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Its interim board now has an agenda that it has circulated to the college rugby community.
That agenda is as follows:
Already engaged USA Rugby CEO Nigel Melville to establish an open working relationship.
Proposed the following structure for the USAR College Committee: 2 International Athletes, 1 USAR Board Member, 1 USAR Congress Member, 6 College Rugby Board Members elected by USCRA membership from all of college rugby.
In process of developing a proposed position description for the USAR Collegiate Director, along with a proposed outline of duties and responsibilities, focusing heavily on engaging Club Sports Directors and Athletic Directors as appropriate.
Begin USCRA Institutional membership drive with dues set at $150/college, including membership for unlimited individuals, i.e. coaches, club sports directors, athletic directors, club presidents, alumni presidents, etc.
Committee work: Identify best practices within the colleges for the following items: Campus Relations (Facilities, Medical Care, Recruiting/Admissions, Publicity); Fundraising (University Support, Alumni Foundations, on/off campus activities and sponsorship); Supporting Coach Development Programs (Local/Regional Coaches Associations and Clinics); Supporting Player Development Programs (Local/Regional Skills Clinics).
Direct contact will be made with the appropriate campus officials (Club Sports Directors, Athletic Directors, Vice President for Student Affairs, etc) to raise the status, understanding and support of collegiate rugby clubs on campuses across the country.
Develop a functional web site with accumulated best practices information, to be the home of college rugby and the primary center for information on the college game, providing resources for college coaches, administrators, and players.
Conduct competitions review to protect the student athlete, optimize competitions for each competitive level and minimize postseason travel, where possible aligning competitions with existing collegiate athletic relationships.
Maximize publicity and exposure of collegiate rugby to campus communities and the general public.
Conduct elections for official USCRA Board (by summer 2010) and establish bylaws, governance structures and operating procedures, with all dues paying member colleges participating in the voting process.
“We will hold an open meeting in Las Vegas on February 13 at 8pm, which will be held at the Cannery Eastside Casino/Hotel, 5255 Boulder Highway, north of Sam Boyd Stadium,” says USCRA interim board chair Craig Coates.
“Any and all individuals with an interest in the college game are invited to attend to hear from the interim board and more importantly, to provide your input to the board for consideration.”
In other news, USAR CEO Nigel Melville has announced that the search has begun for a new Director of College Rugby.
“The Director of College Rugby will work closely with a newly formed College Committee to achieve the objectives agreed by the USA Rugby Congress and Board,” Melville said in his blog.
