Q Why did the College add men’s teams?

The College added men’s athletic teams because it must comply with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Title IX states: "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."

In addition, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III, of which Randolph is a member, requires that coed institutions with enrollments under 1,000 students offer five teams for women and five teams for men. The College currently offers seven teams for women. Riding is not sponsored by the NCAA at the Division III level. It continues to be a varsity sport at the College but may not be counted in this equation. Riders compete in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association.

A waiver granted by the NCAA allows Randolph to add men’s teams over a three-year period. In 2007–08, men’s cross country, tennis, basketball, and soccer were introduced. Men’s lacrosse will begin in 2008–09. At that point, the College will be in compliance with the NCAA requirements.

The addition of men’s sports also aids in the recruitment and retention of students. Many of our students will have the opportunity to play throughout their College career.

Q How were the men’s sports chosen?

During an evaluation of Randolph athletics, we considered several factors: our athletic conference —the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC), campus facilities, average roster sizes, budget implications, and the time students would miss from class because of an athletic event.

The sports chosen are all sponsored by the ODAC, have reasonably sized rosters for a newly coed school, have modest equipment and uniform needs, and do not have excessive "missed class" time issues. With the exception of field availability, our current athletic facilities could reasonably accommodate these sports. Also, in the case of three of the teams, there were no extravagant equipment expenses due to the fact that the women’s counterparts already existed. A new basketball court and goals did not have to be built, tennis courts did not have to be added, and new soccer goals did not have to be purchased. Sports such as baseball and golf were also considered and are sponsored within the conference, but each has considerable missed-class time expectations and the College would have to rent or build new facilities to accommodate the teams.

Note: When leaders of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee were consulted about the implementation plan, they chose exactly the same sports to sponsor.

Q Will we add more teams for men?

Once the College’s enrollment grows beyond 1,000 students, a sixth men’s sport must be added. The decision as to what the sixth men’s sport will be has not been made. The College must also concurrently remain in compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The same type of evaluation that occurred with the most recent expansion of the program will be used for this process as well.

Q Are athletic scholarships offered at Randolph College?

No. As a primary tenet of Division III, Randolph College student-athletes do not receive any financial aid related to their athletic skills. This does not preclude student-athletes from receiving financial aid based on their need or academic merit. The NCAA audits all Division III schools on an annual basis to ensure compliance.

Q What is the NCAA Division III philosophy?

Colleges and universities in Division III place highest priority on the overall quality of the educational experience and on the successful completion of all students’ academic programs. They seek to establish and maintain an environment in which a student-athlete’s athletic activities are conducted as an integral part of the educational experience, and in which the coaches play a significant role as educators. They also seek to establish and maintain an environment that values cultural diversity and gender equity among their student-athletes and athletics staff.