APNewsBreak: Feds open broad bias probe into Iowa athletics

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The University of Iowa is facing a wide-ranging federal civil rights investigation into allegations that its athletics department does not provide equal opportunities for female athletes, correspondence obtained by The Associated Press shows.

The Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education is looking into gender bias allegations in 13 areas, including how the department counts participation levels, awards scholarships, schedules practices and games and delivers services such as tutoring, medical attention, housing and dining.

[...] the review could take years, and a school lawyer told the federal agency in December that she believes an investigation will show Iowa "strives to provide male and female students an equal opportunity to participate."

At least one other Big Ten school, Minnesota, is facing a similar investigation by the civil rights office, which enforces the law known as Title IX that bars sex discrimination in education programs receiving federal aid.

The civil rights office opened an initial investigation into the athletic department in May in response to a complaint filed by four women's field hockey team members.