USA Table Tennis Board of Directors Posts Proposed Bylaw Revisions for Member Comment

(Colorado Springs, CO – October 8, 2021) The USATT Board of Directors today posted proposed revisions to the organization’s Bylaws for member comment. A clean version of the proposed revised Bylaws, as well as a “redline” version of the proposed revised Bylaws compared to the current Bylaws can be found at the following link: https://www.teamusa.org/usa-table-tennis/usatt/proposed-bylaw-revisions-october-2021.

We invite you to share your thoughts and comments by no later than 5:00 Mountain Time on Friday, October 22, by email to Admin@usatt.org. Our intention, based on directives USATT has received from USOPC, is to enact certain Bylaw modifications at the USATT Board Meeting on Wednesday October 27, in order to remain in compliance.

We will, however, continue to receive and consider comments from members offered after this time as well.  While the USOPC requirements dictate that certain changes must be made immediately, the Board has the authority and responsibility to revise the Bylaws further should such be warranted.

A few preliminary comments (not intended to be exhaustive):

•     Please ignore the index which we will finalize later.

•     Many of the proposed revisions are minor, and many of those are non-substantive (e.g., formatting, agreement).

•     Some provisions are mandated, (e.g., SafeSport).

•     Elite Athletes and 10+ Year Elite Athletes are defined in Section 4.1 (e) and (f).  

•     “Full Board” is now defined as “all of the currently seated Board members.”  (Section 5.4.)

•     Note the proposed modifications concerning the composition of the Board both during the current term as well as 2024 and going forward.  (Sections 7.5 and 7.6.)

•     Note the selection procedures for the four (4) Athlete Representatives.  (Section 7.6 (a) (4).)

•     Note the provision addressing the need for a staggered board in order to preserve continuity.  (Section 7.9.)

•     New Section 7.10 has a paragraph that addresses the departure of the prior board.

•     Director attendance by video is being proposed for the Board (Section 7.11) as well as for committees/task forces (Section 9.6.)

•     Board action without a meeting now requires unanimity.  (Section 7.19.)

•     Section 10.13 is new and mandatory:  Whistleblower and Anti-Retaliation.

•     Section 11 addresses the composition of the USATT AAC.  (Note that Section 11.6 is in brackets and addresses the “Vice Chair” concept for the AAC.  This is for the AAC to consider.)

Thank you for taking the time to consider these proposed modifications to USATT’s Bylaws and do bear in mind that the updating of the Bylaws to remain in compliance with applicable laws and USOPC requirements, as well as best practices, is an ongoing process.

Thank you.

USATT BOARD OF DIRECTORS

End.21 10-08a