A landmark Title IX lawsuit against San Diego State University (SDSU) and the California State University system has resulted in a historic settlement that could strengthen gender equity in college athletics nationwide.
The case, Fisk et al.al. v. Board of Trustees of the California State University et al, settled with $300,000 to be distributed among 798 women athletes. The plaintiffs’ attorneys will also receive $1.3 million in legal fees. Beyond the financial settlement, SDSU agreed to achieve Title IX compliance by the end of the 2026-27 academic year, hire an independent expert to conduct a gender equity review, and develop a comprehensive gender equity plan.
Plaintiff attorney Arthur Bryant called the settlement historic, stating, “These women have made history.” For the first time since 1972, Title IX financial aid requirements were enforced by law.
The lawsuit was filed by 17 former athletes who alleged that SDSU failed to provide women athletes with an equitable share of athletic financial aid, violating Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Title IX requires educational institutions receiving federal funding to provide equal opportunities and resources regardless of sex.
According to the plaintiff, women made up 57.22% of SDSU student-athletes during the 2020-21 year and therefore should have received a comparable percentage of the athletic financial aid. Instead, women actually received only 50.64% of available aid. The plaintiffs argued that this disparity resulted in female athletes receiving more than $570,000 less in scholarship than they should have received.
The lawsuit also highlighted broader concerns about unequal treatment of women’s athletic programs. One example involved the women’s lacrosse team, which did not receive enough money for their promised new field and received no professional photography.
SDSU denied all claims of guilt and stated that SDSU supports and promotes its women’s athletic programs and takes pride in their accomplishments.
Title IX was the beginning of breaking barriers and providing resources for women to participate at the same levels and with the same numbers as men. It is one of the biggest contributors to women in sports. In 1972, there were 3000 women playing sports; now, just in college alone, there are 242,231 women. The Women’s Sports Foundation wrote “Before Title IX, one in 27 girls played sports. Today, that number is two in five.” Over the decades, Title IX has helped level the playing field and improve access to sports.
Despite that progress, Title IX still has flaws, with enforcement and accountability. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has recommended that the Department of Education strengthen its oversight by making greater use of athletics data, improving response times for monitoring reports and increasing accountability with the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). According to the GAO, shortcomings in oversight and transparency can allow potential violations to go unaddressed for years.
That reality is what makes the SDSU settlement so significant. The case demonstrates that Title IX is more than a symbolic commitment to equality. It is a legal obligation that schools can be held accountable for meeting.
More than 50 years after Title IX became law, this settlement serves as a reminder that progress requires enforcement. For women athletes, the victory represents not only compensation for past inequities but also a step toward ensuring that colleges and universities provide the equal opportunities the law promises.