Eastern Michigan once again has been ordered to continue/reinstate softball.
https://www.freep.com/story/news/education/2019/02/12/eastern-michigan-softball/2852003002/
Eastern argued they would rather start lacrosse than reinstate softball because they have to give out the same # of scholarships for either team, but since the lacrosse team roster is much larger more of those players would have to pay tuition to the school so cost wise it would be less. Basically the court said Eastern was so out of line with Title IX that if they don't shut up, then they probably face the threat of the court making them do both.
Interesting to note that the cost for the softball program (fully funded) is right at $870,000.
The complete saga so far:
https://www.mlive.com/expo/news/g66...igan-university-sports-elimination-saga-.html
The obvious question was asked - since EMU has always sucked at football (although there is hope they are progressing but still no one is turning up) and is most of the athletic budget money - why not just cut football? However, there are massive multi-million dollar conference penalties and game cancellation contract penalties for stopping football which effectively keep that off the table. Football has basically made it more expensive to cut football than it would be to continue playing.
So, EMU has to have a softball coach appointed by April 1, prep the facility, prep schedules, etc, etc for next season. Since they didn't field a team this year, they are starting with basically no players, have one summer to recruit a full team and a University that doesn't really want to stand behind them and is probably not going to provide them a cent more than they are legally forced to.
Just in case your 2019/2020 DD is looking for a D1 team and wants a REAL challenge.
https://www.freep.com/story/news/education/2019/02/12/eastern-michigan-softball/2852003002/
Eastern argued they would rather start lacrosse than reinstate softball because they have to give out the same # of scholarships for either team, but since the lacrosse team roster is much larger more of those players would have to pay tuition to the school so cost wise it would be less. Basically the court said Eastern was so out of line with Title IX that if they don't shut up, then they probably face the threat of the court making them do both.
Interesting to note that the cost for the softball program (fully funded) is right at $870,000.
The complete saga so far:
https://www.mlive.com/expo/news/g66...igan-university-sports-elimination-saga-.html
The obvious question was asked - since EMU has always sucked at football (although there is hope they are progressing but still no one is turning up) and is most of the athletic budget money - why not just cut football? However, there are massive multi-million dollar conference penalties and game cancellation contract penalties for stopping football which effectively keep that off the table. Football has basically made it more expensive to cut football than it would be to continue playing.
So, EMU has to have a softball coach appointed by April 1, prep the facility, prep schedules, etc, etc for next season. Since they didn't field a team this year, they are starting with basically no players, have one summer to recruit a full team and a University that doesn't really want to stand behind them and is probably not going to provide them a cent more than they are legally forced to.
Just in case your 2019/2020 DD is looking for a D1 team and wants a REAL challenge.
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