Amended and updated August 28, 2024.
Article 1 - Name
The name of this organization shall be College Sports Communicators.
Article 2 - Mission Statement
College Sports Communicators 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:
- Active member: An active member of College Sports Communicators (CSC) is any person in the administration of a collegiate sports public relations and communications program at an institution of higher learning, conference office, college sports governing body or collegiate football bowl game. Digital content creators in all of the previously listed categories are active members. In the event where no one fills the role of a communications professional by title at a particular institution, the account guardian will be the active member or his or her designate.
Only active members of CSC may serve on the Executive Board positions and vote on Academic All-America Teams.
- Advocate Member: An advocate member of College Sports Communicators (CSC) is any person who does not qualify for membership under A above, including, but not limited to, professional and high school sports communicators, educators/faculty members, freelance communicators, and retired/former athletics communicators. Lifetime Members are considered Advocate Members. Lifetime members are persons who receive the Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award and subsequently receive complimentary status and benefits each year.
Rights and Privileges: Advocate members, undergraduate students and honorary members of College Sports Communicators shall enjoy the same rights and privileges as active members, including serving on CSC committees. They may not serve on the Executive Board.
- Honorary Member: A person so designated by vote of the Executive Board. An honorary member may not serve on the Executive Board.
Section 2: Advocate, retired, undergraduate student and honorary members of College Sports Communicators shall enjoy the same rights and privileges as members, except they may not hold office, serve on the Executive Board of Directors or vote on the Academic All-America® program.
Section 3: Any qualified person who has been approved by the Executive Board of Directors may become a member of the Association upon payment of the annual membership fee.
Section 4: Those who do not comply with the Code of Ethics can be removed from membership.
Article 4 - Executive Board, Advisory Council and Divisional Cabinet Elections and Duties
Section 1: 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 President 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.
Candidates for the Executive Board must be active association members who are employed at an institution of higher learning, conference office, college sports governing body or college bowl game and have at least five years of experience in college sports communications.
There shall be an Advisory Council consisting of 10 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 institutions 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, Canadian institutions (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 group and 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.
Section 2: The Executive Board shall have the power to act in the name of the Association when the Association is not meeting.
Section 3: The officers of the Association shall be a President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Third Vice-President, the immediate Past President 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 Executive Board shall have the power to fill the position and the appointee shall serve until the next regular election.
Section 6: The Secretary of the Association shall be paid an annual stipend as determined by the Executive Board.
Section 7: The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association and of the Executive Board and shall assume all other duties of that office as prescribed in the most current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised.
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 Executive Board approval. The First Vice President will preside over all meetings of the Advisory Council. 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 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 term, shall not be eligible for re-election as a College Division or At-Large representative to the Executive Board.
Section 12: College division members of the Executive Board 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 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 two-year term.
Section 14: In case of a vacancy on the Executive Board, the Board shall have the power to fill the position and the appointee shall serve until the next regular election.
Section 15: If an Executive Board member no longer qualifies as an active member, he or she may complete the current membership year, but is not eligible to serve for any remaining years of the term.
Article 5 - Committees
Section 1: The Executive Board may establish standing and ad hoc committees as needed to carry out the business of the association.
The Nominating Committee shall consist of all past presidents who continue to hold membership in the Association; the College Division members of the Executive Board whose terms expire at the close of the annual meeting; and at-large members of the Executive Board whose terms expire at the close of the annual meeting. The Nominating Committee shall be chaired by the Past President.
Section 2: Any current dues-paying or Lifetime member of College Sports Communicators may hold committee membership. Committee chairs must be members of the Association and serve with Executive Board approval. Advocate members may serve on committees, but they may not serve as a chair of a committee. The staff shall survey committee chairs annually to determine the need for additions to the committee. The staff shall survey members annually to determine their willingness and/or preference for committee service.
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 Executive Board.
Section 2: The order of business of the Association’s Annual Business Meeting shall be:
- Call to order
- Reading of minutes of previous meeting
- Committee reports
- Report of the treasurer
- Correspondence
- Unfinished business
- New business
- Election of officers
- Adjournment
Section 3: The Executive Board of the Association shall meet during the annual convention. The agenda shall be set by the president.
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.
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 6: For the purpose of transacting business outside the Annual Business Meeting, a quorum shall consist of at least 10% of the Association’s current members for an online vote. A positive vote by 60% of those current members voting would be required for an online issue to pass.
Section 7: Each current 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 Executive Board.
Section 2: Registration fees for meetings of the Association shall be determined by the Executive Board and announced in advance.
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 College Sports Communicators 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 Constitution of the Association may be amended at any annual meeting, provided that the proposed amendment is submitted to the Secretary of College Sports Communicators 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 College Sports Communicators 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 active members attending the business meeting. If conducted through an on-line vote, at least 10% of the Association’s current members must participate in the vote and a positive vote by 60% of those current members voting shall be required for an online issue to pass.
Article 12 - Additional Positions
College Sports Communicators may employ full-time staff members, including an Executive Director who reports to the Executive Board. The duties of all staff members shall be outlined in College Sports Communicators procedural manual.