CONSTITUTION Virginia Tech Women s Club Volleyball Article I - Name The name of this organization shall be Virginia Tech Women s Club Volleyball, (hereinafter referred to as VTWCVB). Article II Affiliations VTWCVB is a student organization registered with Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) through the Division of Student Affairs and The Department of Recreational Sports. VTWCVB is a member of the Virginia Tech Sports Federation. VTWCVB and/or it's members are also affiliated with the National Collegiate Volleyball Federation(NCVF) and USA Volleyball (USAV). Article III - Purpose The purpose of VTWCVB is to promote the sport of volleyball and provide opportunities for women to play in competitive tournaments at the collegiate club level. VTWCVB fully recognizes in its purpose the policies, which identify the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of each individual within the student body, faculty, staff, and administration. All the principles so identified as purposes and objectives of the organization will be subject to all university policies and regulations. Virginia Tech Women's Club Volleyball will abide by Virginia Tech rules and regulations; along with state and federal laws. All policies and actions of this organization are subject to review by the Virginia Tech Division of Student Affairs. Article IV - Membership Membership is open to registered female students of the Virginia Tech community who are interested in playing and promoting the sport of volleyball. This organization and its members shall not discriminate against any individual(s) for reasons of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status. VTWCVB is limited to having its members be female because of the rules of competition dictated by the National Collegiate Volleyball Federation (NCVF); the Club s governing body. 1
Article V - Tryouts/Team Structure 1) The club s members are selected through a try-out process at the beginning of each semester (Fall & Spring). Those who wish to try-out should visit the club website for information on times and locations for try-outs. Potential members should try to be present during all opengym periods and must be present for all try-out days. Players are evaluated by club officers. With careful consideration, analysis and debate, rosters are formed based on try-out results. 2) Potential members should be aware of required team practices, typically Monday - Thursday (4-6pm or 6-8pm) and make every effort to arrange/adjust their academic and extracurricular schedules accordingly. Failure by all members to actively and regularly participate in team practices is detrimental to team development. 3) Players will be selected to participate on either the Maroon or Orange Team. Each team will have approximately 10-12 team members to allow for a high level of participation by all team members. This number may vary slightly from year to year; however, the guiding principle for team size shall be to promote playing opportunities for all club members. 4) Maroon Team members (A-Team) will be the overall traveling team for the club; however, the Orange Team (B-Team) will also participate in a number of off-campus tournaments. Both teams will travel to the National Collegiate Volleyball Federation's National Tournament in the Spring semester. 5) Each team shall select its own team captain, who will be responsible for coordinating activities of the team, including suggestions to the President on selection of tournaments, coordination of travel plans, etc. The team captain may be the playing floor captain, or a team may choose to have a separate floor captain for tournament play. 6) An individual attempting to join the club after the initial try-out period is not guaranteed assignment to a team, but may be assigned to a team commensurate with her abilities if a space is available. The Officers shall evaluate the member's skills and determine an appropriate team placement. 2
Article VI - Member Responsibilities 1) All members must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 and be in good standing with the university. 2) Members must pay the appropriate club dues and fees. 3) Members will substantially participate in the activities of the club, including practices (4x/wk), tournaments, fundraisers and other activities of VTWCVB, unless excused by the President or Vice President. Excused absences include class or school related function conflicts, illness, injury, family or personal emergency, or unusual circumstances. 4) In the event of a previously scheduled tournament, including Nationals, any member declining the opportunity to participate must give two weeks notice prior to the tournament or will be responsible for her full portion of all travel and participation costs; including but not limited to airfare/transportation, hotel accommodations, tournament registration fees, and any other team fees that may be incurred. 5) Members are expected to care for club equipment to the best of their ability. 6) Members will consider themselves under the direction of the club officers while assembled as a team. 7) All members will sign an Assumption of Risk Form. 8) All members will complete a USAV Medical Release Form. 9) All members will sign and abide by a Player Code of Conduct. a. All individuals involved in a Virginia Tech Sport Club represent not only him/herself, but also the Department of Recreational Sports and Virginia Tech. Participation with a sport club carries with it a great deal of personal responsibility. As a representative of Virginia Tech, sport club athletes are expected to conduct themselves in the most positive way possible at all times. The "Hokies Respect" program applies to Virginia Tech sport clubs as well as to varsity athletics. b. All members of the Virginia Tech sport club program, and clubs/teams as a whole, are required to adhere to all federal, state and University laws, guidelines, standards and policies. The Department of Recreational Sports, through the Sport Club Office, reserves the right to issue sanctions, including but not limited to denying or revoking memberships to individuals in violation of University policies. c. All Sport Club Federation Teams may be held responsible for the acts of its individual members. Clubs may be subject to suspension or expulsion from the Sport Club Federation for violation of university and/or Federal and/or State laws. Article VII - Termination of Members Membership in the club may be temporarily suspended or terminated if the member does not perform an equitable share of the work and responsibilities required by activities of the club or if the member does not maintain high standards of sportsmanship and civil behavior. 3
Every effort will be made by officers and team captains to settle any issues or correct unacceptable behavior. Warnings will be offered and only in extreme circumstances will a member be asked to leave the club. Termination of a membership will require a 2/3 majority of the voting membership. Article VIII - Dues 1) Dues for all members, regardless of team designation, will be based on tournament participation, travel and equipment/uniform needs for the season. 2) Dues will be established and become payable soon after teams are chosen and tentative tournament schedules identified. 3) Once a player accepts membership on a team and dues are paid, no refunds will be issued if that player chooses to leave the club for any reason. 4) If, for any reason, a member is unable to make payment in full of dues within an appropriate timeframe, the member must inform the Treasurer and establish payment arrangements. 5) If a member is unable to pay the club dues, club officers will take each case under advisement on an individual basis. Article IX Executive Board The Executive Board shall be comprised of the officers of the club and will include the offices of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Tournament Director. The Executive Board shall meet as needed to plan activities of the club, review the operating budget, and discuss other club business. Article X - Election of Officers & Committees: 1) The Election of Officers will take place in April after the club's main competitive season has ended. 2) The Executive Board /Officers shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Tournament Director. 3) All officers must be currently registered students and members of VTWCVB. 4) Any member meeting the general requirements specified may be nominated for any office, with the exception of nominees for the office of President who must have previously served in an Executive Officer position prior to being nominated for President. 5) Club members may nominate themselves for any position. However, if a member is elected as President or Vice President, she may not hold any other Executive Board or Standing Committee Chair position, as the positions of President and Vice President come with great responsibility and require a substantial time commitment. 6) Officers holding secretary, treasurer or tournament director positions may hold only one(1) other standing committee chair position. 7) All current club members (A & B Teams) are eligible to vote in officer elections; not including graduating seniors; except in the case of a tie vote. 4
8) The election begins with voting for officer positions: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Tournament Director. Committee chair positions and members shall be designated on a volunteer basis or voted upon if two or more members are interested in the same chair position. Committee positions include: Fundraising, Social Media, Recruitment and Team Special Events. 9) A brief speech will be required by each nominee outlining their qualifications and intentions for the position prior to votes being cast. 10) Terms of office for all officers will begin in April, immediately following the elections and run through April of the following year. 11) Elections shall be by a simple majority of the voting members present at the meeting plus those who have cast email or written ballots before the meeting. When there are more than two nominees or in the case that the original vote is a tie, the vote shall be cast again only by graduating seniors. Article XI - Removal of Officers: 1) An officer shall be removed from office if she is no longer a registered student or substantially fails to perform the duties of the office in accordance with this Constitution. In the latter case, officers may only be removed from office by a 2/3 majority vote of the voting members (all club members), and such a vote may occur only after the officer in question and the club membership have been given sufficient notification on cause and potential action. In this instance, seven (7) days will be considered sufficient notice. 2) If the office of President becomes vacant, the Vice-President shall become President. 3) If any other officer is relieved of her duties, one of the remaining officers may assume the vacant position along with it's duties, or the President may appoint a replacement from the general club membership into that position. Article XII - Officer Duties/Responsibilities The officers of Virginia Tech Women's Club Volleyball must be playing members of the team in order to be considered for office. The officer positions and their respective duties are outlined below. President 1) The President shall serve as the liaison between the club and the VT Sports Recreation office, other collegiate clubs, and the NCVF. 2) The President shall call and preside over all VTWCVB meetings, including special meetings or elections and shall have the deciding vote in case of a tie vote on any legislative matter. 3) Shall be responsible for organizing and overseeing try-outs for the competition teams that form the basis of the club s tournament participation. Shall set standards, create drills, mechanisms and team play scenarios for evaluating and assessing player's skills. Will work with the Executive Board and jointly select members for each competitive team. 4) Establish a yearly budget for the operation of the club. 5) Select potential tournaments for each team, review with Executive Board and obtain input from team members. 6) Reserve practice facility dates and times for weekly practices throughout the season, open gym times, try-outs and home tournaments. 7) Create and implement effective weekly practice plans to include offense and defense drills, servereceive, blocking and attacking work and conditioning. 5
8) Oversee all fundraising efforts. 9) Approve all public relations, media or correspondence for the club. 10) Coordinate details for all out-of-town tournaments, including registration, travel arrangements, hotel accommodations, etc. and relay information to teams in a timely manner. 11) Assist Tournament Director with Spring and Fall tournament planning as needed. 12) Assist Vice President in equipment inventory, maintenance and ordering as needed. 13) Assist Secretary with necessary administrative paperwork for tournament entry, USAV Membership Forms, Assumption of Risk Forms, Medical Release Forms and Code of Conduct Agreements as needed. 14) Oversee all other officer positions and committees and appoint committees as necessary. Vice President 1) The Vice-President shall assume the duties of the President in the event that the President is absent. 2) The Vice-President shall also assist the President in performing duties of the President, as delegated by the President. 3) Coordinate and plan weekly team training/workouts; along with alternative physical fitness regimens such as yoga, aerobics, weight training, etc. 4) Maintain physical equipment inventory, maintenance and ordering. 5) Set up Team Store and select/design "VT Club Volleyball" gear for purchase by members and parents. 6) Inventory and order club jerseys for both teams. 7) Design and order team t-shirts for Nationals. Treasurer 1) Receive, care for, and disperse club funds, in keeping with the requirements of the VT Office of Student Affairs. 2) Maintain records of all income and expenses. 3) Provide a detailed Monthly Summary Report of all income and expenditures to the President. 4) Categorize all income and expenses within yearly budget allowances. 5) Deposit all income within two (2) business days of receipt. 6) Collect and reimburse gas receipts. 7) Reconcile the club bank account and debit card. 8) Submit reimbursement forms to the VT Recreation Sports Club office. Secretary: 1) Responsible for collection of administrative documents for tournament entries, USAV Membership Forms, Assumption of Risk Forms, Medical Release Forms and Code of Conduct Agreements. 2) Maintain a written record of all club activities including tournaments, matches/opponents played, scores/results, team functions, etc. and forward this information to the President the day following each tournament so that she may complete all required Rec Sports Club Department forms. 3) Additionally, she will share this information with the Social Media Chair in a summary format for promotional purposes. 4) Record minutes of Executive Board meetings. 5) Maintain updated e-mail and group message contacts for members of the club. Tournament Director: 1) Responsible for Spring and Fall Home Tournament coordination. 6
2) Tournament Director responsibilities include, but are not limited to coordinating all tournament entries, setting up brackets, keeping participating teams informed, enlisting club members to set up and take down equipment and to help with other tournament duties. 3) Coordinate and obtain tournament date approval from President. Plans and date selection should initially be discussed after each home tournament for the following semester's tournament. 4) Reserve facility date and times through VT Sports Recreation office. 5) Announce, notify and publicize through NCVF, Listserv and direct email contacts for invited universities and colleges. Follow-up two months prior to tournament. 6) Coordinate with Social Media Committee to create advertising posters and flyers for upcoming events. 7) Submit all initial outgoing correspondence to President for approval. Article XIII Committees VTWCVB shall have four (4)standing committees plus other special committees as needed. Committee chairs and members shall be designated on a volunteer basis or voted upon if two or more members are interested in the same chair position. Each committee shall meet throughout the semester as needed to fulfill it's duties, and shall regularly report its activities to the Executive Board. Fundraising Committee (Chair and 2-4 Members) The fundraising committee shall arrange and implement activities (in which all members of the club should participate) to increase the income of the club. All fundraising activities require prior approval from the President. Social Media Committee (Web-Master Chair) Continually maintain all VTWCVB social media sites including Facebook, Twitter & Instagram. Regularly update and maintain VTWCVB website complete with tournament dates/results, updated rosters, directions to Virginia Tech, tournament photos, officer and club contact information, etc. Advertise the club and its events through all mediums. This includes, but is not limited to, advertisements for recruitment of new members, advertisement of tournaments and other club events, and reporting of tournament results to the campus news/social media outlets. Be an outspoken advocate for the club around campus. Recruitment Committee (Chair and 2-4 Members) Host the club s booth at campus events prior to try-outs (Rec Sports Kick Off, Gobblerfest, etc.). Coordinate with Social Media Chair to publicize all recruiting events through campus social media mediums. Team Social Events Committee (Chair and 2-4 Members) Coordinate and plan team socials, events and activities with other VT sports clubs. Plan outings and activities to promote team bonding. Article XIV - Faculty Advisor 7
The Virginia Tech Recreational Sports - Sports Club Coordinator shall be considered the faculty advisor for VTWCVB. Article XV Meetings The club shall have formal business meetings at least once per semester, as called by the President, during a regularly scheduled practice of the club. Special meetings at other times may be called by the President. Article XVI Finances All monies belonging to the club shall be deposited and disbursed through a bank account established for the club at the VT Sports Recreation office. All funds received must be deposited by the second business day after collection. Article XVII Amendments Amendments to this Constitution must be approved by a two-thirds majority vote of the Executive Board at a regular meeting or a special meeting called by the President. Article XVIII - Ratification This Constitution must be ratified by the Executive Board at a regular meeting of the club. A threefourths majority of the members present must vote for the Constitution before it is declared ratified. 8