Slippery Rock University must improve the women's softball field and provide additional funding for female athletics as part of a settlement filed yesterday in a Title IX lawsuit.

The original complaint, brought by 12 female student-athletes in 2006, was filed after Slippery Rock cut its women's swimming and water polo teams.

The case was settled in April 2007. However, in June, the plaintiffs filed a motion in federal court to reopen the case, alleging that the university had failed to follow through with the requirements of the settlement.

Among the complaints, the women athletes said that the university had failed to make the agreed-upon improvements to the softball field and failed to provide equitable coaching for women's track.

"There was a huge, huge discrepancy between this amazing stadium the boys played baseball in and this rutted field the girls played softball on," said Abbe Fletman, one of the attorneys who represented the female students.

While the university did attempt to improve seating at the women's field, the motion to reopen the case characterized the new seating as "flimsier," than the "luxurious" seats offered in the baseball stadium. Further, it was impossible for a spectator in the seats to be able to see the entire field of play.

Dr. Robert Smith, Slippery Rock's president, said that Title IX is supposed to be about the quality of the experience for the athletes, not necessarily the fans.

"There is room for good people to disagree on what is a quality experience," he said. Still, he went on, he is not opposed to making changes.

"We never agreed the baseball field and softball field were to be compared to be equal. But we wanted it to be a first-class softball field."

Fixing the seating and sight lines for fans are among the items that must be corrected under the settlement signed off on yesterday by U.S. District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose.

In addition, as part of the original settlement, the university agreed to provide $300,000 over and above required funding that would go toward improving women's athletics. As part of yesterday's agreement, the school will use some of that money to improve the soccer field, buy weights to be used by the women's teams and install nets around the field hockey and lacrosse fields.

The settlement also requires Slippery Rock's athletic department, varsity coaches and athletes to undergo a mandatory two-hour Title IX training session next year.

That follows interviews conducted by the plaintiffs in which they found, "[T]he Slippery Rock athletic department still lacks a sincere commitment to gender equality and, in fact, is still deeply hostile to women athletes."

But Dr. Smith disputed that statement, saying that it was simply rhetoric used by the plaintiffs to help get the case reopened.

Instead, he said that the university has been in compliance with Title IX's proportionality requirement -- 56 percent of the school is female, and 56 percent of the varsity sporting spots are for women -- for two years.

"What makes this an amicable settlement is that both sides had the same goal," Dr. Smith said.

Ms. Fletman believes there has been enormous improvement for female athletes since the original lawsuit was filed.

"Is it perfect? No. Will it ever be perfect? Probably not," Ms. Fletman said.

"But has it vastly improved since 2006? I think so."

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