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           U L T I M A T E   H A P P E N I N G S           
               Issue 279 - October 1, 2003                 

******************* 2334 players served ********************

      OCUA - The largest ultimate league in the world!
            (328 teams and 3800 members in 2002)

                    http://www.ocua.ca/

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           SPECIAL ISSUE: UPDATED ELECTIONS INFO!           

Dear OCUA members,

As you know, the past year has seen a number of key changes 
to the way that the OCUA is managed and governed. In an 
effort to improve the efficiency of the Board of Directors, 
the Board has engaged a Secretary, and has organized itself
into task areas - namely, Fields, League, Communications 
and Business Administration. Directors oversee the work in 
those areas, working closely with volunteers and the General 
Manager of the League to ensure that the League is run in a 
strategic and sustainable manner. 

In an effort to improve further the capacity of the Board to 
manage the League, and to ensure that the Board consists of 
qualified members, the Board implemented a means to nominate 
candidates for election to the Board. Although we have been 
widely applauded for the end results of this effort, we have 
have received feedback indicating concern regarding the 
process. We have taken these concerns seriously. In response, 
and in consultation with our legal advisors, the Board has 
decided that in order to move past this issue, it would be 
in the best interests of the League to hold a new election. 

As such, the OCUA Elections Officer, Stephan Suys, will 
distribute a new ballot, which will include a slate of 
candidates-at-large, as well as "Board Nominated" candidates 
and a new timetable for the election, including a new 
call-for-candidates.

Over the course of the coming year, the Board will continue 
to refine this process, and welcomes input from members to 
this end. 

Sincerely,


Chris Moran
on behalf of the OCUA Board of Directors


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Important OCUA Election Update
===============================

The OCUA Elections have been CANCELLED, and will have to be 
entirely re-initiated.


What Happened ?
---------------

As all of you know by now, the Board of Directors had sought 
to change the process by which some directors were elected 
to the Board.

Although the intent was generally applauded by all parties,
the process to achieve it was called into question.

Indeed, a motion to have candidates nominated by a 
Nominations Committee and ratified by the Membership was 
challenged and ultimately reversed.

Although the notion of a Nominations Committee putting
forward candidates is an entirely acceptable process, the 
method by which they were voted in was not.

As such, the Election had to nullified.


But why start all over again ?
------------------------------

Although the voting process was ultimately deemed to be in 
contravention of the by-laws, the candidate nomination
process was done entirely within proper procedures and was
well within the confines of the by-laws.

However, it was also brought to the Board's attention that
some members believed that the low candidate turn-out was 
due in part to perceived complications of the new process
and the change in time frames from previous years.
(ie. after playoffs)

Although there is little evidence to support this claim, the
Board still felt that in order to truly remedy the current
situation, the entire Electoral process should be started
from the beginning, including a new call for candidates.


So now what ?
-------------

Well, we start over....

And we'll follow the same process as in previous years, that
is to say, that all candidates participate in a general open
election, and the top four candidates are elected to the 
Board for a two year period.

As of this moment onward, the Elections Officer
(Stephan Suys :  s_suys@hotmail.com)
will be accepting nominations for the new Elections.

The deadline for nominations will be FRIDAY OCT 10th at 
midnight.

All new candidates will need to send a brief bio and an 
electronic picture.

Examples of bios from the current candidates can be found at:
http://www.ocua.ca/ocua/election/current/bios.html

Final candidate information and a new electronic ballot
will be available Monday, Oct 13th.

The voting period will be shortened to 1 week with a 
deadline of

MONDAY Oct 20th at midnight.

[ NB. This note is being sent to EVERYONE in the league to
canvass for new candidates, but ONLY TEAM CAPTAINS will
receive an e-Ballot ]

If you have any questions, please forward them on to

s_suys@hotmail.com


Other bits of Info
------------------

1- The call for candidates is open to any registered member 
   in OCUA providing they adhere to Conflict of Interest 
   guidelines.

   ( I would ask team captains to canvass their teams )

2- The Nominations Committe may also put forward candidates.

3- ONLY summer teams will be allowed to vote. This is how it 
   has always been and until new voting guidelines are 
   written (...which will happen before next year...), we 
   will proceed as in previous years.


So Remember...
--------------
The deadline for nominations will be FRIDAY OCT 10th at 
midnight.

The voting period will be from Oct 15 to MONDAY Oct 20th at 
midnight.


A Final word
------------

This Election "quagmire" has made everyone painfully aware 
of the need to update our by-laws.

A united effort is already underway for a significant
overhaul/clarification of the entire electoral process.

Rest assured that this will be amply discussed with the
Membership and ANY proposed changes will be put to vote at
next Spring's captains meeting.

As Elections officer I wish to offer our apologies to :

The Electorate, for having to vote twice.

The Candidates, for the manner in which this was handled.

The OCUA Membership, for not following proper procedure
and not seeking your input into the process.


Thank you,

Stephan Suys

Elections Officer


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