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Constitution and Policies
CONSTITUTION
Name
Canadian Intercollegiate Baseball Association.
In french, Association de Baseball Inter-Universitaire Canadienne.
When abbreviated, CIBA/ABIC.
Mission Statement
To promote and facilitate competitive baseball among and within colleges and universities throughout Canada.
Membership
There shall be four categories of membership:
Full Members shall be individual institutions/teams paying full membership fees and participating in league, playoff and championship play under jurisdiction of the CIBA/ABIC.
Affiliate Members shall be leagues or associations approved by the CIBA/ABIC, participating in league and playoff play under their own jurisdiction with their champion advancing to the CIBA/ABIC National Championship.
Independent Members shall be teams approved by the CIBA/ABIC, participating in league and playoff play under another jurisdiction who, as Champion of that league, may advance to the CIBA/ABIC National Championship.
Life Members shall be individuals honoured by the CIBA/ABIC with the privilege of participating in all CIBA/ABIC events and functions.
Each Past President shall be awarded an honorary Life Membership in the association.
Members agree to abide by the Constitution, policies, guidelines, playing rules and eligibility rules as adopted from time to time by the CIBA/ABIC.
To remain in good standing, members must pay all fees, penalties, fines and any other financial obligations required under the Constitution, policies or guidelines as adopted from time to time by the CIBA/ABIC. Failure to do so shall result in suspension of membership privileges.
Only members in good standing may participate in CIBA/ABIC meetings, league play, events or competitions.
Members under suspension or probation and guests may attend CIBA/ABIC meetings at the discretion of the Chair.
Structure
Members shall participate within and through a regional league known as a Conference. Conferences will be determined by the membership at a general meeting.
The association shall be governed by an Executive Committee, composed of the President, Past President, Executive Vice President and Administrative Vice President.
Duties and Responsibilities
Executive Committee
Shall carry out and safeguard the articles of the Constitution, policies, guidelines, playing rules and eligibility rules as adopted from time to time by the CIBA/ABIC.
Shall conduct the affairs of the association between general meetings .
Shall review the activities of its individual officers, the Commissioner and any standing, ad hoc or special committees.
May appoint ad hoc or special committees, as required from time to time.
May hire staff as required or approved by the membership.
The President
Shall represent the Association in all affairs, events and activities.
Shall chair all General Meetings and meetings of the Executive Committee.
Shall report to the Executive Committee.
Shall appoint the following Standing Committees annually:
Standing Committee for Statistics and Awards
Standing Committee for National Championships
Standing Committee for Marketing
Shall appoint a national Umpire-in-Chief annually.
Shall have the final authority on all matters relating to players, coaches or officials.
May appoint ad hoc or special committees, as required from time to time.
May sign contracts, notes, instruments, etc. for the Association.
Shall be an ex officio member of all committees.
Shall issue a written report for each General Meeting and meeting of the Executive Committee.
Executive Vice President
Shall, in the absence or by the appointment of the President, assume the duties and responsibilities of the President.
Shall report to the President.
Shall be responsible for and oversee the Commissioner on all financial affairs of the Association.
Shall present financial statements, including balance sheet and income statements, at each General Meeting or meeting of the Executive Committee.
Shall present a budget for the approval of the Annual General Meeting.
Shall be a signing officer for the Association.
Shall perform any other duties assigned from time to time by the President.
Shall issue a written report for each General Meeting and meeting of the Executive Committee.
Administrative Vice President
Shall, in the absence of the Executive Vice President or by the appointment of the President, assume the duties and responsibilities of the Executive Vice President.
Shall report to the President.
Shall be responsible for and oversee the Commissioner on all written matters of the Association.
Shall perform any other duties assigned from time to time by the President.
Shall issue a written report for each General Meeting and meeting of the Executive Committee.
The Commissioner
Shall conduct the affairs of the association between meetings of the Executive Committee.
Shall report to the Executive Committee.
Shall maintain accurate accounts of all income and expenditures.
Shall be a signing officer of the Association.
Shall, in consultation with the President, prepare an agenda for each General Meeting or meeting of the Executive Committee.
Shall maintain accurate minutes of all General Meetings and meetings of the Executive Committee and distribute them within ten days of the conclusion of each meeting.
Shall be responsible for scheduling all regular season and play-off games in accordance with CIBA/ABIC policy.
Shall maintain an accurate account of all playing records and statistical information by team and individual player.
Shall maintain up to date schedules, scores and standings and report to the media in a timely fashion throughout the playing season.
Shall issue a written report for each General Meeting and meeting of the Executive Committee.
Umpire-in-Chief
Shall report to the President.
Shall be responsible for the development, evaluation, supervision and assignment of umpires for all regular season and play-off games.
May appoint an umpire assignor to assist in each conference.
Shall, in consultation with the Commissioner, assign umpires for the National Championship.
Shall issue a written report for each General Meeting and meeting of the Executive Committee.
Meetings
All meetings of the association will be conducted under the general provisions of Parliamentary Procedure.
General Meeting
A General Meeting of the membership shall be held annually in conjunction with the National Championship.
At least sixty days notice must be provided showing the date, time and place of each meeting. Notice of meeting may be waived with the unanimous consent of those present at a duly constituted meeting.
A complete agenda and copies of written reports should be circulated to all members at least twenty days in advance of the meeting.
The agenda shall include at least:
Minutes of previous meeting
Business arising from the minutes
Reports
President
Executive Vice President
Financial Statements
Administrative Vice President
Commissioner
Standing Committees
Umpire-in-Chief
Budget
New Business
Date, Time and Place of Next meeting
The meeting may be attended by a representative of each Member in Good Standing, Life Members and each member of the Executive Committee. Guests and observers may attend at the discretion of the Chair.
Attendance by at least one third of the total voting delegates shall constitute a quorum.
A General Meeting may be called at any time by the Executive Committee or the President provided at least sixty days notice is given.
A General Meeting shall be called when any five members, representing at least three conferences, request such a meeting. Such request must be in writing, stating the reason for the request and signed by the five members. Such a meeting must be called within ninety days, allowing for the usual sixty days notice, of receiving the written request.
Executive Committee
May meet at any time as called by the President.
At least twenty days notice must be provided showing the date, time and place of each meeting. Notice of meeting may be waived with the unanimous consent of those present.
A complete agenda and copies of written reports should be circulated to all members at least ten days in advance of the meeting.
The agenda shall include at least:
Minutes of previous meeting
Business arising from the minutes
Reports
President
Executive Vice President
Financial Statements
Administrative Vice President
Commissioner
New Business
A meeting shall be called when the two Vice Presidents request such a meeting. Such request must be in writing, stating the reason for the request and signed by the two Vice Presidents. Such a meeting must be convened within sixty days, allowing for the usual twenty days notice, of receiving the written request.
Guests and observers may attend at the discretion of the Chair.
Voting
General Meeting
Each Member in Good Standing, each Life Member and each member of the Executive Committee shall be voting delegates and be entitled to one vote.
Executive Committee Meeting
Each member of the Executive Committee shall have only one vote.
The Chair may only vote to create or break a tie vote. Should the Chair vote to create a tie, that motion is declared lost.
Elections
Elections for the positions of President, Executive Vice President and Administrative Vice President will be held at the Annual General Meeting following the conclusion of the respective term of office.
In the event that a position is vacated, an election will be held at the next General Meeting or a General Meeting may be called for that purpose.
The President shall be elected for a term of two years.
The Executive Vice President and Administrative Vice President shall be elected for a term of one year.
Disputes, Discipline and Appeals
The Commissioner shall hear and rule on all disputes between or among members.
The President, with or without a committee, shall hear and rule on all appeals.
Rulings shall be in writing and shall include any fines, penalties or sanctions deemed appropriate.
A final appeal of the President’s ruling may be made at the next meeting of the Executive Committee, provided:
A deposit of $100.00 and the appeal is filed in writing with the Commissioner within ten days of the written ruling from the President. The deposit would be forfeited unless the appeal was upheld, in which case it would be refunded.
Amendments
Amendments to this constitution may be made at any duly constituted General Meeting with the vote of at least two thirds of those in attendance, provided:
Notice of Motion for such amendment was made at the preceding General Meeting, or
Notice of Motion was circulated in writing to all members by the Commissioner at least 30 days in advance of the General Meeting where the amendment is to be considered.
Policy Manual
MEMBERSHIP
Application
Application for membership in the CIBA/ABIC must be received no later than October 1st of each year for consideration at the next general meeting.
Applications shall be made by an accredited post secondary school or club acting on behalf of that school.
A $50.00 application fee must be paid with each new member application.
Once accepted, each new member must pay $150.00 as an initiation fee.
Probation
Each new member shall be on probation during the first year.
Full membership is conferred automatically for year two, once the new member has demonstrated the ability to fulfill all obligations to the league.
Failure to fulfill all obligations requires the membership be reviewed at the next general meeting.
ELIGIBILITY
Academic Eligibility
Only full time students in good standing, academic and otherwise, are eligible to participatein any CIBA/ABIC league. playoff or national championship game.
The accepted definition of full time and good standing is as defined by each individual institution.
Player Eligibility
Individuals may only play for a school at which they attend as a full time student and must qualify under Rule 1.1
Any team using an ineligible player shall forfeit all games played by that player.
Any team using an ineligible player at a National Championship, shall be suspended from participation in at least the following National Championship.
Only amateur players are eligible.
Former professional players may play once they are reinstated to amateur status under the rules of Baseball Canada.
There is no limit on the number of years a player may play.
On appeal, the President or his designate may allow exceptions to this rule on compassionate grounds.
Rosters
Each team shall submit an official team roster to the Commissioner on an annual basis.
The roster shall be submitted prior to the first game of each playing season.
The roster may be amended by adding but not deleting names.
The roster may allow up to 25 players and shall include:
The full names of all coaches and players.
The home address of all coaches.
The phone number of all coaches.
The school I.D. number for all players.
The school course for all players.
The academic year for all players.
The roster and any amendments shall be considered final at midnight on September 20th of each playing year.
Only players listed on the official team roster may participate in any CIBA/ABIC league, playoff or national championship game.
The file copy of the final roster must be completed in full and signed by the appropriate authorities and returned to the CIBA/ABIC office.
Players not on the official team roster, sometimes referred to as “red shirts”, may practise and participate in exhibition games.
COACHES
Coaches Certification
Coaches certification under the National Coaching Certification Program is encouraged.
UMPIRES
Registration
Umpires shall register annually with the CIBA/ABIC.
Only registered umpires shall work in CIBA/ABIC sanctioned games.
Certification
Umpires must be certified under the National Umpire Certification Program as administered by Baseball Canada.
Umpires must have at least a current Level III certification.
Supervision
An umpire-in-Chief (UIC) for Canada shall be appointed annually by the President
The UIC shall appoint an assignor or UIC for each conference.
The conference assignor shall assign umpires, for each regular season and play-off game within the respective conference.
A schedule of umpire assignments, including umpire phone numbers, shall be published in advance of each season.
The UIC, in consultation with the President, shall assign umpires for the National Championship.
Fees
Umpire game fees shall be determined annually at a General Meeting.
Dress Code
All umpires shall wear the official uniform of the CIBA/ABIC, consisting of:
Cap - plain navy, fitted (no adjustables and no logos)
Jacket - Fechheimer plate coat or AL style pullover, navy with red/white trim (CIBA/ABIC logo or no crests)
Sweater - v-neck pullover, plain navy (CIBA/ABIC logo or no crests)
Shirt - pro style golf shirt, navy with red/white trim (CIBA/ABIC logo or no crests)
Undershirt - T-shirt, plain navy or red
Pants - Fechheimer pro pants, heather grey
Belt - black leather
Socks - plain black
Shoes - plain black (avoid coloured or white stripes and logos as much as possible)
Gloves - black
On Field
The two or three umpire system may be used for all regular season and play-off games.
The three umpire system shall be used at the National Championship for all round robin games.
The four or six umpire system shall be used at the National Championship for all tie breaker, semi final and championship games.
SCHEDULING
Length of Season
The season shall begin no earlier than August 15th of each playing year.
Teams may be active during the winter and spring, but no team play or practice is permitted between May 15th and August 15th.
Schedule
The schedule for the subsequent season shall be drafted by the CIBA/ABIC.
The schedule shall include all playoffs and sixteen regular season games.
The conference schedule shall be communicated, by the end of May, to each team in the conference, the President, the national umpire-in-chief and the league statistician and media liaison.
Each team must play all games, as scheduled.
Change of Schedule
The posted schedule may only be changed in exceptional circumstances and only with the consent of the Commissioner.
A request for a schedule change must be made to the Commissioner, citing the reason or reasons for the request.
The Commissioner shall confer with the scheduled opposition and the umpire assignor of the conference prior to making a decision on the request.
If a schedule change is approved, the Commissioner shall inform the teams involved, the umpire assignor for the conference, the league statistician and media liaison and the President.
Postponement
Games may be postponed due to inclement weather or adverse field conditions, at the discretion of the home team manager.
Any dispute over the propriety of the decision must be reported to the Commissioner.
On review of the circumstances for postponement, the Commissioner may rule the game be played as scheduled.
The home team must inform the visiting team, the scheduled umpires, the Commissioner and the league statistician and media liaison.
Notice must be given at least two hours before the scheduled game time or the total of one hour pregame activities plus the appropriate travel time of the visiting team, whichever is greater.
In the event that the umpires are not properly notified under this rule, the home team shall pay one half of the applicable umpire game fee.
Playoffs
The top four teams from the regular season standings shall enter the conference playoffs.
The first place finisher shall play the fourth and the second shall play the third in the conference semi-finals.
The two semi final winners shall meet in the conference finals.
In a four team conference, only the top three teams shall advance to the playoffs. The second and third place finishers shall meet in the semi final and the winner will advance to meet the first place finisher in the conference final.
The semi-finals and finals shall be a best two out of three.
The team finishing higher from the regular season standings shall host the first two games of each playoff as a double header. Game three, if necessary, shall be hosted by the lower finishing team.
The Conference Champion shall represent the conference at the National Championship.
TIE BREAKING
Regular Season
No team shall be eliminated from conference playoffs by virtue of a tie.
Playoff Positions
To break a tie for conference playoff positions first, second or third, first check the tied teams record against each other.
If still tied, check the runs allowed per defensive inning in the games played against each.
If still tied, check the runs scored per offensive inning in the games played against each other.
If still tied, check the runs allowed per defensive inning for the entire regular season.
If still tied, check the runs scored per offensive inning for the entire regular season.
If still tied, the Commissioner shall conduct a coin toss.
Final Playoff Position
In keeping with policy 1.1, any teams tied for the final playoff position shall play a one game tie breaker.
The Commissioner shall conduct a coin toss to determine who shall have the option for home field.
If more than two teams are tied, the Commissioner shall conduct a coin toss to determine the order in which the teams shall play and who shall have the option for home field.
PLAYING RULES
Rule Book
The Baseball Canada rule book shall generally apply.
Tobacco Rule
For the purposes of this rule, possessing tobacco products is not a violation. Only use of the products constitutes a violation.
The tobacco rule shall be further strengthened to also include ejection of the team manager.
Designated Runner
There shall be no runner designated to run for the catcher.
DISCIPLINE
Game Ejection
Any player, coach, manager or team official ejected from a game by an umpire shall automatically be suspended for the next scheduled game.
In the event a player or coach is ejected from a game as a result of the tobacco rule, the team manager shall also be ejected.
The automatic game suspension under rule 1.1 shall apply to the offender of the tobacco rule but not to the team manager unless the team manager was the offender.
The umpire shall report any game ejection to the Commissioner, immediately following the game. For the purposes of this rule, e-mail is preferred. If the report is communicated by telephone, it must be followed with a report in writing.
The Commissioner may issue further suspensions based on the nature of the game ejection or for repeat offenders.
GAMES
Pregame Activities
The home team and visiting teams shall alternate use of the field for batting and infield practices.
The home team shall have batting practice first.
The visiting team shall have the field, unencumbered, one hour before the scheduled game time.
The home team shall regain the field one half hour before the scheduled game time.
The visiting team shall regain the field twenty minutes before the scheduled game time.
The visiting team shall vacate the field ten minutes before the scheduled game time to allow for field maintenance.
The umpires shall conduct the pregame meeting at the plate five minutes before the scheduled game time.
The game shall start on time as scheduled.
Any breech of this procedure must be reported to the Commissioner who may report it to the President for possible disciplinary action.
Regulation Game
All games shall consist of seven innings, unless shortened by the mercy rule or any other rule as defined in the official playing rules of Baseball Canada.
There is no curfew unless required by a local or municipal law.
Mercy Rule
A game will be considered complete if one team leads by ten or more runs after five or more complete innings of play or if the home team leads by ten or more runs after four and one half innings of play.
The mercy rule shall not be used in Conference Playoffs or the National Championship.
Official Baseball
The All-Star model ASPro-1 or ASCL-1, shall be the only baseballs used in any league, playoff or championship game.
Teams are encouraged to use All-Star baseballs during exhibition games.
SPONSORSHIP
Precedence
Sponsors and benefactors of the CIBA/ABIC shall have precedence over any and all sponsors of team or member institutions.
National Championship venues shall be clear of all sponsor identification and advertising except for that approved by the CIBA/ABIC.
CIBA/ABIC meetings, functions and gatherings of any description shall be clear of all sponsor identification and advertising except for that approved by the CIBA/ABIC.
Teams will terminate any local, conference or regional sponsor or benefactor agreement deemed by the CIBA/ABIC to be in conflict with or not in the best interest of the CIBA/ABIC.
Each team will abide by the agreements reached with any and all sponsors or benefactors of the CIBA/ABIC.
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