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Member Conduct Policy Convention preview 2011 Slate of Recommended Directors 2010 National Award Winners Importance of Waivers And more
RRCA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Brent Ayer President David Cotter Vice President Dennis Novak Treasurer Dan Edwards Secretary, At-Large Director Mark Grandonico Eastern Region Director Mitchell Garner Central Region Director Lena Hollmann Southern Region Director David Epstein Western Region Director Kelly Richards At-Large Director
Does Your Club Need a Member Conduct Policy? By: Jean Knaack, RRCA Executive Director
On rare occasions, some clubs find themselves faced with difficult members that seem to create extreme problems for the club. These problems often include creating a hostile environment for other members due to unwanted physical or sexual contact, verbal abuse, racial or ethnic slurs, gender or sexual orientation bashing, etc. The running club experience is supposed to be fun and social, and at times adults may make candid remarks or adult-oriented comments to be humorous, express personal frustration with their performance, vent about work, etc. For the most part, group runs are a chance to cut loose a little with friends while you workout or engage in a little friendly competition. When friendly competition is present, a little “smack talk” goes with the territory. However, members should be mindful how their comments or actions are perceived within a larger group setting, especially if younger runners, including teens, are participating with the group. There are times when clubs have been faced with addressing behaviors that go beyond the normal adult banter meant to be humorous. While the need to remove a club member based on inappropriate behavior is rare, it has happened on occasion. Even if your club has never had the misfortune to deal with a troublesome member, it is a good idea to consider adopting a Member Code of Conduct to help outline expected behavior within the membership for people participating in your organized club runs, events, business or social functions. Some clubs have a Conflict of Interest that outlines how their board of directors should behave, but often times these codes or policies do not establish behavior expectations for the general membership. Adopting a Member Code of Conduct policy is a good opportunity to outline the type of atmosphere your organization is trying to create; especially as your club membership grows in size. A Code establishes a baseline expectation of behavior for all members, and it should also outline what members should do if they feel that another member is violating the club’s Code of Conduct policy. Your Member Code of Conduct policy should be included on your membership forms, ideally under your waiver of liability. CONTINUED ON PAGE 14