602.1
MEMBERS - The membership of NDSI
shall consist of the following:
.1
Group Members - Group Members are organizations
operating in the Territory which have, upon application, been granted
membership in USS and NDSI and paid the fees established by USS and NDSI
pursuant to Article 603. An organization may be denied membership by the Registration
Coordinator or the Board of Directors for failure to satisfy the criteria for
membership or for any reason for which a Group Membership could be terminated.
Any denial of membership may be appealed to the Board of Review. An
organization's status as a Group Member is subject to its continued
satisfaction of the criteria for membership and compliance with its
responsibilities under these Bylaws, the USS Code, the rules, regulations,
policies, procedures and codes of conduct and ethics of NDSI and USS and may be
terminated by a decision of the Board of Review or the National Board of
Review. Except for Affiliated Group Members, Group Members in good standing
shall be entitled to participate in the program of swimming conducted by NDSI,
and competitions sanctioned or approved by USS, in accordance with Section 609.2.
C
Seasonal Club Members - A Seasonal Club
Member is an organization which has joined NDSI and USS for one or two periods
not longer than 150 days each in a registration year and is in good standing as
a Group Member of NDSI and USS. All Seasonal Club Member coaches must be Coach
Members in good standing of NDSI and USS. All athlete members of seasonal clubs
must be Seasonal Athlete or Athlete Members in good standing of NDSI and USS.
.2
Individual Members - Individual members are individuals involved
in the sport of swimming in the territory who have,
upon registration, been granted membership in USS and NDSI and paid the dues
established by USS and NDSI pursuant to Article 603. An individual may be
denied membership by the registration chairman or by the board of directors for
failure to satisfy the criteria for membership or for any reason for which an
individual membership could be terminated. Any denial of membership may be
appealed to the board of review. An individual's status as an individual member
is subject to the individual member's continued satisfaction of the criteria
for membership and compliance with the individual's responsibilities under
these bylaws, the USS code, the rules, regulations, policies, procedures and
codes of conduct and ethics of NDSI and USS and may be terminated by a decision
of the board of review or the national board of review. Individual members in
good standing shall be entitled to participate in the program of swimming
conducted by NDSI, and competitions sanctioned or approved by USS, in
accordance with Section 609.1.
E
Life Member - A life member is an
individual who is a life member of USS and who resides, formerly resided or
participated in the sport of swimming in the Territory and who is in good
standing as a member of NDSI and USS.
.3
Membership A Privilege Not A Right - Membership in NDSI and USS is a
privilege and shall not be interpreted as a right. Membership may be terminated
by the Board of Review or the National Board of Review for any violation of a
member's responsibilities under Section 602.2, for any of the reasons set forth in Section 610.4.7C or for any other reason determined by the Board of
Review or National Board of Review to be in the best interests of the sport of
swimming, USS or NDSI.
602.2
MEMBERS' RESPONSIBILITIES
.1
Compliance - Each Group and Individual Member shall
abide by the codes of conduct and ethics, policies, procedures, rules and
regulations adopted by USS and NDSI, including its obligations and
responsibilities set forth in these Bylaws. Each Group and Individual Member
shall not take or allow to be taken, any action, or conspire with or instigate
any other person to take or allow to be taken, any action which could bring the
sport of swimming, NDSI or USS into disrepute. By applying for and accepting
membership in NDSI and USS, each Individual Member agrees to so abide and
represents, except to the extent disclosed to NDSI and USS, that he or she has
never been convicted of a crime involving sexual misconduct, child abuse,
violation of a law specifically designed to protect minors, or similar offenses,
or to have been found by a Board of Review or the National Board of Review to
have committed actions which would be the basis for a conviction and that she
or he has never acted in a manner which might bring into disrepute NDSI, USS or
the sport of swimming.
.2
Responsibility for Infractions - A Group Member may be held responsible for
infractions of the policies, procedures, rules, regulations or codes of conduct
or ethics adopted by USS or NDSI, including its responsibilities as set forth
in these Bylaws. Infractions of a Group Member include those committed or
allowed to happen by its members, representatives, officials or coaches or by
athletes who are competing as representatives of the Group Member or who are
competing with the Group Member as unattached swimmers. Also included are
infractions committed or allowed to happen by a person instigated by the Group
Member or with whom the Group Member through any of those individuals
conspired. Any Individual Member may be held responsible for any infractions
committed or that were allowed to happen by the Individual Member. Also
included are infractions committed or allowed to happen by a person instigated
by the Individual Member or with whom the Individual Member conspired.
Club Safety Coordinator - Each Club Member shall appoint an Individual Member to be a Club Safety Coordinator. The Club Safety Coordinator shall be responsible for disseminating safety education information received from USS and NDSI to the Club Member's athletes, coaches and other members and shall make recommendations to the Club Member concerning safety policy and its implementation. The Club Safety Coordinator shall make any reports requested by NDSI's Safety Coordinator.