National Wrestling Media Association Constitution and Bylaws
Article 1 - Name
The name of this organization shall be the National Wrestling Media Association, hereinafter referred to as the Association or NWMA.
Article 2 - Mission Statement
The NWMA is the national professional organization for journalists who cover the sport of amateur wrestling. This includes reporters, editors, publishers, webmasters, photographers, broadcasters, athletic communications professionals and other media professionals who share an interest and involvement in the sport.
The NWMA represents the interests of journalists within the sport of wrestling. It shall be a resource for its members for networking and information sharing. In addition, the NWMA will strive to support the growth of wrestling and its position within the sports world and the general public by developing more quality coverage of the sport through all available media outlets. A focus on the history of the world’s oldest sport and accuracy in reporting on wrestling is the foundation of the association’s mission.
Article 3 - Membership
Section 1: The membership of the Association shall consist of persons whose qualifications, in the judgement of the NWMA Officers hereinafter constituted, shall warrant their election to one of the following classifications:
A. Athletic Communications Professional: Any person actively engaged in the administration of a collegiate sports public relations and communications program at an accredited institution of higher learning, an intercollegiate athletic conference, a national athletics governing body, or of similar organizations devoted to the administration of collegiate athletics or governing bodies.
B. Wrestling Media Professional: Any person whose duties are related to the coverage of wrestling by a recognized media outlet or establishment, or a recognized, reputable and/or professional freelancer with the ability to produce original content via their own media outlet or who has been hired by existing media outlets.
C. Honorary Member: A person so designated by vote of the NWMA Officers, such as a retired member of the media or Officer emeritus.
Section 2: Honorary members of NWMA shall enjoy the same rights and privileges as active members, except that they may not serve as an NWMA Officer.
Section 3: Any qualified person who has been approved by the NWMA Officers may become a member of the NWMA upon payment of the annual membership fee.
Section 4: Applications for membership in the NWMA, the form and content which will be determined by the NWMA Officers, who shall examine the qualifications of the applicant, make a determination regarding the eligibility of the applicant for membership, and notify said applicant of his/her acceptance or rejection for membership pending the approval of the NWMA Officers. Rejections may be challenged in writing. The NWMA will then re-evaluate the request, seeking more information from both membership and non-member outlets.
Section 5: The membership year shall run from October 1-September 30.
Section 6: Membership terms shall be paid in one-, two- or five-year terms. Online payment options can also be recurring.
Section 7: Members will be designated as an individual or on behalf of an organization.
Article 3A - Membership Discipline and Complaints (Link to online complaint form)
Section 1: Membership status is subject to discipline by the NWMA Officers. The NWMA Officers will serve as a disciplinary committee if needed. Members are expected to act professionally and demonstrate best practices in the workplace, press area or press tribune.
Section 2: The NWMA Officers shall review any complaints about members. If the Officers deem it necessary, the complaint will be forwarded to the organization in which the member is representing.
After the member and/or parent organization has an opportunity to respond, the Officers shall meet and make a decision in the best interests of the Association based on a majority vote.
Minor professional infractions may lead to a warning (verbal and/or written), two or more warnings or serious professional infractions may merit suspension or revocation of membership for the rest of the membership year, or other disciplinary actions. Professional media outlets, event organizers and athletic communications professionals may also be notified of the disciplinary action. All disciplinary decisions and actions are at the discretion of the Officers.
Section 3: Members under review may challenge, via written submission, any disciplinary action by the NWMA.
Section 4: Membership dues will be forfeited for the rest of the paid term should a membership be revoked by the NWMA Officers. This includes the two- and five-year membership payment options. Revocation may occur after a first warning should behavior be deemed serious enough. All revocation decisions must be voted on by the Officers and challenges to the decision can be made in the same manner described in Section 3.
Section 5: The NWMA is not a rule-making body, thus its recommendations may or may not be followed by credential-granting events, however, the NWMA will inform credential-granting events of issues that may violate journalistic ethics and/or behavior.
Note: Participation in the NWMA is strictly voluntary.
Article 4 - Officers & Elections of Officers
Section 1: Officers of the Association shall be four elected officers and one appointed officer. President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary shall be elected. A Vice President for athletic communications (an active athletic communications member) will be appointed by the elected officers.
Section 2: All officers of the Association shall be elected/appointed every two years at the annual meeting of the Association. The candidate for an office who shall receive the highest number of votes shall be declared elected to that office. Nominations may come from any active, dues-paying member at the annual meeting.
Section 3: In the case of a vacancy in the office of President, the Vice President shall succeed the office of President and shall serve until the expiration of the current term. In the case of a vacancy in any other position, the remaining NWMA Officers shall have the power to appoint someone to the position and the appointee shall serve until the next regular election.
Article 5 - Duties of Officers
Section 1: The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association and of the NWMA Officers and shall assume all other duties of that office as prescribed in Roberts’ Rules of Order.
Section 2: The Vice President, in the absence of the President, shall assume all the duties of the President. He/she will have additional duties determined and assigned by the President with Officer approval.
Section 3: The Treasurer shall carry out such duties and responsibilities as determined and assigned by the Officers.
Section 4: The Secretary shall carry out such duties and responsibilities as determined and assigned by Officers.
Section 5: The Vice President for athletic communications shall carry out such duties and responsibilities as determined and assigned by Officers.
Article 6 - Terms of Office
Section 1: The four non-appointed positions shall serve a two-year term. They may be re-elected to the same position in consecutive terms.
Section 2: The appointed position shall serve in the role for a two-year term, but should the Vice President of athletic communications no longer be in a position as an active athletic communications professional, a new member may be appointed by the NWMA Officers.
Article 7 - Directors and Election of Officers
Section 1: The officers of the NWMA shall be four elected members, one appointed member and either the most immediate past president who continues to be an active member of the NWMA or an active charter member of the NWMA.
Section 2: The NWMA Officers shall have the power to act in the name of the NWMA when the NWMA is not meeting.
Article 8 - Committees
Section 1: The standing committees of the Association shall be:
The Awards Committee, consisting of all past presidents who continue to hold active membership in the Association and are still active as well as all current NWMA Officers.
The NWMA Officers may establish other committees as warranted, including those to provide recognition for outstanding achievements in specific areas of the profession.
Section 2: Any current dues-paying member of NWMA may hold committee membership. Committee chairs may be active members of the NWMA and serve with NWMA Officers’ approval. There is an understanding that certain committee chairs must be active members of the NWMA.
Article 9 - Meetings
Section 1: There shall be an annual meeting of the Association at a site and time to be determined by the NWMA Officers.
Section 2: The NWMA Officers shall meet during the NCAA Division I Championships unless the site does not afford the ability to meet (such as Olympic years). The agenda shall be set by the president.
Section 3: For the purpose of transacting business at the annual meeting, a quorum shall consist of a majority of the active members attending the business meeting.
Section 4: Additional meetings may be held with NWMA Officers and members at wrestling events with large collectives of members.
Section 5: For the purpose of transacting business outside the annual meeting, a quorum shall consist of at least three of the five NWMA Officers for an online vote. A majority vote of those present officers voting would be required for an online issue to pass.
Article 10 - Voting
Each active member of the Association shall be permitted to cast one vote on any motion (excluding disciplinary) requiring a vote by the membership.
Article 11 - Dues, Fees, Financial Policies
Section 1: The annual dues for the membership will be established by the NWMA Officers.
Section 2: The fiscal year of the Association shall begin on January 1 and continue through December 31 of that calendar year.
Article 12 - Order of Business
The order of business of the Association’s annual meeting shall be:
A. Call to order
B. President’s Report
C. Awards
D. Elections (if needed)
E. Unfinished business
F. New business
G. Adjournment
Article 13 - Awards & Citations
Section 1: The Association may, at its annual meeting, present the following awards, voted upon by the Awards Committee:
- Broadcaster of the Year
- Journalist of the Year
- Photographer of the Year
- Publication of the Year
- Website of the Year
- New Media Specialist of the Year
- Division I athletic communications Professional of the Year
- Small College athletic communications Professional of the Year
Section 2: The Awards Committee and the previous Jay Hammond Memorial Service Award recipients will select the annual Jay Hammond Memorial Service Award. The NWMA may select up to two media members annually for the Jay Hammond Memorial Service Award.
Section 3: Nominees for any awards will remain on the ballot for two years if not previously selected. After that period, the individual or outlet must be resubmitted or re-nominated as a new nominee.
Section 4: The NWMA may, at its annual meeting, present special commendation to members whose work has been meritorious. These recipients shall be determined by the NWMA Officers.
Article 14 - Affiliations
The NWMA shall maintain a close alliance with organizations, which have as their purpose the achievement or aims and objectives related to those of the NWMA, including the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, the National Junior College Athletic Association, the National Wrestling Coaches Association, USA Wrestling, the Amateur Athletic Union, the National United Wrestling Association for Youth, the National High School Coaches Association, the National Sports Media Association and the College Sports Information Directors of America; regional and conference-based athletic communications groups, and similar organizations of public relations professionals; writers and broadcasters in the U.S. and Canada.
Article 16 - Use of Name
The name and registered marks of the NWMA may not be used for commercial purposes or in any manner which may imply Association endorsement of a product or project for which endorsement has not been granted by the Association.
Article 17 - Parliamentary Authority
The most current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall govern all proceedings of any regularly constituted meeting in the absence of any other rule to the contrary which shall have been adopted by the Association.
Article 18 - Amendments
The Bylaws of the Association may be amended at any annual meeting, provided that the proposed amendment is submitted to the Secretary of NWMA at least 45 days prior to the meeting at which the proposed amendment is to be acted upon. The proposed amendment shall be published in the online digest and posted on NWMA website at least 21 days prior to the meeting.
Drafted July 7, 2017
Updated September 20, 2017
Ratified September 21, 2017
Inspired and formulated in part from College Sports Information Directors of America Constitution.
