Region By-Laws

By-Laws


ARTICLE I MEMBERSHIP AND DUES

Section A.
A member college must be a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association.

Section B.
Membership dues will be set annually by the respective Legislative Assembly at their Spring meeting.

Section C.
Each division will receive its membership dues and the sports membership fee for its division to use as operating capital for the year.

Section D.

1. Colleges hosting Regional Tournaments will receive $25 per school (for each school that sponsors the sport in that division) from the men's or women's Region treasury to offset tournament operating expenses.  The following sports are not included; swimming, wrestling, indoor/outdoor track and basketball.

2. The College that hosts the Region basketball tournament will receive $100 per school (for each school that offers men's and/or women's basketball ... maximum of $100 per school) from the men's Region treasury to offset tournament operating expenses.


ARTICLE II MEETINGS


Section A.

  1. Duly appointed representatives of member colleges must attend ALL regularly scheduled division meetings per academic year.
  2. Each institution shall be entitled to one (1) vote per division at these meetings.
  3. Regional meetings, except executive sessions, are open to all interested parties.
  4. There will be a minimum of at least three (3) Regional meetings scheduled each academic year in each division.
  5. Attendance at Committee and Legislative Assembly sessions is required during the length of all regularly scheduled meetings.

Section B.

  1. Member colleges are required to attend all legislative meetings of the Region. Members are expected to contact the respective Director if extraordinary circumstances develop.
  2. Notification of non-attendance will be sent to the college by the Chair of Standard and Ethics.

Section C.
Duly appointed representatives who have a financial hardship in attending required meetings may apply for assistance to the appropriate Regional Director.

Section D.
A quorum in each division shall be defined as one half (1/2) of the paid membership.

Section E.
Special meetings may be called by a Regional Director or a majority of the division's membership when necessary.


ARTICLE III ADMINISTRATIVE


Section A.
The elected officers and their duties.

  1. The Regional Directors will:

    a. Preside at meetings and perform such duties as outlined by Article IV, Section E of the NJCAA By-Laws.
    b. Send notices of required meetings and temporary agenda to member colleges at least four (4) weeks prior to the scheduled date.
    c. Distribute a formal agenda at the time of each. Legislative Assemble meeting.
    d. Prepare and distribute financial reports at required meetings.
    e. Award certificates to All-Region squads.
    f. Award certificates to Region Coach of the Year in each sport.
    g. Distribute a membership roster by November 15th annually.
    h. Acknowledge receipt and disposition of all communication within 72 hours.
    i. Disburse funds as necessary to conduct Region business.
    j. Appoint regional sport committees.
    k. Expenses reimbursed that are not covered by the NJCAA for attendance at the annual national meeting, including food and one car rental.
    l. Will recieve a yearly stipend of $500, paid upon completion of one year of service (on or about June 30).
    m. It is recommended to serve a maximum of three consecutive 2 year terms. If elected in the middle of a two year term, he/she will complete that term and then be allowed three consecutive terms.

  2. The secretary will:
    1. a. Take attendance.
      b. Read minutes of previous meeting.
      c. Record minutes.
      d. Duplicate and distribute minutes of each meeting.
      e. Duplicate and distribute operating codes and changes in these codes.
      f. Be the Regional Historian and publish annual reports in September of each even numbered year.
      g. Perform additional duties as directed by the Regional Directors.

Section B.

The Assistant Regional Directors will:

  1. a. Attend all regularly scheduled meetings of both divisions or send a duly appointed representative to these meetings.
    b. Assist the Directors on matters of eligibility.
    c. Chair all meetings when the Directors are not present.
    d. Attend the NJCAA Legislative Assembly and receive expenses not covered by NJCAA office to include air, transportation, hotel and food expenses, Section B of the Region By-Laws.
    e . Perform additional duties as assigned by the Directors.
    f . Will be paid $500 upon completion of one year of service (on or about June 30).

Section C.
Appointed officials and their duties. Service Bureau responsibilities will be given to selected representatives from member colleges. The Service Bureau Director will:

  1. Create a reporting form for each sport and provide these reports to all participating Region XIX colleges, NJCAA Regional Directors and NJCAA Service Bureau. NOTE: Institutions wishing to receive copies of the Service Bureau reports for sports in which they are not participating should contact the respective Service Bureau Director.
    All Region XIX institutions will receive final Service Bureau reports.
  2. Conduct the balloting and mechanisms of selection for All-Region teams as determined by the operating code.
  3. Publish the All-Region selections.
  4. Conduct the mechanics for All-Star team selection as outlined in the respective operating code.
  5. Perform other duties as directed by the Regional Director.
  6. Server for one (1) year.

ARTICLE IV ELIGIBILITY FOR COMPETITION


Section A.
The rules of eligibility of the NJCAA shall govern all competition in Region XIX.

1. The Regional Standards & Ethics Committee will investigate all eligibility violations at their seasonal meetings and respond according to the Standards & Ethics operating code.

 2. Violations of Code of Conduct/Behavior (academic and compliance eligibility filing, recruiting violations, altercations, scholarship violations, etc.) must be reported to the respective region director within 24 hours of knowledge of the occurrence
and prior to communication with the NJCAA Office of Compliance.  Athletic directors of colleges involved with Code of Conduct/Behavior violations have seven calendar  (7) days after the occurrence to investigate, disclose their findings, implement penalties (if applicable) and submit in a written report of findings and actions to the respective region director and the standard & ethics chair. The Standard & Ethics Committee at their seasonal meetings will review all code of conduct violations and actions taken.

3A member college affected by a decision of the Standards and EthicsCommittee ratified by the Legislature shall have the right to appeal that decision to the Executive Committee of Region XIX. (10/2008)

 

Section B.
All members must abide by the Arizona Sports Summit Accord Code of Conduct of the NJCAA.

Section C.

  1. For all competition in Region 19 sponsored sports, if a player(s) leaves the bench and or their position on the field/court to participate in any manner in an on field or non regulation playing area altercation, whether they are ejected by the referee/official/umpire or not they will automatically receive a two game suspension. In addition, if a game official/referee/umpire makes a determination to suspend, terminate or abandon the game for reasons of fighting where bench players are involved, that game will become a double forfeit and those teams involved will forfeit their next two scheduled games inclusive of post season play and carrying over into the next season if need be. If an NCAA rulebook or NJCAA rule enforces a stricter penalty then that penalty will be followed.
  2. Any player, coach or any other team member of team party ejected from an intercollegiate contest shall not participate in the institutions next contest as shown on the published schedule of that institution. If the ejection occurs in the last game in a given year, the suspension will carry over to the first contest of the next season.Section E. When the assistant region director seeks a correction/clarification or observes an eligibility form violation the following procedure shall take place. The assistant region director notifies the athletic director of the questioned or offending college regarding the correction/clarification or alleged violation. The athletic director has 7 days to respond in writing to the assistant regional director, respective men's or women's region director and/or other colleges involved.
    If the athletic direction disagrees with the interpretation by the assistant region director he or she may appeal the interpretation to the respective region director. The region director must request the appeal in writing. The region director must respond with a decision within 5 days of being notified and/or receipt of written appeal.
    If the region director's decision is not accepted an appeal can be made to the NJCAA national office. The Regional Standards & Ethics Committee will then investigate all eligibility violations at their seasonal meetings and respond according to the Standards & Ethics operating code.Section F Non-eligibility violations of Code of Conduct/Behavior (recruiting violations, altercations, scholarship violations, etc.) must be reported to the respective region director within 24 hours of knowledge of the occurrence.
    Athletic directors of colleges involved with Code of Conduct/Behavior violations have ten (10) days after the occurrence to investigate, disclose their findings, implement penalties (if applicable) and submit in a written report of findings and actions to the respective region director and the standard & ethics chair.
    The Standard & Ethics Committee at their seasonal meetings will review all code of conduct violations and actions taken.

Section D

The following numbers of teams are required for selection of a 1st, 2nd and 3rd Team All Region Team(s):

Three (3) to Four (4) teams or less = One (1) All-Region Team

Five (5) to Ten (10) teams = Two (2) All-Region Teams

Eleven (11) or more teams = Three (3) All-Region Teams

The specific number of student athletes for each team will be determined by each sport committee and specified in each respective sport operating code.

 Updated 3/4/2012 (TT)

 

Section E

Any college fielding a club team must follow ALL NJCAA, NCAA and Region 19 regulations specifically including (but not limited to) that you must file the NJCAA Club Team form, pay region dues, report game results to your respective service bureau, adhere to uniform rules as per the sport operating code, report basketball technical fouls, follow ejection policies for coaches and players as well as reporting of these ejections, follow home game supervision requirements and use game officials/umpires/referees under contracted officiating agreements with Region 19.

 
Section F 
 
For the purpose of establishing qualification for the Region Tournament, colleges may not  add new games or drop originally scheduled games 14 days prior to the published seeding meeting date for the respective tournament, unless to make up a region division game.  Games previously schedule or postponed may be rescheduled during the time periods vs. the same opponent.

All region tournaments will consist of a minimum of 4 teams that achieved a .500 overall record or a .500 region division record the day prior to the published seeding meeting date.  In the event that four teams do not qualify under the .500 rule, the team(s) with the best region division record(s) will make the tournament. In the event of a tie in relation to region division record to get to the minimum of four teams, all teams that are tied will then qualify for the tournament. 

All region division games must be played. In the event of a region division game is forfeited, it will count for qualification and seeding purposes. All other forfeits will not count for qualification purposes.
 
Programs that "drop" during the regular season: "Any team that drops their program after the start of the season will have those game results, including regional divisional games that were played to that point count on overall records only."

 Section G

Colleges that provide fan transportation and send cheerleading squads to away sites must:

1. Contact the opposing college's athletic administrator at least 24 hours prior to game time and inform of an approximate number of fans and cheerleaders attending the event.

2. Have a specified college approved supervisor/advisor of the fans and or cheerleaders, present at all times from arrival to departure.  This person's name must be provided to the opposing college athletic administrator.

3. All NJCAA/Region rules apply as pertaining but not limited to behavior and destruction of property. Incidents of these types will be reviewed by the Region Standards and Ethics Committee for any action deemed necessary.

 
 
 
ARTICLE V ELIGIBILITY OFFICERS

Section A.
All regional officers will be elected at the winter meeting in odd numbered years.

Section B.
The term of office for these elected officers shall be for a two (2) year period beginning August 1st and ending July 31st.


ARTICLE VI REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS


Section A.
In order to recognize a regional champion, a sport must have competition among three (3) member colleges and have a sports code approved by the respective Legislative Assembly.

Section B.
Whenever possible, regional tournaments should be held at the facility of member institutions.

Section C.

  1. The tournament directors are responsible for disseminating all information pertinent to their tournament to all member college at least three (3) weeks prior to the event.
  2. The host colleges are responsible for all expenses incurred in conducting the tournament.
  3. The tournament director will, when necessary, notify the National Tournament Director of Region or Zone qualifiers.

Section D.
In order to be eligible for a specific region championship, a member college must meet all of the provisions stipulated in the Operating Code of that sport.


ARTICLE VII STANDING COMMITTEES


Section A.
The Regional Directors will appoint all standing committees.

Section B.

  1. It will be the responsibility of the Sport Committee Chair to provide coverage through themselves and their committee members at all Region Tournament semi-final and final games as well as District Tournament (if applicable) games.  It is recommended that two committee members of teams not involved in the contests be present at these events.
  2. Attendance at Regional events will be reimbursed at a rate of twenty-dollars ($20.00) per day plus transportation. (transportation defined as mileage and the rate per mile to be determined by the prevailing IRS rate.) If the team of the team of of the Chairperson or committee member(s) is/are participating in the semi-final or final games, no reimbursement will be given.  However, if the Chair or committee member is asked to cover another game on that day that doesn't involve his/her team(s) than the $20 reimbursement will be given, but not the mileage.  It will be the responsibility of the person(s) performing the coverage to submit their expenses to the appropriate region personnel. 
  3. Committee Sport Chairs will ensure updating of their respective sports' results, rosters, schedules, on the Region XIX website.  Sport Chairs will notify schools that are not updating their information in a timely manner.  Repeat offenders may be reported to the Standards and Ethics Committee.

Section C.

  1. The function of each standing committee is to review its particular area and recommend changes based upon experience and research. The standing committees of all sports shall review and recommend changes in their respective operating codes at anytime they see fit.
  2. A standing committee will:
    1. a. Recommend policies for conducting the Regional tournament or championship. The policies will be placed in a sport operation code.
      b. Recommend ways and means for the improvement of Regional tournaments or championships.
      c. Suggest procedures for competition between member colleges.
      d. Oversee and finalize seeding of Regional Tournaments.
      e. Recommend appropriate awards for their area to the awards committee.

Section D.
The standing committees for Region XIX are:
• Awards
• Standard & Ethics
• Basketball
• Tennis
• Baseball
• Track & Field (Indoor)
• Cross Country
• Golf
• Track & Field (Outdoor)
• Volleyball (M)
• Soccer
• Softball (W)
• Volleyball (W)
• Wrestling


ARTICLE VIII REGION OPERATING PROCEDURE - SEE SPORT OPERATION CODES.



ARTICLE IX AMENDMENTS TO THE BY-LAWS


Section A.
Amendments to the By-laws, except those in Article VIII may be made at any regularly scheduled meeting of Region XIX. A majority vote of the quorum of both divisions will be necessary to affect change. These amendments must be circulated to all member colleges at least thirty (30) days prior to the meeting. The changes will become effective on the first day of the following August.

Section B.
Article VIII of the By-Laws may be amended at any regularly scheduled meeting by a majority vote of the quorum of the respective Legislative Assembly. All such changes shall become effective on the following first day of August.


ARTICLE X CONDUCT OF MEETINGS


Section A.
The latest edition of Roberts Rules or Order shall be the manual of procedure for legislative meetings of Region XIX, NJCAA.


Approved: 5/14/2009
Revised: 4/8/2011
Revised: 4/5/2012
Revised: 5/24/2012
Last Revised: 3/4/2013 (TT)