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:

1. Maintaining a membership consisting of qualified umpires who are actively engaged each year in umpiring softball games.
2. Helping develop among all softball umpires their knowledge of the rules and conduct of the game.
3. Providing meetings, as specified by the Board of Directors, before and during the season, as needed, for better service to the game of softball.
4. Establishing and maintaining the highest ideals of sportsmanship in connection with the game of softball.
5. Providing customer service programs and better establishing communication lines for softball programs and the participants thereof.

ARTICLE III
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

SECTION I – Board of Directors responsibility & authority

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 – Board of Directors Composition

The Board of Directors shall consist of:

1. Voting Members: President (who shall serve as chair of the Board), Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and three (3) Members-At-Large.
2. Non-voting Members: Scheduler, Umpire-In-Chief, Assistant Umpire-in-Chief, District 30 Commissioner, District 30 Youth Commissioner, City of Bryan Athletic Director, City of College Station Athletic Director and Immediate Past President of the BVSUA.

SECTION III – 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 IV - 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 August.

SECTION V - 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 August. 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 even numbered years while the Vice President, Treasurer, and two Members-At-Large will be elected in odd 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 the requirements of a member nominated through the general election process and shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term.

SECTION VI - Voting Privileges

The membership of the BVSUA has voting privileges on all items brought before the general membership provided they have been a member of the BVSUA for 90 days and are currently a member in good standing.

SECTION VII - 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.
2. 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 U.I.C. in setting up training sessions, and assist the President when called upon.
3. Secretary - The Secretary shall record the proceedings of the BVSUA. The Secretary shall record the minutes of each Board of Directors and general meeting and make copies of those records available to the membership. The Secretary will help in the organization of the roster, and be responsible for any publications released by the BVSUA. The Secretary shall maintain attendance records for all meetings of the BVSUA.
4. 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 the following:
   1. Set up and maintain an accounting ledger, posting a record of each deposit and disbursement of monies. This ledger shall be made available for examination by the membership through advance written request to the President of the BVSUA.
   2. Collect all dues and fees.
   3. Provide a financial report at each meeting of the Board of Directors
   4. Prepare an annual financial statement for review by the Board of Directors and the membership.
   5. Sign all checks drawn on the BVSUA general account.
5. 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.
6. Umpire-in-Chief - The UIC shall be nominated by the President and approved by the Board of Directors. The UIC shall be responsible for rule interpretation, training of all umpires, conducting rookie clinics, and appointing a training committee.
7. 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 each meeting. The scheduler position will be a paid position.

ARTICLE IV
PERMANENT COMMITTEES

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 Scheduler and Tournaments Directors.
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.
3. 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 & Evaluation Committee

1. The Training & Evaluation Committee shall be under the direction of the UIC. Holding the position of the UIC will also entail the responsibility of chairing this committee.
2. The Training & Evaluation Committee shall have the following areas of responsibility:
   1. Schedule and conduct local umpiring clinics as needed.
   2. Develop and implement an evaluation procedure whereby all BVSUA officials may be evaluated at least twice each softball season.
   3. Provide the necessary format for discussion of ratings and evaluations with each BVSUA official as needed.
   4. Submit a written financial statement at each Board meeting.
   5. Make recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding the evaluation process with suggested actions if needed.

SECTION III –Grievance Committee

1. 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.
2. Following the filing of a written grievance the Grievance Committee will gather all pertinent facts and make their recommendations to the Board of Directors. These recommendations may include, but are not restricted to:
   1. Personal Consultation
   2. Temporary Suspension of "membership in good standing" status
   3. Termination of membership
   4. Any action deemed appropriate by the committee
3. 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.
4. Any member shall have the right to appeal any action taken against them. Appeals shall be in writing to the Grievance Committee within seven days following the punitive action.

SECTION IV – Audit Comittee

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, Training & Evaluation, 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.

ARTICLE V
MEMBERSHIP

SECTION I – New Applications

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 preseason 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 the 30% of the clinic cannot be attended, applicants may be denied membership.)
2. 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 – Existing members

Members of the BVSUA as of April 1 of the current year, and members joining thereafter, shall retain membership, and be a member in good standing providing:

1. They are ASA certified umpires.
2. They attend seventy percent of the BVSUA meetings.
3. They can present a valid excuse for non-attendance (validity to be determined by the Board of Directors).
4. They pay annual dues as required. (Reference Article VII).
5. They wear only the prescribed ASA uniform and use only prescribed mechanics when umpiring scheduled games.
6. 
   
7. They conduct themselves in a professional manner.

SECTION III – Rejection and Suspension of Membership

Non-compliance with the above provisions shall result in the rejection of application for membership or suspension of member-ship in the BVSUA. Rejection or suspension of membership shall be determined by the Board of Directors.

SECTION IV- Certification of Membership

All umpires of the BVSUA must be certified by the Board of Directors. Umpires cannot be assigned to work until certified.

ARTICLE VI
MEETINGS

SECTION I – Meeting Location, Time, & Date

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.

SECTION II - Parliamentarian

A Parliamentarian may be appointed by the President to advise and assist the Chair with parliamentary procedures and laws during the meeting.

ARTICLE VII
DUES AND PAY SCALE

SECTION I – Dues Determination

Dues for membership in the BVSUA shall be determined by the Board of Directors.

SECTION II – Application of Dues

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

SECTION III – Requirement of Dues

Members must pay required state and local dues before a member is assigned games.

SECTION IV – Pay Scale

Pay scales shall be predetermined by the Training & Evaluation Committee 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 – Assingment of games

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 – Tournaments & UIC involvement

SECTION III – Consumption of Alcohol

No alcoholic beverages shall be consumed prior to and during softball games 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.

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 amended by the Association.

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 coach 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 situation.

ARTICLE XIII
SUSPENSIONS AND FINES

Any member of the chapter may be suspended and/or fined at the discretion of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE XIV
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

Any member in good standing may present an amendment to the constitution of the BVSUA. This amendment shall require 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 their 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.