AUSTERITY, STRIKE, JOB ACTION

(The purpose of this section is to protect the integrity of the athletic schedule and to prevent undue hardship to those schools with sufficient funds to conduct interscholastic athletic programs.)

A.  Any school that is unable to commit district funds for the athletic budget shall be presumed unable to conduct an interscholastic athletic program.

B.  This presumption shall be overcome by notification, in writing, to the member schools in its league/division and the Executive Director within seven calendar days after the opening date of each sport season.  The notice must be signed by the superintendent indicating that the school will compete in the scheduled interscholastic sports program on the dates as originally scheduled.  If the notice set forth is not duly received or a school in unable to comply as indicated, a petition may be directed to an Austerity Appeals Committee requesting that the provisions of this paragraph be waived for good and compelling reasons set forth in the petition.

C.  In the event that proper notice is not received within seven days of the opening date of each sport season, all league/division contests will be deemed forfeit and all league/division dates vacated.

D.  In the event that the notice set forth in Paragraph B is received, but the school, in fact, is unable to compete and fails to do so, the offending school shall be subject to disciplinary action by the Council, including, but not limited to, censure, probation, suspension or any other action deemed appropriate by the Council.

E.  If the notice set forth in Paragraph B is not received, the division representatives shall meet and revise the league/division schedule.  Said revisions shall be approved by the division.

F.  A school scheduled for a non-league contest with a school unable to provide funds for the athletic budget may reschedule the non-league contest anytime after seven calendar days of the opening date of each sport season, unless the notice set forth in Paragraph B is received within seven calendar days of the opening date of the sport season.

G.  Any division in which a school in unable to compete in a contest will meet seven days prior to the first scheduled contest to determine a solution to the scheduling problem.

H.  Any school (staff or students) involved in a strike, lockout, or job action on the day of an athletic contest (for football seven days prior to a contest) which, in the conduct of the game, shall be deemed unable to compete will forfeit the contest and the opposing school shall be free to schedule a contest with another school.

NOTE:  A forfeit is a loss. If the contest is rescheduled it can be rescheduled as a non-league contest.  However, NYSPHSAA regulations dictate that a win or loss by forfeit counts as one of the allowable competitions in which a team may participate.