DR. JO-IDA HANSEN

UJ Trustee

I grew up before the 1972 passage of Title IX, so I was fortunate to have parents (Charlotte and Gordon Hansen) who served as “my Title IX”. They imbued in me the belief that, if I worked hard, educational and professional opportunities in all disciplines would be open to me – even in the science and mechanical worlds which, back then, had few girls or women in them. One could not imagine then that, in 2023, more than half of medical, veterinary, and law school students would be women.

Athletics was a different story for me ... the Jamestown School System had no athletic teams for girls, so I missed out on the opportunities to be coached and to learn and earn the rewards of working as a team. However, as a faculty member at the University of Minnesota, Title IX made it possible for me to satisfy my interest in sports when I served as the university’s first Faculty Athletic Representative (FAR) to the Big 10 Conference and to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Yet, even as we celebrate, in 20222023, the positive impact of Title IX on educational, career and athletic opportunities, we must keep an eye on continuing disparities—for example, fewer women than men are in business, academic, and athletic leadership positions; fewer women are college professors and coaches; and women have substantially lower salaries than do men across all income levels. Thankfully, UJ is committed to fostering cultural changes, through academic, personal, and athletic opportunities for all students, that hopefully will lead to more equity in the future.

Tena Lawrence ’81/’17 Executive Vice President

Most people associate Title IX with the advancement of athletics for women, when really it has had a more far-reaching effect than just athletics. It opens the door to education. With an increase in attainable education, we saw entry by women into careers held traditionally by males, we saw an increase in quality of life for females and their families, and the world tapped into the unlimited talents and knowledge of a group that had been previously suppressed.

Amber Schaack ’23 Women’s Hockey Coach

Title IX has allowed me to have the opportunity to not only be a student-athlete, but also a coach in women’s hockey. Being able to provide the same opportunity to my student-athletes has been nothing short of an incredible experience.

Kresha Wiest ’96 Chief Financial Officer

Because of Title IX, I have been blessed as part of a generation that has always known the abundant opportunities in education and women’s athletics.

Dina Laskowski Faculty Emeritus

Title IX balanced the playing field to provide equal opportunities for females to pursue their talents without discrimination. The law enacted June 1972 helped to establish equity over the years, but changing public mentality still needs to catch up. Females retain the right to pursue their choices without stigma.

Sara Voorhees Director, Department of Physical Therapy

Title IX was enacted when I was a baby, and I’m fortunate to not know anything else. Title IX is most commonly recognized as a literal game changer for women and sports; do not forget that it also was barrier-breaking legislation that touches all aspects of education. Title IX continues to remain vital for equality of so many aspects of our lives, our education, our libraries, and our museums.

Peggy Foss ’58 UJ Trustee

Title IX will always be a work in progress as societal challenges occur. It is necessary for the current recipients to keep Title IX alive as a vital instrument in enhancing opportunities for females. It is a powerful document that has opened many doors and these doors have to remain open!