SCOA Constitution and By-Laws

SCOA Constitution and By-Laws

 

CONSTITUTION

 

ARTICLE I-Name

This organization shall be known as the School and College Officials Association. (SCOA).

 

ARTICLE II-Objectives

  1. To promote the game of soccer and support high school and college level  officials.

  2. To conduct rules interpretation meetings and training clinics.

  3. To examine and qualify competent high school and college soccer officials.

  4. To maintain the highest standards and ethics of soccer officiating.

  5. To cooperate with all schools and colleges and the state and college athletic associations in furthering the interests of soccer officiating.

 

ARTICLE III-Membership

Membership in this Association shall consist of those persons who meet the requirements as provided hereinafter or in the Bylaws or as authorized by the Executive Committee.

 

ARTICLE IV-Officers

Section I

The officers of this Association shall be President, a Vice-President and a Secretary/Treasurer.

Section II

They shall be elected as provided for in the Bylaws and shall hold office for a one-year term and until their successors are elected.

Section III

There shall be an Executive Committee consisting of seven additional members, six shall be called at-large members and shall be elected for three-year terms as provided in the Bylaws and shall hold office until their successors are elected. The seventh member shall be the immediate past-president.

 

ARTICLE V-Committees & Staff Assignments

Section I

The President shall appoint for his term of office the following standard committees:

  • Nominations

  • Recognition & Awards

  • Banquet

  • Ethics 

  • Audit

 

Section II

Such other committees may be appointed by the President as desired in the interests of the Association.

 

Section III

The president shall appoint members to the following staff positions to assist in the administration of the chapter.  These appointments shall be subject to the approval of the Executive Committee.  

 

  1. Rules Interpreter to act as the official rules interpretation authority for this Association

  2. Parliamentarian to insure that all business is governed by Roberts Rules of Order (revised)

  3. Representative to NJSOA

  4. Supervisor of Referees to assist in the development of all training programs, peer review and observation programs,  mentor programs and clinics and oversee the implementation of the same.  In the absence of an appointment by the President and approval by the Executive Committee, the Vice President shall assume this role.

 

Section IV 

Other staff assignments may be appointed by the president subject to approval by the Executive Committee.

   

ARTICLE VI-Amendments

Section I

This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting at any meeting of the Association, provided that a quorum is present and written notice of such amendments, and a copy thereof, shall have been mailed (or emailed) to the members entitled to vote at least seven (7) days prior to such a meeting.

 

Submitted and approved

September 5, 1963

Amended  November 15, 1965

Amended  October 30, 1975

Amended  September 21, 1983

Amended  September 12, 1995

Amended  September 3, 1997

Amended  December 1, 1997

Amended December 4, 2023

 

 

 

BYLAWS

 

ARTICLE I-Elections

Section I

1.  The officers shall be elected by a majority vote recorded at the Annual Meeting and shall serve for one year and until such time as their successors have been elected.

2.  When any vacancy occurs in any office, excluding the President, the Executive Committee is empowered to fill the same until the next Annual Meeting.

 

Section II

1.  On the Executive Committee, two members at-large shall be elected each year for a term of three years. The two nominees receiving the highest number of votes will be declared elected.

2.  The first members at-large elected to the Executive Committee will hold terms of office as follows:

2—for three years

2—for two years

2—for one year

Ensuing elections will be for three-year terms.

Section III

Executive members may not serve in the same capacity for more than two consecutive  terms, with the exception of the Secretary/Treasurer.

 

ARTICLE II-Membership

Section I

Active membership shall be open to residents of the Association’s county areas who are 18 years of age and over who make application and successfully meet the criteria and pass the examinations as established by the Executive Committee. 

Section II

Honorary Membership may be conferred upon persons who have been nominated by the Recognition & Awards Committee and approved by the Executive Committee, who have made outstanding contributions to High School and/or College soccer.

Section III

Inactive membership shall be open to non-working officials. Inactive members shall not vote nor hold office in this Association. Inactive members may remain inactive for only two consecutive years.

Section IV

Transfer membership shall be granted upon receiving notification that the member is in good standing with his/her present organization and he/she pays annual dues to SCOA.

Section V

Active and inactive members shall pay their dues as annually established by the Executive Committee.

Section VI

Cadet membership is limited to those members who have passed the cadet school. A cadet shall become a full member upon passing the state exam and paying annual dues to SCOA and completing any other tasks as may be required by the Executive Committee

Section VII

The Executive Committee shall have the authority to establish fines and other penalties for violations of the Code of Conduct.  The President or Vice President shall refer to the Ethics Committee any matter concerning a member's possible violation(s) of the Code of Conduct.  The Ethics Committee will investigate all matters referred to it and shall make a finding and recommendation to the President within (2) weeks.  The President shall have the sole authority to affirm or reject the recommendations of the Ethics Committee.  

Section VIII

To remain in good standing a member must adhere to the following requirements

  1. Dues Paid

  2. Pay Any fines paid levied by or tasks required by the Ethics committee and approved by the Executive Committee

  3. Attendance at a State mandated pre-season rules interpretation meeting

  4. Satisfactory completion of the annual state rules examination.  Completion of any NJSIAA or NFHS clinics required (including but not limited to the annual NFHS Concussion course

  5. Abide by the SCOA Code of Conduct as approved by the Executive Committee

  6. Attendance at the required Clinics, In Season meetings as determined by the Executive Committee

  7. The Secretary/Treasurer shall certify members satisfactory completion of the above requirements and will report such to the Executive Committee, The NJSIAA (as required) and regional assignors (as necessary).  

  8. Complete all game assignments agreed upon with State, County, Conference, Middle School and Independent Assignors.  Failure to complete any assignment will be referred to the Ethics committee for review and possible sanction.

  9. The Ethics committee will review all issues of members not complying with the requirements of this section and will make a report to the President. 

 

ARTICLE III-Officers

Section I

The President shall preside at all meetings of this Association, and of its Executive Committee; and shall be a member ex-official of all committees and shall be the official representative of this Association. Furthermore, the President shall not serve longer than two successive terms as President.  The president is the legal representative of the chapter and is empowered to act in accordance with the bylaws and other actions approved by the Executive Committee.  

Section II

The Vice-President shall act in the absence of the President; he/she shall succeed to the office of President should a vacancy occur prior to the Annual Meeting.  The Vice-President shall be the Supervisor of Referees until an appointment by the President has been made and approved by the Executive Committee.

Section III

The Secretary/Treasurer shall be the legal custodian of all records of the Association. He shall conduct all correspondence; shall send out notices of all meetings and record the minutes of special, regular and Executive Committee meetings. He furthermore shall receive and disburse all monies of the Association in accordance with the direction of the Executive Committee, and he shall make periodic reports to the membership. The Secretary/Treasurer shall submit the annual financial statement to the Auditing Committee of the Executive Committee for examination and approval at the end of his term. All rules and regulations passed by the membership should be kept under separate cover for easy access.

Section IV

Upon expiration of their term, each officer and chairman shall turn over to his successor, all records and other property of the Association in his possession.

 

ARTICLE IV-Duties of the Executive Committee

Section I

The active management of the affairs of this Association will be delegated to the President, Vice President and the Secretary/Treasurer.  The President has the authority to delegate responsibilities to Committee chairpersons and staff positions.  

Section II

It shall be the duty of the Executive Committee to put into effect the rules and regulations passed by the membership or as required by these by laws, establish the Code of Conduct, approve an annual budget, establish dues, and act on any other issues as necessary for the administration of the organization and to take official action in emergency situations between meetings of the membership.

 

ARTICLE V-Duties of Committees

1.         Nominating

This committee will present a slate of Officers and Executive Committee members as per Article IV Section I of the Constitution.

2.         Recognition and Awards

This committee shall establish criteria and awards for honoring persons deserving recognition from this Association and shall make recommendations on the recipients.  The criteria, awards and recipients shall be approved by the Executive Committee

3.        Banquet Committee

This committee shall make arrangements for the Annual Meeting.  The location and budget shall be approved by the Executive Committee. 

4.        Ethics

This committee shall be comprised of the , Vice President, Supervisor of Referees and any  (1-2) members of the Executive Committee along with (1-2) non members of the Executive Committee and shall be responsible for investigating all matters involving the disciplining of members, including such items as delinquency in dues, attendance and professional behavior and violations of the Code of Conduct. The Committee will report their findings and recommendations to the President for final resolution.  The recommendations shall be based on the guidelines previously approved by the Executive Committee

5..  Audit

This committee will review the financial records of the association at the end of each year and report to the Executive Committee membership.  The committee will consist of the Secretary/Treasurer,  (2) members of the Executive Committee (other than the treasurer) and (2) non members.  The President and Vice President  shall not serve on this committee.  This committee shall meet in January of each year and make a written report to the Executive Committee by the end of February of each year.  This report will be presented to the membership at the next regularly scheduled meeting.  .  

 

ARTICLE VI-Nomination and Election Procedure

Section I

At the scheduled meeting preceding the Annual meeting, the Nominating Committee shall present and submit a slate of candidates for officers and two members of the Executive Committee to be voted on at the Annual Meeting.

Section II

At the scheduled meeting preceding the Annual Meeting, nominations from the floor will be accepted for inclusion on the ballot, for the election at the Annual Meeting. Nominations from the floor will not be accepted at any other time. Write-in votes/nominations will not be accepted.

Section III

The vote shall be by acclamation unless there shall be nominations from the floor, in which case there shall be a secret ballot at the Annual Meeting and the persons receiving the most votes for each office shall be declared elected.  In the event an election will take place at the Annual Meeting, by approval of a ⅔ majority of the members present at the Annual Meeting a motion may be considered to set aside the rules and allow for nominations from the floor.

 

ARTICLE VII-Meetings

Section I

The Annual Meeting shall be the regular December meeting.

Section II

At least five regular meetings of the Association shall be held each year. Special meetings may be called by the President upon written request of 1/5 of the membership. The quorum for any meeting is  one fifth of the active membership. A meeting may also be called by the majority of the Executive Committee.

Section III

All regularly scheduled meetings of the membership shall begin at 7:30 PM with the exception of the Annual Meeting which may start at 6:30 PM.  At the sole discretion of the President, all regularly scheduled meetings may be changed from in-person meetings to Zoom Online Meetings.  

 

The following additional meetings shall be scheduled:

  1. Pre-Season Rules Interpretation Meeting.  No regular business shall take place at this meeting.

  2. Pre-State Tournament Rules Meeting.  This meeting may be combined with a regularly scheduled meeting.  

 

Any member may request an item be included on the agenda of a regularly scheduled meeting by sending an email to the Secretary/Treasurer at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled meeting.  Other issues or new business may be brought up at a regularly scheduled meeting based on available time and upon the approval of the members present in accordance with Robert Rules.

 

 

ARTICLE VIII-Order of Business

All parliamentary business shall be governed by the Parliamentarian.

 

ARTICLE IX

These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting at any meeting of the Association provided written notice of such amendment, and a copy thereof, shall have been mailed or emailed to the members entitled to vote at least seven (7) days prior to such meeting.

 

ARTICLE X

All notices may be made by regular mail or email.  

 

Submitted

  and

approved    September 5, 1963

 

Amended    November 15, 1965

Amended    October 30, 1975

Amended    September 21, 1983

Amended    September 12, 1995

Amended    September 3, 1997

Amended    December 1, 1998

Amended December 4, 2023