When the women's soccer team was added to the varsity lineup at Penn State last fall, many hailed it as a great step toward equality.

But other universities throughout the nation have not been as quick to make such moves.

"(Penn State is) a leader, not a follower," said Pat Farmer, Penn State's women's soccer coach. "It's not one of the schools that has to catch up."

Decisions motivated by gender equity have caused controversy as administrators struggle to keep an even balance between men's and women's varsity sports. The struggle stems from ongoing efforts to offer more opportunities for women's teams, while keeping men's programs intact.

In June 1992, the Big Ten issued the Gender Equity Action Policy requiring a 60/40 percent male/female participation level in varsity conference teams by June 1997.

The conference has not laid down any specific guidelines on how this is to be accomplished.

While Penn State has added women's soccer, other conference schools have dropped men's programs to achieve the required 60/40 ratio. Since the 1982-83 school year, 86 of 351 intercollegiate wrestling programs and 31 of 71 men's gymnastics programs have been discontinued.

Penn State Athletic Director Tim Curley said other schools may be having problems complying with gender equity guidelines for financial reasons.

"I think (athletic departments) are constantly looking at ways we can increase revenue to provide opportunities and expand opportunities," he said.

Lack of student interest and declining participation are other reasons cited by schools that have dropped athletic teams. Illinois dropped its men's swimming program for such reasons, said Mike Pearson, Illinois sports information director.

Federal legislation concerning the issue began in 1972 with Title IX of the Education Amendments. Title IX prohibits sex-based discrimination in educational institutions receiving federal financial assistance.

At least three interpretations of that ruling currently exist. First, participation opportunities should be similar to the full-time undergraduate student population. This is true at Penn State's University Park campus.

Currently, the University has a 59.5 male to 40.5 female ratio of student-athletes. The current full-time undergraduate student population is 55.8 percent male and 44.2 percent female.

A second interpretation is a school showing a history of improving opportunities for the sex that is underrepresented in athletics. For example, this could be shown in a pattern of adding women's athletic scholarships.

Lastly, universities must be able to show that the interests and abilities of both sexes are being accommodated. Women's sports should be given the same resources as men's sports.

Women's Lacrosse Coach Julie Williams said her interpretation of Title IX is similar to the first one. Williams said she would like Penn State's ratio of student-athletes to be closer to the ratio of full-time undergraduate students.

"You have to remember that's a work in progress," she said. "My hope is that they're not stopping (where they are). It should be in perfect ratio to the student population."

But some disagree with this idea. Rich Lorenzo, co-exective director of the National Wrestling Coaches Association and a former Penn State wrestling coach, said athletics is targeted as a site of proportionality in Title IX because sports get extensive press attention.

"Athletics is being singled out for proportionality," Lorenzo said. "They don't do that for engineering or women's studies."

John Bove, Penn State's NCAA compliance coordinator, said the Big Ten addressed gender equity several years ago, when the conference established the 60/40 rule. Bove said athletic officials from various schools agreed with the mandate.

"I'm sure (the conference) wouldn't have supported that without seeking out the feelings of coaches and administrators," Bove said. "They felt this was a reasonable objective."

Though some of the other collegiate conferences may not have written policies, they are showing concern about the issue.

Ray Cella, director of communications for the Atlantic 10 Conference, said the conference does not have a formal policy, but it does sponsor 10 women's sports and eight men's sports.

"We're as 'gender equity' as possible," he said.

Mary Lou Thimas, assistant commissioner for the Eastern College Athletic Conference, said the ECAC does not have a formal code, but demonstrated its support for gender equity through the establishment of a women's ice hockey league.

"It's kind of through action that our statement has been shown rather than in writing," Thimas said, adding she plans to talk to ECAC Commissioner Clayton Chapman about establishing written guidelines.

Prentice Gautt, senior associate commissioner of the Big Eight Conference, said gender equity has always been a concern for the conference. The Big Eight's policy, approved in 1993, states there will be "a fair distribution of overall athletic opportunity and resources" available to men and women.

The policy also states that the conference "will affirmatively seek to hire women, where possible, in all positions and areas of their athletics departments and Big Eight Conference office" and "recognize and support women."