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University Interscholastic League 2005-06 Booster Club Guidelines Be they music, fine arts, academic or athletic, booster clubs should exist to enrich students' involvement in extracurricular activities without endangering their eligibility. GENERAL GUIDELINES The role of competition Participation teaches that it is a privilege and an honor to represent one's school. Students learn to win without boasting and to lose without bitterness. Self-motivation and intellectual curiosity are essential to the best academic participants. Artistic commitment and a desire to excel are traits found in music participants. Physical training and good health habits are essential to the best athletes. Interscholastic competition is a fine way to encourage youngsters to enrich their education and expand their horizons. Leadership and citizenship experiences through school activities help prepare students for a useful and wholesome life. Plus, competition is fun! ROLE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT Member schools make UIL rules and determine policies regarding penalties to schools, school district personnel and student participants. The superintendent is solely responsible for the entire UIL program. All activities, events and personnel are under the jurisdiction of the superintendent. Booster clubs must recognize this authority and work within a framework prescribed by the school administration. ROLE OF BOOSTER CLUBS School patrons form booster clubs to help enrich the school's participation in extracurricular activities. The fund-raising role of booster clubs is particularly crucial in today's economic climate. WRITTEN POLICIES Booster clubs should develop and annually review policies to cover: how to obtain administrative approval before beginning projects; how to plan and publicize meetings; bookkeeping and fund administration including process to obtain superintendent's approval prior to raising funds. election of officers (suggestion: one president; one secretary; one treasurer; and three vice - presidents; one vice president to oversee fall, winter and spring sports); taking, distributing and filing minutes; public communication; proper interaction with fine arts directors and academic and athletic coaches through the lines of authority as established by the school board; a sportsmanship code governing behavior of booster club members and fans at contests, treatment of officials, guests, judges, etc.; and plans to support the school regardless of success in competition, keeping the educational goals of competition at the forefront of all policies. CLUB FINANCES RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SCHOOL The superintendent or a designee who does not coach or direct a UIL contest has approval authority over booster clubs and should be invited to all meetings. All meetings should be open to the public. Booster clubs do not have authority to direct the duties of a school district employee. The schedule of contests, rules for participation, methods of earning letters and all other criteria dealing with inter-school programs are under the jurisdiction of the local school administration. Minutes should be taken at each meeting and kept on file at the school. School administration should apprise booster clubs of all school activities. Booster clubs should apprise school administrators of all club activities. Periodic financial statements itemizing all receipts and expenditures should be made to the general club membership and kept on file at the school. FUND RAISING/SPENDING/STIPENDS/GIFTS TO COACHES Money given to a school cannot be earmarked for any particular expense. Booster clubs may make recommendations, but cash or other valuable consideration must be given to the school to use at its discretion. Fund raising projects are subject to state law. Nonprofit or tax-exempt status may be obtained from the Internal Revenue Service. Community-wide sales campaigns should be coordinated through the school administration to minimize simultaneous sales campaigns. Sales campaigns should be planned carefully to insure that the projects provide dollar value for items sold, and that most of the money raised stays at home. Otherwise donations are often more rewarding than letting the major part of the money go to outside promoters. Fund raising activities should support the educational goals of the school and should not exploit students. Activities and projects should be investigated carefully before committing the school's support. Individuals who actively coach or direct a UIL activity should serve in an advisory capacity to the booster club and should not have control or signature authority over booster club funds, including petty cash or miscellaneous discretionary funds. Coaches wish-lists should have received prior approval from school administration before submission to boosters. Coaches and directors of UIL academics, athletics and fine arts may not accept more than $300 in money, product or service from any source in recognition of or appreciation for coaching, directing or sponsoring UIL activities. The $300 limit is cumulative for a calendar year and is not specific to any one particular gift. The district may pay a stipend, fixed at the beginning of the year, as part of the annual employment contract. The amount of the stipend can't depend on the success of a team or individual. In other words, a coach can't receive more money if a team or individual qualifies to region or state. Funds are to be used to support school activities. To provide such funding for non-school activities would violate UIL rules and the public trust through which funds are earned. ATHLETIC BOOSTERS ATHLETIC BOOSTER CLUB RESTRICTIONS Booster clubs cannot give anything to students, including awards. Check with school administrators before giving anything to a student, school sponsor or coach. Schools must give prior approval for any banquet or get-together given for students. All fans, not just members of the booster club, should be aware of this rule. It affects the entire community. Unlike music and academic booster clubs, athletic booster club funds shall not be used to support athletic camps, clinics, private instruction or any activity outside of the school. Booster groups or individuals may donate money or merchandise to the school with prior approval of the administration. These kinds of donations are often made to cover the cost of commercial transportation and to cover costs for out of town meals. It would be a violation for booster groups or individuals to pay for such costs directly. Individuals should be informed of the seriousness of violating the athletic amateur rule. The penalty to a student-athlete is forfeiture of varsity athletic eligibility in the sport for which the violation occurred for one calendar year from the date of the violation. Student athletes are prohibited from accepting valuable consideration for participation in school athletics - anything that is not given or offered to the entire student body on the same basis that it is given or offered to an athlete. Valuable consideration is defined as tangible or intangible property or service including anything that is usable, wearable, salable or consumable. Salable food items or trinkets given to athletes by students, cheerleaders, drill team members, little/big brothers or sister, school boosters, parents of other students, teachers or others violate this rule (see exception for "goodie bags" to follow). Homemade "spirit signs" made from paper and normal supplies a student purchases for school use may be placed on the students' lockers or in their yards. Trinkets and food items cannot be attached. Yard signs should be made of commercial quality wood, plastic, etc. If not purchased or made by the individual player's parent, they must be returned after the season. The school may provide meals for contests held away from the home school only. If the school does not pay for meals, the individual parents need to purchase their own child's food. Parents may purchase anything they wish for their own child but may not provide food or other items of valuable consideration for their child's teammates. The school may also provide supplies for games and practices and transportation for school field trips. Students should pay admission fees during school field trips. Parties for athletes are governed by the following State Executive Committee interpretation of Section 441 of the UIL Constitution & Contest Rules.: VALUABLE CONSIDERATION SCHOOL TEAMS AND ATHLETES MAY ACCEPT:   1. Pre-season. School athletic teams may be given no more than one pre-season meal, per sport, per school year such as a fish fry, ice cream supper, etc. provided it is approved by the school and given by a nonprofit organization, usually the booster club, before the team plays in its first contest. It may be given after a scrimmage. 2. Post-season. School athletic teams are limited to no more than one post-season meal or banquet per sport, per school year, and it must be given by a nonprofit organization and approved by the school. Banquet favors or gifts are considered valuable consideration and are a violation if they are given to a student athlete at any time. 3. Other. School athletic teams and athletes may be invited to and may attend functions where free admission is offered or where refreshments and/or meals are served, provided all students from that high school are invited to attend for the same fee and on the same basis as the athletes or the athletic team. Athletes or athletic teams may be recognized at these functions but may not accept anything that is not given to all other students. VALUABLE CONSIDERATION THAT SCHOOL TEAMS AND ATHLETES MAY NOT ACCEPT Examples of items deemed to be valuable consideration and thus a violation of this rule include but are not limited to: meals, snacks or snack foods during or after practices; parties provided by parents or other students strictly for an athletic team; anything that is not given or offered to the entire student body on the same basis that it is given to or offered to an athlete. Local school district superintendents have the discretion to allow student athletes to accept, from their fellow students, small "goodie bags" that contain candy, cookies or other items that have no intrinsic value and are not considered valuable consideration. Gatherings of school athletic teams at parents' or patrons' homes require each athlete to contribute equally to any food or refreshment. The burden of proof will be on the athlete, his or her head coach and the school if these occasions are questioned. No overnight lodging or sports instruction or practice is permitted. ACADEMIC BOOSTERS ACADEMIC BOOSTER CLUBS The rules for athletics are different than the rules for academics and music. Athletes are restricted by the Athletic Amateur Rule, which states that athletes cannot accept money or valuable consideration for participating in a UIL sport or for allowing their names to be used in promoting a product, plan or service related to a UIL-contest. Academics has no such rule. Journalism participants may work for a newspaper and be paid. Actors may work summer stock and be paid. Students may win calculators and pocket protectors for participating in invitational math contests. UIL academic students are restricted by the Awards Rule so as a general practice, do not give gifts or awards to students for their participation in UIL contests that count toward district, region or state standing. School booster clubs may raise money to purchase letter jackets, provided the funds are given to the school without designation to buy jackets for particular students and the school determines criteria for awarding the jackets. Parents may purchase jackets for their own children provided the school designates the student as being qualified to receive the jacket. Even though exceptions to the awards rule exist, it remains a sound policy not to give awards to students because they have participated in or are participating in a UIL academic contest. Don't give a kid a t-shirt because he won first place in headline writing at district, region or state. With prior administrative approval, you may also: Purchase equipment for programs such as computers or software for yearbook or computer science; Organize and chaperone trips and assist with expenses for travel to academic competitions or educational trips such as journalism conventions or speech tournaments. They may provide food and refreshments for students on these trips. A purely recreational trip to Six Flags Over Texas would not meet the definition of an educational field trip and could be considered a violation of the Awards Rule; Run tournaments, organize fund-raising efforts, recruit corporate donors, raise money for scholarships and arrange for tutors and professional trainers to work with students; Fund academic workshop scholarships provided selection of the recipients is not based solely on their success in interscholastic competition. Selection could be based on grade point average or the student's selection of high school courses. All students meeting the conditions for scholarship assistance should be notified and eligible for financial assistance. Funds should be monitored to ensure that they are expended for camp or workshop purposes. We wish we had more academic booster clubs, whether they cover UIL academic competition in general or specific programs such as drama, speech/debate, journalism or math/science. A great need exists for parental involvement and support. MUSIC BOOSTERS In addition to the general procedures outlined, the following guidelines apply to Music Booster Club activities. Some music booster clubs assist with expenses for travel to various music related activities such as UIL contests and performances at away athletic events. Such financial support violates no UIL rules provided that it is approved and coordinated by the local school district. Many music groups schedule educational field trips with the approval of the local school administration and under local school district policies. For such trips specific educational components must be included such as performing for a music festival, an adjudicated contest or a concert tour. Marching performances such as the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Rose Bowl Parade or other similar ceremonial appearances also qualify. However, educational components need not be limited to performances. Concert attendance, visiting university/conservatory music facilities and other music related, non-performing opportunities would also be appropriate if approved by the local school district. A recreational trip, on the other hand, would not meet the definition of an educational field trip as provided in Section 480 of the UIL Constitution and Contest Rules. Students receiving the benefits of a purely recreational trip would likely be in violation of the Awards Rule. Booster Clubs may also fund scholarships for private lessons and summer music camps provided the selection of the recipients is not based on success in interscholastic competition. Funds for such activities should be carefully monitored to ensure that they are expended for educational rather than recreational activities. The awarding of patches, T-shirts or other items for achievement in interscholastic competition would be subject to the UIL Awards Rule. In order to protect all music students' eligibility such awards should be approved and administrated by the local school district in accordance with school district policies. Be mindful of the fact that there is no Music Amateur Rule. Consequently limitations established in athletics intended to ensure compliance with the Athletic Amateur Rule do not apply to music programs and related activities. What you can do Parents Remember: The classroom comes first! Help conduct fair and equitable competition: adhere to rules, uphold the law and respect authority. Remember that officials are human. Respect their decisions. Delegate authority to the school, then support its decisions. Set standards by which you expect children to conduct themselves, and live by those standards yourself. Be aware of capabilities and limitations of young people. Don't have unrealistic expectations. Allow your children to live their own lives. Be involved in areas in which your own child is not involved, thus contributing to school unity and spirit. Show respect to the opponents of your children. Praise. Don't criticize. Urge others to do the same. Help your children and their friends develop integrity through the intensity of competitive activity. Work with the administration Positive and direct communication can prevent most problems. Keep the superintendent informed of all activities. Make sure your local administration has a copy of all club publications. Invite administrators to all booster club meetings. Have an officer meet with the school administration regularly. Have a chain of command for communication with the administration. Clear all activities through your administration. Coaches and fine arts Directors Be sure your booster club wish list has been approved by your supervisor before it goes to the booster club. Work with your administration to determine what your club can provide. Make your request to the club benefit as many students as possible. Attend the booster club meetings and/or know what the club is doing. Understand that your advisory role to the boosters is without vote. Support other programs within your district Meet with parents regularly and make them aware of relevant rules. Involve your staff with your booster club. Let the booster club know who your staff is and what duties they perform.