Post a Comment On: Transplant Athlete

They've released the new election procedures and they've made it harder to run for a Board seat. All candidates will now be vetted to make sure they meet minimum qualifications. You'd think that was a good thing, but their rules are written very strictly.
For instance you must have a history of volunteering in the UMCA or another CYCLING related Non-Profit. Although I've volunteered for the National Kidney Foundation for nearly 6 years, the last time I checked it wasn't a CYCLING related Non-Profit.
Another contentious requirement is "management or governance experience preferably through service as an officer/director/trustee of a corporation." This clearly biases the process to wealthy older members and excludes younger members (for instance those in graduate school).
Finally, when submitting an application one must write an essay on why they want to be a Board Member.After proof of meeting the requirements is submitted to the elections committee, the majority of the committee being Board members and including John Hughes (the Managing Director) decides who gets to run for the Board seat. This assures that John Hughes and his puppet Board can cherry pick the candidates that they want while restricting those they think will challenge their power structure. Let's say you apply and are denied a position on the ballot. You can get 30 signatures from UMCA members and submit them to the Managing Director. Sounds like a good safety valve right? Nope. One must still meet the minimum requirements. So let's say they bounced you from the process initially because they felt you didn't have the requisite volunteering experience (is volunteering at a time station for RAAM three years ago enough or must one be on the Board of their local bike club for 4 years), they could use that as an excuse to keep you off the ballot. There's a new website out there that lists all the recent troubles with the UMCA, It's Save UMCA. Check it out.