ISCA CONSTITUTION
Amended: November 1, 2003
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section
1. NAME
2. OFFICE
3. ADMINISTRATIVE
4. INSIGNIA
5. OBJECTIVES
6. JURISDICTION
7. ORGANIZATION
7.1 WORLD COUNCIL
7.2 ADVISORY COUNCIL
7.3 COMMITTEES
7.4 OFFICERS
7.5 NATIONAL SUNFISH CLASS ASSOCIATIONS
8. ANNUAL MEETINGS
9. CONTRACTS
10. MEMBERSHIP AND DUES
11. SUSPENSION FROM MEMBERSHIP
12. AMENDMENTS
13. LANGUAGE
14. BYLAWS
1. NAME
The name of the Association shall be the
INTERNATIONAL SUNFISH CLASS ASSOCIATION, INC. (ISCA).
2. OFFICE
The principal office shall be: International Sunfish Class Association
PO Box 300128, Waterford, MI 48330-0128 USA
Telephone/FAX: (248) 673-2750
ISCA is incorporated in the State of Delaware, USA.
3. ADMINISTRATIVE
3.1 In this Constitution, “Builder’ means any manufacturer duly authorized or licensed to build the Sunfish sailboat.
4. INSIGNIA
The International Sunfish Class insignia shall be the recognized Sunfish symbol: a solid color profile of a sunfish as shown on the second panel of the sail.
5. OBIECTIVES
5.1 To provide a medium of exchange of information among Sunfish sailors throughout the world and to enhance the enjoyment of these sailboats.
5.2 To promote and develop Sunfish Class racing in all countries under uniform rules.
5.3 To encourage and foster the enjoyment of the sporting and recreational aspects of sailing.
5.4 To maintain the one-design characteristics of the Sunfish sailboat worldwide.
5.5 To maintain the International Status of the Class.
5.6 To promote the formation of National Sunfish Class Associations (NSCAs).
6. JURISDICTION
6.1 ISCA shall coordinate the activities of the Sunfish Class throughout the world. Its powers shall be vested in and carried out by the World Council and the Advisory Council, which represent the National Sunfish Class Associations (NSCA’s), all subject to and in accordance with the general rules and regulations of the ISAF.
6.2 ISCA shall recognize any NSCA which meets the minimum requirement of paragraph 7.5.
6.3 In countries where there is no functioning NSCA, the functions of the NSCA shall be carried out by ISCA or ISCA’s designated NSCA representative.
7. ORGANIZATION
7.1 WORLD COUNCIL
The World Council shall consist of one member appointed by each officially recognized NSCA, one member appointed by the Builder(s), the immediate past ISCA President, two members appointed by the Advisory Council, the Representative to the ISAF and any elected officers.
7.1.1 Each member of the World Council and any member appointed by a NSCA meeting the requirements of 7.5.1.1 shall have one vote. In addition each member appointed by a NSCA shall have one additional vote for every complete multiple of 500 ISCA members in that country.
7.1.2 The provisions of 7.1.1 not-withstanding, no NSCA shall cast more than one-half (1/2) of the total number of votes represented at the start of the meeting.
7.1.3 Mail or phone ballots shall be allowed in any vote of the World Council. Tabulation of votes by individual voters must be circulated to the World Council members within 30 days.
7.1.4 The World Council shall elect officers amongst themselves or from outside the World Council. The officers shall serve for two years and shall be eligible for re-election. Elections shall be held on even numbered years. Term of office is to commence at the conclusion of the meeting in which election was held.
7.1.5 Votes by the World Council shall be passed by a simple majority (i.e., more than half of the votes cast by a quorum at the annual meeting or by the whole if by phone or mail).7.2 ADVISORY COUNCIL
7.2.1 The Advisory Council shall consist of a minimum of five (5) and up to a maximum of ten (10) members from at least three (3) different NSCA’s. In addition, the Chief Measurer, the Representative to the ISAF, the current World Champion, and one (1) member appointed by the Builder(s) are members.
7.2.2 Each NSCA may nominate up to two (2) Advisory Council nominees for election. The World Council shall elect the chairman and members of the Advisory Council from the nominees nominated by each NSCA. Elections shall be held every two years on odd numbered years. Term of office is to commence at the conclusion of the meeting in which election was held.
7.2.3 All agenda items to be brought to the Advisory Council meeting SHALL be circulated to the Advisory Council members 14 days in advance of the meeting. Items are to be circulated via email with the title “Official Business - Advisory Council.”
7.2.4 The Advisory Council shall be responsible for making recommendations to the World Council regarding Bylaw 1, ISCA Class Rules, building specifications and measurements including suggested amendments or additions and interpretations.
7.2.5 Votes by the Advisory Council shall be passed by a simple majority (i.e., more than half of the votes cast by a quorum at the annual meeting or by the whole if by phone or mail).7.3 COMMITTEES
7.3.1 Committees of the World and Advisory Councils and their members/chairman may be designated/appointed by a World Council resolution or by the President. Members of the committees may also be appointed by the committee chairperson. The purpose and the extent of the power of a committee shall be designated by the World Council or the President.
7.3.2 Term of Office: Each member/chairman of a committee shall serve at the discretion of the World Council or the President.
7.3.3 Vacancies: Vacancies in the membership of any committee may be filled by appointments made by a World Council resolution, the President or committee chairman.
7.3.4 Quorum: Unless otherwise provided in the resolution of the World Council designating a committee, a majority of the whole committee shall constitute a quorum and an act of a majority of the members present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the committee.
7.3.5 Dissolving: Any committee may be dissolved by the same manner it was created.7.4 OFFICERS
7.4.1 Number: The principal officers of ISCA shall be: the President, the Vice President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, and the Chief Measurer. The duties of these officers shall be as outlined below.
7.4.2 The President: The President shall have active executive management of ISCA operations subject, however, to the control of the World Council. The President shall coordinate all international activities of the class and, in general, perform all duties incident to the office of President and such duties as the World Council may assign. The President shall preside at World Council meetings and at annual meetings of ISCA.
7.4.3 The Vice President: The Vice President shall assist the President in any matters directed by the World Council or the President. The Vice President shall substitute for the President should it be required for any reason.
7.4.4 The Secretary: The Secretary shall be responsible for the administrative management. The Secretary’s duties shall include, but not be limited to:
7.4.4.1 Assist with the coordination of all international activities;
7.4.4.2 Liaison between ISCA and the ISAF and all other yachting authorities;
7.4.4.3 Liaison between the ISCA membership and its officers, World and Advisory Councils, and any committees;
7.4.4.4 Preparation of the agendas for and minutes of class and council meetings;
7.4.4.5 Maintenance of class records, files, correspondence, etc.
7.4.5 The Treasurer: The Treasurer shall be responsible for financial management of ISCA. The Treasurer shall have the responsibility for all moneys of ISCA including maintaining bank accounts, making deposits, paying hills, and in general, shall perform all the duties incident to the office of Treasurer and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned by the World Council or by the President. The Treasurer shall provide a financial report whenever requested by the President or majority of the World Council but not less than yearly at the annual World Council meeting.
7.4.6 The duties of the Secretary and the Treasurer may be combined.
7.4.7 The Chief Measurer: A Chief Measurer shall be responsible for enforcing the class rules; shall rule on all questions and challenges relating to these rules; and shall issue interpretations thereof as required. All such interpretations shall be binding until approved, rejected or modified by the World Council, duly published to the members of ISCA. The Chief Measurer shall maintain a record of all changes to Bylaw 1, ISCA Class Rules.
7.4.8 The Representative to the ISAF: The Representative to the ISAF shall be appointed by the President to perform the following duties:
7.4.8.1 Become familiar with ISAF Regulations and procedures;
7.4.8.2 Promptly submit to the ISAF for approval any amendments to the ISCA Class Rules approved by ISCA;
7.4.8.3 Represent ISCA in any discussions with the ISAF concerning the ISCA Class Rules.
7.4.9 Removal Any elected or appointed officer or committee member may be removed from office by a majority vote of the World Council for a willful and unjustifiable act of commission or omission detrimental to ISCA or its members.
7.4.10 Resignation Any officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the World Council or to the President. Such resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein and, unless otherwise specified therein, the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
7.4.11 Vacancies
7.4.11.1 Any World Council vacancy, except NSCA representatives, shall be filled until the next annual meeting of the World Council by appointment by the President. Any World Council vacancies of represented NSCA’s shall be filled according to the constitution of the NSCA. Any World Council vacancy representing the Builder(s) shall be filled by the Builder(s).
7.4.11.2 Any Advisory Council vacancy representing the Builder(s) shall be filled by the Builder(s). Any other Advisory Council vacancies shall be filled until the next annual meeting of the Advisory Council by the President.
7.4.12 Qualification All officers, council members, and committee members must be members of ISCA, with the exception of the representative of the Builder(s).
7.4.13 Compensation/Expenses No ISCA officer or committee chairman-member shall be financially compensated for his/her services except for reasonable expenses associated with ISCA business as allowed by the Treasurer subject to approval by the President.7.5 NATIONAL SUNFISH CLASS ASSOCIATIONS (NSCA’s)
7.5.1 Sunfish class associations organized within individual countries shall be known as National Sunfish Class Associations (NSCA’s), and shall be recognized by ISCA as such, provided the following minimum requirement is met:
7.5.1.1 The NSCA is composed of at least twenty (20) members whose basic ISCA membership dues must be paid by May 1 of that membership year. One exception to this is that any country never previously recognized by the ISCA may qualify up to 2 sailors for the World Championship if they can form an NSCA that must have a minimum of five members that have paid their dues to the ISCA by May lst of the year of the championship.
7.5.2 Each NSCA shall establish its own Constitution and may establish local fleets and/or territorial regions. Each NSCA shall determine eligibility rules for its members for the World Championship. The number of participants allowed from each NSCA for the World Championship shall be determined by the World Council.
7.5.3 Each NSCA shall have jurisdiction over its own national championship and may, in cooperation with other NSCA’s, hold continental championships with the approval of the ISCA President.
7.5.4 It is recommended that before the Annual Meeting and with its annual application for recognition, each NSCA’s World Council representative shall provide a written report on the NSCAs activities for the past year.
8. ANNUAL MEETINGS
8.1 The annual meetings of the World and Advisory Councils shall, if possible, be held in conjunction with the World Championship. The Advisory Council shall meet in advance of the World Council to enable the World Council to consider their recommendations.
8.1.1 Notification of time and place of the annual council meetings shall be published at least thirty (30) days in advance of the meetings. Notification via the World Championship Notice of Regatta shall be acceptable.
8.1.2 At meetings of the World and Advisory Councils, more than fifty percent of the members shall constitute a quorum.
8.1.3 The Council meeting agendas shall be published 30 days in advance of the meetings. Additional items may be placed on the agendas by any member of the respective Councils or by written petition of any ten (10) members of ISCA or a NSCA. Such items shall be received by the Secretary 5 days prior to publication of the agenda. Required items on the agenda shall be: approval of the minutes of the last annual Council meetings and approval of the minutes of any subsequent meetings of the World Council and/or Advisory Council, reports of the officers and reports of the officers and committees, and at the World Council meeting, a report from the preceding Advisory Council meeting.
8.1.4 If a Council member is unable to attend a meeting, the elected officer, appointed chairperson, the NSCA, or the Builder(s) may appoint a substitute for their representative for that meeting only. Such designations shall be in writing and be received by the Secretary prior to the meeting.8.2 An annual general membership meeting of ISCA shall be held in conjunction with the World Championship. The meeting shall be held following the World and Advisory Council meetings.
8.2.1 Notification of the time and place of the annual membership meeting shall be via the World Championship Notice of Regatta or by special notice.
8.2.2 The purpose of the annual membership meeting shall be generally to advise those in attendance of the results of the Advisory Council and World Council meetings and any other matters determined by the officers.
9. CONTRACTS
9.1 The World Council is authorized to enter into any contract or execute and deliver any instrument in the name of ISCA, or may delegate the ISCA President to do so, both by majority vote.
9.2 The President has the authority to approve expenditures up to $5,000 without prior approval of the World Council so long as he has the approval of the Treasurer.
10. MEMBERSHIP AND DUES
10.1 Any person whose ISCA dues are paid for the current year is a member.
10.2 ISCA dues shall be determined annually by the World Council. If not placed on agenda for World Council annual meeting it shall remain the same for the next year.
10.3 Membership in ISCA implies that the member undertakes and agrees to be bound by the ISCA Constitution and Bylaws.
10.4 The World Council may grant honorary life membership in ISCA to any one person a year, who, through special contribution to the class or through special relationship to ISCA is considered meritorious. An honorary life member is entitled to full privileges of membership but is not required to pay the annual dues of ISCA.
10.5 Only ISCA members shall be entitled to compete in Class sanctioned international events including the World Championship.
11. SUSPENSION FROM MEMBERSHIP
A member may be suspended by the World Council for gross violation of the ISCA Constitution/Bylaws/Rules or ISAF yacht racing rules, for committing an unlawful act in relation to ISCA or one of its members, or for any unsportsmanlike conduct contrary to the interests of ISCA.
12. AMENDMENTS
12.1 The ISCA Constitution and Bylaws may be amended by the World Council by either of the following two methods:
12.1.1 A two-thirds vote of the World Council members attending the annual World Council meeting if a quorum exists, or,
12.1.2 A two-thirds vote of the World Council members after presenting the proposed amendments in writing by mail.
12.2 Changes to ISCA Class Rules shall be proposed to the Advisory Council. Such changes may be proposed by an NSCA, an individual ISCA member, the Builder(s), or by the ISAF.
12.3 The ISCA Class Rules shall not be changed more often than every two (2) years based on the effective date of the relative change.
13. LANGUAGE
The official language of ISCA shall be English and in the event of a dispute over translation, the English text shall prevail.
14. BYLAWS
The World Council may make bylaws for the purpose of carrying out the objectives of this
Constitution.
14.1 The ISCA Class Rules are hereby established as Bylaw 1.