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PENNSYLVANIA HIGH SCHOOL SWIMMING COACHES ASSOCIATION

CONSTITUTION and BY-LAWS

ARTICLE I – NAME

Section I - The name of this organization shall be "The Pennsylvania High School Swimming Coaches Association," (PHSSCA) a not-for-profit organization.

ARTICLE II – OBJECTIVES

Section I

The objectives of the organization are:

To promote competitive swimming and diving and water polo at the High School level, for both boys and girls, in the State of Pennsylvania.
To take an active interest in swimming pool construction as it affects the State of Pennsylvania.
To regularly disseminate information pertaining to competitive aquatics and water safety in the State of Pennsylvania.
To cooperate with the governing bodies of aquatics at all levels (local, state and national) and to make suggestions for betterment of aquatic activities.
To bring--about a common understanding, among coaches and instructors of aquatics in the State of Pennsylvania, of updated methods of coaching, teaching and officiating of competitive swimming through the use of clinics and other public relations mediums.

ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP

Section I - Regular Members

Membership in this category is open to any applicant (male or female) who is currently engaged in the coaching or administration of swimming, diving or water polo at the High School level in the State of Pennsylvania, and subscribes to the objectives and meets the financial obligations of the Association. Regular members shall have the privilege to hold office, speak and vote on all issues at meetings they attend.

Section 2 - Associate Members

Membership in this category is open to any applicant (male or female) who does not qualify for Regular Membership but subscribes to the objections and meets the financial obligations of the Association. Such membership might include collegiate coaches, out-of-state High School and Collegiate coaches, Y.M.C.A. and Y.W.C.A. coaches, officials and any other parties interested in competitive swimming. Associate members may attend all meetings, speak on all issues presented but will have no vote nor will be permitted to hold office.

Section 3 - Honorary Members

An honorary member may be elected by unanimous vote of the members attending any regular or special meeting called by the President.

An honorary member shall pay no dues, nor shall he/she vote of hold office. He shall, however, be entitled to speak to all issues presented and other privileges of the Association.
No person shall be elected to honorary membership unless he\she has rendered some special service to swimming in the State of Pennsylvania.

ARTICLE IV - DUES and FEES

Section I

The annual dues of this Association will be six dollars ($6.00) per member, payable by April 1st of each year. The 'membership year' shall begin with the State PIAA Swimming Meet of a given year and continue until the State PIAA Swimming Meet of the following year.

Section 2

Additional assessments, if any, in excess of those herein above stipulated, shall require pre-approval of the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE V – OFFICERS

Section I - Officers

The officers of this organization will be President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President and Secretary-Treasurer.

Section 2 - Terms

The term in office, in all elected offices, shall be for two (2) years, with the option of the 2nd Vice President and the Secretary-Treasurer only to be reelected.

Section 3 - Duties of the President

The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association and of the Executive Committee. He shall schedule all special meetings of the Association and shall have the duties and powers normally appurtenant to the office of President, in addition to those particularly specified in the Constitution and By- Laws. The President shall appoint all standing committees; and from time to time shall appoint such committees as may be, in his judgment, desirable. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees. In addition, the President shall represent the Association in attendance at the P.I.A.A. (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association) Summer Workshop for Swimming, held in July of each year at P.I.A.A. Headquarters.

Section 4 - Duties of 1st Vice President

The 1st Vice President shall be known as the President-Elect. The 1st Vice President shall have such powers and perform such duties as may be delegated to him by the President. In the absence or disability of the President, he shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of the President. In addition, the 1st Vice President shall assume the duties of the Chair- person of the Nomination Committee.

Section 5 - Duties of 2nd Vice President

The 2nd Vice President shall have such powers and perform such duties as may be delegated to him by the President. In the absence or disability of the President and the 1st Vice President, he shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of the President. In addition, the 2nd Vice President shall assume the duties of Recording Secretary at all Association meetings.

Section 6 - Duties of Secretary-Treasurer

The Secretary-Treasurer shall keep the minutes of all proceedings of the Association's Executive Committee, and all records of appointed committees and committee reports, and any other meetings to which the Secretary-Treasurer is designated by the President to attend. Said Secretary-Treasurer shall attend to the giving and serving of all Association notices for dues and meetings and handle all official correspondence. It shall further be -the responsibility of the Secretary-Treasurer to notify new applicants of their acceptance to membership, notify officers, Executive Committee members or Committee Chairpersons of their election or appointment; to keep a complete membership roll, including names, addresses, telephone numbers, and an accurate record for their attendance at all meetings. Public relations releases will also be part of this portfolio, as well as the Newsletter.

The Secretary-Treasurer shall also collect and receive all money due or belonging to the Association, and shall de- posit the same in a bank, approved by the Executive Commit- tee, and in the name of the Association. The Secretary- Treasurer's books shall at all times be open to the inspection of the members, and he\she shall report to them at every meeting the condition of the Association's finances and every item of receipt or payment not before reported. At the end of the fiscal year, he\she shall render to the general membership an account of all money received and expended during the previous fiscal year.

Section 7 - Nomination and Election

Candidates for all elected offices shall be placed in nomination by the Nominating Committee, or by nomination from the floor, and elected by majority vote at the annual meeting of the Association.

Section 8 - Vacancies

A vacancy in any office, regardless of cause may be filled by appointment of the President, subject to approval of the Executive Committee, for the unexpired portion of the term of office.

ARTICLE VI – EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE and DUTIES

Section 1

The Executive Committee shall consist of all elected officers, the immediate Past President, elected delegates to NISCA and all appointed Committee Chairpersons.

Section 2 - Duties

The Executive Committee shall conduct all necessary business between Association meetings with the understanding that the general membership has the right to make final determination on any issue. This Committee will be responsible for rendering an interim report of actions taken at each Association meeting.

ARTICLE VII - MEETINGS and VOTING

Section 1 - Annual General Meeting:

The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be at the time and site of the Pennsylvania Swimming and Diving Championships.
The President shall set the exact date, time and meeting place, and shall notify the Secretary-Treasurer who will in turn notify each Association member at least ten (10) days prior to the date of said meeting.
Quorum - The quorum for such meeting will be fifteen percent (15%) of the members in good standing.

Section 2 - Special Meetings

Special Association meetings may be called by the President, or by a majority of the members of the Executive Committee who are present at any regular or special meeting of the Executive Committee, and shall be called by the Secretary-Treasurer upon receipt of a petition, signed by ten percent (10%) of the members of the Association who are in good standing. Written notice of the meeting shall be mailed by Secretary-Treasurer, at least five (5) days prior to the meeting. The notice of the meeting shall state the purpose of the meeting, and no other Association business may be transacted. The quorum for such a meeting shall be fifteen percent (15%) of the members in good standing.

Section 3 - Executive Committee Meetings

Meeting of the Executive Committee shall be held at times and places as may be agreed upon by majority of the Committee. Notices of each such meeting shall be made by the Secretary-Treasurer by mail or by telephone, to each member of the Executive Committee. The quorum for an Executive Committee meeting shall be a majority of the board.

Section 4 - Voting

Each Association member in good standing, whose dues are paid for the current year, shall be entitled to one (1) vote, at any meeting of the Association, at which he\she is present. Proxy voting and absentee ballots will not be permitted at any Association meeting or election. A two-thirds (2\3) vote of the members at any meeting shall be necessary to carry a motion.

Section 5 - Parliamentary Authority

Roberts Rules of Order shall be the Parliamentary Authority for the conduct of the business of the Association.

ARTICLE VIII - STANDING COMMITTEES

The Standing Committees of Auditing, Nomination and Social shall be appointed by the President each year. Special committees, such as Constitution and By-Laws Committee, Clinic Committee, Rules Interpretation Committee and Membership Committee, are possibilities for appointment, as needed.

Section I - Auditing Committee

It shall be the duty of the Auditing Committee to examine the records and books of the Treasurer of the Association and to verify all receipts, prior to Annual Meeting of the Association each year, so that a pro- per report can be rendered to the general membership at said meeting.

Section 2 - Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee will be responsible for securing the consent of one (1), and only one (1), nominee for each of the following offices: President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President and Secretary-Treasurer, every other year. In addition, each year the Nominating Committee must secure two (2) Nation Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association State Delegates (one each for boys and girls). Upon completion of the slate of nominees, it must be submitted to Executive Committee for approval at least thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Meeting of the Association. Upon approval of Executive Committee, the Secretary-Treasurer will promulgate nominees to the general membership at least ten (10) days in advance of the Annual Meeting of the Association. At the Annual Meeting, the Chairperson of the Nominating Committee will present the slate of nominees from the floor when requested to do so by the President.

Nomination from the floor will accepted from any member in good standing present at the Annual Meeting. HOWEVER, ANY PERSON SO NOMINATED MUST HAVE GIVEN PRIOR CONSENT. IN THE CASE OF AN ABSENT NOMINEE, A LETTER SIGNIFYING HIS\HER WILLINGNESS TO BE A CANDIDATE MUST BE ON FILE WITH THE SECRETARY-TREASURER.

Section 3 - Social Committee

It shall be the responsibility of the Social Committee to secure arrangements for the Annual Meeting of the Association, insofar as the site of said meeting is concerned, the food and beverage to be served, and any entertainment that might be effective in creating a spirit of comrade within the organization.

ARTICLE IX – DISSOLUTION

Section I

The Association may be dissolved at any time by the written consent of not less than two-thirds (2\3) of the members. In the event of dissolution of the Association, whether voluntary or involuntary, none of the property of the Association, nor any proceeds thereof nor any assets of the Association, shall be distributed to any member of the Association; but after payment of the debts of the Association, its property and assets shall be given to a charitable or non-profit organization selected by the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE X – AMENDMENTS

Section I

Amendments to these By-Laws and Constitution may be pro- posed by the Executive Committee or by written petition addressed to the Secretary-Treasurer, signed by twenty percent (20%) of the membership in good standing. Amendments proposed by such petition shall be promptly considered by the Executive Committee and must be submitted to the membership with recommendations of the Executive Committee, by the Secretary-Treasurer, within four (4) months of the date when the petition was received by the Secretary-Treasurer.

Section 2

This Constitution and By-Laws may be amended by a two- thirds (2\3) vote of the members present and voting at any regular or special meeting called for the purpose, providing the proposed amendments have been included in the notice of the meeting and mailed to each member at least two (2) weeks prior to the date of the meeting.