December 8, 2003
The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors addressed a change in its membership and tied up loose ends at its regular meeting in the IHSA Office Monday (Dec. 8).
Alexis Junior-Senior High School Principal Jeff Whitsitt was seated as the representative from Division 6, Monday, replacing Knoxville Principal Ron McGraw who was named as an assistant executive director by the Board Monday. (See Related Story on www.ihsa.org.) Whitsitt will serve until the next election in the fall of 2004. McGraw resigned his position on the Board in November when he became a candidate for position on the administrative staff. Whitsitt was recommended to be McGraw's successor by Executive Director Dr. Martin L. Hickman and the Board approved the appointment.
A graduate of Knoxville High School, Whitsitt lettered two years in both football and basketball for the Blue Bullets and was captain of both teams his senior year. He played quarterback in football and was point guard in basketball.
He earned his Bachelor's degree in Business Education from Illinois State University in 1991 and his Master's in Educational Administration from Western Illinois University in 1998. Jeff is scheduled to earn his Type 75 Educational Specialist Certificate in August of 2004.
Whitsitt began his career in education in 1991 at Oneida (ROWVA), where he taught accounting and computers and coached football, basketball and track and field. He was on the staff at ROWVA from 1991-98.
In 1998, Whitsitt became principal at Alexis Junior-Senior High School. In addition, he is head coach of the Alexis girls basketball team, winning the 2002 regional tournament, and is currently president of the Lincoln Trail Conference.
He served on the IHSA Legislative Commission prior to joining the Board. He was appointed in 2001 to replace Knoxville Principal Ron McGraw representing District 16, and was elected to a three-year term in 2002. His successor on the Legislative Commission is yet to be named.
Whitsitt and his wife, Kelley, are parents of four sons.
Other Action
Annual Audit: The Board approved a re-scheduling of the audit of the Association for fiscal year 2002-03 until the Jan. 12, 2004, meeting.
Guidelines for Adding and Deleting State Series Programs: The Board did not approve two changes in the policy that were tabled from the August 2003, meeting. One proposed change was to add two items to the criteria for adding a state series. Those would include that the board consider a recommendation from the Equity Advisory Committee and that the board consider a recommendation of the related sport/activity advisory committee. The other proposed change was to add that the Board would review/reconsider recommendations from the staff to delete an existing state series when 10 percent or less of the member schools participate in the state series for two consecutive years.
2004-05 Board Meeting Dates: The Board approved the following dates for the 2004-05 school term: July 11-13 (Sunday-Tuesday) for annual three-day meeting; Monday, August 9; Monday, Sept. 13; Tuesday, Oct. 12; Monday, Dec. 6; Monday, Jan. 10; Monday, Feb. 14; Saturday, March 19; Tuesday, April 26 and Monday, June 13. No meetings are scheduled in the months of November and May.
Eligibility Decisions
1) Reviewed the Executive Director's ruling that a transfer student this fall to Decatur (Christian) must meet the requirements of the Transfer By-laws and is ineligible at the school for the 2003-04 school term because the family did not move from one public school district to another. Decatur (Christian) did not become a member of IHSA until the week of Nov. 4, 2003 and withdrew from membership the week of Dec. 1, 2003. The Board sustained the Executive Director's ruling.
2) Sustained the Executive Director's ruling that Lynn Smith is ineligible at Normal (University) for three sports seasons until May 30, 2004, for noncompliance with transfer by-law 3.043 and its sub-sections. Smith participated in volleyball, basketball and track and field at Heyworth in 2002-03 and transferred from Heyworth to Normal (Univ.) without a move on the part of the family from one public school district to another in conjunction with the transfer.
3) Heard a request from Harrisburg High School to review the Board's ruling that two foreign exchange students are ineligible at Harrisburg for non-compliance with residence by-law 3.034.3. The students were placed at Harrisburg by the Ventures International Association (VIA) program. The Board removed the foreign exchange program from the approved list at its Oct. 14, 2003, meeting. The students are participating in basketball at Harrisburg under a preliminary injunction. Both the IHSA and Harrisburg High School are defendants in the legal proceedings. The Board commended Harrisburg High School for the manner in which it gathered and presented information for the Board to be able to review its decision at Monday's meeting. The Board tabled action on a request by Harrisburg and Ventures International Association to review its decision because it did not have necessary documentation from the foreign exchange program to enable it to complete the review. The Board instructed the IHSA staff to communicate to Ventures International Association that it must provide the documentation requested by the Board before the requested review can be completed.
Discussion Items
Pension Portfolio Review: The Board heard the annual report of the performance of the Association's pension portfolio by representatives of Great Lakes Advisors, the company that manages it.
Wrestling Weight Control Plan: The Board heard an update regarding the new body fat testing weight control plan which is being used this school term for the first time ever.
Town Meetings/Athletic Director Meetings Report: The Board heard a report of the 42 combination Town Meetings/Principals Rules Meetings held statewide in November. Attendance by each member school principal or designee is mandated by IHSA by-law 2.130. Reports from the meetings show that 677 member schools were represented at the meetings and that 85 were not. Of the 85, 41 are schools located outside the City of Chicago and 44 are schools located inside the City of Chicago. The schools not attending the required meetings will be notified that the school is on probation, and that additional penalties will be forthcoming next year if the school is not in compliance for two straight years. In addition, athletic directors from 292 member schools attended the seven Athletic Administrator meetings held throughout the state in October. Attendance at these meetings was not required.
Legislative Commission Report: The Board heard a report regarding the annual referendum process. Nine of 14 proposals submitted to change the IHSA Constitution and/or by-laws were placed on the annual referendum ballot by the Legislative Commission at its second meeting Dec. 1. The ballot containing the nine proposals was mailed to each IHSA member school Wednesday (Dec. 5). Deadline for return of the ballots is Monday, Dec. 22. The ballots will be counted and the results posted on www.ihsa.org Jan. 8, 2004. A simple majority of votes cast on each proposal will determine whether it passes. (See the announcements section at www.ihsa.org for details.
Volleyball Rule Change Recommendation: The Board heard a report that the IHSA Office has submitted a proposal to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) to permit 2 out of 3 rally scoring by state association adoption.
School Enrollments: The Board heard a report that as of Dec. 1, over 500 member schools had submitted their Sept. 30 housing enrollment electronically to the IHSA Office. There are 762 members as of Dec. 8. A reminder has been sent to those schools not reporting. School classification for the 2004-05 (next) school term will be made in the IHSA Office as soon as all enrollments have been reported. Member schools report their enrollment online through the School Center at www.ihsa.org.
Internet Broadcasts: The Board heard a report that a total of 17,176 logged onto the Internet play-by-play broadcasts of the eight 2003 Football Playoff Championship Games over Thanksgiving weekend. Handling the broadcasts of the games on the network were Tom Wuestenfeld and Mark Vasko. The Internet broadcasts of the football games have been archived on the football page of www.ihsa.org and may be rebroadcast by clicking on the respective class at the top of the Championship Game section. By class, the number of listeners logged onto the broadcasts were: 1A - 3437, 2A - 2251, 3A - 1769, 4A - 1779, 5A - 1944, 6A - 1675, 7A - 1839 and 8A - 2482.
Illinois Honorees: Long-time National Federation (NFHS) and American Sport Education Program (ASEP) instructor Mike Small of Mt. Prospect will receive the 2003 Pat McSwegin Award for coaching education in the instructor category at the National Interscholastic Athletic Director's Association (NIAAA) Annual Meeting this weekend in Indianapolis. Deerfield High School Athletic Director Tom Gillhouse will receive the NIAAA Distinguished Service Award. Executive Director Dr. Marty Hickman and Asst. Executive Director Dave Gannaway will attend the Annual Meeting.