Clarification: In Thursday's Star Press, athletic director Tom Collins said an existing locker room in the Health and Physical Activity Building will be repurposed for the softball team's use solely.
Rarely does the Office for Civil Rights conduct an on-site investigation regarding Title IX.
Coming back for a second visit is almost unheard of, said Arlene Ignico, professor emerita and former associate chairwoman of the School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Science.
A team of representatives from the Office for Civil Rights visited Ball State for the second time Wednesday and today — the first time since summer 2009 — because it was found not in compliance with 19 of 21 components of Title IX laws.
Ball State was found in compliance with scheduling of games and practice times, tutoring and the compensation of tutors.
OCR is on campus to ensure that gender equity in education and athletics at the school.
The investigation began after the Office for Civil Rights received a complaint about Ball State's compliance with Title IX. The complaint has been acknowledged in the Kathy Bull lawsuit against the university, which was filed Aug. 18, 2009.
Since then, OCR has been to campus to investigate the funding, practice and competitive facilities and other components of Title IX.
During its visit, the review committee team will interview multiple coaches to further its investigation.
After OCR's first visit to Ball State, the school made an agreement that it would work toward compliance in all areas of Title IX. However, Ball State did not admit in the report to any fault of non-compliance.
Ignico said the Office for Civil Rights has also requested Ball State give information regarding the departure of five female coaches over the past five years. It is the first time in history that the Office for Civil Rights has requested such information from a school.
One large issue for the facilities is that the softball team shares a community space with the other six women's sports teams, but the baseball team recently remodeled its locker room, a move that cost nearly $40,000.
Softball coach Craig Nicholson said in a Star Press story that the women's space at the Health and Physical Activity Building reminds him of a high school physical education locker room.
Ignico also said that coaches' compensation and recruiting is also a large focus area for the Office for Civil Rights.
Coaches of Ball State's male teams earned almost double what female coaches made, according to the latest Equity in Athletics Data Analysis. It showed that male coaches earned almost $123,000, and female coaches earned just over $68,000.
Male teams also spend about 80 percent of the recruiting money.
Ball State is scheduled to submit a self-assessment by Sept. 30 to explain how the school is providing equal benefits and opportunities between the men's and women's teams for the 2010-11 academic year.
A final report must be submitted to the Office for Civil Rights by Dec. 1 that shows Ball State is in full compliance with all 21 areas of Title IX laws.
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