t girls to participate in school athletics, either on existing male teams or on womens teams. Since, however, almost all universities receive some form of federal financial assistance, Title IX proved to be a potent weapon for attacking discrimination against women in college athletics. Olson says that "Title IX and equal protection litigation together did work a revolution of sorts in women's sports in the 1970s."
Under regulations issued by the United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare, colleges and universities were given until 1978 to bring their athletic programs into compliance with Title IX. The percentage of women participating in college athletic programs increased from 15 percent before Title IX to 38.8 percent in 1984, expenditures by college athletic departments for womens athletic programs increased from $24.7 million in 1977 to $116 million in 1981 and financial aid to women athlete students increased thirteenfold between 1973 and 1981. These changes came about through law suits which were filed by students and ot
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