UConn reaches settlement with rowers in equality lawsuit

STORRS, Connecticut (AP) – The University of Connecticut has settled a state equality lawsuit and has reached an agreement to maintain its women’s rowing program for at least the next five years.

The lawsuit was filed by 12 rowers after the school announced in June 2020 that the sport was among several in budget cuts. A federal judge issued an injunction in May that prevented the school from breaking up the team.

U.S. District Judge Stephen Underhill ruled that rowers would likely prevail in their lawsuit alleging that the team’s elimination would violate Title IX, the federal law that guarantees equal access to women in education, including athletics.

Following the ruling, the school announced in July that it was reversing its decision to eliminate the team.

Aside from the fact that rowing should continue until at least spring 2026, the school agreed to a number of improvements to the program in Wednesday’s settlement, including renovating the team’s boathouse and increasing the number of scholarships in the program from 14 on 20. The school also agreed to hire three full-time assistant coaches and increase the recruitment budget from $ 7,000 to $ 35,000 per year.

“The university is pleased that we were able to settle this legal dispute and come to an agreement,” said UConn spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz on Thursday. “Our focus is on supporting and promoting this program.”

Felice Duffy, the plaintiffs’ lead attorney, said perhaps most importantly, UConn has also agreed to set up two independent monitors to review the school’s Title IX compliance annually. These observers would also approve any school schedule to be fully compliant with the law.

“It’s bigger than just the rowing team,” she said. “That will help all sports teams at UConn.”

The school had planned to eliminate women’s rowing, men’s swimming and diving, men’s cross-country skiing, and men’s tennis in an attempt to reduce a $ 42 million athletic deficit by about $ 10 million a year and to reduce the need for a subsidy for the sports department by 25% over three years.

At the time, the school said it considered the civil rights implications before making the decision.

But Underhill found compelling evidence that UConn increased attendance in its rowing and other women’s programs to create the appearance that it was compliant with federal law. He also wrote that there is evidence that UConn has had equity gaps every year for the past 13 years.

Duffy said she hopes other schools will look into this case and give their athletes real opportunities.

Maggie Mlynek, one of the rowers who filed the lawsuit and who has since graduated, said she believes the case will go a long way in cementing the school’s reputation as a great place for female athletes, not just basketball.

“At a time when we really didn’t think there was a future, we now have everything a rowing team could want or need to be successful,” she said.

UConn rowing coach Jennifer Sanford said she was proud of Mlynek and the other 11 rowers who filed the lawsuit because they believed the case was always about more than her team.

“They saw the value in fighting to resume our program, but also looked beyond that, in the hope that our case would protect other rowing teams across the country from being cut in the future,” she said. “I am pleased that the university has made a commitment to fully support our program and I look forward to building the program with our current student athletes and enthusiastic recruits who will be proud to represent the University of Connecticut.”

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