The U.S Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights is investigating El Camino College over a possible Title IX violation for failing to provide equal athletic participation opportunities to female students by not effectively accommodating their interests and abilities.

The investigation, which opened Wednesday, March 4, follows a complaint filed by former ECC badminton coach David Levin on behalf of the women’s badminton team, one of two women’s teams cut in 2025.

Title IX is a federal law designed to prevent sex-based inequity in federally funded education programs.

ECC suspended women’s badminton and tennis, as well as men’s golf and tennis, citing budget challenges, low student participation and high operational costs, according to a press release from July 28, 2025.

The college also stated in the press release that the teams have below the standard threshold for competition.

“We never really want to cut programs; but budgeting-wise, that comes from the top…I think when the administration looks at any program in any department, it’s really based on where the interest is,” athletic director Abigail Francisco said.

In 2024, female students comprised 53% of ECC’s overall student population, with male students making up 45%, according to the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.

However, female students in athletics are underrepresented at 31%, compared to 68% of male student athletes.

Schools including San Diego Mesa City College, Pasadena City College and East Los Angeles College all have badminton teams which means ECC could have competitive matches for the 2026 season.

On campus the Badminton Club has over 40 members signed up, with roughly 45% of the members being women.

“If we had a team this year, there would have been at least 12-14 people,” administration of justice major Anya Gore,19, said.

Early in the process, Levin obtained legal counsel from Nancy Hogshead-Makar, a civil rights attorney, former Olympic champion and CEO of Champion Women, a nonprofit dedicated to ending sex inequality in athletics.

“We’re trying everything that we can do to make sure that the promise of Title IX actually happens, that it’s not just some fictitious goal…it’s actually there,” Hogshead-Makar said.

Title IX standards include a three-prong test which measures if an educational entity is in compliance with particular standards.

According to the National Federation of State High School Association the three prongs consist of:

Prong 1: Athletic participation opportunities, looking at a school’s history and ongoing efforts to expand programs, fully accommodate student athletic interests, and maintain substantial proportionality between male and female athletes.

Prong 2: Provision of athletic programs and benefits, ensuring equitable treatment

Prong 3: Effective accommodations of the interests and abilities of the underrepresented sex.

A school is in violation of Title IX if it fails all three prongs of the test, if it satisfies just one it is considered compliant.

ECC conducted its own independent investigation into the Title IX complaint with Nicole Miller & Associates, an investigative firm serving California public and private entities.

Dated Friday, Feb. 13, the firm concluded that the district failed prong one and two and that evidence was “insufficient” to conclude a finding that the district failed prong three.

Based on those findings, the Title IX Office concluded that ECC was in compliance with Title IX.

On March 9, Levin submitted a notice of appeal to the findings.

There has been no response to the appeal from ECC.

ECC has contracted Nicole Miller & Associates for Title IX from July 28, 2025 to June 30, 2026, as to not exceed $100,000 in payment for fiscal year 2026.

“We shouldn’t be at odds with each other… the school and the girls who want to play badminton shouldn’t be at odds with each other but they are,” Levin said.

The Union received no response from the Title IX Office after outreach attempts.

Director of Public Safety and Education Jeffrey Baumunk said he could not comment at this time stating in an email, “I can share pertinent information and updates with you when it becomes appropriate to do so.”

Vice President of Academic Affairs Carlos Lopez said that he cannot comment at this time.

“It’s really sad [badminton] got cut off, especially because I really wanted to join…I was like, ‘oh, for once I have a sport I can actually dedicate myself to,’” Badminton Club Vice President Vanessa V.,20, said.