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The following Amendments to Articles 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11 and 12 of the CoSIDA Constitution are proposed by Herb Vincent and are endorsed by the CoSIDA Board of Directors as part of a proposed modernization of the association's governance structure.
The objectives are to:
- Create more opportunities for members with common issues to effectively engage in discussion of those issues.
- Create more leadership opportunities.
- Create a more efficient leadership structure that encourages increased engagement in Board of Directors discussions.
- Develop more opportunities for diversity in leadership positions.
- Formalize communication between divisional groups and CoSIDA Board of Directors.
The proposal would create a three-tier governance structure that would consist of a layer of Divisional Cabinets whose leaders would populate an Advisory Board, which would serve as a communications bridge for proposals, concepts and strategies with an Executive Board of Directors.
The proposed recommendations will be voted on by the full CoSIDA membership via an online ballot June 17-18, with results being posted June 19 on CoSIDA.com. The 2020 CoSIDA Business Meeting will take place online June 12. See
CoSIDA.com/2020convention for the full virtual convention schedule.
View PDF of the 2020 CoSIDA Constitution Amendment Recommendations
2020 CoSIDA Constitution Amendment Recommendations (May 2020)
Article 1 - Name
The name of this organization shall be the College Sports Information Directors of America, hereinafter referred to as the Association or CoSIDA.
Article 2 - Mission Statement
CoSIDA educates, advocates, and communicates with and for the intercollegiate athletics communications community. It is our mission to engage and empower members, develop exceptional leaders, and promote and enhance our profession.
Article 3 - Membership
Section 1: The membership of the Association shall consist of persons whose qualifications, in the judgment of the
Board of Directors hereinafter constituted, shall warrant their election to one of the following classifications:
* Change to Executive Board
A. Individual member: Any person actively engaged in the administration of a collegiate sports public relations and communications program at an accredited institution of higher learning, an intercollegiate athletic conference, a national athletics governing body, or of similar organizations devoted to the administration of collegiate athletics.
B. Group member: Individuals in a sports communications office who qualify for membership under the criteria as defined in Section A (Individual member) may join as a group and be eligible for all member benefits as outlined under the Group Membership policy.
C. Associate member: Any person whose duties are related to, but not a part of, the administration of a collegiate sports public relations and communications program at an accredited institution of higher learning, an intercollegiate athletic conference, a national athletics governing body, or of similar organizations devoted to the administration of collegiate athletics.
D. Undergraduate student member: Any person enrolled as an undergraduate student at an accredited institution of higher learning and involved in the collegiate sports public relations and communications program at that institution, at an intercollegiate athletic conference, a national athletics governing body, or of similar organizations devoted to the administration of collegiate athletics.
Add: E. Lifetime Achievement member: Any person who has received the Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual convention will subsequently receive complimentary membership status and benefits each year. Lifetime Achievement members must have served in the profession for a minimum of 25 years, have retired and received the Lifetime designation award.
Change following to F and G.
E. Retired member: Any person who has retired from a career engaged in the administration of a collegiate sports public relations and communications program at an accredited institution of higher learning, an intercollegiate athletic conference, a national athletics governing body, or of similar organizations devoted to the administration of collegiate athletics.
Add: If a retired member has not received Lifetime Achievement member status, they must purchase an individual membership.
F. Honorary member: A person so designated by vote of the
Board of Directors.
* Change to Executive Board
Section 2: Associate, retired, student and honorary members of CoSIDA shall enjoy the same rights and privileges as active members, except that they may not hold office, serve on the
Board of Directors.
* Change to Executive Board
* at end of sentence add: or vote on the Academic All-America® program.
Section 3: Any qualified person who has been approved by the
Board of Directors may become a member of the Association upon payment of the annual membership fee.
* Change to Executive Board
Section 4: Applications for membership in the Association, the form and content which will be determined by the
Board of Directors, shall be referred to the staff, who shall examine the qualifications of the applicant, make a determination regarding the eligibility of the applicant for membership, and notify said applicant of his or her provisional acceptance or rejection for membership pending the approval of the
Board of Directors.
* Change both to Executive Board
Article 4 - Board Elections and Duties
Change to: Executive Board, Advisory Council and Divisional Cabinet Elections and Duties
Section 1: There shall be a
Board of Directors consisting of all officers of the Association, six college division members, four members at-large and the most immediate past president who continues to be an active member of the Association.
Change to:
There shall be an Executive Board of Directors consisting of eight members: President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Third Vice President and the immediate Past Pesident who will serve in a five-year officer rotation; two At-Large members, with at least one coming from the College Division who will serve two year terms and the Secretary in a permanent role.
There shall be an Advisory Council consisting of ten members: Two members of the Officer Rotation (First and Second Vice Presidents), the Secretary and the chairs of the seven Divisional Cabinets (referenced below): NCAA Division I Chair, NCAA Division II Chair, NCAA Division III Chair, NAIA Chair, Two-Year College Chair, Canadian schools Chair (U SPORTS and CCAA) and Past President's Chair.
There shall be Divisional Cabinets initially organized by each respective divisional group: NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA, Two-Year Colleges , Canadians schools (U SPORTS and CCAA); in addition to a Past President's Cabinet.
* It is recommended that each Cabinet have no more than 10 members and the number must be approved by the Executive Board.
* Each Divisional Cabinet will select a chair that will represent that group on the Advisory Council.
* Terms of service on the Divisional Cabinet will be initially determined by each respective divisional groupand must be approved by the Executive Board.
* Divisional groups are strongly encouraged to assemble as diverse a group as possible when electing cabinet members.
* Following the initial structure, any changes to the Divisional Cabinets must be proposed by the respective Divisional Cabinet to the Advisory Board and approved by the Executive Board.
* The Association's full-time staff members shall serve in adjunct, non-voting capacities on both the Advisory Council and Executive Board.
The following language is temporary and explains details dealing with the transition until the full governance structure is in place in 2023.
During the transition period, for the purpose of creating cabinets where an established group does not exist, the Executive Board shall approve members and select chairs of the cabinets for Division I, Canadian schools (U SPORTS and CCAA) and Past Presidents.
Elections at the 2020 Convention will proceed under the current Constitution and the Board members selected will serve their appropriate term, three years for the At-Large and College Division Representatives and a five year rotation for the Third Vice President.
Beginning with the 2021 elections, only a new Third Vice President will be selected. There will be no new elections for the Board positions that are rotating off. In the transition years of 2021-22 and 2022-23, the full elected Board will serve as the Executive Board of Directors.
In the 2022 elections, only a new Third Vice President will be selected. There will be no new elections for the Board positions that are rotating off. The full elected Board will serve as the Executive Board of Directors.
A Division I At Large Representative and a College Division At Large Representative will be selected at the 2023 convention, along with a new Third Vice President. The new Board structure will be fully implemented beginning in 2023-24.
Section 2: The
Board of Directors shall have the power to act in the name of the Association when the Association is not meeting.
* Change to Executive Board
Section 3: The officers of the Association shall be a President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Third Vice-President, Secretary and Past President.
* Change to - The officers of the Association shall be the President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Third Vice President, the immediate Past Pesident, and Secretary.
Section 4: All officers of the Association shall be elected at the annual meeting of the Association. The candidate for an office who shall receive the highest number of votes from the Nominating Committee shall be declared elected to that office. The Association’s Nominating Committee shall solicit nominations from the membership for the open officer positions each year. The Nominating Committee shall meet prior to the annual business meeting and vote on a new slate of officers for nomination.
Section 5: In the case of a vacancy in the office of President, the First Vice President shall succeed the office of President and shall serve until the expiration of the current term. In case of a vacancy in any other office, the
Board of Directorsshall have the power to fill the position and the appointee shall serve until the next regular election.
* Change to Executive Board
Section 6: The Secretary of the Association shall be paid an annual stipend as determined by the
Board of Directors.
* Change to Executive Board
Section 7: The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association and of the
Board of Directors and shall assume all other duties of that office as prescribed in the most current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised.
* Change to Executive Board
Section 8: The First Vice-President, in the absence of the President, shall assume all the duties of the President. He/she will have additional duties determined and assigned by the President with
Board approval.
* Change to Executive Board
* Add at end of sentence: The First Vice President will preside over all meetings of the AdvisoryCouncil. The Second Vice President will preside in the absence of the First Vice President.
Section 9: The Second and Third Vice-Presidents and Secretary shall carry out such duties and responsibilities as determined and assigned by the
Board.
* Change to Executive Board
Section 10: With the exception of the Secretary, no officer of the Association shall be eligible for election to an office he/she has been elected to previously.
Section 11: A representative, either College Division or At-Large who shall have served in that capacity for a
full three-year term, shall not be eligible for re-election as a College Division or At-Large representative to the
Board of Directors.
* Change to full term
* Change to Executive Board
Section 12: College division members of the
Board of Directors shall be elected at the annual meeting of the Association and shall represent institutions which are not classified as Division I in either football or basketball. College division members of the Board may be elected to a
three-year term.
* Change to Executive Board
* Change to two-year term.
Section 13: At-large members shall come from the membership as a whole, and must be fully qualified members of the Association. At-large members
shall be elected to a
three-year term.
* Change may to shall.
* Change to two-year term.
Section 14: In case of a vacancy on the
Board of Directors, the
Board shall have the power to fill the position and the appointee shall serve until the next regular election.
* Change to Executive Board
Article 5 - Committees
Section 1: The
Board of Directors may establish standing and ad hoc committees as needed to carry out the business of the association.
* Change to Executive Board
The Nominating Committee shall consist of all past presidents who continue to hold active or associate membership in the Association and are still active in the field of college athletics; the College Division members of the
Board of Directors whose terms expire at the close of the annual meeting; and at-large members of the
Board of Directors whose terms expire at the close of the annual meeting. The Nominating Committee shall be chaired by the Past President.
* Change to Executive Board
Section 2: Any current dues-paying or lifetime member of CoSIDA may hold committee membership. Committee chairs must be active or associate members of the Association and serve with
Board of Directors’ approval. There is an understanding that certain committee chairs must be active members of the Association and, if the chair is an associate member, then the co-chair or the vice chair must be an active member of the Association. The CoSIDA staff shall survey committee chairs annually to determine the need for additions to the committee. The CoSIDA staff shall survey members annually to determine their willingness and/or preference for committee service.
* Change to Executive Board
Article 6 - Meetings
Section 1: There shall be an Annual Business Meeting of the Association, to be held at a site and time to be determined by the
Board of Directors.
* Change to Executive Board
Section 2: The order of business of the Association’s Annual Business Meeting shall be:
A. Call to order
B. Reading of minutes of previous meeting
C. Committee reports
D. Report of the treasurer
E. Correspondence
F. Unfinished business
G. New business
H. Election of officers
I. Adjournment
Section 3: The
Board of Directors of the Association shall meet during the annual convention. The agenda shall be set by the president.
* Change to Executive Board
Section 4: For the purpose of transacting business at the annual meeting, a quorum shall consist of a majority of the active members attending the business meeting.
* Insert a new section 5 and update the following sections to 6, 7 and 8.
Section 5: For the purpose of transacting business outside the Annual Business Meeting, recommendations from the Divisional Cabinets must be approved by the Advisory Council before going to the Executive Board for consideration.
Section 5: The most current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall govern all proceedings of any regularly constituted meeting in the absence of any other rule to the contrary which shall have been adopted by the Association.
* Delete this section 5. Same as Article 10 and not needed.
Section 6: For the purpose of transacting business outside the Annual Business Meeting, a quorum shall consist of at least 10% of the Association’s active members for an online vote. A positive vote by 60% of those active members voting would be required for an online issue to pass.
Section 7: Each active member of the Association shall be permitted to cast one vote on any motion requiring a vote by the membership.
Article 7 - Dues, Fees, Financial Policies
Section 1: The annual dues for the membership will be established by the
Board of Directors.
* Change to Executive Board
Section 2: Registration fees for meetings of the Association shall be determined by the
Board of Directors and announced in advance.
* Change to Executive Board
Section 3: The fiscal year of the Association shall begin on January 1 and continue through December 31 of that calendar year.
Article 8 - Awards & Citations
The association may present awards on an annual basis, including those for the CoSIDA Hall of Fame and for other Special Awards.
Article 9 - Use of Name
The name and registered marks of the Association may not be used for commercial purposes or in any manner which may imply Association endorsement of a product or project for which endorsement has not been granted by the Association.
Article 10 - Parliamentary Authority
The most current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall govern all proceedings of any regularly constituted meeting in the absence of any other rule to the contrary which shall have been adopted by the Association.
Article 11 - Amendments
The
Bylaws of the Association may be amended at any annual meeting, provided that the proposed amendment is submitted to the Secretary of CoSIDA at least 45 days prior to the meeting at which the proposed amendment is to be acted upon. The proposed amendment shall be published on-line and posted on CoSIDA’s website at least 21 days prior to that meeting. If presented at the Annual Business Meeting, a quorum shall consist of a majority of the
current members attending the business meeting. If conducted through an on-line vote, at least 10% of the Association’s active members must participate in the vote and a positive vote by 60% of those active members voting
would be required for an online issue to pass.
* Change Bylaws to Constitution.
* Change current to active.
* Change to shall.
Article 12 - Additional Positions
CoSIDA may employ full-time staff members, including an Executive Director who reports to the
Board of Directors. The duties of all staff members shall be outlined in CoSIDA’s procedural manual.
* Change to Executive Board