Next week, Missouri Southern will mark the 50th anniversary of the passage of XI (9) with a panel discussion regarding the milestone gender-equity law and its impact. KRPS’s Fred Fletcher-Fierro has more.

President Richard Nixon signed Title XI into law on June 23, 1972. Its passage prohibited sex-based discrimination in any school or other education program that receives funding from the federal government.

It followed the passage of the Civil Right Act of 1964, which ended discrimination in various fields based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in employment and public accommodation.

Next week’s panel includes Sallie Beard, a former coach and athletics director at MSSU, Dr. Pat Lipira, who served as softball coach from 1982-2000 and later as the university’s interim vice president for academic affairs;

Dr. Julie Wengert, associate vice president for student success; and Dr. Megan Bever, associate professor of history and chair of the Social Science Department. The event will be held next Thursday at 12:30 pm at Missouri Southern’s North End Zone facility. It’s open to the public.