A class-action lawsuit against the University of California Davis, over women’s participation in varsity sports has been settled, the university announced Wednesday.
UC Davis and plaintiffs Kelsey Brust, Jessica Bulala and Laura Ludwig settled the lawsuit that was filed two years ago, and was certified as a class action in October.
The settlement establishes a set of standards for female participation rates in varsity sports at UC Davis and provides additional financial support for club sports at the university, a news release said.
The settlement must be approved by the U.S. District Court in Sacramento after members of the class have been notified of the specific terms.
Brust and Bulala played club field hockey. Ludwig had wrestling experience and played club rugby. They brought suit in July 2007 under the 1972 Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, also known as Title IX.
The settlement creates a 10-year plan for UC Davis to reach specific proportions of male and female athletes by the 2019-20 school year. The university will either add women’s intercollegiate teams or will take other steps to ensure equal accommodation of student interest in varsity sports. UC Davis has also agreed to contribute $110,000 to a fund for the development of club sports.
The case was scheduled to go to trial in October.
“UC Davis has a solid history of commitment to its female athletes and coaches and to expanding opportunities for women in competitive sports,” Greg Warzecka, UC Davis athletics director, said in the release. “While the parties have a difference in opinion about whether litigation was necessary, we’re pleased that we have reached an outcome that benefits both sides.”
“We are thrilled,” Ludwig said in the release. “It feels good to have the university’s support for women’s athletics through this resolution. We are proud to have come up with a result that will benefit Davis for years to come. It will create more opportunities for women to participate in the sports that they love.”
During the litigation, UC Davis created an open application process and selected women’s field hockey as a new intercollegiate sport, to join the 14 other women’s varsity teams at UC Davis. A team has been selected, and competition will start in the fall.
“The time frames set out in the settlement maximize the potential to add varsity opportunities for women in the future,” Warzecka said in the release. “We are continually trying to maintain our compliance efforts to give women athletes the very best access to intercollegiate athletics competition possible.”
Establishing field hockey as a women’s intercollegiate sport at the university, Brust said, “will allow field hockey players to contribute at even a higher level to the campus, and will provide incredible opportunities for many young women.”
Noreen Farrell of Equal Rights Advocates represented the plaintiffs with Monique Olivier of the Sturdevant Law Firm and Kristin Galles of Equity Legal.
“When we give women a fair share of athletic opportunities, we are developing leaders on and off the field,” Farrell said.