2:01 AM BY-LAWS | ||||
B Y-LAWS OF THE PROFESSIONAL SKATERS ASSOCIATION NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE PROFESIONAL SKATERS ASSOCIATION, IN OLMSTED COUNTY, MINNESOTA, THAT THE BY-LAWS OF THE PSA ARE AS FOLLOWS: BY-LAWS OF THE PROFESSIONAL SKATERS ASSOCIATION The name of the corporation is the Professional Skaters Association. Mission Statement: Dedicated to providing continuing education and accreditation to ice skating professionals. The purpose of the corporation is: 1. To draw and bind together in a responsible organization all professional ice skaters who meet the qualifications hereinafter set forth, for the general advancement of their profession. 2. To advance and protect the general interests and accomplishments of the pupils instructed by the members of this Association and to encourage and advance figure skating and recreational skating in all its branches. 3. To promote and maintain harmonious understanding and good working relations with rink management, figure skating clubs, the International Professional Skating Union, professional skating organizations and with the United States Figure Skating Association, the International Skating Union and its members, the Ice Skating Institute and such recognized international skating organizations as may from time to time exist. 4. To promote and maintain the mission statement and a high standard of ethical and professional conduct, safety procedures and skill among its members. 5. To promote and safeguard the general welfare and economic security of its members. Membership in the Association 1. Full Membership: Full membership shall be available to any person of good moral character,
NOTE: This does not preclude any PSA member from teaching discounted or free lessons. 2. Honorary Membership: Honorary membership shall be granted by the Board of Governors of the Association to any person who has in the opinion of the Board of Governors of the Association rendered unusual and distinguished service to the organization.
3. Associate Membership: Associate membership shall be available to any person of good moral character,
4. Patron Membership: Patron membership shall be available to any person of good moral character who is at least eighteen years old and wishes to support the goals of the Association. Patron members shall neither vote, hold elective office, nor apply for and obtain any rating pursuant to Article VI hereof. 5. Family Membership: Family membership shall be available to Full members of good moral character who are family . Family is defined as Persons residing at the same physical address, or if apart, never the less, have consented to be bound as a family unit by the laws of the state which is the chosen residence as that residence appears on the filed federal tax return selected as the chosen residence the intent herein is to provide the broadest possible definition of family for the purpose of membership in the PSA. Family memberships hold the same qualifications as a Full membership. 6. Intern Membership: Intern membership shall be available to persons of good moral character between the ages of 16 and 18,
7. Skate Technician: Skate Technician membership shall be available to any person of good moral character who is at least 18 years of age who are presently employed as a skate repair, sharpener or person fitting skates either as a proprietor or with a business selling, repairing, sharpening or fitting skates (defined as boots as well as boots and blades) and is so engaged in such work at least 20 hours per week. 8. Program Director: Program Director membership shall be available to any person of good moral character who is at least 18 years of age who is employed by a rink or club to direct skating programs. 9. Basic membership shall be available to any person of good moral character, a minimum age of 16 years, a. Who is actively engaged in the teaching, coaching, or instruction of group ice skating lessons; and b. Does not engage in the teaching, coaching, or instruction of private or semi-private ice skating instruction Basic members shall neither vote, purchase liability insurance, hold elective office, nor apply for and obtain any additional ratings pursuant to Article VI of the PSA by-laws. 10. All applications for Full, Associate or Basic membership must be in writing and shall be sponsored by a member in good standing. 11. Applicants whose requests for membership have been rejected may appeal to the Board of Governors for reconsideration. Such reconsideration shall be examined at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Governors of this Association following receipt of the application. The Board of Governors shall within ten (10) days after receipt of the application notify the applicant in writing of the action taken on the application. 12. No applicant shall be accepted and enrolled as a member until the required application fee and annual dues have been fully paid. Article III. The governing body of this Association shall be in accordance with the following provisions: 1. The organization shall be conducted as a non-profit corporation under the laws of the State of Minnesota now existing and as may hereafter from time to time exist, whose members, acting through an elected Board of Governors and the duly elected officers, shall have the right to govern and control its activities within the limits and powers set forth in these By-Laws and the Articles of Incorporation. 2. The governing powers of this Association shall be vested in a Board of Governors of no more than twenty members consisting of the following: Six governors (two from each section) elected by the membership, each serving a term of three years but not more than two consecutive terms, three members at large appointed by the president and approved by the existing board; a president, first vice president (Admin/Legal Oversight), second vice president (Education Oversight), third vice president (Accreditation Oversight) treasurer, education events chair, Chair of Professional Standards (COPS), ratings Chair, immediate past president, U. S. Figure Skating representative and Ice Skating Institute Representative. a. The president shall serve for a single term which shall be three years and shall be elected by the Board of Governors from among those serving or who have previously served on the Board of Governors. b. At the board meeting immediately preceding the expiration of the current president s term of office, the Board of Governors shall designate a president-elect to succeed the current president. If this person to be designated president-elect is not then currently serving on the Board of Governors, said person shall become a specially appointed board member during the term of their designation as president-elect, but without a vote. c. The first vice president and second vice president, elected by the Board of Governors, whose terms shall be for a period of three years, shall be current members of the Board of Governors or have been a member of the Board of Governors in the immediate preceding year. The vice president of international affairs shall be a full member in good standing of the PSA and shall be recommended by the president and approved by the existing Board of Governors, whose term shall be one year, but who shall not serve more than three consecutive terms. d. An executive director shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Governors, at salary and under such terms as may be determined by the Executive Committee from time to time and such executive director shall not vote or be a member of the Board of Governors. e. The treasurer shall be recommended by the president and approved by the existing board, shall serve a renewable term of one year and may be an elected member of the Board of Governors or any other qualified member in good standing. f. The governing powers of this Association shall be vested in a Board of Governors of no more than twenty members consisting of the following: Six governors (two from each section) elected by the membership, each serving a term of three years but not more than two consecutive terms, three members at large appointed by the president and approved by the existing board; a president, first vice president (Admin/Legal Oversight), second vice president (Education Oversight), third vice president (Accreditation Oversight, treasurer, education events chair, Chair of Professional Standards (COPS), ratings chair, immediate past president, U. S. Figure Skating representative and Ice Skating Institute Representative. 3. Elected members of the Board of Governors shall be elected annually from Full members in good standing or honorary members in good standing by mail vote in March of each year. Elected members of the Board of Governors shall be those members of the PSA who are in good standing and who have been nominated by a duly constituted nominating committee or upon nomination duly made under the provisions of these By-Laws. Election shall be by ballots of members in good standing with the PSA. The elected Board of Governors shall be composed of two members divided, nominated and elected from each of the three sections of the U.S. as designated by the United States Figure Skating Association. Elected members of the board must hold a Full or Honorary membership and have an active Senior or Master rating. Each member shall serve a three year term. The terms of said Governors shall be staggered so that the term of one-third of the elected board members shall expire each year. 4. The nominating committee shall be appointed by the Board of Governors and (for the assurance of sectional representation) shall be composed of one representative from the elected East, Midwest and West governors, one representative from the members-at-large and standing committee positions on the board, (seminars/events, ratings, COPS), the Area Rep Chair and one representative from the executive committee. The past president shall serve as the chair of this committee. In all, the nominating committee shall consist of five qualified members in good standing appointed by the Board of Governors, whose term shall be one year, but shall not serve more than three consecutive terms. 5. The Executive Nominating Committee shall present its slate to the Board of Governors at least 60 days prior to the election and any further nominations from the board must be made not less than 30 days prior to the election. The nominations shall be closed 30 days prior to the election and the final list of candidates shall be presented to the board not less than 7 days after the close of nominations. 6. The nominating committee shall accept nominations until 90 days before the balloting deadline. They shall report through the president of the Association the list of nominees approximately 60 days prior to the balloting deadline and the ballots shall be mailed to the membership 30 days prior to the balloting deadline which shall be March 15th of each year. 7. Nominations for elected office shall be made by a qualified member in good standing who shall submit such nomination to the Chair of the nominating committee in writing and postmarked not later than 90 days prior to the balloting deadline date. Nominees must be qualified members in good standing, holding an active Senior or Master rating. 8. No nominations shall be made or accepted by this organization for any office or committee unless and until it has been first determined there are no findings of any public discipline. 9. The duties and powers of the duly elected officers shall be those customarily bestowed on such officers and, in addition, such duties and powers as may be delegated to each by action of the Board of Governors. Notwithstanding any other provision herein, the Chair of any meeting held under the provision of these By-Laws and amendments thereto, shall have no vote except that the Chair may vote whenever a tie in the voting would otherwise be the result. The Chair may at any time vote proxies under the provisions hereafter set forth. 10. The President, upon request made to the Board, and upon a vote of the majority of the then serving members of the Board of Governors voting, may remove from the Board of Governors any board member or members who are: a. Without good cause, absent from any properly called board meeting; or b. Non-responsive to two or more ballots, questionnaires, or required reports; or c. Consistently non-responsive to phone calls; and d. Inactive between board meetings; or e. Delinquent in completing assigned or volunteered tasks; f. Have a finding of public discipline of any severity level as a result of a grievance filed under the rules of this organization or rules acceptable to this organization provided that prior to the removal thereof shall be a notice sent to all members of the Board of Governors, including the member or members to be removed, stating the intent of removal and the grounds thereof. Within 30 days after said notice the board member or members may request a hearing which shall be held within 30 days after such request at a time and place determined by the President of this Association. After the hearing or the time elapse for hearing, if there be no hearing, the member or members shall either be removed or retained. Any vacancy created by such removal shall be filled by appointment of the President pursuant to these By-Laws to serve any unexpired term. 11. The members of the Board of Governors shall serve for their elected term of office and until their successors shall be duly elected and take office. Both the existing and the newly elected board shall be present at the annual conference but only the existing board shall have a vote. After the completion of the annual conference, the newly elected board takes office. 12. The President and First and Second Vice Presidents shall be elected by the Board of Governors during the annual conference. After the completion of the annual conference, the newly elected officer takes office. 13. The President, or in their absence, the First Vice President, or in their absence, the Second Vice President shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Governors, the annual conference and any other special or authorized meeting of this Association, except when such duties have been delegated to an appropriate Chair duly appointed under the provisions of these By-Laws. 14. The President shall have the right with the consent of the Board of Governors to appoint such committees as the President from time to time finds appropriate and such committees shall be accountable directly to the President. 15. The President shall have the right, with the consent of the Board of Governors, to appoint such sectional and regional Chair as may be deemed necessary for the efficient management and operation of this Association, to those areas of the United States which correspond to those designated by the United States Figure Skating Association for the sectional and regional competitions. 16. A committee shall be formed with a Chair appointed by the president to hear all complaints concerning the ethical conduct of the members of this Association composed of the Executive Committee, the Board of Governors, Past Presidents, and additional appointed members in good standing. The additional members of the committee so formed shall be appointed by the President. This committee shall be named the Committee on Professional Standards. Each grievance filed with the Professional Skaters Association will be assigned to a three member panel from this committee. The panel shall be composed of a member of the Executive Committee, who shall serve as the Chair of the panel, (if a member of the Executive Committee is not available, a substitute will be chosen from the Board of Governors), a Past President and the appropriate committee member whose residence shall correspond, if possible, to the residence of the party against whom the grievance has been filed. All action of the Committee on Professional Standards shall be taken in conformity with the Code of Ethics as hereinafter provided and the committee shall have the right to discipline a member whom they shall deem to have been in breach of the Code of Ethics of the Professional Skaters Association. 17. Any member disciplined by the Committee on Professional Standards for violation of the Code of Ethics of the PSA may request in writing, re-consideration of the finding of violation. Such re-consideration shall proceed according to the established procedure decided by the Executive Committee of the Professional Skaters Association. A re-consideration shall be limited to the question of determining if the deciding panel appointed by the Committee on Professional Standards acted in good faith and whether the panel s decision is supported by the record presented to it for consideration. Such re-consideration shall not be De Novo but shall be based upon the record presented to the grievance panel. Any member of the Executive Committee who served on the original hearing panel shall remove themselves from the re-consideration process. All action taken by the executive committee on a re-consideration regarding the discipline of a member shall be final. No member of the Executive Committee or the Committee on Professional Standards against whom a grievance has been filed, shall take part in any consideration of that grievance. 18. The right to vote at all meetings of this Association, unless otherwise stated herein, is conferred upon all Full and Honorary members in good standing and each shall have one vote, which may be cast either in person or by proxy, except, that a Full member may vote, in addition to the one vote described, such proxy votes may be granted to the member hereinafter provided. Meetings of this Association shall be: 1. An annual conference at which the general business of this Association shall be conducted. 2. Meetings of the Board of Governors shall be called whenever the President considers such meetings necessary for the efficient operation of this Association. The quorum for such meetings shall be a majority of those board members eligible to vote in person. 3. Special meetings of this Association may be called by action of a majority of the Board of Governors, or upon the written signed petition of 10 or more participating members in good standing submitted to the President and setting forth clearly the reasons for such special meeting. 4. Area meetings of this Association may be called from time to time by the appropriate sectional or regional Chair acting with the approval of the President, whenever such meetings may be necessary for the efficient operation of the Association. 5. Due and proper notice setting forth the time, place and purpose of any authorized meeting shall be mailed to each member at their last known address not less than 20 days prior thereto. 6. All meetings shall be presided over by the President, First Vice President, Second Vice President or the appropriate Chair duly appointed according to the provisions of these By-Laws. In the absence of the appropriate presiding officer the Full members present may nominate and elect a Chair. However, no such nomination shall be acted upon until a reasonable effort has been made to locate the absent officer. 7. No member shall speak more than twice upon the same subject or issue without the express consent of a majority of those present and entitled to vote. 8. A quorum for the transaction of lawful business at any annual conference or special meeting shall be 80 participating members in good standing, including the Board of Governors, either present in person or by proper proxy. The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast shall be needed to pass except as otherwise stated in these By-Laws. 9. A mail vote by written ballot may be authorized by the Board of Governors when the opinion and desires of the membership is required or advisable upon the subject or issue in question. Such a ballot shall set forth precisely the matter to be so voted upon. 10. A mail vote of the Board of Governors may be taken by the President when, in the President s opinion, the opinion and desires of the Board are required or advisable upon any subject or issue in question. A Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct is hereby adopted to the end that the public respect, safety, and the status of the association members in the coaching profession may be enhanced and secured. The ethical principles are to be followed to avoid all actual or perceived impropriety. The following basic Code of Ethics rules shall govern the conduct and relations of members of the Professional Skaters Association. Any complaint concerning breaches thereof shall be dealt with considered by the Committee of Professional Standards according to the procedures that are adopted from time to time by the Board of Governors of the Professional Skaters Association. 1. Members of the Professional Skaters Association (hereafter referred to as members ), shall at all times exercise the greatest care and discretion in their relationships with other members, pupils, and pupils of other members. 2. No member shall represent themselves using false or deceptive statements intended to mislead. 3. In order to protect the safety and development of students, no member shall engage in any in-person solicitation of a student while the student is actively engaged in a lesson or while performing . Performing means skating or preparing to skate in an event at an arena in a test, competition, or exhibition, and includes meeting with coaches, locker room time, practice skating, and warmup skating.
4. Members shall dress neatly and in a clean and appropriate manner as is becoming of a member of the Professional Skaters Association. Members shall be ever mindful of the influence they exercise over their pupils and under all circumstances this trust should never be abused. 5. Members shall at all times be mindful that he or she has the responsibility to influence his or her student to act ethically, with dignity, and with high moral conduct. The members shall never place the value of winning above the value of instilling the highest desirable ideas of character in his or her student, nor shall the member act in any manner inconsistent with a high standard of ethical and moral conduct. 6. The members shall take an active role in the prevention of using illegal drugs, alcohol and tobacco abuse. 7. All members recognize that they shall act in a manner which avoids verbal or physical abuse of any skaters, other coaches, parents or officials. Members shall not engage in, nor permit, any skater with whom they are charged with the responsibility of coaching to engage in any offense in violation of federal, state, or local law, or laws of a foreign government. 8. A member shall at all times avoid conflicts of interest which can be considered to exist at any time, when the actions of the member for his or herself or on behalf of a skater would involve the obtaining of an improper advantage. Examination or rating of a member s competence, experience and skill in ice skating and in the teaching thereof shall be available and shall be established in the following manner: 1. Any Full member desiring such rating may make request for the same by application in writing to the Professional Skaters Association s office. 2. Ratings shall be established by examinations consistent with rating requirements then in effect. 3. Information on methods and procedures of ratings shall be available to members and others upon request to the rating Chair or the PSA office. The dues and application fees applicable to members of any class of membership shall be established by the Board of Governors from time to time as circumstances require. Members whose dues are in arrears shall be suspended from this Association until such arrears have been paid, the determination or suspension or appropriate action to be at the discretion of the President of the Association subject to a majority vote of the Board of Governors called at any meeting to vote on such action taken by the President. Any member whose dues are in arrears shall, on the date on which the notice of suspension is sent, cease to hold any office and cease to hold membership on any committee until such arrears have been paid, and the member shall have applied for reinstatement and the Board of Governors at its next regular meeting shall have approved such application for reinstatement by a majority vote of the then serving members of the Board of Governors. In the case of relatives residing under one roof, both or all of whom are members, a family membership rate shall be in effect as may from to time be determined by the Board of Governors. A member withdrawing from the Association and rejoining at a later date shall be liable for a reinstatement fee. The following dues and charges are hereby authorized: 1. Annual dues payable July 1 of each and every year. 2. An application fee which shall be submitted with a completed application form prior to enrollment as a member. 3. Such other dues and assessments as from time to time may be required by the Board of Governors. Article VIII. The fiscal year of this Association shall be from the 1st day of July to the 30th day of June of the succeeding year. The Board of Governors of the Professional Skaters Association are hereby authorized to exercise from time to time the power of amendment of the Articles or By-Laws or both as set forth hereafter. 1. The Board of Governors of this Association, by a two-thirds vote of the members of the Board of Governors who are present and entitled to vote on the proposed amendment may amend the Articles or By-Laws of this Association at any meeting of the Board of Governors. Notice of the meeting and of the proposed amendment shall be given not less than 30 days before the meeting scheduled for such vote on any such amendment. 2. The members of this Association, by a majority vote of said members voting at a meeting duly called for the purpose, may prospectively revoke the authority of the Board of Governors to exercise the power to amend the Articles, the By-Laws or both. THE BY-LAWS set forth herein above were duly adopted at a properly called meeting of the Board of Governors in the Village of Lake Placid, State of New York, on the 15th day of September, 1979. AMENDED at meeting of the Board of Governors on September 30, 1984 in Chicago, Illinois. AMENDED at a meeting of the Board of Governors on May 24, 1989, in Orlando, Florida. AMENDED at a meeting of the General Membership on May 26, 1993, in Las Vegas, Nevada. AMENDED at a meeting of the Board of Governors on October 10, 1994, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. AMENDED at a meeting of the Board of Governors on October 1, 1995, in Chicago, Illinois. AMENDED at a meeting of the Board of Governors on September 15, 1996, in Indianapolis, Indiana. AMENDED at a meeting of the Board of Governors on October 4, 1997, in Scottsdale, Arizona. AMENDED by ballot of the Board of Governors on November 30, 1999. AMENDED at a meeting of the Board of Governors on May 25, 2001 in Las Vegas, Nevada. AMENDED by ballot of the Board of Governors on December 5, 2001. AMENDED by ballot of the Board of Governors on November 3, 2002.
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