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Earlier today, Clemson's Athletic Department announced that they will be continuing to sponsor men's cross country and track and field. The university originally announced on November 5th that they would be eliminating the programs at the end of 2020-2021 academic calendar. Clemson Athletics will also add one women's varsity program to their athletic offerings in the future.
According to Sports Illustrated's Chris Chavez, "Clemson met with attorneys to conduct a gender equity review of its athletic teams to implement a new Gender Equity Plan. It will be completed no later than July 1, 2022 to ensure Title IX compliance across all programs."
In their statement, the university noted that, "...revised financial projections show the impacts of COVID-19, while significant, did not harm the University in as drastic a way as anticipated."
Earlier in the year, The Stride Report interviewed athletes impacted by the initial cuts from Clemson which you can read here.
Since the announcement of the track and field and cross country programs being eliminated, athletes and advocates have been heavily campaigning for reinstatement. Russell Dinkins, a well-known advocate of reinstating collegiate programs -- who helped reinstate teams William & Mary and Brown University -- filed a complaint with the Department of Education in January, arguing that the cuts created illegal discrimination.
Clemson has also agreed to, "...to conduct a gender equity review of its intercollegiate athletics program to develop, adopt and implement a new Gender Equity Plan to strengthen Clemson’s support for its championship women’s sports programs. The Plan will be completed no later than July 1, 2022 and will be designed to ensure that Clemson maintains, improves, and achieves Title IX compliance across all aspects of its intercollegiate athletics program."