Connell Foley associate Michael Rolek will be presenting at the United States of America Track and Field (USATF) National Meeting in Reno, NV from December 5-7, 2019. There he will be defending 10 proposed amendments to the USATF Bylaws and Operating Regulations, collectively referred to as the "Diversity Bill," before the USATF Law and Legislation Committee. The Diversity Bill, submitted in conjunction with Connell Foley’s pro bono client the Garden State Track Club, has received support from Olympians, coaches, and chairs of various track and field committees and Associations across the country. A brief summary of the Diversity Bill is below:
One of the stated Purposes of USATF is Diversity; specifically: “promoting diversity of representation at all levels of participation in its activities.” (See Article 3(A)(5) of the USATF Bylaws and Regulations). Nevertheless, Associations across the United States maintain homogenous committees that do not reflect its diverse constituencies. The Diversity Bill addresses this issue by requiring Associations to take actionable steps to diversify their governing bodies to ensure that every member has a voice and is being adequately represented. In particular, the Diversity Bill seeks to: (1) ensure that Associations’ committees are structured to promote diversity; (2) establish and encourage voting options accessible to all members; and (3) hold Associations accountable for promoting diversity of representation at all levels of participation in its activities.
Please see Related Materials below for the full text of the Diversity Bill.