4.1 MEMBERS - The House of Delegates of MDSI shall consist of the Group Member Representatives, the Board of
Director Members , the Committee Chairs and Coordinators , the Non-Athlete At-Large House Members, and a
sufficient number of Athlete At-Large House Members elected.
.1 GROUP MEMBER REPRESENTATIVES - Each Group Member in good standing shall appoint from its
membership three (3) Group Member Representatives: one athlete, who shall be at least age 14, one
coach, and one non-athlete-non-coach. The appointment shall be in writing, addressed to the Secretary
of MDSI and duly certified by the chief executive officer or secretary of the appointing Group
Member. The appointing Group Member may withdraw one or more of its Group Member
Representatives and substitute a new Group Member Representative by written notice, addressed to the
Secretary of MDSI and signed by the chief executive officer or secretary of the appointing Group
Member. The representatives of any Group Member are not required to be Individual Members of
MDSI or USA Swimming.
.2 BOARD OF DIRECTORS - Board of Director Members as designated in Article 5.
.3 NON-ATHLETE AT-LARGE HOUSE MEMBERS - Up to two non-athlete members of the House of
Delegates may be elected as At-Large House Members by the House of Delegates. At-Large House
Members shall hold office from the date of election through the conclusion of the annual
meeting of the House of Delegates following such election or until their successors are elected to the
House of Delegates.
.4 ATHLETE AT-LARGE HOUSE MEMBERS - A sufficient number of athletes, to ensure that Athlete
Members constitute at least 20% of the voting membership of the House of Delegates shall be elected
by the Athletes in the same manner as the Athlete Representatives and shall hold office from the date of
election through the conclusion of the annual meeting of the House of Delegates following such
election or until their successors are elected to the House of Delegates.
.5 OTHER MEMBERS – All Committee Chairs and Coordinators shall serve as voting members of MDSI
House of Delegates.
4.2 ELIGIBILITY - Only Individual Members in good standing shall be eligible to be elected or appointed as at-large
members of the House of Delegates.
4.3 DOUBLE VOTE PROHIBITED - An Individual Member entitled to vote in House of Delegates meetings may only
have one vote regardless of the number of positions held by such member.
4.4 VOICE AND VOTING RIGHTS OF MEMBERS - The voice and voting rights of members of the House of
Delegates and of individuals shall be as follows:
.1 GROUP MEMBER REPRESENTATIVES, BOARD MEMBERS, AT-LARGE HOUSE MEMBERS AND
OTHER MEMBERS - Each of the Group Member Representatives, the Board Members, the At-Large
House Members and other members shall have both voice and vote in meetings of the House of
Delegates.
.2 INDIVIDUALS - Individuals who are not members of the House of Delegates may attend open meetings
of the House of Delegates and its committees and be heard at the discretion of the presiding officer.
4.5 DUTIES AND POWERS - The House of Delegates shall oversee the establishment of policies, procedures and
programs. In addition to the duties and powers prescribed in the USA Swimming Rules and Regulations, USA
Swimming Corporate Bylaws, or elsewhere in these Bylaws, the House of Delegates shall:
.1 Elect the officers, At-Large Board Members, members of the Administrative Review Board, and the
Committee Chairs and Coordinators listed in Articles 6 and 7;
.2 Elect the members of the Governance Committee;
.3 Review, modify and adopt the annual budget of MDSI recommended by the Board of Directors;
.4 Call
regular and special meetings of the House of Delegates;
.5 Ratify or prospectively modify or rescind policy and program established by the Board of Directors, except
any action or authorization by the Board of Directors with respect to contracts or upon which any
person may have relied shall not be modified or rescinded;
.6 Establish joint administrative committees, or undertake joint activities with other sports organizations
where deemed helpful or necessary by MDSI;
.7 Amend the Bylaws of MDSI in accordance with Section 9.3; and
.8 Remove from office any persons elected by the House of Delegates (Board Members, members of the
Administrative Review Board, or Committee Chairs or Coordinators) who have failed to attend
to their official duties or member responsibilities or have done so improperly, or who would be
subject to penalty by the National Board of Review for any of the reasons set forth in Article 404 of
USA Swimming Rules and Regulations. However, no such individual may be removed without
receiving thirty (30) days’ written notice by the Secretary or other officer designated by the House of
Delegates specifying the alleged deficiency in the performance of the member’s responsibilities or
specific official duties or other reason and an opportunity to respond in writing within twenty (20)
days to such allegations.
4.6 ANNUAL AND REGULAR MEETINGS - The annual meeting of the House of Delegates of MDSI shall be held in
the spring, Regular meetings of the House of Delegates may be held in accordance with a schedule adopted by
the Board of Directors.
4.7 SPECIAL MEETINGS - Special meetings of the House of Delegates may be called by the Board of Directors or the
General Chair. Should the Board of Directors or the General Chair fail to call the annual or scheduled regular
meetings or should a special meeting be appropriate or helpful, a meeting of the House of Delegates may be
called by a petition signed by at least five (5) group members of the House of Delegates.
4.8 MEETING LOCATION AND TIME - All meetings of the House of Delegates shall take place at a site within the
Territory. The Board of Directors shall determine the location and time of all meetings of the House of
Delegates. If federal, state, or local law, policy, or regulation prohibits physical gathering sufficient to conduct
a House of Delegates meeting within the Territory, a House of Delegates meeting may be conducted through
conference equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the
same time. In that circumstance, participation by such means shall constitute presence at that meeting.
4.9 OPEN MEETINGS/CLOSED SESSIONS - House of Delegates meetings shall be open to all members of MDSI.
Issues pertaining to personnel, disciplinary action, legal, tax or similar affairs of MDSI shall be deliberated
and decided in a closed session which only House of Delegates members m ay attend. By a majority vote, the
House of Delegates may decide to go into closed session on any matter deserving of confidential treatment or
of personal concern to any member of the House of Delegates.
4.10 QUORUM - A quorum of the House of Delegates shall consist of those members present and voting.
4.11 VOTING - Except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws or the Parliamentary Authority, all motions, orders and
other propositions coming before the House of Delegates shall be determined by a majority vote.
4.12 PROXY VOTE - Voting by proxy in any meeting of the House of Delegates shall not be permitted.
4.13
NOTICES
.1 TIME - Not less than twenty (20) days’ written notice shall be given to each member of the House of
Delegates for any annual, regular or special meeting of the House of Delegates. See Section 14.1.3
for the various permitted means of notice.
.2 INFORMATION - The notice of a meeting shall contain the time, date and site. For special meetings of the
House of Delegates, the expected purpose (which may be general) of the meeting shall be stated. If
an expected purpose is the amendment of the Bylaws, a copy of t he proposed amendment shall be
included in the notice. Failure to have included in the notice any germane amendments subsequently
adopted by the House of Delegates at the noticed meeting shall not be the basis for any claim that the
amendments as so adopted are invalid.
