Constitution

CONSTITUTION

OF THE

BRAZOS VALLEY SOFTBALL UMPIRES’ ASSOCIATION

ARTICLE I

NAME

This organization shall be named THE BRAZOS VALLEY SOFTBALL UMPIRES’ ASSOCIATION (BVSUA).

ARTICLE II

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

This organization shall abide by the rules of the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) and the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation (TAAF). Its purpose will be to promote the game of amateur softball by:

  • maintaining a membership consisting of qualified umpires who are actively engaged each year in umpiring softball games;

  • helping develop among all softball umpires their knowledge of the rules and conduct of the game;

  • providing meetings, as specified by the Board of Directors, before and during the season, as needed, for better service to the game of softball;

  • establishing and maintaining the highest ideals of sportsmanship in connection with the game of softball; and

  • providing customer service programs and better establishing communication lines for softball programs and the participants thereof.

ARTICLE III

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

SECTION I

The Board of Directors shall serve as the governing body of the BVSUA. The Board shall review and approve all presidential appointees. The Board shall listen to and act upon recommendations of the Membership, Grievance, Training & Evaluation, and Audit Committees. In addition, all findings and recommendations of any ad hoc committee will be reviewed and acted upon by the Board.

SECTION II

The Board of Directors shall consist of the following voting members: President (who shall serve as chair of the Board), Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, three (3) Members-At-large, and District 30 Commissioner. Non-voting Members: Scheduler, Umpire-In-Chief (UIC), Assistant Umpire-In-Chief (if assigned by UIC), District 30 youth Commissioner, City of Bryan Athletic Director, City of College Station Athletic Director and Immediate Past President of the BVSUA.

A quorum of at least five (5) voting Board members must be present at meetings to conduct BVSUA business which requires a Board vote.

SECTION III

The Board of Directors shall adopt and maintain Bylaws separate from the Constitution. The Bylaws shall provide thorough procedural information, detailed expectations of its members, and other relevant information regarding BVSUA membership. The Bylaws shall be consistent with the provisions of the Constitution.

The Board shall review the Bylaws at least once per year as part of its agenda and shall actively seek recommendations from the general membership regarding its contents.

Section IV

All Board members must pay their Association dues as required by the BVSUA Bylaws.

SECTION V

Elected Officers

Elected officers of the BVSUA shall be: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and three (3) Members-At-Large. Individuals serving in the above mentioned positions will serve on the Board of Directors.

SECTION VI

Nominating Procedure

A nominating committee of three (3) members in good standing shall be appointed by the President and approved by the Board of Directors. Nominees to elected positions on the board of Directors shall currently be and have been members in good standing of the BVSUA for at least one year prior to election. The nominees for the elective offices shall be presented to the membership, at which time nominations may be made from the floor in the following order: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Members-At-Large. The same individual may be accepted for nomination for only one elected position on the Board of Directors. Nominations will be presented to the membership during a scheduled general meeting at least one week preceding the election date. Elections shall take place in the month of October.

SECTION VII

Election Process

Elections for members of the Board of Directors shall be by secret ballot of the membership of the BVSUA at its designated meeting in October. Elected individuals shall officially take office on January 1 and shall serve for two years. The President, Secretary, and one Member-at-Large will be elected in odd numbered years while the Vice President, Treasurer, and two Members-at-Large will be elected in even numbered years. In case of a vacancy in an elected position, the President will recommend a replacement to the Board of Directors for its approval. This recommended individual must meet all of the requirements of a member nominated through the general election process and shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term.

Non-voting Board positions (Scheduler, Umpire-In-Chief) shall be open, at the appropriate time of the year, to all members in good standing. The Board shall consider each applicant and select the best-qualified candidate. Any voting member of the Board (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Member-At-Large) who applies for a non-voting Board position shall not be permitted to vote in the selection process for that position.

SECTION VIII

Voting Privileges

Members of the BVSUA have voting privileges on all items brought before the general membership, provided he or she has been a member of the BVSUA for 90 days and has paid his/her membership dues in full.

SECTION IX

Duties of Officers

  1. President – The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association. The President shall have the power to appoint members of all committees, subject to the approval by the Board of Directors. The President shall have the power to be executive head of the Association and shall exercise general supervision of its affairs and shall be responsible for the enforcement of the Constitution and bylaws. Vacancies among the officers shall be filled by appointment of the President for the remainder of the unexpired term, with the approval of the Board of Directors. The President shall keep the other officers fully informed in matters concerning the Association. The President will vote on matters brought before the Board of Directors only in the case of a tie. In the event of the President’s inability to serve, the Vice President will assume the duties.

  1. Vice President – The Vice President shall, in the absence of the President, perform all duties pertaining to the office of the President. The Vice President will be responsible for setting up an agenda for the meetings, will work with the UIC in setting up training sessions, and assist the President when called upon.

  1. Secretary – The secretary shall record the proceedings of the BVSUA. The Secretary shall record the minutes of each Board of Directors and general meetings and make copies of those records available to the membership. The Secretary will help in the organization of the roster and shall be responsible for any publications released by the BVSUA. The Secretary shall maintain attendance records for all meetings of the BVSUA.

  1. Treasurer – The Treasurer shall oversee the financial management and banking operations for the BVSUA and shall be the custodian entrusted with all General Account monies received, deposited, and issued on behalf of the BVSUA. Specific duties of the Treasurer shall include:

  • setting up and maintaining an accounting ledger;

  • posting a record of each deposit and disbursement of monies and ensuring this ledger will be made available for examination by the membership through advance written request to the President of the BVSUA;

  • collecting all dues and fees;

  • providing a financial report at each meeting of the Board of Directors;

  • preparing an annual financial statement for review by the Board of Directors and the membership;

  • signing all checks drawn on the BVSUA general account; and

  • other duties as required.

  1. Umpire-In-Chief – The UIC shall be nominated by the President and approved by the Board of Directors. The UIC shall be responsible for interpreting rules, training all Association umpires, conducting rookie clinics, and appointing a training committee.

The UIC may choose to appoint one, or several, Assistant Umpires-in-Chief. All Umpire(s)-in-Chief appointed by the UIC shall be approved by the Board. The Assistant UIC will assist the UIC with his/her training and Board responsibilities where required.

  1. Scheduler – The umpire Scheduler shall be appointed by the Board of Directors and will be responsible for scheduling umpires for all local league games and for submitting a written financial report to the Board at the end of each season. The scheduler position shall be a paid position.

  1. Member-At Large – The Member-At-Large shall serve as a communication channel between the Board and the membership of the BVSUA. The Member-At-Large shall represent the general body at all Board meetings.

ARTICLE IV

PERMANENT COMMITTEES

The Board of Directors, with direction from the President, shall select members from the Board and from the general membership to serve on various committees to further the purposes of the BVSUA. All committee members shall be members in good standing.

SECTION I

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE

  1. The Membership Committee shall develop and maintain a listing of all members in good standing of the BVSUA. This list will be based on the minimum requirements for membership in good standing as defined by Article V, Membership. This listing is to be evaluated and updated on a monthly basis as needed. A current list of members in good standing will be provided to the BVSUA Secretary.

  2. The Membership Committee shall review and make recommendations for the rejection or suspension of membership as per Article V Section III to the Board of Directors.

  1. The Membership Committee shall study the needs of the Association in terms of members and make recommendations regarding recruiting and optimal membership size.

SECTION II

TRAINING AND EVALUATION COMMITTEE

  1. The Training & Evaluation Committee (T&E) shall be under the direction of the UIC. The UIC will serve as chair for this committee and will appoint the committee members.

  1. T&E shall be responsible for:

  • scheduling and conducting local umpiring clinics as needed;

  • developing and implementing an evaluation procedure whereby all BVSUA officials may be evaluated at least twice each softball season;

  • providing the necessary format for discussion of ratings and evaluations with each BVSUA official as needed;

  • submitting a written financial statement at each Board meeting; and

  • making recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding the evaluation process with suggested actions if needed.

SECTION III

GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE

The Grievance Committee shall be under the direction of the Vice President (VP). The VP will serve as Chair for this committee. The VP will appoint at least two members from the general membership to assist in the review of all grievances.

The Grievance Committee shall serve as a mechanism whereby all grievances against the BVSUA, members of the BVSUA or any party involved with the BVSUA can be filed. Grievance Committee members shall handle all grievances in a confidential manner and shall not share information with anyone who is not involved in the grievance process.

Grievance Procedures

  1. Following the filing of a written grievance, the Grievance Committee will gather all pertinent facts regarding the allegations against the BVSUA member(s) and make their recommendations to the Board of Directors. These recommendations may include:

  • personal consultation;

  • temporary suspension of member in good standing status;

  • termination of BVSUA membership; or

  • any action deemed appropriate by the committee.

  1. Recommendations of the Grievance Committee must be based on a majority vote of the full committee membership and then submitted to the Board of Directors. The recommendation must be in writing and include applicable statements, records, etc. pertinent to the grievance.

  2. The Board of Directors shall consider the Grievance Committee’s recommendations regarding the allegations against the BVSUA member(s). Upon a majority of the vote, the Board will choose to take the recommended actions of the Grievance Committee or may choose to take other action deemed appropriate.

  1. Board members shall remove him/herself from the Board’s grievance process in the event the Board member is the subject of a grievance. The Board member may appeal any action taken against him or her using the appeal procedures outlined below.

Appeal Procedures

  1. Any member shall have the right to appeal any action taken against him or her. Appeals shall be in writing (email, note, etc.) to the President within seven calendar days of his/her receipt of the notice of the punitive action. The appeal shall be heard by an appeal panel established under the provisions of the BVSUA Bylaws.

  1. The appeal panel’s decision must be made within fifteen (15) calendar days of the President’s written receipt of the appeal and shall be final.

  1. Appeal panel members shall handle all appeal information in a confidential manner and shall not share information with anyone who is not involved in the grievance or appeal process.

SECTION IV

AUDIT COMMITTEE

  1. The Audit Committee shall be under the direction of the Secretary. The Secretary will serve as Chair for this committee. The Secretary will appoint at least two members from the general membership to help review all accounts held by the BVSUA.

  1. The Audit Committee shall conduct a semi-annual audit on the accounts of the BVSUA. The Committee shall be responsible for auditing the BVSUA General, T&E, Scheduler and National Bid Committee accounts.

  2. The Audit Committee shall submit a written report of their findings to the Board of Directors for approval.

ARCTICLE V

MEMBERSHIP

SECTION I

New applicants for membership in the BVSUA shall be considered after having complied with one of the following:

  1. A novice to umpiring, or someone who is not a registered umpire during the immediate preceding year, must attend the BVSUA Rookie Clinic conducted during pre-season under the auspices of the UIC. Attendance requirements shall be 100%. (Authorized excused absences may be accepted by the Board of Directors, but they will be greatly discouraged. If more than 30% of the clinic cannot be attended, applicants may be denied membership.)

  1. If a registered umpire transfers or returns after a leave of absence, applicants may return to umpiring upon satisfaction of necessary updating of rules and mechanics.

SECTION II

The BVSUA membership year will begin on the first scheduled meeting of the calendar year for purposes of retaining membership. All members, including those who join the BVSUA after the first meeting of the year, shall attain member in good standing status once s/he satisfies the requirements listed in the BVSUA Bylaws.

A member in good standing shall have the opportunity to:

  • run for a position on the Board of Directors;

  • receive pay increases;

  • participate on selected BVSUA committees;

  • present amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws; and

  • officiate in state and national tournaments.

A member who is under suspension or is under another form of discipline will not be considered to be a member in good standing. However, members shall be reinstated to a membership in good standing status (1) once the suspension or other stipulations of the action taken against him/her has been satisfied and (2) if the remaining provisions of member in good standing requirements are met.

SECTION III

Failure to maintain membership in good status requirements as outlined in the Bylaws may result in the rejection of application for membership or suspension of membership in the BVSUA. Rejection or suspension of membership shall be determined by the Board of Directors.

SECTION IV

All umpires of the BVSUA must be certified by the UIC. Umpires cannot be assigned to work until they are certified.

ARTICLE VI

MEETINGS

SECTION I

The day, hour, and place of meetings of the BVSUA shall be designated by the Board of Directors. Each member shall be notified by mail or public notice by the Secretary in advance of the first meeting or any special meeting thereafter.

Board meetings shall be open to the general membership, provided the Board of Directors are not discussing grievances, disciplinary matters, or other items considered to be confidential in nature.

The Board may conduct business outside the times of the Board meetings; however, such business shall be announced in advance to the general membership and shall be recorded in the appropriate minutes.

SECTION II

Membership dues will be applied as follows: ASA national dues, rule book, umpiring manual, national publication, official insignias, accident insurance, and local BVSUA dues.

SECTION III

  1. Members must pay required state and local dues before a member is assigned games. Exception: Members may be assigned games if payment arrangements have been made with the Treasurer. Members who have made arrangements with the Treasurer and have not met the stipulations of the payment agreement shall not be assigned games.

  1. Pay scales shall be predetermined by T&E and written rates shall be distributed to each member prior to the start of the spring season. This will also include steps for achieving pay raises.

ARTICLE VIII

GAMES ARRANGEMENT

SECTION I

The BVSUA shall not assign an umpire for any softball game unless specifically requested to do so by the athletic programs the BVSUA serves.

SECTION II

Any member contacted by an individual to secure umpires for a tournament will first contact the UIC for informational purposes before agreeing to be the tournament UIC. This will avoid any conflicts in scheduling umpires for various tournaments. Assigning of the tournament games will be done with local tournaments being given first consideration.

SECTION III

ALCHOLIC BEVERAGES

No alcoholic beverages shall be consumed prior to and during softball game assignments. Following an assignment, alcoholic beverages may be consumed provided the umpire is not in ASA uniform and no state or local law is violated.

TOBACCO PRODUCTS

No tobacco products shall be consumed by an umpire in uniform on or near a field in use, or on or near a field occupied by players preparing for a scheduled game.

ARTICLE IX

UNIFORMS

SECTION I

Umpire uniforms shall be the nationally approved umpire’s uniform as outlined in the official ASA umpiring manual or as described in the BVSUA Bylaws.

SECTION II

No member shall wear any insignia or other identifying attire associated with the official umpire’s uniform while as a player or coach that would identify the member as an umpire.

ARTICLE X

RECORDS

All correspondence and records concerning the BVSUA shall be kept on file for five years and shall be at the disposal of any concerned party.

ARTICLE XI

TRAVEL

Any umpire selected for an ASA sanctioned National, Regional, or State Tournament may receive funds in the amount of a round-trip airfare to the site of the tournament. If the umpire travels by any means other than air travel and does not expend the full amount advanced by the BVSUA, the remaining balance shall be returned to the BVSUA. If the umpire receives a travel allowance or reimbursement, in whole or in part, from the host tournament, or any other source, the umpire shall forward this money to the BVSUA as reimbursement for said travel advance by the BVSUA.

ARTICLE XII

SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

Disbursement of BVSUA funds for banquets, socials, gatherings, or community benefits shall be approved by the Board of Directors. Other disbursements will be handled on a case by case basis.

ARTICLE XIII

SUSPENSIONS AND FINES

Any member of the BVSUA may be suspended and/or fined at the discretion of the Board of Directors. A member who is suspended, fined, or disciplined may appeal the decision according to the provisions in Article IV, Section III: Appeal Procedures

ARTICLE XIV

CONSTITUTIONAL AND BYLAW AMENDMENTS

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

Any member in good standing may present an amendment to the Constitution of the BVSUA. This amendment shall require at least two separate readings at two regularly scheduled meetings. Following each reading, time must be provided for discussion from the floor, at which time, any member in good standing may present his or her views regarding the proposed legislation.

Voting may occur on the day of the second reading following the allocated time for discussion if no further action on the proposed amendment is requested from the floor. Passage of the amendment shall require a majority vote of the BVSUA membership in attendance.

The Board shall ensure that any amendments made to the Constitution are made readily available (print, website, etc.) to the general membership as soon as possible.

BYLAW AMENDMENTS

Any member in good standing may present an amendment to the Bylaws of the BVSUA. This amendment shall require at least one reading during a regularly scheduled general membership meeting. Following the reading, time must be provided for discussion from the floor, at which time any member in good standing may present his or her views regarding the proposed legislation.

The Board will consider the discussion from the floor and shall, by majority vote, (1) immediately approve or deny the proposed amendments, or (2) choose to postpone its vote to allow additional time to review the proposed legislation.

Incidental amendments to the Bylaws do not require discussion with the general membership as described above, but only require a majority vote from the Board. Examples of incidental amendments are changes in umpire rates of pay, corrections to grammar or spelling, changes to phone numbers or other contact information, or other items deemed incidental by the Board.

The Board shall ensure that any amendments, including incidental revisions, are announced to the general membership and are made readily available (print, website, etc.) to the membership as soon as possible.

ARTICLE XV

RATIFICATION

I, the undersigned, as President of the The Brazos Valley Softball Association, do hereby certify that the Board of Directors proposed and made amendments to this Constitution according to the provisions of Article XIV: Constitutional Amendments. For that reason, the Board shall begin the enforcement of this Constitution, along with its amendments, upon the date of my signature and witness of the BVSUA Secretary.

__________________________________________________________________________

Tim Carda, President Date

Brazos Valley Softball Association

Witness:____________________________________________________________________

LeRay Novacek, Secretary Date

Brazos Valley Softball Association