BYLAWS OF THE GREAT MIDWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE … · 3.5.1 Presentation on the institution’s athletic program highlighting areas from Conference Bylaw 1, Section 2. 3.5.2 Presentation

Great Midwest Athletic Conference Bylaws page 1

BYLAWS OF THE

GREAT MIDWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

BYLAW 1: APPLICATION PROCESS FOR FULL MEMBERSHIP

Section 1 Declaration of Interest 1.1 Institutions interested in becoming members of the Conference shall submit a “Letter of Interest,” from the

chief executive officer of the interested institution, to the Conference Office. 1.1.1 Interested institutions should include with the “Letter of Interest” a brief summary of purpose,

philosophy, and goals of the institution and its athletics department and information on the demographics of the student body, list of academic programs and sports sponsored.

1.2 The commissioner will forward the letter to the Membership Committee for review. 1.3 For the interested institution to advance in the process, the Committee must make a positive recommendation

to the Presidents Council for their consideration. 1.4 Following approval by the Presidents Council the interested institution must submit a formal application to the

Conference Commissioner. The membership application must be signed by the President/Chancellor. Section 2 Application 2.1 The formal application must include the following:

2.1.1 Nonrefundable application fee determined by the Presidents Council. 2.1.1.1 The application fee, to equal 10 percent of the annual membership dues, will be applied to the

membership dues for the first year dues of an approved member. 2.1.2 Statement of purpose, philosophy, and goals of the institution and its athletics department. 2.1.3 Summary of the institution’s compatibility with current Conference members including:

a) Geographic location of the institution (mileage chart from each current member institution). b) Demographics of the student body. c) List of academic programs. d) Current sport sponsorships.

2.1.4 Long-range strategic plan for athletics, including proposed sport additions, scholarship goals, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee involvement and potential additions or modifications to athletic facilities.

2.1.5 Athletic budgets for the past 3 years including athletic scholarship equivalencies per sport using NCAA financial aid equivalency calculation standards.

2.1.6 Athletics history of the institution (minimum of six years, all sports records to include opponents). 2.1.7 Academic information for student-athletes and the student body (iPEDS, Federal graduation rate, NCAA

Academic Success Rate). 2.1.8 Current NCAA Division II member - most recent NCAA Institutional Self-Study Guide (ISSG). 2.1.9 Current NAIA member - all materials submitted with the institution’s application for NCAA Division II

membership. 2.1.10 Rules compliance and departmental operations manuals. 2.1.11 Summary list of NCAA or NAIA violations reported over the last 5 years. 2.1.12 Student-athlete handbook.


2.1.13 Equity In Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA) reports for the previous 2 years. Section 3 Evaluation 3.1 The Conference Membership Committee shall review the application materials and forward its recommendation

to the Athletic Administrators Council and Faculty Athletics Representatives Council for review and comment. 3.2 The Presidents Council may choose to grant membership, deny membership, or require a campus visit and

further review before making a decision. 3.3 If required, the Commissioner will arrange for a campus visit by an evaluation team that consists of the

Commissioner, one president, athletic director, faculty athletics representative and senior woman administrator. 3.4 Additional Conference representatives may join the visit at their own cost and as ex-officio members of the

evaluation team. 3.5 The evaluation visit must include, but may not be limited to:

3.5.1 Presentation on the institution’s athletic program highlighting areas from Conference Bylaw 1, Section 2. 3.5.2 Presentation on NCAA compliance. 3.5.3 Review of financial aid and eligibility procedures and records. 3.5.4 Tour of campus and athletic facilities. 3.5.5 Private meeting with the CEO of the institution.

3.6 Expenses for the evaluation visit shall be paid from the application fee. 3.7 The Evaluation Team will prepare a report and forward it to the Membership Committee. 3.8 The Membership Committee shall act on the report within 30 days and make a recommendation to the

Presidents Council. 3.9 The Presidents Council may grant membership in accordance with the Constitution of the Conference. An

Institution that is denied membership will be provided reasons and an indication of when/if it may reapply. 3.10 If admitted, the effective date and detail of the requirements for the institution will be provided by the

Commissioner. Section 4 Provisional Membership Status 4.1 Applicant institutions for Full Membership that have not been admitted to NCAA Division II Candidacy may be

provisionally admitted to the Conference. 4.2 If admitted to Provisional Membership, the Conference will include the institution in Conference schedules. 4.3 A Provisional Member will be expected to attend Conference meetings and may participate in discussions, but

will not have a vote on Conference issues. 4.4 Provisional Members shall be subject to all Conference rules and regulations. 4.5 Provisional Members will not be participants in NCAA Division II Conference Grant distributions to the G-MAC. 4.6 An institution may be classified as a Provisional Member for a maximum of 2 years. At the end of that time

period, the Athletic Administrators Council and Faculty Athletics Representatives Council will evaluate the institution’s potential for being admitted to NCAA Division II Candidacy and ultimately becoming an active member of NCAA Division II and forward a recommendation to the Presidents Council regarding the institution’s status in the Conference.

Section 5 Voting Privileges and Championship Eligibility 5.1 An institution accepted into the Conference becomes a full voting Conference member when NCAA

Championship eligibility is attained. 5.2 The institution shall be eligible for Conference championships when all Conference sponsored sports


schedules are adjusted to meet Conference Bylaws and the institution is NCAA Championship eligible. BYLAW 2: APPLICATION PROCESS FOR ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP

Section 1 Declaration of Interest and Evaluation 1.1 An institution desiring Associate Membership must submit a letter of interest, from the chief executive officer of

the interested institution, indicating the sport or sports in which affiliation is desired. 1.2 The Commissioner shall forward the letter to the Membership Committee for review and comment regarding

the desirability (e.g. geographic proximity, competitiveness, and benefit to the Conference) of adding the institution as an Associate Member.

1.3 The Membership Committee will forward its recommendation to the Athletic Administrators Council and Faculty Athletics Representatives Council for review and to the Presidents Council.

1.4 If the Presidents Council’s decision is affirmative the Commissioner will notify the institution of the effective date and requirements for Associate Membership.

Section 2 Duration of Membership 2.1 Associate Members will be accepted for a minimum of two years and will adhere to all Conference policies and

procedures. 2.2 Rollover for subsequent years is automatic (after successful completion of year one) unless notified by the

Commissioner by June 30 that membership will be terminated. 2.3 If membership is terminated, the school will receive one final year of competition. 2.4 An Associate Member must give one year’s notice of intent to resign from the Conference. Section 3 Dues, Fees and Privileges 3.1 Associate Membership dues/fees will be determined by the Presidents Council annually. 3.2 Associate Member status shall allow the institution the following privileges: 3.2.1 Compete in a maximum of two Conference sports per gender at one time. 3.2.2 Have its coach attend and vote at the Sports Committee meeting(s). 3.2.3 Have its FAR, AD, and SWA attend Conference meetings and have voting rights only on issues dealing

exclusively with the sport(s) in which it is a member. Proposals involving multiple sports will identify and separate legislation involving Associate Members.

3.2.4 Eligible to receive Conference awards and recognition in applicable sports. 3.2.5 Serve as a host for Conference or NCAA championship competition. 3.2.6 Represent the Conference in post-season championship play and play-in competition in applicable

sports. 3.3 Associate Members will not be participants in NCAA Division II Conference Grant distributions to the G-MAC. BYLAW 3: FINANCES

Section 1 Annual Dues 1.1 The annual dues will be determined by the Presidents Council at the fall meeting for the subsequent fiscal

year. Institutions will be invoiced for annual dues on July 1. Payment is required no later than October 1. Section 2 Special Assessments 2.1 Special assessments may be levied by the Presidents Council when budget circumstances warrant.


Section 3 Application and Initiation Fees 3.1 Institutions seeking membership in the Conference may be required to pay a non-refundable application

fee to be determined by the Presidents Council. 3.2 Institutions that have been approved for membership may be required to pay a non-refundable initiation

fee to be determined by the Presidents Council. Section 4 General Fund and Reserve 4.1 All income from dues, the NCAA Enhancement Fund, corporate partners, Conference championships, media

rights, or other Conference activities shall be placed in the general fund of the Conference. 4.2 The Commissioner shall recommend an annual budget for the subsequent fiscal year to the Presidents

Council by August 1 preceding the year of the effective budget. The Presidents Council will act on the budget at its fall meeting, following review and comment from other Conference Councils.

4.3 The Commissioner is authorized to manage Conference finances in accordance with the approved budget. Written approval by the Chair of the Presidents Council is required for an expenditure exceeding $5,000.

4.4 The Commissioner must request permission to make expenditures that will exceed the approved operating expenses.

4.5 Any part of the general fund not needed for current operating expenses of the Conference shall be placed in an interest-bearing reserve account with the interest income added to the reserve fund. 4.5.1. The conference reserve shall be maintained at 25 percent of the approved budget for the fiscal

year. (Adopted 6/18/14) Section 5 Conference Meeting Expenses 5.1 Expenses for the Commissioner and other Conference staff members’ attendance at required Conference

meetings and events shall be paid by the Conference budget. 5.2 Expenses incurred by member institutions for Conference business shall be paid by the institution except

when a Conference, NCAA or other grant is available. Section 6 Apportionment of Income from NCAA National Events 6.1 Revenue or reimbursed expenses for a team competing in an NCAA Championship event will stay with the

institution. Section 7 Gifts 7.1 The Presidents Council may accept on behalf of the Conference any contribution, gift, bequest or device for the

general purpose of or for any special purpose of the Conference.

BYLAW 4: RECOGNIZED SPORTS

Section 1 Conference Championship Sports 1.1 Each institution must sponsor the following core sports: 1.1.1 Men -- Soccer, Basketball, and Baseball. 1.1.2 Women -- Soccer, Basketball, Volleyball and Softball. 1.2 If an institution is single gender, it must sponsor the appropriate core sports for that gender. 1.3 A change in core sport requirements must be approved by a unanimous vote of the Presidents Council. 1.4 Charter members will be expected to meet core sport requirements in the sport of Men’s and Women’s Soccer

by 2013-14 and softball by 2015-16 and baseball by 2016-17.


1.5 Institutions must sponsor five additional sports the Conference intends to bring to championships sport level, as outlined in the G-MAC Strategic Plan.

1.6 Member institutions must compete in the Conference championship in the sports they sponsor. 1.7 Associate Members may participate in Conference championships.

BYLAW 5: CONFERENCE OFFICE STAFF

Section 1 Conference Commissioner 1.1 The Conference Commissioner serves as the chief administrative officer for the Conference at the direction of

the Presidents Council. The expectations and duties of the Conference commissioner include: 1.1.1 The Commissioner signs, on behalf of the Conference, documents requiring a Conference signatory. 1.1.2 The Commissioner serves as the Chief Financial Officer for the Conference, including the receiving,

collecting, and disbursing of income received by the Conference as directed by the Presidents Council. In addition, the Commissioner will prepare annually a budget covering all of the proposed activities of the Conference and submit the same to the Presidents Council for approval.

1.1.3 The Commissioner disburses the funds of the Conference in accordance with the terms of the budget approved by the Presidents Council and makes further disbursements only when authorized by the Presidents Council. The Commissioner reports regularly on these disbursements to member institutions.

1.1.4 The Commissioner is expected to represent and advance the academic and athletic prestige of the Conference, especially in policy and membership discussions at the Conference and NCAA Division II levels.

1.1.5 The Commissioner is expected to be active in the Division II Collegiate Commissioners Association (CCA) and the NCAA.

1.1.6 The Commissioner is expected to serve on NCAA committees and represent the interests of the Conference.

1.1.7 The Commissioner is expected to be an active and engaged presence on member campuses and at Conference meetings and athletics events.

1.1.8 The Commissioner is expected to lead the Conference in implementing Division II game environment and community engagement initiatives.

1.1.9 The Commissioner is expected to lead the Conference in its efforts to be a Model Division II Athletic Conference.

1.2 The Conference Commissioner, in consultation with the Presidents Council, is responsible for recommending additional Conference Office staff positions, creating a Conference organizational chart, creating and updating position descriptions, evaluation of Conference staff and recommending salary increases.

1.3 The Conference Commissioner is expected to properly staff the conference office in such a way that the conference office will be meeting the expectations of the membership, through championships, external operations, internal operations, communications and conference compliance. (Revised 5/24/16)

Section 2 Assistant Commissioner for Communications 2.1 The Assistant Commissioner for Communications serves as the primary communications officer for the

Conference broadcast program, press releases, post-game reports, and other media documents. The Assistant Commissioner for Communications maintains contact with local, regional, and national media and also designs, edits and writes Conference publications and oversees maintenance of the G-MAC web site. Duties and expectations include: 2.1.1 Provide vision and strategic thought for Conference communication tied to its overall mission and

strategy. 2.1.2 Oversee sports communications and media relations for all Conference sports.


2.1.3 Administer new media and technology by overseeing the promotion and development of Conference brand.

2.1.4 Develop Conference brand through various forms of social media (video streaming, Facebook, Twitter, etc.).

2.1.5 Develop new strategies for promotion of the Conference (video highlights, student-athlete features, etc.).

2.1.6 Manage Conference website administration and maintenance. 2.1.7 Design and oversee publications and printed materials produced by the Conference. 2.1.8 Maintain close association and serve as liaison to member institution Sports Information Directors. 2.1.9 Cultivate relationships with campus, local, and regional media in all forms. 2.1.10 Coordinate all postseason communication activities, including production of championship programs. 2.1.11 Other duties as assigned by the Commissioner. (Revised 5/24/16)

Section 3 Assistant Commissioner for Compliance 3.1 The Assistant Commissioner for Compliance creates, maintains, and monitors a compliant environment that

assists Conference members in asserting clear institutional control of all athletic programs relative to Conference and NCAA legislation. The Assistant Commissioner for Compliance assists campus compliance staff members in interpreting and complying with NCAA and Conference rules and regulations, and assists with documentation of potential NCAA and Conference violations. Duties and expectations include: 3.1.1 Overall responsibility for rules compliance, interpretations, governance, national policy issues,

academics. 3.1.2 Primary liaison to Faculty Athletics Representatives and campus compliance officers. 3.1.3 Review eligibility paperwork. 3.1.4 Coordinate the National Letter of Intent and NCAA Coaches Certification programs. 3.1.5 Assist members with scheduling and conducting compliance reviews. 3.1.6 Help conduct Conference investigations and may assist with campus investigations. 3.1.7 Review all secondary violations after a member institution submits a self-report(s) to the NCAA. (Revised

6/19/13) (Revised 5/24/16)

BYLAW 6: CONFERENCE COMMITTEES

In accordance with the Conference Constitution, Article IV Section 5, the following standing Committees have been approved by the Presidents Council. Each Committee is assigned a liaison from the Athletic Administrators Council. Committee assignments will be determined at the spring meeting for the following academic year. Section 1 Compliance Coordinators Committee 1.1 The purpose of the Compliance Coordinators Committee shall be to serve as a collective resource to the

membership in the area of compliance. 1.2 The Compliance Coordinators Committee shall consist of the compliance designee from each member

institution. Each member institution shall have one vote at the Compliance Coordinators Committee meeting. 1.3 The Committee shall elect the Chair and Vice Chair at the end of its spring meeting in odd-numbered years.

(Revised 10/7/14) 1.3.1 Terms of office shall be for two years, beginning July 1 of each odd numbered year (e.g., 2015, 2017).

Upon conclusion of the term of office for the Chair, the Vice-Chair shall become Chair and serve for two years. A new Vice-Chair shall rotate among active member institutions. (Adopted 10/7/14)


1.3.2 The duties for these positions shall be those normally incumbent upon such Offices. (Adopted 10/7/14) 1.3.3 If the Chair cannot fulfill his/her duty then the Vice-Chair takes the position and serves for the remainder

of that term and the next two-year term. (Adopted 10/7/14) 1.4 A Conference Office liaison shall attend each meeting and produce a written report of the meeting no later than

two weeks after the meeting. A copy of the report shall be emailed to the Commissioner, the chairs of the Conference Councils, the Athletic Administrators Council liaison to the Compliance Coordinators Committee and the members of the Compliance Coordinators Committee.

1.5 The annual meeting of the Compliance Coordinators Committee shall be held in conjunction with the Sports Information Directors Committee and the Athletic Trainers Committee annual meetings. The meeting will take place in early August of each year. Location of the meeting will be determined by the Conference Office. Other meeting dates may be assigned by the Conference Office. Other meeting dates may be assigned by the Conference Office. (Revised 10/1/13)

Section 2 Coaches Committees 2.1 The purpose of the sport specific Coaches Committees shall be to discuss sport specific business and propose

Conference policies, as necessary. 2.2 Each Conference sponsored varsity sport shall have a sport specific Coaches Committee. The sport specific

Coaches Committees shall consist of the head coach from each Conference member. Each member institution shall have one vote at each sport specific Coaches Committee meeting.

2.3 The Committee shall elect the Chair and Vice Chair at the end of its spring meeting in odd-numbered years. (Revised 10/7/14) 2.3.1 Terms of office shall be for two years, beginning July 1 of each odd numbered year (e.g., 2015, 2017).



of that term and the next two-year term. (Adopted 10/7/14) 2.4 A Conference Office liaison shall attend each meeting and shall produce a written report of the meeting no later

than two weeks after the meeting. A copy of the report shall be mailed to the Commissioner, the chairs of the Conference Councils, the Athletic Administrators Council liaison to the sport specific Coaches Committee and the members of the respective Coaches Committee.

2.5 Each sport specific Coaches Committee shall have one (1) annual mandatory meeting during which the head coaches discuss sport specific business and make necessary recommendations.

Section 3 Sports Information Directors (SID) Committee 3.1 The purpose of the SID Committee shall be to recommend guidelines for the public recognition of individual

athletic programs and Conference sports. 3.2 The SID Committee shall consist of the sports information director for each member institution. Each member

institution shall have one vote at the SID Committee meeting. 3.3 The Committee shall elect the Chair and Vice Chair at the end of its spring meeting in odd-numbered years.

(Revised 10/7/14) 3.3.1 Terms of office shall be for two years, beginning July 1 of each odd numbered year (e.g., 2015, 2017).





two weeks after the meeting. A copy of the report shall be mailed to the Commissioner, the chairs of the Conference Councils, the Athletic Administrators Council liaison to the SID Committee and the SID Committee members.

3.5 The annual meeting of the SID Committee shall be held in conjunction with the Sports Information Directors Committee and the Athletic Trainers Committee annual meetings. The meeting will take place in early August of each year. Location of the meeting will be determined by the Conference Office. Other meeting dates may be assigned by the Conference Office. (Revised 10/1/13)

Section 4 Athletic Trainers Committee

4.1 The purpose of the Athletic Trainers Committee shall be to establish guidelines for the safety of student-athletes and develop recommended procedures for the areas of insurance, substance abuse, contest coverage, medical hardship waivers and assistance for visiting teams.

4.2 The Athletic Trainers Committee shall consist of the head athletic trainer from each member institution. Each member institution shall have one vote at the Athletic Trainers Committee meeting.

4.3 The Committee shall elect the Chair and Vice Chair at the end of its spring meeting in odd-numbered years. (Revised 10/7/14) 4.3.1 Terms of office shall be for two years, beginning July 1 of each odd numbered year (e.g., 2015, 2017).




two weeks after the meeting. A copy of the report shall be mailed to the Commissioner, the chairs of the Conference Councils, the Athletic Administrators Council liaison to the Athletic Trainers Committee and the members of the Athletic Trainers Committee.

4.5 The annual meeting of the Athletic Trainers Committee shall be held in conjunction with the Sports Information Directors Committee annual meetings. The meeting will take place in early August of each year. Location of the meeting will be determined by the Conference Office. Other meeting dates may be assigned by the Conference Office. (Revised 10/1/13)

Section 5 Membership Committee 5.1 The purpose of the Membership Committee shall be to review, evaluate and recommend prospective members to

the Conference in accordance with Bylaw 1. 5.2 The members of the Membership Committee shall be determined by the Presidents Council and shall consist of an

odd number of members. 5.3 The Chair of the Membership Committee shall be a Conference member institution’s President. 5.4 The Membership Committee shall meet on call as the need arises. 5.5 The Commissioner shall attend Committee meetings as a non-voting member. The Commissioner serves as liaison

to assist the Membership Committee in its deliberations on prospective members. 5.6 The Commissioner shall prepare minutes of the meeting no later than two weeks after the conclusion of the


meeting. Copies of the minutes shall be sent to the Conference Councils and the members of the Membership Committee.

Section 6 Ethics and Eligibility Committee 6.1 The purpose of the Ethics and Eligibility Committee is to respond to questions, make interpretations, handle

protests, appeals or allegations concerning rules and regulations stated in the Sports Operating Codes. The Committee will review and, when required, impose penalties for all Conference rules infractions in accordance with the Conference Bylaws.

6.2 The Ethics and Eligibility Committee shall consist of two representatives each from the Athletic Administrators and Faculty Athletics Representatives Councils, appointed by the Presidents Council.

6.3 A member of the Presidents Council shall serve as chair. 6.4 The Commissioner or his or her designee shall serve as an ex-officio, non-voting member. 6.5 Any committee member who is personally involved or whose institution is involved with any action before the

committee shall remove herself/himself from the committee during this action. The chair shall appoint another member to serve as a substitute until the issue is resolved.

6.6 The Ethics and Eligibility Committee shall meet on call as the need arises. 6.7 The Commissioner or his or her designee shall prepare minutes of the meeting no later than two weeks after the

conclusion of the meeting. Copies of the minutes shall be sent to the Conference Councils and the members of the Committee.

Section 7 Conference Student-Athlete Advisory (SAAC) Committee The Great Midwest Athletic Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee shall assist the conference in embracing the six attributes of NCAA Division II membership including learning, balance, resourcefulness, sportsmanship, passion and service, as well as assisting in creating positive game environments and bringing community to campus events. 7.1 The purpose of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee shall include, but is not limited to:

7.1.1 Unite and assist in the development of institutional SAACs. 7.1.2 Review and provide recommendations regarding programs or procedures that shall enhance and

safeguard student-athlete well-being. 7.1.3 Promote student-athlete involvement. 7.1.4 Generate and maintain a student-athlete voice within the Conference. 7.1.5 Solicit student-athlete response to proposed NCAA and Conference legislation. 7.1.6 Maintain a strong commitment to service in the Conference, in our region and communities. 7.1.7 Provide input to student body on SAAC initiatives and purpose

7.2 The members of the Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee shall be one male and one female student-athlete from each member institution, except for single gendered institutions. Single gendered institutions shall be represented by two student-athletes of that gender. Each institution present at Conference SAAC meetings shall have one vote.

7.2.1 Members of the Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee shall be in good academic standing and in adherence with other institutional guidelines in order to be eligible to represent

their institutions on the committee. 7.3 The officers of the Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee shall be the Representative to the NCAA

Division II National SAAC as Chair, and Vice Chair. (Revised 6/18/14)


7.3.1 The Vice Chair shall serve a term of one year and be elected by the Conference SAAC Members. The Chair shall remain Chair until his/her tenure as the Representative to the NCAA Division II National SAAC is complete. (Revised 6/18/14)

7.3.2 The representative to the National SAAC shall be selected through a nominating process and chosen by the NCAA Selection Group. The term of the representative to the National SAAC shall be determined by the guidelines set forth by the National SAAC.

7.4 Regular meetings of the Conference SAAC shall be held twice, once each semester. 7.4.1 Meetings shall be held once in the Fall after the publication of NCAA Legislation and once at least two

weeks prior to the Spring meeting of the Presidents Council. (Revised 10/2/12) 7.4.2 The fall meeting shall include a review of proposed NCAA legislation and establishment of recommended

Conference positions on legislation related to the student-athlete experience and well-being. 7.5 A Conference Office liaison shall attend each meeting and produce a written report of the meeting no later than

two weeks after the conclusion of the meeting. A copy of the report shall be distributed to the Commissioner, the chairs of the Conference Councils, the Administrative Council liaison to the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and the members of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

7.6 Great Midwest Athletic Conference campus Student-Athlete Advisory Committees shall meet minimum requirements. 7.6.1 Each institution shall hold a minimum of six (6) SAAC meetings per academic year. 7.6.2 Each institution should identify a minimum of two representatives per sport, one underclassman and one

upperclassman expected to attend all meetings. 7.6.3 When choosing team representatives, each institution should involve input from student-athletes,

advisors and coaches. 7.6.4 Each campus SAAC should have an administrative advisor. Duties can include: Advising and acting as a

liaison to the SAAC and other campus constituents. 7.6.5 Implement one volunteer program each semester. 7.6.6 Creat a positive image of the student-athlete. 7.6.7 Discuss G-MAC and NCAA legislation on each campus.

7.7 Amendments to the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Bylaws with a two-thirds majority vote.

Section 8 Senior Woman Administrators Committee (Adopted 10/2/12)

8.1 The purpose of the Senior Woman Administrators Committee shall be to serve as a collective resource to the membership and propose Conference policies, as necessary.

8.2 The Senior Woman Administrators Committee shall consist of the Senior Woman Administrator from each member institution. Each member institution shall have one vote at the Senior Woman Administrators Committee meeting.

8.3 The chair of the Senior Woman Administrators Committee shall be selected by institutional alphabetical order. The term of appointment shall be for one year.

8.4 – A Conference Office liaison shall attend each meeting and produce a written report of the meeting no later than two weeks after the meeting. A copy of the report shall be mailed to the Commissioner, the chairs of the Conference Councils, and the members of the Senior Woman Administrators Committee.

8.5 – The meetings of the Senior Woman Administrators Committee shall be held in conjunction with Conference Faculty Athletic Representative Council and Athletic Administrators Council meetings. Other meeting dates may be assigned by the Conference Office.


Section 9 Additional Committees The Presidents Council, by resolution adopted by a majority of its members, may designate one or more additional committees, which shall be vested with such powers as may be delegated to them in such resolution.

BYLAW 7: CONFERENCE MEETINGS

Section 1 Official Meetings 1.1 Council meetings shall occur at a time and place as selected by the Commissioner, in consultation with the

Council Chair. 1.2 The joint Council meeting of voting representatives at the NCAA Convention shall occur at a time and place

arranged by the Commissioner. 1.3 The Commissioner shall request items for the agenda of official meetings, and prepare and distribute all

information for such meetings three weeks prior to the date of the meeting. Minutes of the meeting will be taken and distributed by the Conference Office staff.

1.4 The order of business at each official Conference Council meeting shall be: 1.4.1 Approval of the agenda. 1.4.2 Approval of the minutes of the previous meeting. 1.4.3 Commissioner’s report. 1.4.4 Assistant or Associate Commissioner’s Report. 1.4.5 Report of NCAA Division II Management Council Representative. 1.4.6 Reports of Council Chairs. 1.4.7 Committee Reports. 1.4.8 Unfinished Business. 1.4.9 New Business. 1.4.10 Election of officers and appointments of Committees (as needed). 1.4.11 Executive session (as needed). 1.4.12 Other Business. 1.4.13 Adjournment.

1.4 The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the Conference meetings. 1.5 Meetings will normally be held in person; however, they can also be via conference call or other electronic

medium. Voting may be verbal, by roll call or by other electronic medium. 1.6 Voting by proxy is not allowed for any Conference Council or Committee. 1.7 Official meetings must reach a quorum of voting members. 1.8 Official business may only occur at official meetings. Section 2 Unofficial Meetings 2.1 Conference Councils and Committees may hold unofficial meetings when a quorum cannot be reached or when

representatives gather to exchange information or when present at a Conference, NCAA or other national event (e.g., National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), Faculty Athletics Representatives Association (FARA), National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators (NACWAA), College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA)).

2.2 No official business may be transacted during an unofficial meeting. BYLAW 8: ACADEMIC STANDARDS AND ELIGIBILITY


Section 1 Academic Policy 1.1 The Eligibility Rules as hereinafter set forth shall govern all athletic contests between members of this

Conference, and, shall be binding upon each and every member of the Conference. They shall extend to cover all contests, whether they are Conference or Non-Conference.

1.2 The academic policies and admission standards of the member institutions must be the same for student-athletes as for other students.

1.3 Each member institution must comply with the academic standards for each student as set forth by NCAA Division II and strive to obtain the highest level of graduation and academic success rates.

Section 2 Eligibility 2.1 Member institutions shall apply NCAA and Conference individual and institutional eligibility requirements

for regular and post-season games as well as for all scrimmages against outside competition. 2.2 The most restrictive of the institutional, Conference or NCAA regulations will be applicable in all cases. Section 3 Intra-Conference Transfer Rule 3.1 A student-athlete who transfers from one Conference member institution to another is required to complete

one full academic year of residence at the certifying institution and must meet all NCAA eligibility rules and regulations before being certified as eligible to compete. During the first academic year of residence, the student-athlete may receive athletically-related financial aid. (Revised 10/2/12) 3.1.1 – Transfer Exceptions.

a) Student-athletes who originally attend a G-MAC institution and subsequently attend a two year institution must only meet NCAA 2-4 transfer eligibility requirements in order to be immediately eligible for participation at the certifying institution. (Adopted 10/2/12) b) Graduate Student Transfer Exception - The year in residence shall not apply to a student who has graduated from the original conference institution and wishes to go to another conference institution to pursue their graduate degree, provided the student has eligibility remaining and is within their 10-semester / 15-quarter period. - The student who transfers from a conference institution and is disqualified or suspended from the previous institution for disciplinary reasons (as opposed to academic reasons), this student must complete one calendar year of residence at the certifying conference institution under the current Intra-Conference transfer bylaw. (Adopted 3/21/17)

3.2 The student-athlete has the right to appeal the Intra-Conference Transfer Rule by submitting a letter of appeal to the Faculty Athletics Representatives Council. The institution the student-athlete is transferring to must provide a letter accompanying the appeal stating the circumstance under which the waiver should be considered. The Faculty Athletics Representatives Council shall have the authority to grant waivers of the Intra-Conference Transfer Rule. In addition to extraordinary circumstances (e.g., death of a parent/spouse, exceptional health needs), appeals will be considered under the following circumstances: educational exchange, discontinued academic program, discontinued/non-sponsored sport, two-year non-participation, return to original institution without participation and non-recruited student.

BYLAW 9: REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION AND REPORTS

Section 1 National Letter of Intent (NLI) 1.1 The Conference shall participate in the NLI program for all sports.


Section 2 Academic and Amateurism Eligibility Report 2.1 The record of the certification of academic and amateurism eligibility by the institution shall be completed and

filed with the Conference Office 24 hours prior to the first competition in the championship and non-championship segments (not including scrimmages) in all sports and shall be completed on an NCAA Compliance Assistant (CA) report form with appropriate signatures. (Revised 6/19/13; 6/18/14; 10/4/16)

2.2 A final Academic Eligibility Report shall be filed with the Conference Office by July 1 from the preceding year. (Revised 10/2/12)

2.3 The Conference Office shall keep all reports on file for a period of five (5) years. 2.4 The academic eligibility report shall be signed by the Athletic Director, the sport’s Head Coach, Registrar,

Compliance Coordinator and/or the individual responsible for completing the report. (Adopted 6/18/14; Revised 10/4/16)

2.5 The record of certification of academic eligibility lists shall be kept on file in the office of each institutional Head Coach prior to the first competition and shall be provided updated eligibility lists throughout the academic year when changes or edits have been documented. (Adopted 6/18/14)

Section 3 Financial Aid Forms 3.1 Each member institution shall comply with all financial aid legislation of the NCAA and the Conference. 3.2 NCAA Financial Aid forms shall be completed for each conference and non-conference sport and filed with

the Conference Office by July 1. (Revised 10/2/12; 10/1/13) 3.3 The financial aid form shall be signed by the individual responsible for completing the report, Compliance

Coordinator, Head Coach, and the Athletic Director. (Revised 10/1/13; 10/7/14) Section 4 Participation Reports 4.1 Yearly submission of participation reports shall be filed with the Conference Office three weeks after the

conclusion of each sports season for each sport sponsored by each member institution. 4.2 Reports shall be signed by the Athletic Director, Compliance Coordinator, the Head Coach and the individual

responsible for completing the report (preferably the Sports Information Director). 4.3 The sole responsibility for the accuracy of the reports and the eligibility of the student-athletes rests with each

member institution. Section 5 NCAA Coaches Certification 5.1 The Conference Office will coordinate and distribute the NCAA Coaches Certification Program materials. 5.2 All testing materials will be forwarded to each institution's Faculty Athletics Representative. 5.3 The Faculty Athletics Representative at each member institution will administer the Coaches Certification Test. 5.4 Institutions are encouraged to administer the test online. 5.5 All test results shall be returned to the Conference Office and maintained on file within the Conference Office. Section 6 Secondary Violation Reporting Forms 6.1 All NCAA secondary violations are to be submitted into the Requests/Self-Reports Online (RSRO) system

immediately following the institution’s determination that a violation has occurred and/or as required by NCAA legislation. (Revised 6/19/13)

6.1.1 – Copying the Conference Office


(a) Institutions are required to list the conference office compliance administrator as an “additional case contact,” within the RSRO system. This will ensure the conference compliance administrator will be copied on any and all communication from NCAA Enforcement regarding and institution’s submitted violations. (Adopted 6/19/13)

6.1.2 – Communication to Conference Office (a) Institutions are required to notify the conference compliance administrator in writing after the

secondary violation has been submitted into the RSRO system. This will identify that the report is ready for conference office review. (Adopted 6/19/13)

[6.2 Removed 6/19/13]

Section 7 Medical Hardship & Medical Absence Waivers (Revised 10/2/12) 7.1 Medical hardship & Medical absence waivers shall be administered by the Conference Office at the time

of active conference status. (Revised 10/2/12) 7.2 Information forwarded to the Conference Office should include the Conference hardship or medical

absence waiver form plus the appropriate contemporaneous medical documentation as required, team schedule, participation report, and written statement from student-athlete illustrating the situation and timeline of the injury or illness. (Revised 10/2/12; 1/18/13)

7.3 The Conference Office will apply NCAA Division II rules when reviewing submitted hardship or medical absence waivers. (Adopted 1/18/13)

7.4 The Commissioner shall provide a timely written response regarding each medical hardship or medical absence waiver request submitted. (Revised 10/2/12) 7.4.1 G-MAC waiver decisions are effective immediately at the time they are released by the league office.

Denied waivers will include a letter explaining the details of the denial. At the discretion of each institution, denied waivers may be sent to the NCAA on appeal.

(Adopted: 1/18/13) 7.5 A summary report of medical hardship and medical absence waivers will be provided to the Faculty

Athletics Representatives Council at their next regularly scheduled meeting. (Revised 10/2/12) 7.6 Non-active NCAA league institutions are permitted to file hardship and medical absence waivers to the

Conference Office to receive a preliminary approval/denial. (Adopted 10/2/12; Revised: 1/18/13) 7.6.1 All preliminary waivers are only effective within the G-MAC at the time the institution is of NCAA

provisional member status or beyond. (Adopted: 1/18/13) Section 8 Compliance Reviews 8.1 All active members will be required to have a compliance review conducted by the NCAA and/or an outside

consulting group. The review reports shall be forwarded to the Conference Office. The Conference will be responsible for monitoring the implementation of recommendations coming from the review.

8.2 The specific procedures for follow-up will be developed by the Compliance Coordinators Committee. Section 9 Financial and Staff Report 9.1 The Conference Office shall develop a reporting format that requests each member’s financial information as it

relates to scholarship equivalencies, operations, travel, staff, etc. 9.2 Conference members shall complete the reports and the Conference Office shall summarize the data in a form

agreed upon by the membership.


9.3 This data must be submitted to the Conference Office by June 30. 9.4 Summary data shall be prepared by the Conference Office and given to each member institution for comparison

purposes. Section 10 RSRO Case Submissions 10.1 Each member institution is required to submit a copy of all NCAA waiver requests, NCAA student-athlete

reinstatement requests, and NCAA appeals to the Conference Office immediately following the institution’s submission of documentation into the NCAA RSRO system. (Adopted: 1/17/14)

10.2 Copying the Conference Office a) Institutions are required to list the conference office compliance administrator as an “additional case

contact,” within the RSRO system for each case submitted. This will ensure the conference compliance administrator will be copied on various communications released by the NCAA regarding the institution’s submitted case. (Adopted: 1/17/14)

10.3 Communication to Conference Office a) Institutions are required to notify the conference compliance administrator in writing through e-mail

after any waiver requests, reinstatement requests, and/or appeals have been submitted into the RSRO system and provide an electronic .pdf copy within the correspondence. (Adopted: 1/17/14)

BYLAW 10: INVESTIGATIONS, PENALTIES AND APPEALS

Section 1 Resolving Questions Concerning Eligibility 1.1 In dealing with all suspicions or allegations of eligibility violations among Conference member institutions, the

Faculty Athletics Representative and/or Institutional Compliance Officer of the questioning institution shall request an explanation from the Faculty Athletics Representative and/or Institutional Compliance Officer of the certifying institution.

1.2 The Faculty Athletics Representative and/or Institutional Compliance Officer from the certifying institution shall provide a response within seven days. A written response may be requested including a complete academic and athletic history of the student-athlete, together with any other information upon which the student-athlete’s eligibility was certified.

1.3 If the questioning institution is not satisfied with the response, the institution shall contact the Conference Office in accordance with the provisions set forth in Bylaw 10, Section 4.

Section 2 Alleged Violations Involving Conference Members 2.1 If an individual has knowledge of an alleged violation that involves another Conference member institution

he/she must report the alleged violation(s) to the Institutional Compliance Officer and/or the Athletic Director. 2.2 The Athletic Director, Institutional Compliance Officer, and Faculty Athletics Representative shall discuss the

alleged violation to establish the institution’s response. The individual(s) who presented the accusation may also be consulted.

2.3 Options for dealing with an alleged violation at another NCAA institution may include: a) The Athletic Director or his designee shall contact the Athletic Director at the other member institution

to address the alleged violation. b) If the other member institution does not address the issue, the institution alleging the violation shall

contact the Conference Office in accordance with the provisions set forth in Bylaw 10, Section 4.


Section 3 Responsibility for Reporting Violations 3.1 Student-athletes and/or staff members of each institution are responsible for reporting to the Athletic Director,

Compliance Coordinator and Faculty Athletics Representative of his/her respective institution any alleged, reputed or indicated violation of the rules of the NCAA or the Conference.

3.2 The President, Athletic Director, Compliance Coordinator and/or Faculty Athletics Representative of the institution initiates the process of communication of any alleged, reputed or indicated violation as outlined in Bylaw 10, Section 4.

Section 4 Reports of Allegations 4.1 Prior to forwarding allegations to the Conference Office, the institution shall determine if there is sufficient

information to support the allegation. 4.2 Allegations submitted to the Conference Office by members of the Conference shall be accepted from an

institution's President, Athletic Director, or Faculty Athletics Representative. Other individuals (e.g., coaches) who report information to Conference staff shall be directed to contact the appropriate campus personnel for submission of the allegation(s).

4.3 Allegations received by the Conference Office from sources outside the Conference membership (e.g., other Conference offices, institutions, individual parties) shall be evaluated by the Conference Office.

4.4 Allegations deemed to be credible, or deemed to include sufficient information meriting a response, shall be forwarded from the Conference Office to the appropriate personnel (e.g., President, Athletic Director, or Faculty Athletics Representative) at the institution where the violations have been alleged to have occurred and, when appropriate, to the NCAA.

4.5 This information shall include details of the allegation(s), and related NCAA bylaws, but shall not name the source of the information.

4.6 The institution shall be asked to provide the Conference Office with a response to the allegations within 10 business days of written notification. In its response, the institution shall also be asked to provide all relevant information and to determine if it believes a violation occurred.

4.7 Upon receipt of an institution's response, the Conference Office shall review the information to determine: 4.7.1 If the institution conducted a thorough investigation; 4.7.2 If the determination made by the institution is consistent with the information developed in its review of the

allegations; 4.7.3 If the information substantiates that a violation of NCAA rules has occurred; and, 4.7.4 What, if any, penalties should be imposed by the Conference.

4.8 Following review of an institution's report, including requests for additional information following an institution's initial response, the Conference Office shall report the determination to the institution from which the allegations were reported.

4.9 When it is determined a Major Violation or a Level I Secondary Violation of NCAA rules has occurred, the full report shall be forwarded to the NCAA National Office. If it is a Level II violation it will be kept with the Conference Office.

Section 5 Role of the Conference Office and Ethics and Eligibility Committee in Investigations 5.1 When an institution is involved in an investigation related to alleged violations of NCAA rules, the Conference

Office will serve in an investigatory and advisory role, and will ensure thorough inquiries are conducted with the utmost integrity.

5.2 The Conference Office may investigate the alleged violations or may recommend, among other options, outside resources to work with the institution in developing necessary information.


5.3 The Conference Office will present the findings to the Conference Ethics and Eligibility Committee with its recommendation. The Ethics and Eligibility Committee will affirm the Commissioner’s recommendation or pass a different decision.

Section 6 Disciplinary Action 6.1 Appropriate disciplinary action may be taken against a Conference member for, but not limited to, any of the

following causes: a) Violating the rules of the Conference or the NCAA. b) Aiding or abetting any violation of the rules of the Conference or the NCAA by a coach or institutional

member. c) Playing a debarred or suspended player. d) Failure to fulfill a contract without the consent of the other party to the contract. e) Failure to submit required reports.

6.2 The Commissioner, with the consent of the Ethics and Eligibility Committee, shall prescribe one or more of the following penalties if the alleged violation is confirmed:

a) Privately reprimand or publicly censure the person or institution involved, or both. b) Suspend or place on probation. c) Prohibit any team or teams from participation in Conference-sponsored events or tournaments and/or

prohibit any institution form participating in the distribution of Conference funds. d) Prohibit a coach who is involved in a violation from scouting, contacting or recruiting or from assisting in

any coaching activity--either in scouting opponents, field practices, game participation, conditioning drills--or from assisting in any manner, directly or indirectly, in the activities of the institution's athletics department for such a period of time as prescribed.

e) Prohibit a student-athlete from representing the student's institution in intercollegiate contests for any number of games or seasons as may be prescribed.

f) Declare any championships won in on-field competition be forfeited. The Conference shall then declare a new champion of the sport involved.

g) Reduce the number of authorized scholarships for the coming year or years in the sport in which the violation occurred.

h) Subject the person or institution involved to any other reasonable penalty. i) Prohibit the institution's athletic representative or other interested person involved in the violation of a

Conference regulation from assisting, directly or indirectly, in recruiting any prospective student-athletes for a period of time prescribed by the Conference. The Conference shall have the President of the institution involved notify the person found in violation of a Conference regulation that recruiting activities by this "person of athletic interest" have been abated and that any violation by this "person of athletic interest" could result in the ineligibility of the student-athlete(s) involved in that violation.

j) Inform in writing a student-athlete who has been involved in a recruiting violation at a particular institution that said student-athlete will not, should the student-athlete decide to enroll at such institution, be permitted to participate in any intercollegiate contest at such institution for any number of games or seasons as prescribed by the Conference. If it so decides, the Conference may declare a student-athlete ineligible to represent any Conference institution or only a designated institution.

k) Impose a financial penalty on any member institution that violates any other provisions of the Constitution, Bylaws, rules or regulations of the Conference. The amount of the fine will be recommended by the Commissioner and approved by the Presidents Council.


l) Close the case. Section 7 Appeals 7.1 Any party upon whom a penalty is imposed may request an appeal before the Presidents Council, which will serve

as the appeals body following a ruling by the Ethics and Eligibility Committee. 7.2 Immediately following the request for the appeal, the Commissioner will call a meeting of the Presidents Council

specifying the time and place where all parties may present their cases. 7.3 Should a President represent an institution involved in the case, that President shall recuse him or herself from the

proceedings. 7.4 The appealing party must submit to the Commissioner, 48 hours prior to the appeals meeting, a list of individuals

giving testimony or statements or serving in an advisory capacity. 7.5 Following presentations and deliberations, a decision to overturn the Ethics and Eligibility Committee ruling will

require a two thirds (2/3) majority vote of Presidents Council members not involved in the case. 7.6 All persons involved shall treat all cases before them as confidential. 7.7 The Commissioner, in cooperation with the administration of the institution that is being sanctioned, shall make

the announcement of all decisions. The Commissioner shall not release information until 12:01 p.m. on the day following the action of the Conference, but in no case before the President of the institution(s) involved has been notified.

7.8 No ruling or decision shall be made on any complaint filed with the Commissioner later than 90 days following the last contest of the season.

BYLAW 11: APPROPRIATE CONDUCT

Section 1 Pre-Game Statement 1.1 The Conference Office will create a statement regarding game environment, sportsmanship and appropriate

conduct and distribute it to all member institutions. 1.2 Prior to all Conference athletic events, the public address announcer shall read the Conference statement regarding

game environment, sportsmanship and appropriate conduct. Section 2 Sportsmanlike Conduct Policy 2.1 It shall be the responsibility of each member institution to ensure that all individuals employed by or directly

associated with the athletics program of that institution, including its student-athletes, conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner when representing their institution, especially at intercollegiate athletic contests.

2.2 The Conference Office shall distribute a Sportsmanlike Conduct Policy to the Conference institutions for distribution to the student-athletes and coaches at their pre-season compliance meetings.

Section 3 Inappropriate Conduct 3.1 Inappropriate conduct shall subject the individual to disciplinary action. 3.2 The member institution with which the individual exhibiting inappropriate conduct is associated may also be

subject to disciplinary action if it is found that the institution’s policies, actions, or failure to act, substantially contributed to the individual's misconduct.

3.3 For purposes of this Bylaw, inappropriate conduct shall include, but not be limited to: a) Any person, coach, or student-athlete ejected from a contest. b) Any person (athletic department staff member or student-athlete) who strikes or physically abuses an

official, opposing coach, player or spectator. c) Any person who intentionally incites participants or spectators to violent or abusive action.


d) Any person who uses obscene gestures or profane or unduly provocative language or action toward officials, opponents or spectators.

e) Any person who engages in negative recruiting by making statements to a prospective student-athlete, parent, high school coach or other person interested in the prospective student-athlete that are not of a positive nature about another academic institution or its personnel.

f) Any person who publicly is unduly critical of any game official, Conference personnel, another member institution or its personnel.

g) Acts of inappropriate conduct not specifically prescribed. Section 4 Penalties 4.1 When the Commissioner concludes, after a reasonable investigation, that there has been a violation of the

regulation on inappropriate conduct, the Commissioner shall contact the Ethics and Eligibility Committee, which shall impose such penalty as it deems appropriate by first giving notice to the individual or institution.

4.2 The Ethics and Eligibility Committee shall provide the institution reasonable time, given the circumstances involved, to take action of its own, and may adopt that action as the Conference action if deemed appropriate.

BYLAW 12: SCHEDULES AND CONTRACTS

Section 1 Conference Schedules 1.1 Conference schedules shall take priority over any non-conference competition. 1.2 Conference schedules in all sports the Conference sponsors shall be developed by the Conference Office and

approved through the appropriate governance groups. 1.3 Whenever possible, Conference schedules will give each team no more than two consecutive weeks without a home

contest. 1.4 Conference schedules are considered binding. 1.5 Institutions must notify the conference of prohibitions of play (e.g. Sunday, week of exams) at least a year in

advance so that the conference can avoid such scheduling conflicts. 1.6 Contracts will be issued by the home team for Conference mandated contests. 1.7 When the Conference does not mandate the start time, the host institution determines start time. Section 2 Schedule Changes 2.1 Coaches do not have the authority to change the time and/or date of a Conference contest. Mutual approval by

the athletics directors involved and the Commissioner, based on an attempt to limit competitive advantage in any such alterations, is required.

2.2 The Conference Office and the Sports Information Directors at each institution shall publicize the change for Conference games.

Section 3 Non-Conference Schedules 3.1 Non-conference schedules for Conference sports and schedules for sports sponsored outside the Conference

shall be the responsibility of each member institution's Athletic Director or his/her designated representative. 3.2 Conference members may play other Conference members in a sport as a non-conference opponent if the contest

is not part of the Conference schedule. Such contests are not binding through this Bylaw and should have their own contract.

3.3 Conference schedules take precedence over non-conference competition in the event Conference contests need to be rescheduled.


Bylaw 13: CONDUCTING CONFERENCE EVENTS

Section 1 Responsibility of Home Management. 1.1 It is the responsibility of the host institution to provide conditions and facilities conducive to the proper administration

of the Conference contest and consistent with the highest standards of sportsmanship. 1.2 It is the responsibility of the athletic administrator of the host institution to provide information to the visiting team regarding access to the facilities, dressing room accommodations, starting time, and any special

arrangements such as pre-game or contest ceremonies or other information important to the planning of the visiting team in a timely manner.

Section 2 Courtesies to Visiting Groups from Member Institutions 2.1 All requests for special consideration for groups from member institutions shall be discussed and acted upon jointly by

both schools Athletic Directors. Section 3 Trainer and Training Room Services 3.1 Training room facilities and the services of a certified athletic trainer will be provided by the host institution for all

Conference sports in accordance with Sports Operating Code guidelines. Section 4 Conference Publicity and Statistical Service 4.1 The Conference shall manage Conference publicity and statistics and all releases specific to Conference sports and

official Conference business. Information shall be released at the discretion of the Commissioner. 4.2 It shall be the responsibility of the host institution to file statistical reports covering each Conference contest with the

Conference immediately following each contest. 4.3 Specific statistical and publicity responsibilities of member institutions shall be stated in the Sports Operating Code for

each sport. 4.4 Each member institution shall have on display at each home venue of a G-MAC sponsored sport, a G-MAC logo

(i.e. banner, floor decal). (Adopted 6/18/14) 4.5 Each member institution must have the G-MAC logo displayed on the main page of the institution’s sports

website and utilize the Conference provided video and audio PSAs on productions of G-MAC sports broadcasts. (Adopted 6/18/14)

4.6 Each member institution is encouraged, though optional, to implement the G-MAC logo via patch on team uniforms and adhere to branding requirements on the placement and type of patch utilized. (Adopted 6/18/14)

Section 5 Complimentary Tickets 5.1 The Conference members will not provide complimentary admission to visiting team’s family members, etc. 5.2 The Conference will issue Conference ID cards that allow for admission to any Conference contest (including

Conference Championship events). The ID cards will be issued to coaches, assistant coaches and athletic and university administrators (as requested) at each institution. Conference ID cards are non-transferrable.

Section 6 Broadcast Policy 6.1 Media rights belong to each Conference member. Conference institutions shall file with the Commissioner the name of

their designated radio, TV, and/or video streaming provider one month prior to the start of the sport season identifying the event(s) to be broadcast.

6.2 Each member institution shall provide a courtesy line for radio broadcasts by visiting institutions as determined by


Sport Operating Code when requested. 6.3 Each member institution shall accommodate the needs of broadcast personnel to the best of its ability. Section 7 Conveying Information to Opponents 7.1 Staff members of member institutions shall comply with film and information exchange procedures designated in the

Sports Operating Codes. Section 8 Delay or Termination of Conference Events 8.1 The following are recognized as legitimate causes for delay or termination of a Conference contest:

8.1.1 Weather or other travel conditions causing delay in timely arrival at the game site. 8.1.2 Failure of electrical power or other services necessary for the continuance of a contest. 8.1.3 Conduct or condition of any persons is such that the health or safety of persons in attendance is in jeopardy.

8.2 The host athletic administrator and/or the chief game official shall determine when a contest is to be delayed, terminated, or resumed.

8.3 A contest delayed by conditions set forth in Bylaw 13, Section 8.1 above shall be played on the date scheduled regardless of the length of the delay unless it cannot be resumed by a reasonable time as determined by the host athletic administrator in consultation with the chief game official.

8.4 Any contest not completed on the date scheduled must follow the procedures outlined in the Sports Operating Code. 8.5 Each institution shall have emergency procedures for the safety of players, fans and all individuals at the competition

site in the event of a declared emergency (e.g. tornado, hurricane, flood). BYLAW 14: CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Section 1 Determining Champions 1.1 A Conference champion will be named in each Conference sponsored sport. In sports with fewer than six

member institutions competing, the championship is for the benefit of the student-athletes even though no automatic qualifier is at stake.

1.2 The Conference champion will be the team with the best won-loss record in Conference play unless the Conference holds a championship event in that sport.

1.3 Tie breaking procedures will be determined on a sport-specific basis in the Sports Operating Code procedures. Section 2 Conference Championship Events 2.1 Whenever fiscally possible or advantageous, Conference Championships will be held at neutral sites selected by

the Conference. 2.2 Conference Championships in any sport shall not be scheduled or conducted on a date within the final

examination period (as shown in the member institutions' catalogs) of any Conference member institution except baseball and softball, which shall have their Conference Championships scheduled to begin one to two weeks prior to the date scheduled for the beginning of the NCAA Regional Championships and to minimize total missed class time for the participating teams.

2.3 Playing rules and conditions for all Conference championships shall be governed as set forth in the Sports Operating Codes.

2.3.1 Any conference contest confirmed to have been played with ineligible student-athletes will be nullified and follow guidelines related to the NCAA DII Principles of Nullification. Nullified contests will not considered in the overall conference standings when determining seeding for post-season conference tournaments. (Adopted 6/8/16)


2.4 All expenses associated with administering a Conference Championship event shall be borne by the host institution, and the host institution shall retain any net profit or assume any deficit, unless stated otherwise in the Sports Operating Code for that sport.

2.5 Teams participating in Conference Championship events shall be responsible for their own travel expenses, unless stated otherwise in the Sports Operating Code for that sport.

2.6 Admission prices for Conference Championship events shall be determined by the host institution and approved by the Commissioner.

2.7 Start times for Conference Championship events shall be determined by the host institution and approved by the Commissioner, unless specified differently in the Sports Operating Code.

2.8 There will be no complimentary admissions or use of season tickets covering regular-season contests in Conference Championship events in which tickets are sold.

2.9 Pass lists may not be used (except for certified media personnel) at Conference Championship events without prior approval of the Conference Office.

2.10 The Conference Office shall provide the Conference Championship awards. 2.11 The host for any Conference Championship event held on campus is the Athletic Director, who shall provide the

Conference Office with a complete and detailed financial statement of the event upon request by the Commissioner.

Section 3 Automatic Qualifier 3.1 The NCAA representative for postseason play shall be the Conference Champion in sports in which automatic berths are awarded by the NCAA. BYLAW 15: AWARDS

Section 1 Conference Champion 1.1 Trophies shall be awarded to Conference Champions or Co-Champions in all recognized Conference sports. 1.2 In sports where a Conference Championship event is held, the winner will receive the trophy. If a Conference

Championship is not held, the team with the best won-loss record in Conference play shall receive the trophy. 1.3 Standardized trophies will be awarded in the sports in which a Conference Championship is declared. Trophies

shall be ordered and paid for by the Conference Office. Section 2 Player/Athlete of the Week 2.1 The Conference shall honor a Player-of-the-Week in all sports in which the Conference competes. 2.2 The award will be based on individual performance, including statistics, records and effect on outcome of games

or matches. Also to be considered is level of competition of opponents. 2.3 Nominations must be made according to times and schedules set each season by the Conference Office. 2.4 A certificate will be sent to the institution at which that player participates. Section 3 Conference Scholar-Athlete Award 3.1 Each academic year, the Conference shall grant Conference Scholar-Athlete Awards to one male member and

one female member of the graduating class who has compiled the most outstanding record in athletics, scholarship and leadership.

3.2 To be eligible for consideration for this award, the student-athlete must have participated for a minimum of two years in a sport sponsored by a member institution.

3.3 Each Faculty Athletics Representative will forward male and female nominees to the Conference Office by June


1 of each year along with a summary of achievements not to exceed 200 words. 3.4 The Conference Office will assimilate nominees' credentials and distribute ballots to the Faculty Athletics

Representatives Council, which will vote for all the nominees in preferential order with ballots returned to the Conference Office.

3.5 The Conference Office will tabulate the ballots and announce the winner. 3.6 The Conference will award plaques to male/female recipients. Section 4 Conference Male and Female Athletes of the Year 4.1 Each institution shall nominate one male and one female finalist for Conference Male and Female Athlete of the

Year, employing the institution’s own selection process. 4.2 The nominees will be selected on the basis of athletic accomplishments and contributions to their specific

sport(s) and the institution's overall athletic program. 4,3 Each athletic department will forward its male and female nominees to the Conference Office by June 1 of each

year along with a summary of achievements not to exceed 200 words. 4.4 The Conference Office will assimilate nominees' credentials and distribute ballots to Sports Information

Directors, who will vote for all the nominees in preferential order with ballots returned to the Conference Office.

4.5 The Conference Office will tabulate the ballots and announce the winner. 4.6 The winners will receive a plaque at the end of the year. Section 5 All Conference Teams 5.1 Head coaches of member institutions shall nominate players for the official All-Conference team in sports the

Conference offers. 5.2 Nominations for the All-Conference teams will be sent to the Conference Office according to times and schedules

set by the Assistant Commissioner for Communications. 5.3 The official ballot will be compiled and returned to the head coaches for a vote. Only the head coach or a designee

from the institution shall vote in determining the All-Conference team. 5.4 Coaches may not vote for their own players. 5.5 The breakdown of each All-Conference team shall be in accordance with guidelines specified in the Sports Operating

Code for each sport. 5.6 Players from institutions that fail to vote for All-Conference selections will be disqualified from receiving All-

Conference awards. 5.7 All-Conference teams shall be elected as follows:

a) Players will be ranked, by position if applicable, according to the number of players on the team with a rank of one (1) being the highest. Each rank will carry a numeric value to be used in tallying the votes.

b) Players receiving the most points for each position (when applicable) will be selected as members of the first team.

c) The players receiving the second highest number of points will be selected to the second team. d) All other players receiving points will be named honorable mention.

5.8 The All-Conference Teams shall be announced at the postseason awards banquet associated with the Conference Championship. All-Conference team members are awarded plaques.

5.9 If there is no banquet in a particular sport, awards shall be announced at a time between the end of the Conference regular season and the start of the Conference postseason tournament.


Section 6 Academic All-Conference Teams 6.1 Each academic year, the Conference shall name an Academic All-Conference Team. 6.2 To be eligible, the student-athlete's grade point average must be a minimum of 3.30 based on the 4.0 system. The

GPA shall be cumulative for the student-athlete's entire collegiate career. 6.3 Eligible student-athletes must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing (true freshmen and redshirt

freshmen are not eligible) and must have completed at least one full academic year at the nominating institution. 6.4 Each Faculty Athletics Representative will forward nominees to the Conference Office by

June 1 of each year certifying that they have met the criteria stipulated. 6.5 The Conference Office will tabulate the nominees and announce the Academic All-Conference Teams. 6.6 Award certificates will be mailed to the recipients’ institutions. Section 7 Additional Individual Awards Recipients of the following awards are given certificates through the Conference Office. 7.1 The Conference shall honor the Freshman of the Year in all sports in which a Conference Championship is declared.

The Freshman of the Year is defined as a player in his/her first year of intercollegiate competition in any sport. The award will be selected by a vote of the coaches.

7.2 The Conference shall honor a Coach(es) of the Year in all sports in which a Conference Championship is declared. The award will be selected by a vote of the coaches.

7.3 The Conference shall honor a Player/Athlete(s) of the Year in all sports in which a Conference Championship is declared. The award can be modified to reward a specific attribute(s) (e.g., Offensive, Defensive, Sportsmanship), in accordance with guidelines specified in the Sports Operating Code for each sport, and will be selected by a vote of the coaches.

7.4 The Conference may honor a Newcomer of the Year in all sports in which a Conference Championship is declared. Newcomer is defined as a first-year new player in the Conference who is not a freshman (e.g., junior college transfer or 4-4 transfer). The award will be selected by a vote of the coaches.

Section 8 President’s Cup 8.1 The President’s Cup will be awarded to the college that has the highest average score for sports sponsored within

the Conference. BYLAW 16: NON-DISCRIMINATION

Section 1 Gender Equity and Diversity 1.1 It is the responsibility of each member institution to comply with federal and state laws and NCAA principles regarding

gender equity and diversity. 1.2 The activities of the Conference shall be conducted in a manner free of bias with regard to gender, ethnicity, or sexual

orientation bias. BYLAW 17: INSURANCE

Section 1 1.1 The Conference shall purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director or officer of the

Conference against any liability asserted against him or her and incurred by him or her in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the Conference would have the power to indemnify him or her against that liability The Conference’s payment of premiums with respect to such insurance coverage shall be provided primarily for the benefit of the Conference. To the extent that such insurance coverage provides a benefit to the insured person,


the Conference’s payment of premiums with respect to such insurance shall be provided in exchange for the services rendered by the insured person and in a manner so as not to constitute an excess benefit transaction under section 4958 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

BYLAW 18: CONFLICTS OF INTEREST Section 1 Conflicts of Interest Policy 1.1 The purpose of this conflict of interest policy is to protect the Conference’s interest when it is contemplating

entering into a contract or transaction that might benefit the private interest of an officer or Director of the Conference. The conflict of interest policy shall apply to all contracts or transactions between the Conference and Directors, officers, and members of committees with Board-delegated powers. This policy is intended to supplement but not replace any applicable state and federal laws governing conflict of interest applicable to nonprofit organizations.

Section 2 Definitions 2.1 For purposes of this Article, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below.

a) Interested Person. Any director, principal officer, member of a committee with governing board delegated power who has a direct or indirect financial interest, as defined below, is an interested person.

b) Financial Interest. means, directly or indirectly, through business, investment, or family: 1) An ownership or investment interest in any entity with which the Conference

has a contract or transaction; 2) A Compensation arrangement with the Conference or with any entity or

individual with which the Conference has a contract or transaction; or 3) A potential ownership or investment interest, in, or Compensation arrangement

with, any entity or individual with which the Conference is negotiating a contract or transaction.

A Financial Interest is not necessarily a conflict of interest. A person who has a Financial Interest has a conflict of interest only if the Board or committee decides that a conflict of interest exists.

Section 3 Annual Disclosure Statements. 3.1 Each Director, officer, and member of a committee with Board-delegated powers shall execute

and deliver to the Chair an annual statement disclosing the facts relating to any actual or potential Financial Interest or stating that he or she has no reportable Financial Interest. The Chair shall report the results of the annual disclosure statements to the Board at its annual meeting.

Section 4 Ongoing Disclosures. 4.1 If any Director or officer of the Conference has a Financial Interest in any proposed contract or

other transaction involving the Conference, the Director or officer must disclose the Financial Interest to the Board or committee authorizing the contract or transaction. The Board or committee shall determine whether the Financial Interest constitutes a conflict of interest.

Section 5 Participation and Voting.


5.1 A Director or officer who has a conflict of interest may answer questions of the Board or committee considering the contract or transaction that involves the conflict. However, after answering questions, the Director or officer shall leave the meeting during the discussion of the merits of the contract ortransaction and shall not vote on the contract or other transaction. The interested Director or officer shall be counted in determining the presence of a quorum.

Section 6 Recordkeeping Procedures. 6.1 The minutes of meetings of the Board and committees with Board-delegated powers shall include:

a) The names of all persons who disclosed or were found to have a Financial Interest in connection with an actual or potential conflict of interest, the nature of the Financial Interest, any action taken to determine whether a conflict of interest existed, and whether the Board or committee determined there was a conflict of interest;

b) The names of the persons who absented themselves from the meeting during discussions and votes relating to the contract or transaction;

c) The content of any discussion relating to the contract or transaction, including any alternatives to the proposed contract or transaction; and

d) A record of the vote on the proposed contract or transaction. Copies of any reports, appraisals, or other written data presented at the meeting to analyze the conflict of interest or to vote on the proposed contract or transaction shall be filed with the minutes. The minutes shall be prepared before the later of the next meeting of the Board or applicable committee or 60 days after the final action is taken by the Board or committee. The Board or applicable committee shall review the minutes within a reasonable period of time after their preparation.

BYLAW 19: ATHLETIC STAFFING

Section 1 ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

1.1 Each member institution must employ a full-time athletic director. The athletic director may not hold any coaching responsibilities at the institution. (Effective Sept. 1, 2017; Adopted 6/18/14)

Section 2 COMPLIANCE COORDINATOR

2.1 Each member institution must employ a full-time compliance coordinator. The compliance coordinator may not hold any coaching responsibilities at the institution. (Effective Sept. 1, 2016; Adopted 6/18/14)

Section 3 SPORTS INFORMATION DIRECTOR

3.1 Each member institution must employ a full-time sports information director. (Adopted 6/18/14) Section 4 SENIOR WOMAN ADMINISTRATOR 4.1 Each member institution must designate a Senior Woman Administrator. (Adopted 6/18/14)

a) The institution is encouraged to add the title of Assistant or Associate Athletic Director to position if person has been designated the Senior Woman Administrator. (Adopted 6/18/14)

b) Each institution must produce a document outlining responsibilities and duties of the Senior Woman Administrator within the department. The document must be distributed to the President, the individual the director of athletics reports to, and the entire athletic staff. (Adopted 6/18/14)

c) Each member institution must provide at least one professional development opportunity each year. (Adopted 6/18/14)


Documents

BYLAWS OF THE GREAT MIDWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE … · 3.5.1 Presentation on the institution’s athletic program highlighting areas from Conference Bylaw 1, Section 2. 3.5.2 Presentation