The second adjourned meeting of the Special Meeting of the Members of the Association, originally called for September 7, 2006, will be held on December 2, 2006, at the Marriott Downtown Portland, 1401 SW Naito Parkway, Portland, Oregon 97201 at 3:00 p.m. PST. This second adjourned meeting will consider the proposed amendment to the Articles of Incorporation put before the Association membership at the September 7, 2006 meeting. Proposed language of this amendment is located in the document below. Pursuant to 15 Pa. C.S. §5756, those members who attend this second adjourned meeting (including absentee ballots) shall automatically constitute a quorum for the purpose of acting upon the proposed amendment.

In keeping with the USRowing Bylaws and Pennsylvania statutes, organizational members of the association as of November 2, 2006, will have the opportunity to vote in person or by absentee ballot (mail-in or fax). Ballot materials were sent out by mail to these organizations and must be received by noon EST on December 1, 2006 to be valid.

What ARE the Articles of Incorporation?

The Articles of Incorporation is a document USRowing is required to file with the State of Pennsylvania and it outlines the basic purpose of the Association. 

Purpose of the Amendment

The purpose of this proposed amendment is to bring USRowing into compliance with federal law and the United States Olympic Committee's (USOC) bylaws. The Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act (Ted Stevens Act) established the powers of the USOC and the National Governing Bodies (NGBs); it also lays out the rights of competing athletes. The USOC bylaws also define athletes' rights. One of the requirements of the Ted Stevens Act and the USOC bylaws is that athletes who are elected by their peers must be involved in making decisions about National and Olympic team issues such as team selection, athlete funding, etc.

Under USRowing’s current constitution and by-laws, decisions specifically concerning National Team and Olympic Team issues can be made by groups with no elected athlete representation, such as organizational members, putting USRowing in violation of the Ted Stevens Act. The proposed amendment addresses this by specifying who can make these decisions (essentially, a deliberative body that includes at least 20% athlete representation, per the Ted Stevens Act and the USOC bylaws).  

Why Amend the Articles of Incorporation and not the Constitution?

Due to the importance of complying with the Ted Stevens Act, it is critical that athlete representation on National and Olympic team issues be unassailable. By inserting this change into the articles of incorporation, it is more difficult to eliminate or amend the required athlete representation than amending USRowing’s constitution or by-laws.  

Letter to the Organizational Members Regarding Second Adjourned Meeting scheduled for December 2, 2006

Click here to view the Articles of Incorporation