As the Hofstra University Department of Athletics celebrates the 50th anniversary of the passing of Title IX, we will honor, acknowledge, and inform our University community about some of the members of the Pride who helped make a difference at Hofstra and paved the way for today's current student-athletes, coaches, administrators, and teams. Leading up to the June 23 anniversary of the passage of Title IX, Hofstra Athletics will feature many individuals who played a role in enacting change or those whose experiences at Hofstra were enhanced by the efforts of those who came before them.

Title IX is a federal civil rights law in the United States of America that was passed as part (Title IX) of the Education Amendments of 1972. It prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or other education program that receives funding from the federal government.

Please consider a gift to celebrate and support the 50th anniversary of Title IX! All proceeds from this campaign will go directly towards our Hofstra Athletics Pride Club account for women's athletics. 

This week we feature an interview with former women's basketball student-athlete and current The John D. Nichols '53 Family Director of Athletics at Harvard University, Erin McDermott. McDermott was a captain of the women's basketball team and Hofstra's top female scholar-athlete as a senior. She graduated with a degree in international business in 1994 before earning her master's degree in sport management from the University of Massachusetts in 1996. Prior to her role at Harvard, McDermott served as director of athletics at the University of Chicago and was a member of the athletic administration at Princeton and Columbia.
 
Q: As a student-athlete growing up and while in college, what was your knowledge of Title IX?

A: I had no knowledge of Title IX until I was a student-athlete at Hofstra because Cindy Lewis invited Chris Voelz, who was the women's athletic director at the University of Minnesota. They were one of the last schools to have a divided program and she came and spoke to all of the female student-athletes at Hofstra, and this was the first time I was hearing about Title IX. It was very eye opening to me and really was the catalyst for my career choice. It made me think that things were not exactly as they should be in terms of equity and that it would take different people in positions of leadership to effect change. I always give credit to Cindy and Chris for my knowledge and understanding of Title IX but also for making this my profession. I also call myself a Title IX baby because I am also celebrating my 50th anniversary this year!
 
Q: As a college administrator, what have been some of the challenges that you have faced when it comes to Title IX and equity issues?

A: I think that even though this has been our reality for many years, there has typically been an undercurrent of annoyance or questions in the sense of "how far did you really have to go?" or "what was really necessary" when addressing issues that have arisen. Even though I feel like Title IX has been a part of every step along the way – in how we operate, in what we have to think about, and in what kind of experience we want to provide – there are still questions. Thankfully, I have been at places where doing the right thing was the bottom line.  
Personally, I feel strongly about being a proponent for equity, not just for women, but also across different teams and different student-athletes. I have stood in that space a lot and tried to be the advocate or the voice, and that has certainly had its fair share of push back or even times where I thought it might harm my career. I think there is such a recognition for the good Title IX has done and acknowledgement of the opportunities it has provided. I feel that women now are enjoying such a different kind of experience and opportunity and, ideally, you do not want them to think about this stuff. I am not even sure how much they know. I feel now that when Title IX is brought up on college campuses nowadays, it is usually more about sexual misconduct than athletic opportunities. Eventually it may disassociate itself, and that is not a bad thing, but I think that girls and young women should know the history of it all and what came before them.
 
Q: What strategies have you employed to address equity issues in the departments that you have worked in?

A: I have worked closely every place I have been with the groups or people on campus that come in and talk with coaches and student-athletes about the resources that are available on campus from an equity standpoint, and where they can go if they have questions or need to file a complaint. In addition, as a leader, constantly having this lens of what is fair, what is equitable, and what is the experience we want to provide across all decisions we make. I always tell our student-athletes that every decision I make I think about its impact on them. I try to look at it through my own student-athlete lens. I do think that has helped me in my progress as an administrator. Not a knock on coaches, but I think that people who have coached and then move into an administrative role sometimes look at it through a coaches lens and don't always see the impact a decision might have on a student-athlete on a day-to-day basis. Coaches sometimes let their competitive edge take over more than I would like in an educational setting. I have instilled in the people who work around me that we need to be the ones to protect the student-athletes and the experience that we feel is important to them.
As a concrete example of an accomplishment, as it relates to equity, would be adding women's lacrosse as a sport at the University of Chicago. There had not been a sport added in over 20 years and Chicago needed to address participation numbers. Women's lacrosse made a lot of sense in terms of geography and competitive opportunities in the area, as well as being a good size team for participation purposes. I am very proud of that for the impact that it had on the department and the university.
 
Q: What are the biggest changes that you have seen in college athletics since your time as a student-athlete through now as it relates to Title IX and equity issues?

A: Just so much more diversity in every way, which is terrific. It is so noticeable now. I interned with what is now Women Leaders in College Sports. It used to be called NACWAA, and the membership at the time was between 300-500 people and there would be a couple of hundred people at their convention. Now their events draw thousands of people and membership is through the roof, and the attendees are noticeably younger. I feel there is this whole other generation coming up in coaching and administration, and we have more women in those positions and in leadership roles than we did when I was in college and just starting out. There is more diversity in general from a racial perspective, and even the sexual orientation conversations have gone in a more open direction. There is a more inclusive environment in every way, which is healthy for our community of student-athletes so they can see models of whoever they are and see people that they identify with. I would say that the opportunities for women in college athletics are more plentiful, and of higher quality. Every aspect of the experience has been enhanced since I was playing.  
 
Q: Outside of the Power 5, being director of athletics at Harvard has to be one of the top positions in the country. Do you ever think about how you are a role model for other women in college athletics or for those who want to get in the field, and do you feel any additional pressure due to that?
 
A: I do believe that I am a role model but only because I have been told that! It always comes as a bit of a surprise. When I was at conventions, I would get approached by younger women looking to talk to me or I get numerous emails looking to connect or asking to pick my brain, that's when it dawned on me that I am to them what women like Cindy Lewis or Sandy Barbour, among others, were to me. It was a real turning point of realization and I do not necessarily feel pressure but more a sense of responsibility to be the best self I could be in every way. I see it in our student-athletes as well. Both here at Harvard and at Chicago, I have had women student-athletes just thank me for being at something, or for my leadership, and you can see a level of happiness that they see a woman in this role. I hope that I am a role model to all our athletes and not just the women, but to your point, there is more impact because it is a role that is associated with men. It is important that they do get to see a woman in a position of leadership no matter what field they plan to pursue a career.   
 
Q: Women's athletics at Hofstra has seen a great deal of success since the passage of Title IX. As an alumnus of Hofstra, how does it make you feel to see that success?

A: I am very proud that Hofstra has developed in that way and that the women are getting such an incredible competitive opportunity while pursuing their education. I think the fact that they can pursue and experience and realize the best versions of themselves while they are at Hofstra is incredible and to know that they are getting that kind of support from the athletic department and being put in a position to thrive while they are there is amazing. It not only makes me proud, but happy as well.