Title IX: Leveling the Playing Field Essay -- gender equity in sports

How does one define the success of a high school and college? Is it through standardized test scores, graduates, and college applicants? Is it through winning games and playing beyond the school? Yes, in fact it’s all of these things. America is based on freedom and equality. America is created with â€Å"Liberty and Justice for All†. America is only now starting to treat women as the equals they are. Although Title IX has improved athletic opportunities for women, the ratio of women to men athletic funds is uneven because of the revenue main stream men’s sports bring to the schools. As colleges grew in people and pride, football became the new sensation. With the predominant â€Å"football schools† nationwide, female athletic programs weren’t given much thought. Football provides the schools funding through its massive packed stands. The revenue made funneled back into the football programs and left little funding for any other sport, male or female. In 1972, the nation finally decided to make a stand, and force schools to create and sponsor other athletic teams for females, besides cheerleading and square dancing. Title IX was enacted in 1972 by President Richard Nixon. It â€Å"requires† gender equity for boys and girls in every educational program that is federally funded. Many people do not even know that Title IX exists, or if they do, that it applies to more than sports. However it applies to sports, access to higher education, career education, education for pregnant and parenting students, employment, learning environment, math and science, sexual harassment, standardized testing and technology. It forced schools to even the playing field and implement women’s sporting teams. Before Title IX, it was nearly impossible to get a f... ...011. Davis, Paula M. "Imagine Fund Will Offer Race and Gender-based Scholarships in Response to 2006 Anti-affirmative Action Law." MLive. Michigan Live LLC, 20 Aug. 2008. Web. 06 Feb. 2011. Grant, Christine. "A Title IX Presentation." Bailiwick. The University of Iowa Libraries, 25 Sept. 1995. Web. 10 Feb. 2011. Lopiano, Donna. "Title IX Q & A - Women's Sports Foundation." Title IX. Women's Sports Foundation, 26 May 2005. Web. 10 Feb. 2011. Rhode, Deborah L., and Christopher J. Walker. "Gender Equity in College Athletics: Women Coaches as a Case Study." NCAA. National College Athletics Association, 26 Mar. 2008. Web. 6 Feb. 2011. Weistart, John. "Equal Opportunity? Title IX and Intercollegiate Sports." Wilson Web, Fall 1998. Web. 2 Feb. 2011. "Christine Grant | Sports Management Resources." Our Consultants. Sports Management Resources. Web. 10 Feb. 2011.

Make decisions or solve problems Essay

What are heuristics? How do they help us make decisions or solve problems? How do they hinder decision making and problem solving? What does the study of heuristics tell us about how our mind works? Elvira Gubayeva In psychology, the term â€Å"heuristics† is used to describe cognitive shortcuts that our mind takes in order to save time and effort while solving problems and making decisions. Although this rule of thumb technique does not guarantee the solution, it is highly likely to solve the problem. These congnitive shortcuts differ from algorithms as algorithms will definitely solve the problem, although they would consume more time in the process. Thus, heuristics are shortcuts that eliminate the need to consider unlikely possibilities or irrelevant states to reach the final solution. From that perspective, heuristics are useful in making decisions or solving problems. One of the most important heuristic methods was explored by Newell & Simon. They called this method the means-ends analysis. This method implies that the problem solver will note the difference between the current state of the problem and the goal state, the solution. He would then create a subgoal to reduce the difference between the two states. A path, or an operator, would be selected to reach the subgoal. Egan & Greeno(1974) used the Tower of Hanoi problem to investigate this heuristic method. They found that subjects with prior experience with the problem who used the means-ends analysis solved more difficult versions of the problem faster than subjects who did not make appropriate subgoals. Subjects who changed their strategy to means-ends analysis produced better results than those who did not. Overall heuristics are useful in solving problems and making decisions as they reduce the complexity of different solutions that are possible. They do yield good results when they are used in the appropriate context. However, heuristics can also hinder decision making and problem solving. For example, Anzai & Simon(1979) found that many subjects used domain dependent strategies while solving the tower of Hanoi problem. This hindered their process to the solution as they avoided certain states in the puzzle that they believed would not help them, rather than move towards a definite goal/ subgoal state. Subjects were more interested in the goal state and focused on reaching that rather than reaching the subgoal state first. As Thomas(1974) found, this could actually hinder process. Thomas used the missionaries-cannibals puzzle and adapted J. R. R. Tolkien’s hobbits and orcs to replace missionaries and cannibals. To reach the solution quicker, subjects had to move away from the goal state. However, not many were willing to do that. This distraction to reach the goal state caused the subjects to take longer solving the problem. If the subjects found themselves moving away from the goal state, they typically thought they reached a back alley and backtracked. As a result, subjects took longer to solve the problem as they were using the domain dependent heuristic and avoided moving away from the goal. Another heuristic which could hinder correct decision making and problem solving is the availability heuristic. We use data that we can remember better or that which had a bigger impact on us rather than complete data. Thus subjects can make judgements based on what is easier remembered than an unbiased judgement. One availability heuristic that is commonly used is the media bias. The media presents such a great number of fatal accidents that most think that death is more likely to be caused by an accident rather than diabetes. This is not the case, yet because an accident is easier to remember and had a greater impact on the mind most would consider the statement above to be true.

Tips for Throwing a French-Themed Party

For Francophiles, any time is a good time to celebrate French, but there is one holiday in particular that cries out for a French-themed party: Bastille Day. Here are some ideas for a party with some French panache.DecorationsIf youre going for patriotic Bastille Day colors, Americans have it easy: you can just reuse your red, white, and blue bunting from the 4th of July. You might also consider investing in some posters, or make your own by blowing up your favorite photos of France. If youre feeling artistic or playful, decorate place card with little drawings of the Eiffel Tower, or make tiny berets or French flags as party favors.DiscussionsTo get people in a chatty mood, consider one of these topic ideas:- French quotations - offer up a few of your favorite Francophone words of wisdom for discussion.- Today in Francophone history - talk about famous French people who share each guests birthday.- Travel stories - anyone who has been to France will be eager to talk about it. Set up a projector to swap stories and photos.br/>- French culture - theres no shortage of discussion topics when it comes to French movies, plays, literature...- French is better than... everything - I put this together just for fun; see if you can add to my lists, or come up with new ones.- Spanish is easier than French - fact or fiction?EntertainmentDont forget to have some nice French music playing in the background, or even a movie.Food and DrinkNothing says fà ªte like good French food and drinks. Some classic foods are cheese, crà ªpes, fondue, French onion soup, pà ¢tà ©, pissaladià ¨re, quiche, ratatouille, croissants, and a variety of French breads. For dessert, try chocolate mousse, and crà ¨me brà »là ©e. As for beverages, theres wine, champagne, pastis, chartreuse, coffee, and Orangina. Bon appà ©tit  !Vive la France!