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On June 17, 2002, I had the honor to preside over the California Assembly in a ceremony at the State Capitol celebrating the 30th anniversary of Title IX.

Title IX is the landmark federal legislation that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs and activities by educational institutions receiving federal funds.

This inspiring event brought together world-class professional women athletes, Olympic medal winners and young girls who were thrilled to meet their idols. They had the opportunity to try on medals these female athletes had won through their years of hard-work and determination.

Brandi Chastain, whose winning goal helped win the 1999 World Cup Soccer championship, spoke to the legislature about what Title IX has meant to her and how it has positively impacted her life.

Prior to the passage of Title IX, opportunities for girls and women to participate in sports were very limited. I still remember my experience in high school of having to wait to play basketball until the boys were done with the gym, which meant missing the last bus home. Sometimes, it meant entering a dark gym because the janitor had already turned out the lights and gone home for the night.

In 1970, young women’s participation in high-school athletic programs was one in every 27. Today, the participation rate is one in every 2.5, while the participation rate for young men has remained at one in every two programs since 1970.

We provide our young people with opportunities to participate in high school and collegiate athletics because they are important learning experiences. Young men and women learn goal-setting, teambuilding and strategizing. They learn to take criticism, and build self-confidence.

All these things will help them succeed in their adult lives. Studies have shown young women who participate in sports attain higher grades and are more likely to graduate. They are less likely to smoke, abuse alcohol and drugs, and are less likely to be sexually active and become pregnant.

There are those who worry that Title IX, in providing opportunities for girls, has eliminated programs for boys in the process. The facts tell a different story. Though some men’s wrestling programs have been cut, we have seen a huge increase in men’s soccer, basketball and baseball programs.

Similarly, women’s gymnastics programs have been sharply reduced, while women’s swimming programs have increased commensurately.

In other words, adjustments are being made as more popular sports replace less popular ones. Just as overall opportunities for men have improved, the overall opportunities for women have substantially improved.

Nonetheless, 80 percent of all colleges are not in compliance with the intent of Title IX. While women represent 54 percent of college students, female athletes only receive 36 percent of sports operating dollars, 42 percent of college athletic scholarship dollars, 32 percent of athletic team recruiting spending.

UCLA has made a commitment to increasing athletic opportunities for women by adding women’s soccer, water polo and, most recently, women’s rowing. According to the United States Department of Education women represent 52 percent of the total full-time undergraduates enrolled at UCLA, but only 43 percent of the opportunities in athletics are available to women. UCLA women athletes receive 34 percent of the total operating dollars, 47 percent of the athletic scholarship dollars and 32 percent of athletic team recruiting dollars.

UCLA’s continued commitment to women’s athletics has paid off with 20 women’s championships since 1982.

On October 16, 2002, the California State Assembly Select Committee on Title IX, of which I am co-chair, held its first informational hearing at UCLA’s James West Alumni Center. UCLA athletes Jill Oakes and Nandi Pryce testified to the positive opportunities and experiences that participation in athletics has given them while advocates urged the Committee Members to continue to increase athletic and educational opportunities for all students.

On November 20, 2002 in San Diego, President Bush’s Commission on Opportunities in Athletics will convene a Town Hall to examine the necessity of making changes to Title IX. In a time where Title IX is being challenged, we must continue to urge the United States Congress and the president to stand firm in their commitment to Title IX and pursue a strong enforcement policy. Legislators must come together across gender and party lines to support opportunities for all our children to learn, to compete and to succeed together.

Our efforts must continue to ensure that boys and girls have the opportunity to experience the pride and satisfaction of participating in the excitement and challenges that athletics provide. Given the importance of Title IX, how far we have come, and how far we need to go, we must commit to continuing to move forward in this important work.