Washington State University Gender Equity Lawsuit Papers, 1969-2007

Sue Durrant was born in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1937. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Utah (1959), a master's degree from Washington State University (1962) and a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University (1976).

Durrant joined the faculty at Washington State University in 1962. She served as the head coach for women's volleyball from 1962 to 1975, as the instructor for the Fish Fans synchronized swim group from 1962 to 1968, and as head coach for women's basketball from 1971 to 1982. In addition to her coaching and teaching duties, Durrant was instrumental in implementing the provisions of Title IX at Washington State University, serving on numerous committees. She helped establish the Northwest College Women's Sports Association (NCWSA) and was its president in 1970-71. This organization became Region IX of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW). Title IX, passed in 1972, and guaranteed women equal access to athletic opportunities. In 1978 Durrant became one of the lead plaintiffs in the case Blair v. WSU, in which student athletes and faculty members sued the University for equal opportunities for women. The case was tried in 1982. The initial decision, though in favor of the plaintiffs, exempted football from the calculations. This decision was appealed to the WA state Supreme Court. The Supreme Court ruled in 1987 that football must be included. In 2001 she became the first recipient of the Samuel H. Smith Leadership Award, given by the AFW in recognition of her many years of dedication to the advocacy of equal status for women in the university.

Source: Sue M. Durrant Papers, 1956-2006, Cage 711, Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.

Joanne (Jo) Washburn (1937-2020) was born in Lyndon, Vermont. She received a Bachelor of Science in 1959 from the University of Connecticut, followed by a Master of Science from WSU in 1963. Both degrees were in Physical Education. She worked at WSU for 38 years. She began her career at WSU in 1966 as an instructor in the Physical Education (PE) department. She was promoted to Assistant Professor in 1970, and later to Associate Professor. She served as Assistant Women's Athletic Director and Director of Women's Athletics. She was a faculty member at WSU when Title IX was passed in 1972, and in 1979 she was one of 13 coaches who, along with 39 student athletes, successfully filed a lawsuit against WSU for failing to comply with Title IX (Blair v. Washington State University). Jo Washburn was the president of the Northwest College Women’s Sports Association and served on its governing committee for many years. She is a member of the WSU Athletics Hall of Fame and retired in 2004.

Source: Preliminary Guide to the Joanne Washburn Papers, 1921-2001, MS.2005.06, Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.