NJCAA REGION XVIII/SWAC

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OPERATING CODE

Article I - Membership

Section A - The members of this committee shall be elected in accordance

with the Constitution and By-laws of NJCAA Region XVIII.

Section B - The Chairperson:

1. Shall alternate between men and women representatives.

2. Shall be one of the Executive Committee members serving

his/her second year on the Committee.

3. Shall be selected by the members of the Executive

Committee at a meeting prior to the Fall Regional meeting.

4. Shall call an annual Executive Committee meeting and

others as deemed necessary.

5. Shall preside over Executive Committee meetings.

6. Shall appoint a secretary.

7. Shall submit recommended changes in NJCAA Region XVIII

regulations to the Legislative Assembly for approval.

8. Shall submit recommended changes in the operating code

of the Executive Committee to the Legislative Assembly for approval.

Article II - Meetings of Executive Committee

Section A - The Committee will meet when deemed necessary.

Section B - The date and place of the meetings will be selected by the Chairperson of the Executive Committee.

Section C - Minutes of the meetings will be distributed to all members of the Legislative Assembly.

Section D - All actions of the committee must be approved by a majority vote of the committee.

Section E - The Chairperson of the Executive Committee shall have the right to vote.

Section F - If a member of the Executive Committee is from an institution involved in an investigation; this member shall not be allowed to vote on that issue.

Article III - Functions

The Executive Committee shall:

Section A - Review the general regulations of the organization annually. (These include the Region XVIII Constitution, By-laws and Operating Codes).

1. Member schools and/or a sports committee desiring to propose new regulations and/or revisions of current regulations must submit these in writing to the Chairperson of the Executive Committee two (2) weeks prior to the scheduled meeting.

2. All recommended changes of regulations will be submitted to the Legislative Assembly for final approval.

Section B - Continually review the sports' standard operating procedures and make recommendations for revision to the sports committee if the operating procedures are in conflict with general regulations.

Section C - Sanction events as NJCAA qualifying events: A sanctioned event is an event co-sponsored by a member institution and NJCAA Region XVIII.

Section D - Oversee NJCAA Region XVIII events and Inter-Regional events in liaison with Regional Directors.

Section E - Serve as a nominating committee for the offices of regional director, assistant regional director, and member-at-large. In order for a candidate's name to be placed in nomination, the candidate must demonstrate support from his/her school.

Section F - Serve as a referral body to review and act upon problems involving member institutions.

Section G - Review infractions of general regulations: give interpretations, render judgments, and impose penalties for infractions.

Section H - Maintain Executive Committee Operating Code.

Article IV - Procedures for Handling Violations of General Regulations

Section A - All allegations of infractions of the general regulations must be submitted in writing to the appropriate Regional Director. The written complaint must contain the following information:

1. The name of school

2. The name of the individual, individuals, or team in violation

3. The date, time, and place

4. The general regulations which are in violation

5. The facts concerning the violation

6. The names of witnesses or others who could support the alleged violations

Section B - Within five (5) days of receiving the complaint, the Regional Director will notify the athletic director and President of the institution charged in the complaint. Notification shall be by registered mail.

Section C - The Regional Director shall request the charged institution to respond within ten (10) days upon receipt of the allegations and to submit evidence to support its position.

Section D - Decisions regarding allegations or infractions shall be made in the first instance by the appropriate Regional Director. The Regional Director shall furnish a copy of the decision in writing to the affected member college and to the Executive Committee. Said decision shall state the following:

1. The names and addresses of the parties involved.

2. The jurisdictional basis of the complaint.

3. The alleged grounds for non-compliance.

4. Supporting evidence or documentation forming the basis of the complaint.

5. The decision.

Section E - Instead of ruling on an alleged violation, the Regional Director may elect to submit it to the Chairperson of the Executive Committee.

1. The Chairperson may determine that there is need for further evidence.

a. The Chairperson may appoint one or two members of the Executive Committee to investigate the complaint.

b. The findings of the investigation shall be reported to the Chairperson who will then determine the next course of action.

2. The Chairperson may call a hearing of the Executive Committee to render judgment.

3. The Chairperson shall give the charged institution an opportunity to examine the evidence and respond to it before submitting it to the Executive Committee.

Section F - Judgments rendered by the Executive Committee shall be reported in writing to the appropriate people: to the individual student(s), the coach involved, the athletic director, the president of the college, the Sport Advisor, the Regional Directors, and the person(s) filing the original complaint.

Section G - Should new facts relating to the situation become known, a review of the Executive Committee action may be requested. The request, addressed to the chairperson of the Executive Committee, must be in writing.

Section H - If charges are substantiated, the reasonable cost of the hearing, the investigation, and the review shall be paid for by the member college against whom the charges are brought. If the charges are not substantiated, the cost will be borne by the college that brought the charges.

Section I - The Executive Committee Chairperson will report the number of complaints investigated and the action taken to the Legislative Assembly at the annual meetings.

Article V - Penalties for Infractions

Section A - The following disciplinary measures may be imposed, depending upon the severity of the infraction. The committee may impose any or all of the following:

1. Reprimand in writing.

2. Loss of eligibility for further competition in a specific sport for a designated period of time.

3. Loss of eligibility for competition in a Region XVIII sanctioned event in a sport for a designated period of time.

4. Loss of eligibility for further competition in all sports for a designated period of time.

5. Loss of eligibility for competition in all Region XVIII sanctioned events for a designated period of time.

6. Loss of active membership in Region XVIII for a designated period of time.

7. Permanent loss of Region XVIII membership.

Section B - Code of Conduct

The basic principles of the National Junior College Athletic Association athletic competition stand for the highest ideals in sportsmanship. The primary objective of NJCAA athletic competition is to develop and foster respect for fellow participants, coaches, officials, and spectators. With this in mind, and since it is fundamental to the continuance of the activities sponsored by the NJCAA and Region XVIII/SWAC that the rights of the majority shall not be jeopardized by the actions of a few, this CODE OF CONDUCT has been adopted. Sports rule books may apply rules and regulations that are more restrictive than those found in this section.

1. BASIC RESPONSIBILITIES

a. Participants shall recognize their responsibility for proper conduct before, during and after any tournament, contest or event sponsored by the NJCAA or Region XVII/SWAC.

b. Coaches and Athletic Directors shall recognize and assume responsibility for the behaviors of themselves, players, staff, game management personnel and representatives of all Region XVII/SWAC/NJCAA institutions. Each coach who has participants competing in the event shall be responsible for informing each member of the CODE.

2. REGULATIONS OF CONDUCT

a. SPORTSMANSHIP

Certain standards of behavior are expected

of all student-athletes and team personnel

participating in any NJCAA event. Student-

athletes are guests at any event, their

participation is a privilege not a right.

Sportsmanship and citizenship are modes of

conduct that promote and develop respect for

fellow participants, coaches, and teammates.

That respect should also be reflected in

each student-athlete behavior toward

officials and spectators. Every individual

participating in any Region XVIII event must

abide by the following:

b. BEHAVIOR RULES

Violent Behavior – Acts of violence or flagrant acts during or related to an athletic contest are not permitted.

1. A violent act is one in which physical contact or an attempt to make physical contact occurs, with the purpose to do damage, harm, intimidate, incite a fight or otherwise injure a player, coach, referee, spectator, game management personnel or damage property.

2. An act in which any bench personnel other than head coach leaves the bench area when a fight may break out or has broken out.

Penalty for Violent Behavior – The following penalties will be assessed if a game official ejects a coach, player, staff member or game personnel for violent, un-sportsman-like behavior:

1. Immediate ejection and removal from the venue (no visual contact of the contest).

2. Mandatory ejection and removal from the venue for any bench personnel, other than the coaching staff, who leaves the bench when a fight may break out or has broken out.

3. A two game/match contest suspension to be served during the next two regularly scheduled or post-season contests. Suspension of coach or player the end of the season of play shall carry over to the following season’s next academic year and will served during the first scheduled contest of that year.

4. Should the player, coach or team personnel be ejected for a violent behavior a second time during the season, that individual shall be prohibited from participating in any intercollegiate athletic contests for that institution for the remainder of the academic year, including post-season play.

5. If the individual is a baseball pitcher, at the time of ejection, that individual shall not participate in the next two (2)contests nor pitch in the next six (6)contests during regular and/or post season play.

6. Penalties shall be imposed automatically by the offending institution with suspensions to be in effect for the next two regularly scheduled contests as appearing on the published schedule of the institution at the time of the ejection.

7. The referee may end the contest.

8. Failure to report and/or comply will result in:

a. For the first occurrence, the penalties will double and a letter of reprimand shall be sent to the Director of Athletics and the President of the institution.

b. For the second occurrence, the penalties will double and a sanction of probation shall be given to the offending institution for that sport in that year.

c. Games in which a suspended player(s), coach or team personnel participate shall be forfeited.

Non-Violent Unsportsmanlike Behavior - Non-violent unsportsmanlike behavior during or related to any Region XVIII/SWAC event is prohibited. This behavior is defined as profanity, vulgar gestures, trash talk, taunting and loud or abusive language directed at players, coaches, contest officials, game management and/or spectators. The use of tobacco or alcohol during Region XVIII/SWAC sponsored events is prohibited within this rule. Region XVIII/SWAC requires all rules dealing with uniform to be strictly enforced by all coaches and game officials. In addition to the specific sport rules, Region XVIII mandates that no athlete can modify or change the uniform or how it is worn, i.e. rolling up sleeves, pulling shorts or pants down below the waist. Also, we require that the game uniform be worn in the prescribed manner at all times including in warm-ups, on the bench during the contest, and after the game/match until participants return to the

locker room or are released to go to their transportation. This includes anyone removing their jersey or pulling the shirt out while on the playing field or floor, before, during or after a game.

Player & Coaches conduct prior to & after contest to & after contest - Players that are involved in verbal or physical altercations before, during or after the game/match, or who abuse equipment or facilities (i.e. benches, lockers, etc.) are required to be reported to the Region Director in writing by the host institution Athletic Director. Region XVIII/SWAC expects the same Code of Conduct for athletes and coaches in force prior to and after the contest.

Coaches’ behavior with an officials/umpires: If a coach(s) approaches and/or has discussion with an official/umpire either pre-game, during half-time, post-game or between games, off the court/field or chases an official/umpire, as reported by the official(s)/umpire(s) or AD, they will be suspended from coaching the next game/match.

Penalty for Non-Violent Unsportsmanlike Behavior

The following penalties will be assessed if a game official ejects a coach, player, staff member or game management personnel for non-violent, un-sportsman-like behavior:

1. Immediate ejection and removal from the venue (no visual contact with the contest).

2. A one game/match suspension to be served during the next regularly scheduled contest and/or post season play. Suspension of a coach, player at the end of the season of play shall carry over to the following season.

3. Penalties shall be imposed automatically by the offending institution with suspensions to be in effect for the next regularly scheduled contest as appearing on the published schedule of the institution at the time of the ejection.

4. Failure to report and/or comply will result in:

a. For the first occurrence, penalties will double and a letter of reprimand shall be sent to the Director of Athletics and the President of the institution.

b. For the second occurrence, penalties will double and a sanction of probation shall be given to the offending institution for that sport in that year.

c. Game in which a suspended player(s), coach or team personnel participates shall be forfeited.

5. Ejection of the coach: The game shall be terminated and a forfeit declared if the head coach is ejected and there is no assistant coach or other college staff contractually bound to the institution willing to assume responsibility for the team.

ENTERING spectator area is prohibited: No player, coach or bench personnel may leave the playing area and enter into the into the spectator area of the facility to engage in any type of verbal or physical conflict.

PENALTY for violation of this rule shall be immediate ejection from the contest and suspension from all intercollegiate athletic contests of that institution for the remainder of the academic year including playoffs.

6. Reporting structure

a. The Athletic Directors of the member institutions involved in the contest shall notify, in writing, their respective Region Director (or designee) and their respective college president following the ejection(s) by noon local time of the first business day following the event.

b. The Region Directors (or designee) shall keep a record of all ejections in Region XVIII/SWAC region. The record shall include the name and institution of the person ejected, the date of the ejection, the reason for the ejection, and the penalty imposed.

c. The Region Director or designee shall supply an end of the year report of the ejections occurring in Region XVIII/SWAC. The report shall include the number of ejections and the penalties assessed by sport. Copies of the end of the year report shall be given to the Region, the Sport Committee, and the NJCAA Standards and Ethics Committee by June 15 of that academic year.

7. Appeals