An update to the Title IX class action lawsuit settlement, Biediger, et al v. Quinnipiac University, said that the university’s resources are going to be spent improving athletic opportunities for female students rather than continued litigation. 

According to an email sent to all Quinnipiac current and prospective female athletes, the case was filed in 2009, on behalf of all present, prospective and future female students who are involved in athletics at the university. 

In 2013, the case was settled, and Quinnipiac agreed to improve its female athletic participation and facilities, which included constructing an indoor track facility. However, due the physical limitations, the indoor track facility cannot be constructed. 

The legal representation for both sides of the case have come to the agreement of a proposed amendment decree. Quinnipiac is relieved of the obligation of building the indoor track facility in exchange for providing other benefits for female athletes and their teams.

The proposed amendment decree includes terms such as providing four additional full scholarships to the women’s track and field team to be allocated to recruits, as well as scholarships for women’s cross country athletes. Quinnipiac will increase the combined budget for the indoor and outdoor women’s track teams. 

Quinnipiac’s women’s volleyball team will be recognized as a “tier one” sport and four more scholarships will be provided to the team. 

Quinnipiac will also resurface the hanging track in the recreation center, as well as remove athletic equipment from the corners of the hanging track.  The university will then arrange for six hours of practice time weekly for the indoor track team at Yale’s Coxe Cage, or an equivalent facility. . 

The university will build a strength and conditioning facility either in or near the recreation center for athletes to use exclusively.  

Quinnipiac will install an indoor golf practice cage, and the women’s golf team will have priority access to the facility. 

The number of scholarships to any women’s team will not be reduced while the amended decree is in effect. 

As long as Quinnipiac remains compliant with the amended decree, claims will not be brought against the university that it has violated Title IX while the amended decree is in effect. 

The university will pay $90,000 in class counsel fees to compensate for the work in negotiating the amended decree. 

The original settlement expected that the university build a competition facility for the women’s field hockey team, a rugby pitch, an indoor track and field facility and another competition facility for a new “tier one” women’s sport, that the university chose to be soccer. 

In 2017, Quinnipiac opened its facilities for women’s soccer and field hockey and completed a rugby pitch. 

“Quinnipiac is committed to providing equal and outstanding opportunities for all of our Division I athletes and ensuring equitable treatment of all athletes,” said John Morgan, associate vice president for public relations. “We believe these improvements will greatly enhance the opportunities available to our female athletes and further strengthen our women’s athletics program.”

The amended decree will be in effect until June 30, 2024.