Lewis, who is also chair of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) standing committee on athletics, cited a recent USA Today article that said Harvard is in compliance with the proportionality test, while few other colleges are.

Harvard is currently undergoing an 18-month self-study of its athletics programs as part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I certification process.

The self-study will review, among other things, Harvard's commitment to gender equity in athletics.

According to a report issued last October by the Department of Athletics, the University spent nearly twice as much on men's athletics as on women's athletics last year, a fact that disturbs many athletes and coaches.

"What does that say about what you are doing, what you are valuing?" asked Allard, who sits on the equity subcommittee of the NCAA self-study steering committee.

"Anybody can field a [women's] team, but are they getting the same luxuries, same travel schedule [as a men's team]?" she asked.

Elissa R. Hart '98, captain of the women's varsity volleyball team, said she believes that the funding disparity at Harvard mirrors cultural attitudes toward women's athletics.

"Most of the differences in funding are reflections of a society which views women's athletes as a step below men's athletes," she said.

Hart also said she believes that equality in the number of female athletes and spending on women's athletics are closely related.

"Equal participation should be a first goal," she said. "Hopefully, if we can achieve that, greater equity in funding will follow."

Both Allard and Hart said they believe that Harvard has demonstrated a continuing commitment to supporting women's athletics.

"They're committed to providing opportunities for women to compete," Allard said.

As an example, Hart pointed to a symposium for women athletes next month, which is being sponsored by the Department of Athletics.

Titled "Women and a Lifetime of Fitness: The Power of Physical and Emotional Health," the three-day workshop will deal with issues relating to women and sports, including nutrition, eating disorders and women in medicine.

The NCAA self-study steering committee will be holding an open hearing on athletics at Harvard next Tuesday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in Emerson Hall 315