Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Southland Conference reaffirms membership withdrawal policies

We have been getting a lot of questions about what Texas State and UTSA's departure for the WAC means to their standing in the Southland Conference. Today the SLC put out this release that should answer some of those questions.

FRISCO, Texas – The Southland Conference’s Board of Directors met recently to review the Conference’s constitutional articles related to membership withdrawal. The meeting took place after Southland members Texas State University-San Marcos and the University of Texas at San Antonio announced on Nov. 11 their withdrawal to join the Western Athletic Conference effective for the 2012-13 academic year.

Southland Conference Constitution Article 3.04, approved by the membership in 2002, addresses withdrawal, and the presidents of the 10 continuing and voting institutions reaffirmed the policy.

The effective withdrawal date of both institutions will be June 30, 2012, and by not providing at least two full academic years notice, both are assessed a financial penalty of $250,000. Further, the withdrawing institutions immediately forfeit their shares to any accrued assets of the Conference.

The Board also confirmed the withdrawing institutions will forfeit their shares of revenue distributed by the Southland effective immediately. Further, Texas State and UTSA will be subject to all applicable dues and fees paid by Southland members prior to the effective date of withdrawal.

Although the group could have considered ineligibility at any time, the Southland presidents unanimously approved that both institutions will remain eligible for all Conference championship events through the 2011-12 academic year with one exception. Texas State’s football team will be ineligible for the 2011 Southland championship, presumably due to its NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision transition requirements which make it ineligible for the NCAA Division I Football Championship.

Texas State shall remain in the previously approved 2011 Southland football schedule as a “non-conference” opponent for other teams, but will be removed from previously approved 2012-14 schedules. In all other sports, individual student-athletes from both institutions shall remain eligible to receive all awards through the effective withdrawal date.

The Board also reaffirmed that the withdrawing institutions shall forfeit voting privileges on all Conference matters, effective immediately, and representatives of both universities shall resign current positions on Southland committees. Additionally, personnel from Texas State and UTSA that serve on Southland-assigned positions on NCAA committees, councils and cabinets shall also resign immediately and be replaced by others within the Conference.

The remaining presidents also agreed that the withdrawing institutions shall be subject to and comply with all applicable provisions of the Conference constitution, bylaws, and operating code through the effective withdrawal date. Any failure to comply shall be subject to penalties to be established by the Conference Compliance Committee and the Board of Directors.