Bylaws
Editorial changes were made to bring the non-discrimination language of the bylaws into compliance with USOC requirements.
All proposed changes to establish 20% athlete representation at Governing Council were sent back to committee. A resolution was passed, however, accepting the concept. Essentially the Governing Council agreed to the concept but did not accept the proposed implementation and sent it back to committee for further work.
The Board of Directors is now authorized to include members from other figure skating sports organizations.
The Treasurer remains chair of the Finance Committee, and was given authority to appoint the members of the committee.
The jurisdiction of the Athletes Advisory Committee was revised . The role of the committee is to serve as the advocate of athlete positions in the USFSA and to elect the athlete who serve in the athlete positions in the USFSA and USOC.
A proposal to make the Rink Operations Committee a permanent voting committee of the Board of Directors was defeated.
All proposals relating to the contract approval process were sent back to committee (again).
The Executive Committee was given authorization to hold meeting by teleconference and to conduct votes via Fax.
The Sponsorship Committee was eliminated.
The jurisdiction of the Sports Medicine Committee was completely revised, expanding the scope and role of the committee.
The grievance and disciplinary proceedings were tweaked (again).
Membership classifications and rights were tweaked. An "organizational" membership was added. This is basically a new corporate membership.
Changes to these rules were contingent on passage of related bylaws which did not pass. The current definition of an "athlete" (for the purposes of governance) remain. An athlete is an individual either actively engaged in athletic competition or who had represented the US in international competition within the past 10 years. What does "actively engaged" mean? You may well ask.
Sectional Intermediate winners do not have to qualify at Regionals the following year if they stay at the same level.
To receive a bye from Sectionals to Nationals a skater must demonstrate a reasonable chance of placing in the top six a Nationals.
A proposed change to bring participation of non-US citizens into conformance with ISU rules was defeated. This current requirement that non-US citizens cannot be named to the US Olympic, World or Jr. World Teams was retained.
Juvenile and intermediate figure events to be eliminated from qualifying competitions following the 1997/98 season. Junior and senior events will be eliminated following the 1998/99 season.
Competitors may not enter the same event at different levels in the same competition. Competitors may not enter the same kind of events in adult events and standard events at the same competition. Competitors in Adult Singles and Dance may enter different levels in the same type of event if eligible by test requirements.
The dances to be skated in the initial round of novice dance events for the 1998/99 season will be drawn from:
Dance #1 - European Waltz or American
Waltz
Dance #2 - Rocker Foxtrot or Tango
Dance #3 - Blues or Paso doble
Groups in Pre-Juvenile and Preliminary figure events and free skating events may be divided by age. Pre-Juvenile free skating programs to be 2 minutes in duration, Preliminary free skating events 1 minute 30 seconds in duration.
The adult competition structure was completely revised.
Officials at National and Qualifying competitions will receive stipends for the 1997/98 season.
The proposed elimination of new figure judge appointments was rejected.
A process to improve judges accountability for Nationals judges will be established.
Precision judges were exempted from being required to have earned a low singles/pairs or bronze dance appointment by Sep. 1, 1998.
A new category of World Precision Judge was created.
Trial judging at figure events will no longer be required.
The test and competition appointment structure and the requirements to obtain an appointment were restructured. Test levels will be designated Bronze, Silver, and Gold. The four current competition levels will be retained. A person can begin trial judging at age 16 and receive a judges appointment at age 18. A new category of "super accelerated judges" was established. This category, to be known as Select Candidates will consist of persons who have passed their gold test in figures, singles, pairs or dance. These candidates will be given gold test and novice competition appointments, and would be eligible for a junior competition appointment after one year.
Persons cannot be Individual Members and Home Club Members simultaneously.
Officers, Directors and Governing Council delegates of clubs must be Home Club Members of the club.
A prohibitions against a club attempting to usurp ice time at the secondary rinks of another club was added.
The National Skating Suppliers Association was made an Organizational Supportive Member of the USFSA.
A club is permitted to enter more than one team in the same division.
The rhythm requirement was removed from he music requirements for novice and lower events.
The ESIP program was eliminated. Eligible skaters are now allowed to coach through their test level without restrictions. Eligible skaters who coach, however, will not be permitted to judge or trial judge. Judging activity could begin 90 days after withdrawing from teaching activity. Judges are prohibited from judging former students for one year following the former student's last lesson.
Element number 6 of the Pre-Juvenile Moves in the Field test will become element 5 in the Preliminary Test.
A new schedule of Adult free skating tests becomes effective July 1, 1997.
The novice pairs short program for the 1998/99 season will include a double loop and a forward inside death spiral for the required double jump and death spiral.
The following changes were made to the pair test requirements.
Preliminary Pair test: Elements skated without music in good form with some
degree of unison especially as it pertains to stroking and basic pair skating and
footwork.
Juvenile Pair Test: 2 minute program with a variety of moves and connecting steps
utilizing the the ice surface, with some degree of unison in good form while demonstrating
the fundamentals of pair skating.
Intermediate Pair Test: 2 1/2 minute program skated rhythmically and in harmony with
the music. The pair must show a moderate degree of unison, in good form with good
flow, fully utilizing the ice surface and demonstrating some of the more advanced
fundamentals of pair skating including intermediate-based Moves in the Field in mirror
and/or shadow skating.
Novice Pair Test: 3 minute program with connecting moves and footwork
demonstrating basic pair unison and good form and flow. The program should utilize
the full ice surface and be skated with expression in time to the music.
Junior Pair Test: 4 minute program of good harmonious composition skated to the
music with rhythm and expression. The program should have a change of pace, utilize
the full ice surface, be skated in good form with very good flow with a good partner
relationship. The pair must show a good degree of pair unison.
Senior Pair Test: 4 1/2 minute program of championship caliber. Both
partners should move together in complete harmony showing a marked degree of pair unison
and in good form with excellent expression of mood and rhythm of music, change of pace,
excellent flow and full utilization of the ice surface. Harmonious steps and
connecting movements in time to music should be maintained throughout the program.
Following a lengthy theatre of the absurd, clubs in the State of New Jersey will be part of the North Atlantic Section, except for the town of Princeton, which will be in the South Atlantic Section.
An exemption from the USFSA rule that requires compliance with ISU rules was added to the competition rules excluding non-US citizens from the World Team. Since USFSA rules do not conform to ISU rules on the subject of World Team membership, this exemption was added to the USFSA rules to exclude the filing of grievances in this area.
Men and ladies are permitted to compete together in all figure events at all levels for both qualifying and non-qualifying competitions.
The Intermediate Short Program multiplying factor was changed to 0.5, making this short program now 1/3 the total mark for intermediate singles (formerly it was 1/6).
In National Qualifying and Championship rounds of precision skating more than 18 teams will now be required for qualifying rounds to be held (formerly it was 15).
The short programs at National Collegiate Championships were changed to allow double with double, double with triple, or triple with triple in the combination jump for seniors, and single axel or double axel in the axel jump for juniors.