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Statement from University of Miami athletic
director Paul Dee on the discontinuance of the men’s swimming
and crew programs.
Beginning in the fall of this year the men’s
sports of swimming and crew will be discontinued at the University
of Miami. The decision leading to this announcement was extremely
difficult and complicated. The basis for this decision was the
University’s determination to bring its overall sports program
into compliance with the provisions of Title IX, particularly with
respect to participation ratios.
In 1993-94, the undergraduate student body was 53 percent male
and 47 percent female. Those numbers were available to members
of the committee preparing the plan. In 1999-00 academic year,
the ratio shifted to 46 percent male and 54 percent female.
In 1993-94, the participant ratio in the athletic department was
69 percent male and 31 percent female. By the 1999-00 year, the
ratio of participants in the athletic department was 56 percent
male and 44 percent female an improvement of 13 percent in a five-year
period. Had the student body ratio not changed during that same
five year period the improvement made by the athletic department
would have been approximately equal to the ratio to the undergraduate
student enrollment, an therefore the participant provision of Title
IX would have been met. However, because of the 9 percent change
which occurred in the intervening five-year period the participant
ratios found in the 1999-00 academic year remain 10 percent shy
of goal. The circumstances necessitated careful review of the program
and an extension of the expiring five-year plan.
With the addition of fully funding women’s rowing, starting
and fully funding women’s soccer and beginning a program in
women’s volleyball and fully funding it over a phase-in period
at, the end of that period ratios for participation still would
not have accomplished the desired proportionality. Therefore, it
became, unfortunately necessary, to reduce the number of male participants
which is the basis of the decision made here. With these changes
and adjustments made in the next few years as we add volleyball
and fully fund soccer and rowing it is expected that the participation
ratio will approach reflect the undergraduate enrollment ratio of
the University.
Dating back to the inception of
the University, the men’s swimming and diving program has produced
110 All-Americans, 24 national champions and 26 Olympians.
This is the most difficult decision that the athletic department
has made in a very long time. These fine young men are being displaced
for reasons over which they have no control and which they did not
cause. It is extremely regrettable that this is the necessary solution
to the issues we face.
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