The mission of the Athletic Department at the University of Hawaii at Manoa is to operate dynamic sports programs encouraging student-athletes in their pursuit of excellence in the realms of academic achievement and athletic competition a the highest levels. The Athletic Department will provide equal opportunities to male and female students of all ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and will develop sportsmanship and ethical conduct. With aloha, we dedicate ourselves to earning the trust and loyalty of our fans and community through exemplary sports programs.

Very little is accomplished on the playing field, in the athletics office, in administrative suites, or among faculty and fans without an understanding of mission and an attitude of fairness, cooperation, energy and optimism. This spirit is woven into the fabric of winners in all areas.

The environment in athletics, including the administrative suite, educational support program, coaches’ office, playing field, locker rooms, and training facilities, must be such that there is no real or apparent difference in the way that men and women student-athletes, coaches, and administrative staff are welcomed or treated. A conscious effort must be made to assure an environment that recognized equal academic and athletic potential among student-athletes. A goal for the future is to have an environment that is so effortlessly and obviously unbiased as not to require any special attention. The NCAA Gender Equity Task Force Report of July 26, 1993 defines a gender equitable athletics program as one in which “the participants in both the men’s and women’s sports programs would accept as fair equitable the overall program of the other gender. No individual should be discriminated against on the basis of gender, institutionally or nationally, in intercollegiate athletics.” This is the environment that UH Athletics Program strives to achieve.

Because of the inequities that result from historical gender biases in our culture, women may require special attention and directed recruitment in to athletics at all ages. It is an appropriate role of the UH Athletics Program to participate in community-wide efforts to encourage girls and women to develop their natural interests and abilities in sports.

Achieving gender equity in sports, as in all things, will require both the will and the means. It must be understood that equitable opportunities in sports for men and women of all ages will contribute greatly to achieving equality in other areas. The potential to make a substantial improvement in the health of our society, increased average life expectancy, reduced teen pregnancies, reduced use of illicit drugs, reduce school drop-outs, and improved status of women overall cannot be overestimated. Gender equity in sports is of wider societal impact than in generally appreciated. The University is the ideal place for societal change to be formulated, for ideas to be developed, and for change to be implemented. All funds raised for the support of athletics should support a bias-free program. A serious effort must be made to raise new funds from fundraising contributions, gate receipts, and state appropriations to effect the needed changes. However, substantive changes can be made regardless of budget. Some of the more difficult ones will require a change in both approach and attitude, and a renewed commitment to fairness.

UH department of Athletics Statement on Gender Equity
“Gender equity in athletics extends the doctrine of fairness to all areas of athletic activity at the university level. It is activated by a sense of moral obligation that exceeds any specific duty to comply with legal requirements, although it also recognizes the necessity of observing the tenets of Title IX. Its desired effect is to offer women and men equal opportunities to participate in sports for which there is a demonstrated interest among athletes in Hawaii and to provide equitable levels of support for coaching, travel, scholarships, operating expenses, and facilities used. Beyond these specific goals, gender equity also fosters an attitude and establishes an environment in which men’s and women’s sports are encouraged in comparable ways. Those who support gender equity are willing to cooperate in frequent self-evaluations and to implement change so that all student-athletes can have the same opportunity to realize the highest level of their abilities.”

Title IX/Patsy T. Mink Act
“No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

NCAA Gender Equity Statement
“An athletics program can be considered gender equitable when the participants in both the men’s and women’s sports programs would accept as fair and equitable the overall program of the other gender. No individual should be discriminated against on the basis of gender, institutionally or nationally, in intercollegiate athletics.”