Guilford College, Former Athletic Director Hit with Title IX Class Action

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Greensboro, North Carolina’s Guilford College and its former athletic director (and current men’s basketball coach) are the defendants in a proposed class action lawsuit filed by sixteen plaintiffs who claim the school has discriminated against current, prospective and future female students by providing male students with “a greater opportunity” to participate in varsity and intercollegiate sports. The 91-page lawsuit, citing possible violations of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, seeks to require Guilford to add women’s varsity athletic opportunities equal to those of their male counterparts, as well as redress for alleged past discrimination and unlawful conduct that resulted in, the case says, “lost education and employment opportunities, emotional pain and suffering, and economic damages.” 

Among the lead plaintiffs are former coaches of Guilford’s women’s track and field cross-country team (one of whom is male) who both allege they were retaliated against for complaining about the unequal treatment of the school’s athletes. One of the coaches claims she was discriminated against based on her sex and the sex of the student athletes she coached, and, during her tenure, was subjected to a hostile work environment and adverse actions that have harmed her career. The male former coach alleges that his complaints about unequal treatment of female athletes not only led to him being subject to a hostile work environment, but also his removal as the head women’s cross-country coach, unwarranted negative performance reviews, and manipulation of his pay “in a manner Guildford College knew would cause his resignation.”

The lawsuit, which can be read in full below, itemizes and elaborates on Guilford College’s alleged discrimination of female student athletes in such areas including, but not limited to:

• Provision of equipment and supplies;
• Scheduling of games and practice times;
• Travel and per diem allowances;
• Opportunities to receive coaching and academic tutoring;
• Assignment and compensation of coaches;
• Provision of locker rooms and practice and competition facilities;
• Provision of medical and training facilities and services;
• Provision of housing and dining facilities and services;
• Funding and fundraising opportunities;
• Publicity;
• Recruiting; and
• Support services. 

The proposed class named by the lawsuit includes “all present, prospective, and future female student athletes at Guilford College” who participate, seek to participate and/or were deterred from participating in athletics at the school and who are denied, will be denied or have been denied equal treatment and benefits.