Brown Ruling Crucial

In a decision that could force colleges to cut men’s sports or reduce their funding, a federal judge ruled that Brown University discriminates against female athletes even though it offers the same number of sports for both sexes.

U.S. District Judge Raymond Pettine gave Brown 120 days to come up with a plan to comply with Title IX, the 1972 federal law prohibiting sex discrimination at schools that receive federal money.Pettine’s ruling came in a 1992 lawsuit filed by female athletes, who claimed Brown had violated the Title IX requirement that schools offer equal athletic opportunities to men and women.