Greetings from Williamsburg! In the coming days, every W&M Athletics team will be active or have recently concluded its competition season. The pace is certainly picking up.
 
Our support staff are doing a remarkable job executing a complex schedule. Our coaches are leading and caring for their student-athletes as we navigate together the challenges of playing amid a pandemic. As more teams return to competition, we continue to work our way through the issues of testing, traveling and scheduling.

As the Tribe returns to play, we continue the work underway to address the issues faced by W&M Athletics in equity, financial sustainability and excellence. Even as we enjoy once again having 23 teams competing and the fundraising success of FY21, we know the magnitude of the challenges faced are in no way diminished and must be addressed. This update shares more about the gender equity review underway. Next month, I'll provide an update on financial sustainability.
 
According to the NCAA's Gender Equity Planning Best Practices:

Title IX designates 13 areas in which institutions need to achieve equity. The first is participation opportunities, which includes the three part test. The second, for schools awarding athletics scholarships, is equitable awarding of financial aid based on the proportion of male and female participants. The remaining areas involve 11 categories of benefits provided to student-athletes. (p. 3)
 
The plan for W&M Athletics will address all of these aspects.
 
Sr. Associate Director of Athletics Peel Hawthorne is leading the gender equity review effort on behalf of the athletics department in collaboration with University Counsel and an external consultant who brings significant experience and expertise to the work. As requested by President Rowe, we expect the review to conclude by June 30. The review will then inform a gender equity plan completed by August 31.
 
Ultimately, William & Mary is responsible for meeting its gender equity obligations. Yes, federal law requires it. As importantly, W&M Athletics embodies William & Mary's core value of respect – treating "one another with mutual respect, recognizing and upholding each person's inherent dignity and worth" –through equity. As I've shared with the student-athletes, when I say "equity," my hope is to be heard as conveying respect for the competitor. We respect every competitor by providing the most level playing field possible.
 
In recent months, we've seen William & Mary rally in support of W&M Athletics. It's been a privilege to be part of so many alumni and friends committed to seeking solutions. That's who we are as a community. The challenges we face are significant, but we will face them together as we seek the optimal path forward for W&M Athletics in the coming years.
 
One thing is certain: success requires the entire Tribe to be all in for this pursuit.
 
As always, go Tribe!
 
All the best,
 
Jeremy