oY Stop subsi Patrick Basham ang Jason Clamens Fraser Institute Columnists HINDSIGHT may be 20/20, but crafting public policy on the basis of such rear-view revisionism often leads us down the slippery slope of activist gov- ernment programs that benefit some groups, for example the fash- ionable and politically powerful, at the expense of a larger, less organized group 7 — the general public. Recent commentary on the Women’s World Cup offers an opportunity to assess the atficacy of affirma- tive-action programs and, more broadly, to pose the ~ question of whether the end justifies the means. In opportunistic fashion, ** President Bill Clinton used the Women’s World Cup to herald the success of the federal law known as “Title “AX? Numerous commentators echoed Clinton’s pro-affir- mative action sentiments. ,. On July 18, political ana- | ‘lyst Lawrence O’Donnell ‘characterized Title 1X as the . “last noble remnant of liber- cafism.” . Ina New York Times arti- cle that same day, UC Berkeley journalism profes- sor Cynthia Gorney observed that, “Surely nobody has ever been a more spectacular poster child for Tite IX than Brandi Chastain, the American player who put in the game-clinching penalty kick.” Adopted in 1972, Title IX prohibits sexual discrimi- nation in sports or educa- tion at publicly financed schools. An outcome of Title IX has been the reallocation of athletic resources away from male programs to female ones. : For the past 27 years, the law has required that athlet- ic resources be distributed roportionate to enrolment. Therefore, any school with a 51% female enrolment must allocate 51% of its own resources to female pro- grams. Women’s soccer has par- ticularly benefited as it was already relatively well estab- lished as a college sport and thus easier to fund and expand. It is crroncous to look back on the redistribution of athletic resources that sup- ported women’s programs and claim Title IX as a suc- cess because of the triumph of the U.S. Women’s World Cup team. Such a calculation would include all of the benefits bestowed upon these specific Programs without including any of the costs. The reallocation of resources from male pro- grams to female progranis does come at a cost: male Programs are eliminated or downsized. According to the Independent Women’s Forum, more than 350 U.S, men’s athletic programs have been eliminated since 1992, including such high- profile programs as Providence’s national cham- Pionship basebail, Miami University of Ohio's wrestling, and Boston College’s tennis squads. A balanced assessment of Title 1X would include the casts of climinating men’s programs. How many gold medal wrestlers, basketball players, and tennis players have been lost duc to Tithe [X? How many male athletes had to withdraw from school (duc to a lack of financial resources) or forego their dreams of achieving sporting success? Most importantly, what is the cost, measured in mutu- al respect and support, when the government dictates the “ taking of resources to sup- port one segment of society at the expense of another? The popularity and finan- | ay job keeping you ~ out of school? DAY. Monday (2 ‘Monday —_ BADM 102 BADM 106 Monday BADM 107 Juesday Tuesday “__BFIN 141 | . “Monday Monday BFIN 241° __BCPT 122* ~_ BADM210 02 __ Quantitative Methods — Organizational Behaviour Business Law! Business Computing Il 1. Finance for Managers _ '_ Business Statistics Accounting cial success of the Women’s World Cup isn’t the basis for sounding victory for Title IX. The successful event was mainly due to the athletic skill displayed by some of the world’s most gifted ath- letes, who happened to be female. Clearly, had the teams not provided an often thrilling aad, indeed, talent- ed display of soccer on a “,.. male programs are eliminated or downsized.” consistent basis, both the media and spectators would have turned away. The level of skill of many of the U.S. team members may be attributed, in part, to their participation in col- lege athletics. Proponents of Title 1X, argue that the success and support for women’s soccer would, therefore, have been less had they not received significant financial resources. Part of the question left begging by such an assertion is whether government coer- cion of college athletic pro- grams was necessary to “Tuesday : _BFIN 142" Financial Accounting | Tuesday. <- BFIN3S1 "__= Taxation Tuesday. __*_" BMKT 161 Marketing “BMKT 263 : Professional Selling Skills -. Tuesday “-__5BUS 334 Cross Cultural Relations "Wednesday BADM 101 ‘ Wednesday ~_ BADM 310* Wednesday’. : 2 BCPT 121 + Business Computing | Tuesday Wednesda’ BFIN141) ‘Wednesday | _ BIN 346*. a Check faz prerequisites for these courses Business Graduates with Management Quantitative Methods Il Enivepreneurship : ma Accounting : : ____ Financial Accounting II : «&% Capilano _ Sunday, August 15, 1999 ~ North Shore News — 7 engender the success of women’s soccer? Soccer is now the largest U.S. participation sport and a significant proportion of the participants are female. A reasonable argument can be made that U.S. women's soccer could have benefited from a lucrative support base among profes- sional suburban women. Women's soccer could have been marketed to working women both as an exciting sport and x3 a means to support the devel- opment of women’s sport. Professional soccer is underdeveloped in the U.S. and the nascent men’s Major League Soccer is struggling to capture a committed base of fans and television view- ers. cer could have competed directly for the general soc- cer fan base, using its own base of women supporters as a foundation. The potential growth of U.S, women’s soccer illus- trates that there are always alternatives to government coercion when the product being sold is one of quality. Ultimately, it’s the mar- ketplace, for example, the consumers of athletics, that Therefore, women’s soc- lal interests should decide which athletic programs survive and which fail-according to the number of tickets purchased, teams sponsored, merchandise pur- chased — rather than an edict summarily dispatched by government. The Women’s World Cup demonstrated that women can provide an entertaining and gifted display of soccer. Now, ler’s dernonstrate our confidence in their abilities by nor subsidizing this, or any other, sporting special interest. —~ Patrick Basham and Jason Clemens are policy ana- lysts at The Fraser Institute, a Vancouver-based economic research organization. ‘Timethy Renshaw is on vacation. “Native JEWELLERY/ WreosinG Rincs” 441 West 31d Street, North Vancouver 988-9215 i Oll, Lube & Fiter ° 4 21 pt. Safety check, 1S minutes - FAST! includes up to 5 litras of 10w30 Quakerstate I x draperies & blinds. ltd. Serving the Lower Mainland for aver 27 years — Another one of our design Custom Rods, Upholstery ch Bedipreadi (Ask about aur Senior: Dircount) For free Estimate call ~ Back to School ¢ LIQUIDATION | Starting © Wednesday - |. August 18th > (see ad in Wed's NS News) Sizes 7-14-00 4-6X > . 9-3x & infants, too! - a ; K Geax College : : So Children’s, Clothing.Co. | Lynn Valley Centre 988 Easy access, take the Lynn Fig; (North) Exit off Upper Lavals Hwy: f