UNIVERSITY INTERSCHOLASTIC LEAGUE
SOUTH TEXAS BASKETBALL CHAPTER
By-Laws
ARTICLE I - Name
The name of this organization shall be the South Texas Basketball Chapter of the University Interscholastic League (UIL).
ARTICLE II - Purpose
The purpose of this organization shall be to assist in the promotion of the intercollegiate and interscholastic game of basketball by providing a group of experienced and capable basketball officials to serve the student-athletes of Texas. This group will foster a high standard of ethics, encourage fair play and sportsmanship, and will work for closer cooperation and better understanding among officials, school administrators, athletic directors, coaches, players and spectators.
ARTICLE III - Authorization
This organization is authorized and established under the by-laws of the University Interscholastic League and therefore subordinate to said by-laws. These by-laws and amendments thereto shall in no way contradict or conflict with the by-laws of UIL. Further, all members of the South Texas Chapter shall be firstly governed by the by-laws of UIL and secondly governed by the by-laws and policies of this Chapter.
ARTICLE IV - Officers and Board of Directors
Section 1 - The officers of the South Texas Chapter shall be a president, a vice-president, an administrative secretary, an assignment secretary, and a treasurer. They shall be elected and shall hold office as provided in these by-laws.
Section 2 - The board of directors shall be ten (10) in number, to wit: the president, vice-president, administrative secretary, assignment secretary, treasurer, and five duly elected division representatives, one for each division.
Section 3 - The duties of all officers and members of the board of directors and such regulations as may be necessary and proper for the conduct of business and affairs of the South Texas Chapter shall be provided for in the by-laws.
ARTICLE V - Election of Officers
Section 1 - The officers and division representatives shall be elected for a term of two years by a majority of the votes cast, by secret ballot, by members in good standing at the first meeting of the chapter in February and shall take office on April 1, with a voting exception of those members who have scheduled ball games on the first meeting night in February who will be allowed to cast an absentee ballot for all offices being contested. All votes of the members present will be duly recorded along with those voting absentee. To vote absentee, members must submit their vote for all offices to the parliamentarian in sealed envelope prior to the first meeting in February. All absentee ballots must have the member’s name on an outer envelope with the actual vote in a sealed inner envelope. Any outer envelope without a member’s name shall be declared void. In case of a run-off, the absentee votes will not be used. Should an office not be contested, a nominee may be elected by acclamation rather than secret ballot.
Section 2 - All officers and division representatives may succeed themselves in office if reelected. In the event that an officer or division representative cannot complete his or her term, the president shall have the power to designate a member to serve in that office for the remainder of the term, except that if the president cannot complete his or her term, the vice-president shall assume the office of president.
Section 3 - No member shall hold more than one office, listed in Section 2 of this Article, at the same time.
Section 4 - Members desiring to run for a position must submit their name, in writing, to the administrative secretary and the parliamentarian no later than February 1. The parliamentarian will then compile the ballot and present it to the board for approval.
Section 5 - Write-in candidates shall be prohibited.
Section 6 - The parliamentarian shall serve as chief election officer.
ARTICLE VI- Duties of Officers and Board of Directors
Section 1 - President
The duties of the president shall be:
A. To preside at all meetings of the chapter and board of directors.
B. To carry on the day-to-day business of the chapter.
C. To call meetings of the board of directors as he or she shall from time to time deem necessary.
D. To establish and appoint members to committees as he or she shall from time to time deem necessary for the operation of the chapter, and to serve ex-officio a member of all committees.
E. To act as the official representative of the chapter and conduct all negotiations with outside entities, in consultation with the board of directors, on behalf of the chapter and shall make every effort possible to further the policies adopted by the chapter.
F. To appoint a parliamentarian to assist in the conducting of meetings and interpretation of these by-laws and parliamentary law, and serve as the election officer and counter of ballots.
G. To appoint a sergeant-at-arms to assist in the conducting of meetings and in other duties as needed.
H. He or she shall have the authority to appoint, with approval of the board, members of the chapter to serve as ex-officio members of the board for special purposes.
I. He or she shall govern his or her action on behalf of the chapter in accordance with:
1. The by-laws of the chapter.
2. The policies adopted by the chapter.
3. The direction and desires of the majority of the members of the chapter.
4. The advice and assistance of the board of directors.
Section 2 - Vice-President
The duties of the vice-president shall be:
A. To perform the duties of the president in his or her absence or inability to act.
B. To be responsible for the administration of fines and appeals for the entire membership.
C. To assist the president in setting the program and agenda for meetings.
D. To assist the assignment secretary by coordinating tournament assignments.
E. To aid chapter members in resolving issues related to game payment or assign a member to assist.
F. To perform such duties as the president and/or the board of directors shall direct.
G. Serve on at least one committee throughout the season.
Section 3 - Administrative Secretary
The duties of the secretary shall be:
A. To be responsible for sending out notices and preserving all records of the chapter.
B. Conduct the correspondence of the chapter and communicate with UIL as necessary.
C. To maintain a membership list of all members in good standing and such list shall be checked with the records of UIL to determine that all members are in good standing with UIL. No member shall be on the list that has not fulfilled the requirements for good standing.
D. He or she shall be responsible for the keeping of all minutes of chapter and board meetings.
E. To perform such duties as the president and/or the board of directors shall direct.
F. Serve on at least one committee throughout the season
Section 4 - Assignment Secretary
The duties of the assignment secretary shall be:
A. To assign games to members of the South Texas Chapter in accordance with the guidelines provided herein, and to conduct the activities necessary to carry out the assignment of games.
B. To perform such duties as the president and/or the board of directors shall direct.
C. He or she shall govern his or her action on behalf of the chapter in accordance with:
1. The by-laws of the chapter.
2. The policies adopted by the chapter.
3. The direction and desires of the majority of the members of the chapter.
4. The advice and assistance of the board of directors.
D. To compile a top 25% list for UIL and playoff assignments with assistance from the vice-president and board, if necessary.
E. The assignment secretary can assign member(s) to assist with assignment duties
Section 5 - Treasurer
The duties of the treasurer shall be:
A. The timely collection of all fees and dues authorized by the chapter.
B. The placement of all monies of the chapter into one fund from which disbursements authorized by the board of directors shall be made.
C. He or she shall carry the funds of the chapter in a bank in the name of the chapter and shall issue checks from this fund, upon approval of the board of directors.
D. To perform such duties as the president and/or the board of directors shall direct.
E. Serve on at least one committee throughout the season
Section 6 – Division Representatives
The duties of the division representatives shall be:
A. Shall be liaison between their respective members within each division and the board.
B. Maintain all records pertaining to their respective division members which include attendance, contact information, availability sheets, point totals, assignment fees, state and local dues, and any changes that would affect the member’s current status. Report this information directly to board.
C. Submit all end of year paper work including fees, fines, dues, point totals, required state forms, to the board.
D. Serve on at least one committee throughout the season
E. Attend 85% of STC board meetings and 85% of general membership meetings. In the event that a division representative cannot attend any of these required meetings, the division representative must call the STC president or vice president one week in advance. The division representative may assign, with prior approval from the president of the STC, a current member within each respective division to attend in his/her place general membership meetings only.
F. Perform such duties as the president and or the board of directors shall direct.
Section 7 - Board of Directors
The duties of the board of directors shall be:
A. To have the power to carry out the business of the chapter and adopt regulations to govern its own deliberations insofar as its actions do not conflict with the policies of the chapter.
B. To audit the accounting records of the treasurer and submit such an audit to the general membership for approval at the first regular meeting of each season.
C. The board of directors may, by majority vote of all members of the board, recommend to the chapter the removal of any officer or board member from office whose action or conduct are deemed to be detrimental to the best interests of the chapter. After notification in writing to the board member in question, he or she will have the right to appeal no later than the second scheduled board meeting after the date of notification in writing. If the board member in question fails to appeal by the appropriate time, the right to appeal shall be forfeited. The board will then present to the chapter at the next regularly scheduled meeting its vote to remove the board member from office. The board member in question may then appeal the board’s decision to the general membership. An affirmative vote of two-thirds of those present will remove the member in question from office.
D. The board of directors shall have the power to act on all matters not covered by the by-laws.
E. The board shall serve as a standardization committee in order to promote uniformity in officiating mechanics and rule interpretations for the South Texas Chapter.
F. The board shall decide which school’s schedules the chapter shall service and which they shall not.
G. The board shall serve as the judicial body of the chapter for purposes of appeals of fines, cancelled and missed games, act upon the recommendations of the Ethics Committee, and other matters.
H. The board shall have the power to enact and enforce policies of the chapter and interpret these by-laws and the policies of this chapter.
ARTICLE VII- Membership
Section 1 - Regular Membership
A regular member shall be anyone in good standing with UIL and who desires membership in the South Texas Chapter. He or she shall be accorded membership and shall be classified in accordance with his or her classification of membership in UIL.
Section 2 - Transfer Membership
A transfer member shall not be accorded membership unless he or she was a member in good standing in the chapter from which he or she is transferring. This provision can be waived by a majority vote of the board of directors. Transfer members shall be required to submit to the board a letter from the president or secretary of their previous chapter indicating their membership status.
Section 3 - Inactive Membership
An inactive member shall be a member who does not participate in officiating or the business of the chapter once his/her dues have expired for the season for which they last participated in the chapter as a regular member.
Section 4 - Standing
The board of directors shall determine which members are in good standing for the following year and shall base their decision on the following criteria:
A. Members should be free of financial obligations to the chapter and state.
B. Members should have fulfilled all the requirements for membership and be a member in good standing with UIL.
C. Members should have attended at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the chapter meetings.
D. Members should conform to the by-laws of UIL and the by-laws and policies of this chapter.
A member who is deemed not in good standing shall be notified in writing of such standing by April 1. Those members deemed not to be in good standing will have the right of appeal to the board of directors, either in person or by letter no later than May 1, prior to the upcoming season. After the appeal date has passed, those members failing to appeal will forfeit the right to appeal. Following the appeal, those members deemed not to be in good standing will not be allowed to participate in any manner in the affairs of the chapter the following year.
ARTICLE VIII - Registration and Dues
Section 1 - Term
A membership year shall begin on March 1 and end on the last day of February the following year.
Section 2 - Dues
Dues for local membership is $30.00 and are determined by the board of directors, and must be paid to the treasurer on or before December 15 of each year (for the current season), without penalty. Dues for UIL membership will be determined by the UIL and must be paid by February 15 of each year (for the following season). Game fees are $1 per game and the first 25 games must be paid in advance. The Chapter and/or treasurer reserves the right to deduct from pay-outs of tournaments and/or other monies due to a member any past due fees/fines owed to the chapter. There will be a $25.00 fee for all returned checks. 2nd offense, member will have to pay by cash, cashier’s check, or money order UNLESS prior approval from STC board. All checks must be made payable to the SOUTH TEXAS CHAPTER. If any set of dues is paid late, the following penalties will apply:
Local Dues State Dues Late Penalty
December 15 to January 1 February 15 to March 1 $10.00
January 2 to January 15March 2 to March 15 $20.00
January 16 to January 31 March 16 to March 31 $30.00
After January 31 After March 31 $50.00
An additional fee for reinstatement of $25 will be charged by UIL which is not included in the above fees.
Section 3 - Holding of Assignments
No games will be assigned to any official who has not paid his or her dues or game assignment fees.
ARTICLE IX - Selection and Assignment of Game Officials
Section 1- Coach’s List
There shall be submitted to the coaches a list of officials who are in good standing with the chapter. This list shall be mailed to each varsity coach by September 15 of each year. Coaches shall then have the right to scratch officials as they see fit, in accordance with chapter and UIL guidelines.
Section 2 - Assignments
The assignment secretary shall be responsible for assigning games to members of the chapter. A schedule of each member’s games shall be provided to that official in a timely manner. The assignment secretary may authorize one or more members to assist in the assignment of tournaments.
Section 3 - Cancellation and Failure to Accept Assignments:
If an official declines or fails to accept a game assignment timely for which the assignment scheduling program shows the official available, a $10.00 penalty will be levied. If an official, within forty-eight hours (48) hours of the scheduled game start time, cancels a game for which he or she has accepted, a $25.00 penalty will be levied. If an official fails to show up for an accepted game assignment, a $45.00 penalty will be levied.
These penalties may be appealed to the board of directors. The appeal must be made to the board of directors no later than the second scheduled board meeting after the cancellation or failure to show was made. In the event that a cancellation is made with only one scheduled board meeting remaining in the season, the appeal must be submitted at the last meeting. If a cancellation is made by a member after the last scheduled board meeting, a special meeting will be called to address an appeal of the member in question. The appeal may be submitted to the board in writing if the official cannot attend the first or second board meeting after the cancellation or failure to show was made. Failure to appeal to the board by the appropriate time will constitute forfeiture of the opportunity for appeal. Any member failing to pay this penalty will not be in good standing with the chapter and shall have his or her schedule revoked.
A member cannot cancel a scheduled South Texas Chapter assignment without penalty, pursuant to the provisions in Section 3 of this article. Except that a member may cancel an assignment for officiating a UIL related activity in a sport other than basketball, without penalty upon immediate notification to the assignment secretary, followed by a written notice of cancellation to the assignment secretary.
If a member is notified of a game assignment within forty-eight (48) hours of a scheduled date, he shall have the right to accept or decline the assignment without penalty.
Section 4 - School Cancellation
If the home school fails to notify the chapter of a game cancellation or rescheduling in sufficient time, it shall be requested to pay the officials the minimum UIL fees, including mileage.
ARTICLE X – Meetings and Quorums
Regular meetings shall be at such a time, place, and date as the board of directors shall designate (meetings will be posted on the chapter website and in the annual roster book). Special called board meetings shall be at the place and time so designated by the president. Attendance at all meetings shall be maintained and recorded by the administrative secretary, with the assistance of the parliamentarian.
Twenty percent (20%) of the total chapter members in good standing shall constitute a quorum. Five (5) members of the board shall constitute a quorum for a meeting of the board of directors.
ARTICLE XI - Parliamentary Authority
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the chapter in all instances to which they are applicable and not inconsistent with these by-laws and any other special rules the board of directors may adopt.
ARTICLE XII-Payment of Assignment Secretary
Members shall pay the assignment secretary for all game assignments received. The board of directors shall determine the amount.
ARTICLE XIII – Ethics Committee and Code of Ethics
Section 1 – Ethics Committee
The purpose of the Ethics Committee is to provide a fair, efficient and independent process for the investigation of alleged violations of rules and codes of ethics of this chapter, TASO and/or UIL. The Ethics Committee has the responsibility for investigating properly submitted complaints relating to the conduct of any chapter member. The chair and members shall be appointed by the board of directors and the committee shall be comprised of at least three members and no more than five chapter members in good standing. Decisions shall be made by a majority vote of a quorum being present.
Ethical complaints may be reported by coaches, fans, chapter members, law enforcement or any individual who has knowledge of an ethical violation. All complaints must be in writing. Upon reliable evidence of an ethical violation, the Ethics Committee may initiate a complaint.
All investigations and hearings shall be conducted pursuant to these provisions and UIL due process requirements. Upon the receipt of a written complaint, the Ethics Committee will investigate the facts, provide due process notice to the official and, if necessary, conduct a hearing. If requested, the official shall provide a written response and if a hearing is conducted, the official shall appear, with or without a representative, and be given the opportunity to confront the evidence and present evidence in defense of the allegations.
The Ethics Committee shall report to the board of directors the status of any investigation as requested by the board. Until final action is taken, the investigation shall remain confidential. Upon completion of the investigation and hearing, if necessary, the Ethics Committee shall report its findings and make a recommendation to the board of directors regarding a sanction. The board of directors will make the final decision and notify the official of any action taken. The Sanction may range from a private reprimand to expulsion from the chapter (with or without a recommendation to UIL), and may include a fine, probation with terms, suspension, or any combination of the above. A sanctioned official may appeal the decision of the board of directors to the UIL State Sports Officials Department pursuant to UIL by-laws and due process provisions.
Section 2 – Code of Ethics
The following shall be the Code of Ethics for this chapter:
- The official’s conduct, speech and actions during or in route to and from a game shall be above reproach and should demonstrate the example of sportsmanship, courtesy and self control.
- The official shall not engage in criminal, dishonest, disgraceful or immoral conduct or any conduct prejudicial to this chapter or UIL.
- The official shall arrive at least thirty (30) minutes before a game to ensure sufficient time to inspect the facility and equipment, conduct a pre-game meeting with co-officials and discuss any pertinent information with coaches.
- The official shall not cancel any assignment except in the case of emergency. When it becomes impossible to fulfill any assignment, the official shall notify the chapter assignment secretary in sufficient time that a replacement may be obtained.
- The official shall present him or herself in a uniform that is clean, neat, and conforms to the guidelines for the UIL official’s manual.
- The official shall exercise independence and impartiality at all times and shall not give preferential treatment to any person, player or coach.
- The official shall seek to possess and demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the letter and intent of the playing rules and officiating mechanics.
- The official shall not consume alcohol or illegal drugs prior to or during a game or consume alcohol or illegal drugs in public after the game.
- The official shall not solicit or seek to influence a coach or school representative for the purpose of promoting officiating opportunities for him or herself, or for this or any other chapter.
- The official shall not engage in scouting activities or engage in conversation with coaches or school representatives regarding officiating assignments.
- The official shall not criticize another official or person associated with this chapter, TASO or UIL or attempt to explain another official’s judgment or decision in the presence of coaches, players, spectators or media during or after a game.
- The official shall not officiate a game if the official is affiliated with either team or school or if the official is related by blood or marriage to a person affiliated with either team or school.
- The official shall report to the board of directors any arrest for criminal charges.
- The official shall not falsify records or reports for personal gain or abuse UIL game or mileage fees.
ARTICLE XIV - Officiating Fees and Travel Allowances
Officials shall be paid for services and travel by schools in accordance with Section 1204 of the University Interscholastic League Constitution and Contest Rules.
ARTICLE XV – Chapter Mileage Policy
Unless mutually agreed upon by the members of the crew, the following will govern the payment of mileages when one mileage reimbursement is paid:
Two-person crew Driver receives 90%, passenger receives 10%
Three-person crew: Driver receives 80%, each passenger receives 10%
If a member decides to drive alone then they get the lesser amount (10%) UNLESS agreed upon BEFORE leaving with partners. Mileage reimbursements should be paid in a timely manner.
ARTICLE XVI – UIL Reporting Procedure
A. All Coaches, players, and/or fan EJECTIONS, severe verbal abuse, and physical abuse must be reported in writing to UIL. This report can also be done on-line under the heading “UIL INCIDENT REPORT” at the UIL website www.uil.utexas.edu. A copy of this report must be submitted to the president or vice-president of the South Texas Chapter. These reports must be done as soon as reasonably possible after the contest, but no later than 12:00 noon of the day following the contest. This report should include your name, chapter, date/time/location of contest, teams/schools involved, brief description of incident or incidents, phone numbers, and other information you deem necessary.
B. Other common problems such as dressing facilities, security, non-critical administrative issues, players, coaches, administrators, or fans should be reported to chapter president, vice-president, and/or assigning secretary either by phone, email, or in writing no later than 12:00 noon of the day following the contest.
C. Chapter shall notify Athletic Director and/or Superintendent of the UIL INCIDENT
ARTICLE XVII - Amendments
These by-laws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of a quorum of the chapter being present, providing the amendment was in the call for the meeting.
RATIFIED: 25 February 2001
23 February 2005
22 February 2007
29 October 2008
12 January 2011
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