Constitution of the UCSD Cycling Team
Article I - Club Name
Club name: The official name of the aforementioned Club shall be the UCSD Cycling
Team.
Article II - Mission Statement & Purpose
1) To promote the sport of cycling at UCSD and the surrounding community as a means
of fitness, athletic competition, and personal development in an inclusive atmosphere.
2) Club members shall be ambassadors of the sport to the community. The club shall
support a collegiate cycling club.
Article III - Membership
1) The UCSD Cycling Club is open to all current UCSD students, faculty, staff, or alumni
who pay dues regardless of sex, race, age, belief, lifestyle, or any other factor. Members
may elect to participate at a recreational level, or a more active (more competitive) level.
Any member of the club must abide by the articles set forth in the Constitution.
2) Those eligible for club deals and sponsorship offers: Only those individuals who have
paid dues for the year will be able to take advantage of any offer directed at the Club,
from sponsors, bike shop, or any other body providing support to the Club. Race
reimbursement (travel, lodging, registration fees, etc) is open only to members competing
in USA Cycling Collegiate categories with UCSD listed as that rider’s team. An
additional requirement is that members must help at the home road race, Boulevard.
Exemptions to the latter is up to the discretion of the corps (ex. academics, illness, injury,
religious).
3) Those eligible to race: Must be current, full-time UCSD students (undergraduate or
graduate), and must have paid dues for the season and discipline which they desire to race
in. Those members racing must also hold current USA Cycling (USAC) licenses with the
collegiate add-on.
4) Any member who fails to comply with the guidelines established in the Constitution,
or are deemed to not be representing the Club in a positive manner, will be subject to
disciplinary action. This applies to members and officers alike. Officers may be asked to
resign their position and/or asked to leave, and members may be asked to leave (both
without refunding of dues).
However, this decision is subject to first a discussion of the individual and matter(s) at
hand, and an appropriate course of action must be decided on by a majority vote of the
corps.
5) Additionally, all members must comply with the rules established by both the Western
Collegiate Cycling Conference (WCCC) and USA Cycling (USAC). However, UCSD
Cycling will have a zero-tolerance policy for doping, no suspensions or temporary bans.
6) Officers may set additional guidelines for participation, inclusion in sponsorship deals,
and race reimbursement. These guidelines must be equally applicable to all members of
the team and will last for the school year.
Article IV - Dues
1) The amount for dues will be determined on an annual basis (starting in the Fall) as
deemed fit by the treasurer, taking into account the financial standing of the club and
potential sponsorships. This price must be approved by the officer corps. A set of tiered
dues may be agreed on by a simple majority of the officers which provides different
levels of dues for racers and non-racers or encourages participation by a traditionally
under-represented subset of the population (e.g. women).
2) Dues will provide support for race entry and travel to races (accommodation and gas).
Gas will be compensated to individuals one (1) day before and after the event. Distance,
amount of people traveling in vehicle, and dates traveled will determine reimbursement
amount. All physical (paper) receipts are required in order to be reimbursed.
3) Reimbursement policies will be set by the treasurer and captain(s) from whose
allotment those reimbursements will be distributed. The policies will be set in advance
and be universally applicable to the team. They shall be agreed on by a simple majority
of the officers. They shall only take affect after reasonable notice is given to the team in
writing.
Article V - Meetings
1) General Club Meetings--Open to all members, also know as General Body Meetings
(GBM). Club president will decide the date and location of the meeting, and must notify
all members at least seven (7) days in advance. Official club meetings must be held at a
time and date that attempts to accommodate the majority of members. Notifications and
changes must be made through at least e-mail (UCSD Cycling Google Group). Meetings
shall be held on a bi-weekly basis, however, additional meetings can be added should the
officers deem necessary (ex. Boulevard). These will be lead by the president. Any other
officer who has matters to speak on that concern the club will speak only after the
president has opened the meeting. Any matter of concern is open, from officer or just
member alike. The secretary/treasurer will be responsible for minutes/notes from the
meeting. If unavailable, any other officer will be responsible for the task. Minutes will be
available 48h after the meeting for the club.
2) Officer Meetings--“Closed” meetings for members of the officer corps only. Topics
will include financial details, potential sponsorship, dealings with USAC (USA Cycling),
WCCC (Western Collegiate Cycling Conference), or UCSD (ex. Sports Clubs), and any
other matter not suitable for general discussion. These too will be scheduled and
moderated by the president. Each officer will provide a state of affairs and matters that
concern the rest of the corps will be addressed and voted upon if necessary. Voting on
both house-keeping and non-trivial matters will be
conducted during such meetings. If the matter can be resolved over e-mail (ex. kit
designs), there will be a 24-hour window to submit debate before voting. Votes outside
this 24-hour period will not be accepted.
3) Meeting topics shall include (but are not limited to): membership, local events, clubsponsored events, ride schedule, race schedule, any new developments (kits,
sponsorships), and general state of the club. Any question can be fielded at the beginning
or end of the meeting. Anybody will be able to propose topics for discussion at the
upcoming meeting, or request an emergency meeting, via direct e-mail to the president.
All decisions affecting the club will be made only at general club or officer meetings, and
afterwards publicized via minutes, and if necessary, other announcements.
At all times, attention must be directed towards the speaker. Whether the speaker is an
officer or another member, or even guest, distractions and interjections will not be
tolerated. Members may be asked to leave the meeting if not cooperating or respectful.
New formats, concepts, and procedures may be brought to attention as a motion, but must
be seconded in order for them to go to voting. Members have the right to debate new
motions before they are voted on, in a respectable manner.
Article VI - Club Structure
1) There is to be one (1) President, along with additional officers as needed to fulfill
corps positions. The President is to serve as the face and primary point of contact for the
club. The President reserves the right to make vetoes, which can be overridden by a two
thirds majority of the officers. Non-trivial, “non-housekeeping” decisions must be agreed
upon by the officer corps by a simple majority vote. In the case of a tie the decision is
deferred to the preference of the president. The officers are to be as follows, but not
strictly limited to:
a) Treasurer/Secretary
b) Road Race Director
c) Captains (men’s road, women’s road, track, mountain)
d) Digital Media
e) Kits and Kit Sales
f) Sponsorship
g) Social/Recruitment
In addition to the President, anyone holding one of the aforementioned responsibilities is
an Officer of the Club and allowed to attend and vote at Officer Meetings. An individual
can hold at maximum two (2) of the responsibilities listed above, but will not have more
than one vote, with the following exceptions: President, Treasurer, and Road Race
Director.
Article VII - Officer Corps
President-- The head of the club. But, the president does not hold any special privileges
above any of the officers, minus veto power. A preferable president is one who has held a
previous position in the club in prior seasons, and has demonstrated serious commitment
and dedication to the club. They are the point of direct contact with Sports Clubs, UCSD,
and other organizations not covered by Boulevard or Sponsorship officers. The president
is in charge of the trailer ensuring it is used properly, strictly for club-related events, and
maintained. The president is also responsible for filling out all team paperwork with
USAC and Sports Clubs as well as scheduling meetings. Finally, it is the president's job
to monitor all of the other tasks the officers and team are doing and ensure that they are
done to completion and on time. Ultimately the president is responsible for all team
matters.
Vice President - The Vice President’s primary function is to fill the role of President Pro
Tempore in the case of a vacated Presidency. The Vice President will be elected by a
majority of the officers from within the officer corps. This position will be a secondary
position held in addition to another officership. The Vice President will assume the duties
of President Pro Tempore only until an election can be held for a new President.
Secretary/Treasurer-- Handles all financial-related matters and presides over the club
PayPal account, club (outside) account, and Sports Clubs (inside) account. Keeps the
books in an orderly and up-to-date manner. No other officers will communicate with
Sports Clubs on financial-related matters. Treasurer has authority over these accounts,
and will be held accountable at any time to provide a state of financial affairs to the club.
Additional responsibilities include payment of order deposits, handling of
reimbursements, and producing the club budget. For reimbursements, any check must be
signed and approved by both Treasurer and President.
Road Race Director-- will be in charge of running Boulevard and handling all Boulevardrelated tasks. He/she will delegate powers day-of to fellow teammates and officers alike.
Should the opportunity present itself, he/she can explore other race possibilities.
Captains-- Organize rides throughout the season and handle all travel affairs (vehicles,
trailer, hotels...all housing and transport, etc) during the race seasons. They plan
preseason and in season schedules and work outs in conjunction with the coach as well as
are responsible for leading rides. Track captain will also be in charge of classes and
working with San Diego Velodrome.
Digital Media - Make, if necessary, and update the website and social media to reflect
current events of the club (race results, kit sales, other items of interest). Digital Media
officer will also be in charge of the club’s Twitter and Facebook accounts. This officer is
also responsible for obtaining race reports from collegiate race weekends and submitting
them to Sports Clubs.
Clothing-- Must work within the template provided by the clothing manufacturer of
choice and must seek approval by the officer corps before submitting. Materials (socks,
bottles, jackets, shirts, chamois, cuts, any item to produce/order) must all be voted upon
before committing to, and demand must also be present to justify the order. Kit officer
will also be in charge of handling alumni orders and coordinating with the treasurer on all
finance-related matters. All prices must also be agreed upon by the officer corps.
Sponsorship-- In charge of obtaining product and cash sponsors for the club. Must seek
approval of officer corps before entering into any contracts. The liaison to the bike shop
sponsor and handles orders and ensures that club bike maintenance and delivery are given
priority during race season for dues-paying racers, as well as appropriating discounts
when applicable.
Social and Recruitment-- in charge of the Tour de Donuts, making flyers and posters,
social “coffee” rides, and ensuring the club’s participation in events during the beginning
of the year to bring awareness to the club. Officer is strongly encouraged to hold at least
one weekly ride during the school year (Sunday, Crit, Soledad) to boost interest and club
camaraderie.
Coach-- A coach is required, as per Sports Clubs funding guidelines. Note that the coach
is not a member of the officer corps, but will work with both the corps and the club to
establish training workouts and regimens for all that desire.
For implementing new officers during the season, external to the primary Spring
elections, each new officer must be voted in according to Article VIII. For example,
should members express a desire to race the mountain season, then a mountain captain
must be added to the officer corps.
Article VIII - Elections
1) Self-nominations will be accepted for all officer positions. A written statement in
response to a series of questions will be required. Electronic submission (online).
Individuals can only nominate themselves for a maximum of two (2) positions. Selfnominations will be accepted for five (5) days, upon which the offer will be closed. Selfnominations and responses must be e-mailed/announced to the group. An individual
cannot nominate themselves for more than two positions, as this is maximum of positions
one can hold (save for President, Treasurer, and Boulevard, who can only fulfill these
tasks alone).
For other matters, non-officer-related, that require voting, there must be notification at
least seven (7) days before the issue is to be voted on.
2) Nominations will be subsequently reviewed by the current corps. Nominees can be
asked to speak to the officers directly in an interview. Officers reserve the right to remove
a candidate from ballot if deemed un-qualified. Any officer running for a position cannot
be involved in any debate or voting matter concerning that position. Once the ballot is
publicized, there will be a 48-hour appeal period in which candidate removed from a
position can speak with officers on the matter.
3) Once ballot is approved, elections for all officer positions will take place. Only duespaying members of the club will be able to participate. Before elections, a meeting will
be held for candidates to allow them to speak to the general voting public. This is to be
strictly informative.
No debating, no slander, no mockeries. Voting will be electronic/blind as well. Electronic
voting will be available in a 24-hour window if one is unable to vote in person.
4) With elections complete, the candidate with the majority of votes in each position will
assume that position. If a two-thirds majority is not reached, then there will be a run-off
between the top two candidates. For non-officer-related matters, only a majority is
required.
In the event that an officer position is vacated during the year, there is a public
notification of the vacation, followed by a general, self-nomination, call for interested
parties. If more than one individual expresses interest, an election will follow (VIII.1-4).
For a vacated presidency, the vice president assumes the position and then an election
will occur to fill his/her position.
Article IX - Transition period
With the new corps of officers elected, they will meet with the incumbent corps to
discuss the state of the club and any pressing matters. Additionally, each officer will meet
with their replacement and provide all necessary information (contacts, documents,
forms, accounts, passwords, etc) to ensure smooth transition. They will also ensure that
personnel are informed of the change (Sports, Clubs, sponsors, anyone for Boulevard).
Departing officers must also be available for support throughout the next season (via email at least).
Elections will take place in the Spring, after collegiate road nationals, but before the
conclusion of 9th week. The full list of officers are due to Sports Clubs by the end of 9th
week of Spring Quarter.
Article X - Amendments
This Constitution is merely a beginning to the construction of an organized and efficient
Club. This is neither the final nor the ultimate law of the Club. Members may propose
amendments, which must be seconded before voting can occur. Executive board may
write these Amendments or propose others as deemed necessary. A minimum two-thirds
ratio of the officer corps is needed to ratify amendments.
Article XI - Bylaws
The officer corps may overrule amendments if they are unanimous in deciding that the
proposal is not appropriate. They may reform proposed amendments into bylaws if
necessary. Bylaws must be agreed upon and must pass a two-thirds majority vote by the
officer corps
Article XII - Recalls
Should the circumstance present itself, an officer may be recalled from their position. To
accomplish this, the notion must first be proposed, and seconded. If seconded, the issue
will be discussed first as an officer corps (excluding the officer of concern), and if
disciplinary action does not suffice (as voted via two-thirds majority on proposed action,
Article III.4-5) , then the vote will be open to the general, dues-paying, club population.
Voting will be done in person at a meeting, accompanied by an additional 24-hour
electronic voting after (Article VIII). To remove the individual of concern from office, a
two-thirds majority must be achieved. Elections will then proceed to fill the vacant
position (Article VIII).
Article XIII - Ratification
Constitution is an outline for the UCSD Cycling Club. Each and every member must
abide by these guidelines, however these are not ultimate and are able to be changed and
amended over time.
In order for this constitution to go into effect, a two-thirds majority of the entire Club
present at voting must ratify it. For all voting matters there will be a twenty-four (24)
hour window in which members and officers are able to submit votes online. Any votes
outside this window will not be accepted. Multiple votes will not be tolerated. Anyone
caught attempting this or other forms of cheating will have their vote invalidated and will
be subject to disciplinary action.
XIV – Nationals
Costs covered by the club include: transport for individuals and bikes, lodging,
registration, and transport to/from hotel and race course. Food, equipment, transportation
for individuals not participating will not be covered, with the exception of a coach. In
order for a coach's travel to be reimbursed, the nationals squad and officers corp must
approve this motion by two-thirds majority. All costs will be reimbursed after attendance,
upon submission of receipts to the treasurer. Eligibility to attend nationals shall be
determined by competitive results from current season or prior approval from USA
Cycling.