MTF to Vote on Proposed Amendments to MTF Operating Rules in Hawaii Prepared by Becky Sisley, MTF L & L Chair

Those of you have attended USATF Conventions regularly know that odd-numbered years are when law and legislation items are addressed, while even–numbered year is the time for proposed rule changes. The MTF Operating Rules have not be up-dated for sometime, thus this year our MTF Sport Committee will be taking action on a number of proposed amendments. The current operating rules mandate that “written notification of proposed amendments must be sent to members of MTF at least thirty (30) days prior to the annual meeting..” which would be October 28th. Below are the specific amendments that will be acted upon. If you have questions you would like addressed before the convention, please send them to Becky Sisley, at bsisley@uoregon.edu.

Code for the listing of proposed amendments:

Words in the double bracket (( )) means to be omitted

Underlined words indicated the information to be added.

Item #1. Section II Definitions

Note: lettering of items will need to be changed, as two are to be deleted.

((B. Board: Means the Board of Directors of MTF.))

Rationale: MTF does not have a Board of Directors therefore this definition is not
revelant.

E. Masters Athlete: shall be at least 35 years old on the first day of the meet.

Note: this change from 40 to 35 was formally approved in 2005.

G. Masters long distance running committee: The Standing Sports Committee in
USATF administering the sport of long distance running for men and women over the
age of ((forty)) 40 (effective 2010 this age will be reduced to 35); hereinafter referred
to “MLDR”.

Rationale: This change was voted in on the floor of the Closing Session of the 2005

Jacksonville Convention. I have not been able to locate the precise wording after
numerous attempts.

((K. Veterans: Male athletes, age forty or older, and female athletes, age thirty-five

or older, engages in international competition in Athletics.))

Rationale: This definition is no longer needed WMA does not use the term
“veterans” and WMA masters athletes both male and female are now both from age
35 and up. Refer to definition E. above.

Item #2. Section V Duties A.

9. In conjunction with the MLDR nominate a candidate for the IAAF ((Veteran’s))
Masters’ committee and each elected position in WMA.

Rationale: Matches new IAAF terminology and that of WMA.

Item #3. Section VI Committee Composition

H. Active athlete members: The number of active athlete members, which shall be at least twenty percent (20%) of the total authorized membership of MTF, such active athletes to be selected by those registered attendees at the meetings of this NGB who are active athletes engaged in masters athletics. ((A member of the USATF Athletes Advisory Committee shall oversee the meeting where the selection takes place.))

Rationale: The chair of AAC has written that AAC has nothing to do with Masters.

In practice, there has not been an AAC member at the MTF opening session to
oversee this process for a number of years. From the 2007 Governance Manual,
Article 13 B. h.. does not give reference to AAC being involved in the selection of
Masters Active Athletes.

Note: Challenges of committee representation are controlled by the USATF Bylaws, ((SECTION 7, I, 3.)) Article 13 B. 3.

Rationale: Editorial change to match USATF Bylaws reference.

Item #4. Section VII Meetings

D. Notice of Meetings

2. Notice of other meetings shall be in writing; shall set forth the date, time, place, and purpose of the meeting; and shall be ((mailed)) sent a minimum of thirty

(30) days prior to the date of the meeting, to the last known address of each MTF
member.

Rationale: Allows for the use of e-mail to send out notice of meetings.

Item #5 Section VII Meetings

G. Order of Business

((1)) 2. Election of members at large. (See Above)

((2)) 1. Roll call.

3. Selection of Active Athletes, and their election of the Active Athletes Representative to the MTF Executive Committee. Sisley Note: Two copies had “Election of active athletes” and one did not. The MTF Committee does not elect them or their representative – the actual active athletes do this.

Rationale: Follows current practice. Roll call is the first item followed by Election of the member at large, and then the Active Athletes. Under committee composition in Section VI it says the Active Athletes are selected; this group then is charged with electing their representative.

Note: Make Editorial changes to renumber items below in list.

Item #6. Still under Section VII Meeting G. Order of Business:

4. Voting on proposed amendments of bylaws, regulations, ((or)) competition
rules, or MTF Operating Rules.

Rationale: to clarify, as we now have MTF Operating Rules rather than
bylaws, and thus we need to differentiate the two kinds of rules.

Item #7 ((deletion)) and #8 addition. Section IX Executive Committee

A. The Executive Committee shall be composed of the Officers, the Regional Coordinators, ((the chair of the Championships Site Selection subcommittee,)) the chair of the Championships Games subcommittee, the chair of the Media Subcommittee, one active athlete from MTF, and one additional member to be appointed by the Chair.

Rationale #7 There has been some discussion that the MTF Exec, Committee should
be a smaller committee and that chairs of administration committees should not sit on
the Executive Committee, with the exception of the Games Committee Chair.

Rationale #8: It seem logical that the chair of this subcommittee needs to be aware of
what is happening first hand at the MTF Executive Committee level in order to do the
tasks of the subcommittee. The Chair of the Media committee has requested to be on
the MTF Executive Committee.

Item #9 Section X Nomination, Voting, Elections, and Vacancies

B. The Officers shall be elected at the annual meeting of MTF following the Summer Olympics. Procedures for the election are found in Section X of these Operating Rules and are also to follow the general rules for committee election in USATF Bylaws Article ((5 (F))) 9-H.

Rationale: Editorial to match USATF Bylaws reference.

Item #10. Section XI Subcommittees

A. Standing subcommittees….

1. Sport Subcommittees:

((Weight)) Throwing Events

Rationale: Conforms to WMA change and is a more appropriate
description of the events:  they are all throws, but all the throws are not
weights. Throws is a much broader and all inclusive term.

2. Administrative Subcommittees:

((Communications))

Rationale: Tasks have been transferred to the new Media
subcommittee.

Diversity

Rationale: This subcommittee needs to be incorporating into our
MTF Operating Rules, as was added two years ago.

Hall of Fame (joint committee with MDLR)

Rationale: parenthesis statement added for clarification.

((Substance Abuse)) Anti-doping

Rationale: Updated USATF terminology

Item #11 Section XI Subcommittees

E. The following serves as a brief description ….(NOTE: renumbering will need to take
place)

((6. The Communications Subcommittee shall review all print and broadcast exposure and make recommendations for improvement.))

Rationale: We have put these tasks as part of the Media Committee

_ The Diversity Subcommittee shall examine ways MTF reflects the diversity
of its membership, ensure that leadership roles are equally available to a diverse
population, and shall ensure there is diversity among appointed positions.

Rationale: This brief description has been modeled after the charges of the
USATF Diversity and Leadership Committee.

((7. The Hall of Fame Subcommittee shall oversee the selection of masters athletes to the Masters Hall of Fame. This subcommittee shall comprise the Chairs, or their representatives, of the Records and Rankings Subcommittees, and up to three additional members. This subcommittee shall function in conjunction with a committee or representatives, from MLDR, prepare selection procedures, to be approved by MTF & MLDR, administer the selection process, determine the recognition to be given Hall of Fame recipients, with the approval of MTF & MLDR. If a permanent repository is established to honor those receiving Hall of Fame election then oversee the operation.))

7. The Masters Hall of Fame Subcommittee serves MTF and MLDR jointly.  Each committee has 3 representatives on the MHOF Subcommittee serving at the pleasure of their respective committee chair.  When the subcommittee acts in regard to deceased masters or others who have been retired from competition for at least five years, the MTF and MLDR chairs plus one other from each committee participate in the nomination and election phases for "old-timers."  The subcommittee shall annually present "active" nominees for election by MTF and MLDR committee members plus current MHOF honorees.  MTF and MLDR committees meeting jointly will oversee the selection procedures and determine the permanent depository for honoring Masters Hall of Fame honorees.

Rationale: new wording from Norm Green Masters HOF Chair which reflects the current practice

Item #12 Section XI Subcommittee E. continued

__ The Media Subcommittee shall promote the activities of MTF in the media and shall review all print and broadcast exposure and make recommendation for improvement. The chair of this subcommittee shall serve as a resource to Championship Local Organizing Committees and coordinate with the USATF Communications staff.

Rationale: Updated with elimination of the Communications Subcommittee.

Item #13 Section XI Subcommittee E. continued

14. The ((Substance Abuse)) Antidoping Subcommittee …..

Rationale: New terminology by USATF

Item #14 Section XI Subcommittee E. continued

15. The Race Walking Subcommittee shall establish procedures for ((selection))
selecting Race Walking ((c)) Championships held outside the ((track and field))
MTF championships, ensure that race walking records are maintained for
masters, ((coordinate selections of)) select annual race walking ((awards))
awardees, and serve as a resource to championships organizing committees. The
chair of this subcommittee shall be a representative to the USATF Race Walk
Committee. Note: Regional ((r))Race ((w))Walking ((c))Championships may be
administered by race walk coordinators as delegated by the MTF ((masters track
& field)) regional coordinators.

Rationale: Editorial changes recommended by this subcommittee chair.

Item #15 Section XI Subcommittee E. continued

16. The ((Weight)) Throwing Events Subcommittee shall solicit bids for
((weight)) throwing event ((championships)) that have stand-alone national championships, oversee the organization and conduct of these events, and serve as a resource to the National Championships Organizing Committees.

Rationale:  Parallels change of subcommittee name from weight events to
throwing events and also clarifies that this committee is responsible for the
stand-alone throwing events which currently are the Weight Pentathlon (to be
changed to throws pentathlon) and the Weight and Superweight Championships.