/commissionsboards/athletics. The Commission 
office number is 202-708-7417.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The nation is commemorating the 30th 
anniversary of the passage of Title IX, the landmark legislation 
prohibiting recipients of Federal funds from discriminating on the 
basis of sex. Since this legislation was enacted, there has been a 
dramatic increase in the number of women participating in athletics at 
the high school and college levels. The Secretary of Education has 
determined that this anniversary provides an appropriate time to review 
the application of Title IX to educational institutions' efforts to 
provide equal opportunity in athletics to women and men. In order to do 
so, the Secretary established the Commission on Opportunity in 
Athletics. The Commission will produce a report no later than January 
31, 2002, outlining its findings relative to the opportunities for men 
and women in athletics in order to improve the effectiveness of Title 
IX. Comments are encouraged on the following priority areas:
    1. Are Title IX standards for assessing equal opportunity in 
athletics working to promote opportunities for male and female 
athletes?
    2. Is there adequate Title IX guidance that enables colleges and 
school districts to know what is expected of them and to plan for an 
athletic program that effectively meets the needs and interests of 
their students?
    3. Is further guidance or are other steps needed at the junior and 
senior high school levels where the availability

[[Page 55389]]

or absence of opportunities will critically affect the prospective 
interests and abilities of student athletes when they reach college 
age?
    4. How should activities such as cheerleading or bowling factor 
into the analysis of equitable opportunities?
    5. How do revenue producing and large-roster teams affect the 
provision of equal athletic opportunities? The Department has heard 
from some parties that whereas some men athletes will ``walk-on'' to 
intercollegiate teams--without athletic financial aid and without 
having been recruited--women rarely do this. Is this accurate and, if 
so, what are its implications for Title IX analysis?
    6. In what ways do opportunities in other sports venues, such as 
the Olympics, professional leagues, and community recreation programs, 
interact with the obligations of colleges and school districts to 
provide equal athletic opportunity? What are the implications for Title 
IX?
    7. Apart from Title IX enforcement, are there other efforts to 
promote athletic opportunities for male and female students that the 
Department might support, such as public-private partnerships to 
support the efforts of schools and colleges in this area?

Electronic Access to This Document

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    Note: The official version of this document is published in the 
Federal Register. Free Internet access to the official edition of 
the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is 
available on GPO Access at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html.


    Dated: August 26, 2002.
Rod Paige,
Secretary of Education.
[FR Doc. 02-22112 Filed 8-28-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-M