GUIDELINES FOR MEMBERSHIP APPLICANTS
- All contact between the Conference Carolinas and the prospective member concerning membership shall be through the President of Conference Carolinas or his selected representative.
- An Advisory delegation/committee shall be appointed by the President to assist a prospective member with decisions about application to the Conference Carolinas.
- Any new member must comply with all appropriate sections of the constitution prior to Conference Carolinas vote on membership.
- An entry fee equal to two times the annual member dues at the time of the invitation is required and payable within 60 days of providing notice of acceptance of invitation to join the conference. The institution will have all rights and privileges of a full conference member beginning July 1 of the first year of official membership. Following payment of the entry fee and prior to July 1 of the first year of official membership, institutional staff members will be invited to conference meetings, but will not serve as a voting member of the conference.
- A visiting committee, which may be the same group as above in #2, will review the applicant's worthiness and recommend to the Conference Carolinas at its next regular meeting an appropriate course of action in accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws.
- The visiting committee shall consider, in addition to the above, the following points:
a) The philosophy of the applicant toward intercollegiate athletics.
b) The size and location of the applicant
c) The number of intercollegiate sports offered by the applicant
d) The balance of the sports programs of the applicant
e) The potential of the applicant to enhance and improve the Conference Carolinas.
7. No new member may be admitted without proper notification to member schools, such as that which would be required for a constitutional amendment.
8. No new member may be admitted unless it adheres to the current guidelines for new members.
MINIMAL GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS FOR MEMBERSHIP
1. FACILITIES
Facilities must be adequate for hosting Conference Carolinas events. The gymnasium must provide seating for all spectators reasonably expected to be in attendance at athletic events. The playing arena must be in good repair, properly lighted, and provided with all equipment necessary for efficiently conducting the athletic event. There must be parking areas, within reasonable proximity of the facility, sufficient to accommodate teams and spectators. Outdoor playing fields must be well-kept and safe for play. These fields must be provided with all equipment necessary for efficiently conducting the athletic event. Dressing rooms must be equipped to handle both the home and visiting teams.
2. ACADEMIC
Membership in Conference Carolinas requires that the institution shall be accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The published mission statement which sets forth the educational philosophy of the institution must be compatible with similar statements from other member institutions and with the conference statement of purpose. In the case of an applicant for membership, the visitation committee, after studying the mission statement and the academic programs offered by the institution, will formulate a subjective opinion whether the prospective member meets minimal academic requirements.
3. NUMBER OF SPORTS
A member institution shall sponsor a minimum of five men's sports and five women's sports that are recognized by the conference. (10/20/04)
4. STAFFING
A member institution shall provide athletic staffing sufficient for operating an athletic program within the regulations of the conference and for meeting the needs of that institution. A preponderance of the coaching staff shall be full-time employees of the institution. Full-time employees shall have coaching responsibilities included as part of their employment contract. A part-time coach is defined as an individual who coaches but is not a full-time employee of the institution. There should be relatively few part-time coaches. The institution shall designate individuals, employed by the institution, to serve as Sports Information Director and Certified Athletic Trainer.
5. FINANCING
Financing shall include appropriate funding for all sports, for staffing needs and for meeting the minimum number of sports required by the conference.