UKC Guidelines and Regulations

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Overview

The task of writing down rules is unpleasant; the pressure to enforce rules becomes greater, and kayakers as a group appear to make poor recruiting material for a police force. Nevertheless, as the number of club members increases with many complete novices joining, the need for explicit rules and safety instruction grows.

The organizational structure, rules, and operating procedures of the University Kayak Club are described in the Club Constitution and two bylaw documents, Rules and Customs, and Safety Guidelines. All three documents are included in the Club Officer Edition of the Guide Book and are posted on the club bulletin board at the WAC boathouse. Just the bylaws are included in the Membership Edition of the Guide Book.

Drafts of all three documents were written in the spring and summer of 1985 by George Sheldon. Final 1986 versions reflected suggestions made by personnel at the Student Activities office, John and Ellen Hokanson, Clive Lister, Mark Redland, Mollie Bigger, Tommy Swearingen, Ed Mulligan, Kirk Weller, Brad Bell, Dan Dailey, and many other club members. Steve Fox had important suggestions concerning ocean touring that were incorporated into the 1987 Safety Guidelines. All three of these documents change as new club members arrive on the scene with new experience and viewpoints.

These documents provide a good starting point for subsequent revisions, as does the following advice: (1) for a rule to be a good rule, it must necessarily be practically enforceable; (2) precedent concerning which rules are enforced and how over-rides all written rules; (3) rules that continually vary constrain no one; and, (4) most important, trust growing from friendships is really what makes or breaks any club like the University Kayak Club.

Thanks to all those who have helped in the preparation of the Constitution, Bylaws, and Safety Guidelines.

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