San Diego State University Continues Commitment To CAL-NOW

San Diego State University Continues Commitment To CAL-NOW

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Feb. 17, 2000

SAN DIEGO -

San Diego State University's efforts to comply with the CAL-NOW Consent Decree have resulted in a 500-percent increase in expenditures on women's athletics, and women now account for nearly 54 percent of all intercollegiate athletic participants at the University.

Rick Bay, SDSU's Director of Athletics, said while tremendous progress had been made, there is still much to accomplish.

"SDSU has made an extraordinary commitment to women's sports," saidBay. " We have gone far beyond our CAL-NOW obligation by raising money for new facilities for women's track, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball in a variety of new construction projects costing over $40 million. Although we fell a fraction short in expending the targeted monies for women's scholarships, and therefore, overall expenditures or women's programs, the necessary funding was both budgeted andallocated."

Bay pointed to an impressive list of accomplishments over the past several years that illustrate the SDSU effort to comply with CAL-NOW:

*San Diego State has increased its expenditures for women's varsity sports by 500 percent since the 1992-93 academic year, as compared to a 246-percent overall increase by the Cal State system.

*In 1992-93, 32.1 percent of San Diego State's athletes were women. By the 1997-98 academic year, that number had risen to 53.9 percent. The entire CSU system has a female participation level of 53.6 percent.

*The University has increased its spending on grants-in-aid to female athletes from $254,361 to $1,118,586, an increase of 340 percent. The CSU system expenditures rose approximately 184 percent.

*San Diego State University has added three women's sports: swimming and water polo (1993-94), and crew 1997-98, while maintaining seven men's sports.

*All 11 women's sports award the maximum number of NCAA scholarships.

*In 1997, the University provided an additional $2 million to the athletic budget designated for women's expenditures.

*In 1999, the department of athletics began providing funds for a summer-school stipend for all NCAA-eligible female athletes.

*During the 1998-99 school year, the University began a post-eligibility work program for student-athletes. The program has been particularly popular with female athletes. Student-athletes work 10 hours each week in the department of athletics. The University provides books and fees.

<>Facility Upgrades

*In 1997-98, the men's and women's basketball teams began practicing and competing in the 12,414-seat Cox Arena.

*Continuous upgrades are ongoing at the softball field with a new facility scheduled to be completed by 2003.

*A new tennis facility for the men's and women's squads is also scheduled for 2003.

*A new state-of-the-art track and soccer complex will be completed in May, 2000.

*Phase II in the upgrade of the men's and women's volleyball facility has been completed in Peterson Gym.

*In June 2000, construction will begin on a new athletic building that will include offices for all of the coaching staffs, a new weight room, a new sports-medicine facility, an academic center and locker rooms for all athletes and coaches. Also included will be a new equipment room, a Hall of Fame and exhibits.