USI Athletics Council Bylaws
Bylaw I: Purpose
University Athletics Council (UAC) at the University of Southern Indiana (USI) shall act in an advisory capacity to the Vice President/Director of Athletics (AD) and the President of the University. The UAC is responsible to and charged by the President to report back, on an annual basis, on the functioning of the intercollegiate athletics program with respect to those activities defined in these Bylaws.
Functions of the UAC include, but are not limited to:
- Advise intercollegiate athletics with particular attention to matters concerning compliance functions, academic issues, gender equity and welfare of student-athletes, and budget development.
- Monitor trends in Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) and other conferences USI teams may compete in) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) bylaws/decisions that affect intercollegiate athletics.
- Provide feedback and advice into the role of intercollegiate athletics at USI.
There shall be regular communications between the UAC and President’s Council with as needed communication with Faculty Senate, Staff Council, Administrative Senate, Board of Trustees and Council of Chairs.
Bylaw II: Membership
The University Athletics Council shall consist of 19 members including the chair, one faculty representative from each of the four colleges, one faculty member appointed by the Faculty Senate, the Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR), the Athletics Diversity and Inclusion Designee (ADID), the Director of Admissions (or appointee), the Registrar (or appointee), the Director of Student Financial Assistance (or appointee), one appointee from Business Affairs, one alumnus/alumna, one USI Varsity Club representative, two student-athletes, one male and one female, and two USI coaches, one from a men’s team and one from a women’s team. All of these appointees will be voting members. The Chair of the UAC will be appointed by the President. There will be five or six ex officio, non-voting members: the Vice President/AD, the Senior Woman Administrator (SWA), the Senior NCAA Compliance Coordinator, Director of Compliance, Director of Academics & Support Services for Student-Athletes, and the Director of Development (or appointee).
Bylaw III: Selection of Members and Terms of Office
The President will appoint a faculty member from each college. The Faculty Senate will appoint a faculty representative. Faculty will serve three-year terms and an appointee may serve two successive terms. A member completing an unexpired term of one year or less is eligible for selection to two successive three-year terms.
The President will appoint two student-athletes, one male and one female. Each of the student athletes will serve a two-year term. A student-athlete may serve only one two-year term.
The President will appoint two USI coaches, one from a men’s team and one from a women’s team. Each of the coaches will serve staggered, two-year term. A USI coach may serve two consecutive terms.
The alumni representative, appointed by the President, will serve a three-year term. The ex officio members of the committee will serve without term limits.
Bylaw IV: Appointment of Officers
The President will appoint the University Athletics Council chairperson. The chairperson will appoint a member of the council to serve as secretary.
Bylaw V: Subcommittees
There will be no standing subcommittees of the UAC. However, ad hoc committees might be created as identified tasks are needed from an ad hoc committee. These committees will have defined time limits, and be created by majority of vote of the voting members.
Bylaw VI: Meetings
There will be a minimum of four meetings each year. The meetings shall be called by the Chair. The Chair determines regular meeting times and may call special meetings. In addition, special meetings may be convened by the Chair at the request of the President, the Vice President/AD, or five or more members of the University Athletics Council. Written notice of all special meetings must be provided to all University Athletics Council members at least twenty-four hours in advance of the time set for such meetings.
Bylaw VII: Agenda
The agenda includes review and approval of minutes from the previous meeting.
Each meeting also includes reports from the Vice President/AD, the Faculty Athletics Representative, Associate Athletic Director/Senior Woman Administrator, and any other Athletics staff member who needs to give a report to the UAC of their area.
Requests for additional items to be included on the agenda may be made to the Chair prior to the meeting date in question.
Bylaw VIII: Revision of Bylaws
Amendments or revisions to the Bylaws may be made only after the bylaws have been read at a prior meeting of the University Athletics Council or sent by email to members a minimum of two weeks prior to the meeting. A two-thirds affirmative vote is required for a bylaw’s revision. An approved bylaws revision will take effect upon approval of the President of the University.
Bylaw IX: Reporting
The Vice President/AD, with input from the UAC, will be responsible for providing an annual report of the Department of Athletics to the UAC. This report will be presented to the President.