The Title IX investigation that began four years ago, delaying the University of Minnesota's Athletes Village project, wound up finding "insufficient evidence" of a violation, the Star Tribune has learned.
Insufficient evidence found in Title IX investigation of U
November 5, 2019 at 5:02AM
The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) spent more than three years investigating the Gophers athletics department after a complaint was filed in January 2015. The complaint centered on the fact the university was demolishing its track to make room for the new Gophers football facility, forcing the track and field teams to practice off-campus.
As the complaint noted, the university relies on the women's rosters for track and field and cross country to stay in compliance with Title IX, the 47-year old law that bans sex discrimination in any federally supported school.
The university opened a new, $13 million track on campus in September 2018, alleviating much of the concern. But the OCR's investigation covered 13 components, everything from scholarship money to recruiting resources.
The OCR cleared the university on 11 of those 13 components, with the university signing "resolution agreements" for the other two, dealing with locker room amenities and medical training facilities.
The Star Tribune acquired the OCR's 58-page response to the University on Monday through a data practices request.
Joe Christensen
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Gopher basketball coach Ben Johnson signed three recruits who have similarities with the program’s last two impact freshmen, Isaac Asuma and Cam Christie.
