Cathryn Claussen has always been passionate about equality for all, but when her father told her at a young age that women couldn’t play in the NBA, she was stunned.

From that point on, she wanted to prove that women were skilled enough to play on the same level as men. Now, with her newly created distinguished professorship of Title IX and gender equality in sports, she’ll continue in her fight for equality while staying on as university ombudsman.  

“Dr. Claussen doesn’t just fight for gender equity, she fights for all equity,” said Brandon Chapman, director of marketing and communications for the college of education in an email. “She wants things to be fair and I think that presents itself in her role as ombudsman.”

With her new professorship, Claussen said she will focus on researching messaging in sports regarding Title IX and gender equity.

“There’s always some extra justification why women should be equal. But they never have to justify why men play sports,” Claussen said.

Going forward, Clasussen said her main focus is writing a book on on the subject. Specifically, the book will go back and look at Claussen’s own research on the history of the rhetoric used to show why women should be equal to men.

Her past research took her to a conference in Slovenia, where Title IX and the level of equity between men and women in the U.S stunned two men in attendance.

“They asked me why women should be equal,” Claussen said. “And I told them ‘Give me a good reason why not?’”

Her presentation and subsequent response earned a standing ovation by the women in attendance, and an interview by a Slovenian TV station.

Mike Trevisan, dean of the college of education, believes Claussen is the perfect candidate to continue the legacy of Title IX and equity in sports at WSU. He used the words “experienced, knowledgeable, and tenacious” to describe the former director of the sports management program. During her time as director, Trevisan said her greatest accomplishment was keeping the program intact and moving forward when the sports management program was facing elimination due to budget cuts.

With her new research based role, Claussen decided to step down from her position as director to focus on her professorship and her role as ombudsman.

“I couldn’t do three 50 percent kind of jobs,” she said. “It was hard because I’ve seen the program through thick and thin, but I feel good about leaving because the program is in a good place.”

Claussen said she has decided to continue as the university ombudsman because she finds the job rewarding. Her responsibilities include helping people with any issues they may be having with the university. These issues can range from unfairness in grading, student conduct, sexual assault, to ethnic discrimination toward international students. If students need a confidential source of advice and counsel, the ombudsman’s office is the place to go.

During her time as ombudsman, Cathryn has been reminded of the unkindness that people can treat each other with. But she says the good side often counterbalances the negative.