IHSA Announcements

September 13, 1999

Proposals Regarding Representation to be Submitted for Legislative Process

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors at its regular September meeting Monday approved wording for a series of amendment proposals to the Constitution that would insure representation of underrepresented populations on the Board and Legislative Commission.

The proposals to increase the size of both the Board of Directors and Legislative Commission were developed by the Strategic Planning action team responsible for the strategy to increase the number of minorities and persons of the underrepresented gender in the operation of IHSA. The amendment proposals will be submitted this fall to the Legislative Commission as part of the annual referendum process.

The action team has recommended that the Board be expanded by two members (from seven to nine) and that the Legislative Commission be expanded by seven members (from 28 to 35). The proposals require that these be elected positions. For the Board, the two seats would be elected at-large. One seat must be filled with a racial minority. The other must be filled with a member of the underrepresented gender. Both must be high school principals. For the Legislative Commission, the proposals require that these also be elected positions. There would be an at-large seat for each of the seven IHSA geographic divisions. All at-large Commission members must be a racial minority or a member of the underrepresented gender. They may be elected from among principals, officials representatives, athletic or activity administrators.

Other Action

  1. The Board approved Organization for Cultural Exchange Among Nations (OCEAN) as an authorized foreign exchange program.

  2. The Board approved recommendations from the Music Advisory Committee, which include: modifying organization sight reading to provide schools which enter multiple events with different material for each group; reducing the number of Jazz and Show Choir entries from 12 to 10; increasing judges' fees to a basis fee of $100 for 5 hours of actual judging and $20 per extra hour thereafter and a per diem of $25 per day for meals and transportation; increasing entry fees in solo/ensemble and organization; setting strict entry deadlines and establishing late entry fees; providing that judges be allowed only one "Best of the Day" award which can go to either a soloist or an ensemble.

    The committee also recommended the following dates for the 2000-2001 school term: Solo/Ensemble March 3, 2001. Organization April 27-28, 2001.

Eligibility Rulings

  1. Sustained the Executive Director's ruling that a student be ineligible at Hume (Shiloh) for the 1999-2000 school term for noncompliance with transfer By-law 3.043. He resides in the new district with his grandparents who do not have court appointed custody or guardianship.

  2. Sustained the Executive Director's ruling that a student be ineligible at Beecher for noncompliance with By-law 3.082. The family lives in Indiana, and his mother is a teacher in the Beecher district. Under local policy, the district waives tuition as part of the teacher compensation plan. He participated in soccer and basketball at Beecher last school term as a freshman.

  3. Sustained the Executive Director's ruling that a student is ineligible at Huntley until the family resides in the Huntley school district on a permanent, full-time basis under the provisions of By-law 3.043.

    In a related case, the Board determined that students who are children of teachers in the Huntley district would not be eligible until they lived in the district with their parents, custodial parent or legal guardian, even though the district has a policy which waives tuition for non-residents as part of the teacher compensation plan.

  4. Sustained the Executive Director's ruling that a student is ineligible at Lovington for the 1999-2000 school term for noncompliance with By-law 3.043. She lives in the district with her grandparents, who have become her court-appointed guardians. The Executive Director found no circumstances beyond the control of the student, parents/guardian or school which necessitated the transfer of guardianship and her transfer to Lovington.

  5. Sustained the Executive Director's ruling that a student is ineligible at Wheaton (St. Francis) for volleyball for the remainder of the 1999-2000 season and for any other sport until September 30, 1999, for noncompliance with By-law 3.042. She is a freshman who participated in volleyball at Glen Ellyn (Glenbard South) prior to her transfer after the first day of classes. There has been no move to a new school district by her family in conjunction with the transfer.

  6. Sustained the Executive Director's ruling that a student is ineligible at Wheaton (St. Francis) until June 10, 2000, for noncompliance with By-law 3.043.

  7. Sustained the Executive Director's ruling that a student is ineligible at Coal City for the 1999-2000 school year for noncompliance with By-law 3.031.1.

Discussion Items

At each meeting of the Board of Directors, there are certain agenda items which the Board discusses, but upon which it takes no action. Following is a report of those on the September, 1999, agenda:

Football Playoff Title Games: The Board heard a report regarding the possible adjustment in arrangements for hosting the 1999 football playoff championship games. If Illinois State University is selected to host an NCAA Division I-A first round playoff game, that game would be scheduled on the same weekend as the six state championship games. This would create a conflict with ISU hosting the IHSA championships. It is anticipated that the site of this year's title games will be finalized no later than Saturday, Oct. 23, the date that the 1999 pairings are announced.

Sportsmanship Conferences: The Board heard a status report regarding the three Sportsmanship Summits scheduled to be conducted statewide Sept. 27-29.

Basketball Classification: The Board heard a status report of the survey responses being received from principals regarding classification of boys and girls basketball.

Football Playoff Expansion: The Board heard a status report of the survey of responses being received from principals regarding expansion of the number of teams participating in the Football Playoffs.

State Final Sites: The Board heard a status report regarding the Sept. 8 state final site specification meeting with representatives from communities and facilities interested in hosting those in boys football, boys individual wrestling, girls volleyball, girls basketball and boys basketball.