05/21/14 – May, 2014 Board of Control Meeting Review

May 21, 2014 Athletic Department Blog Updates

The following is a review of the items discussed at the May KHSAA Board of Control Meeting and the status of those issues. The Board meets six times per year, and each time, the membership will be updated as far as actions by the Board. While many of them attempt to communicate with you on a regular basis, I also want the schools informed of a consistent summary. All documents related to this meeting can be found online at http://portal.ksba.org/public/Agency.aspx?PublicAgencyID=4374&AgencyTypeID=1&BeginDate=05-1-2014&EndDate=5-31-2014

BOARD MEETING – May 12, 2014

The Board meeting began with an appeal from St. Francis of a specific provision oof the Financial Aid Bylaw. After consideration, the motion was made that due to the existence of this program prior to the Bylaw, and the continuation since that time (limits exceeded allowable merit aid limits and thus participation was not permitted) and based on an annual review of the program by the Board, the waiver was approved. Following that appeal, the BOard considered a request for a waiver of the Dead Period for KSD to attend a camp. The appeal was denied. Following other procedural discussion, the Board recessed for Committee Meetings.

The Individual Sports Committee then met to finalize the realignment in Tennis. The membership will be issued separate correspondence directly from the Commissioner with the final adopted alignment. The final alignment was approved by the Board of Control at its regular meeting later in the day.

The Officials Policy Committee then met. Two items were on the agenda for this committee. In its annual review of fees, the Board of Control voted to make no changes in the game fee for Volleyball, Track/Cross County or Swimming. Track/Cross Country had just established a new structure a couple of year ago, and Volleyball had a match format change which in many cases, increased the expense to the member schools for officials.

In another discussion, the committee considered the issue of local officials association asking for fee changes in various sports and the undeniable pressure on the regional policy boards at a very difficult financial time. Following discussion, it was approved by the Baord that these requests for fee changes at the junior varsity and freshman level, as well as the varsity travel “add on” that is permitted by the Board policy, would only be germaine to be proposed during the year following the review by the Board of that sport and the applicable varsity fee. So, for 2014-2015, regional policy boards are not compelled to hear any requests for fee adjustments in non-varsity fees (or the varsity add-on) in any sport except for Volleyball, Swimming/Diving and Track/Cross Country.

These two items were approved by the Board of Control at its meeting later in the meeting.

The Team Sports Committee then met, and considered the feedback from the membership related to the alignment in Football for 2015 through 2018. The membership will be issued separate correspondence directly from the Commissioner with the final adopted alignment. The final alignment was approved by the Board of Control at its regular meeting later in the meeting.

The committee then discussed the bracketing for the football playoffs in Class 6A. The Commissioner had recommended that the 2015 playoffs be a straight bracket (1v2, 3v4, 5v6, 7v8), and then a new rotation for 2016 through 2018. The committee recommended that the 2015 recommendation be approved, but a decision on 2016 through 2018 be deferred until a later meeting. This was approved by the Board at the regular meeting.

The last item was the recommendation regarding adjustments to the alignment for the 2017 and 2018 seasons. The mid-cycle recommendation contained in the agenda was approved as was the recommendation regarding allowing teams to withdraw in contract cycle (normally two year) increments.

The Regulation Review and Adoption Committee considered a recommended amendment to Bylaw 14 to be considered at the Annual Meeting. This change would remove the restriction on practicing by students who are ineligible, and shift that decision (except for transferring students awaiting a ruling) to the local school. This proposal was approved by the Board of Control at its later meeting.

FULL BOARD MEETING – May 12 and May 13, 2014

The Board as part of its consent agenda, approved the following reports:

• The minutes from the April Board of Control meeting;
• The Transfer Reports from July 1 to April 30;
• The Appeals Report from July 1 to April 30; and
• The report of other school eligibility rulings from July 1 to April 30.

The Board as part of its reports of Board Business, approved the following reports:

• The Cash Disbursements from September 1 to April 30;
• The Income Statement from July 1 to April 30;
• The General Ledger Report from July 1 to April 30;

In other items, the Board considered and approved:

• The external corporate sales report from the KHSAA’s licensed corporate agent,  iHigh, Inc;
• The internal corporate sales report from corporate sales maintained within the KHSAA;
• A reduction in Title IX field visits for 2014-2015 due to budget constraints;
• Elimination of the KHSAA paying the trophy costs for individual sport championships in those sports that charge admission (does not include golf, tennis or bass fishing);
• Approved the recommendations of the Commissioner regarding staffing, including a 1% increase in the salary schedule for the employees of the Association, a reduction to only one paid internship, leaving a vacant staff position unfilled at this time, and extending the contract of the General Counsel;
• Approved the internal designations of funds to close the fiscal year;
• Authorized the Commissioner to replace the automobile assigned to Assistant Commissioner Passafiume;
• Authorized a one-year extension of the iHigh fund raising agreement;
• Approved the 2012-2013 financial audit; and
• Approved the draft budget for 2014-2015.

In its final actions of business, the Board did the following:

• Following consideration of proposals submitted by prospective host cities, the Board of Control approved the awarding of the State Softball Tournament to Owensboro for the 2015 to 2018 tournaments, Bowling Green and Owensboro were the only sites submitting proposals (Elizabethtown, Louisville, Ashland, Frankfort and Hopkinsville declined to submit a proposal).
• Following consideration of proposals submitted by prospective host cities, the Board of Control approved the awarding of the State Girls Basketball Tournament to the Bank of Kentucky Center in Northern Kentucky for the 2016 and 2017 tournaments, Bowling Green and the Bank of Kentucky Center were the only sites submitting proposals (Louisville, Lexington and Richmond declined to submit a proposal).
• The Board then approved its meeting schedule for the 2014-15 school year.
• The Board spent a significant time in its required evaluation of the COmmissioner. 702 KAR 7:065 requires this evaluation, and the Board noted that the Commissioner had a more than 98% approval from the members of the Board, with nearly every mark in the Good or Excellent category.
• The Board also approved a proposed interpretation to be added to Bylaw 23 which will clarify that member schools may not participate in scrimmages against teams that it cannot play contests against. This change is insurance and liability concern driven. For the fall, 2014 sports, any school determined to be playing a non-member in a scrimmage will be issued a reprimand, with full penalty implementation starting with the winter sports.

The next meeting of the Board of Control is in July, 2014 in Northern Kentucky and tentative items to be discussed include:

• Swimming Alignment Discussions
• Additional Orientation for new members
• Any necessary appeals from the Football alignment