The U.S. Speedskating BOD on Saturday "adopted a sweeping set of new bylaws, part of an ongoing transformation to turn around an organization long hampered with internal strife," according to Jared Hopkins of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. The changes include reducing the size of the BOD "from 14 to 10 -- including revising its makeup -- and eliminating many of its subcommittees, decisions designed to prevent its volunteer board from interfering in the federation's daily operations." A new board will be elected "in about a year, with new programs and initiatives, some to help raise money, being implemented before then." The BOD also adopted a "strategic plan with benchmarks and goals to guide the organization," and announced a "revised athlete agreement drafted in coordination with skaters." U.S. Speedskating President Mike Plant said, "This is the new direction for how we really take this organization to the next level of governance." The board will include "four independent members, or people without direct ties to the sport, in part to help raise funds." The remaining spots will be "rounded out by athletes, coaches, officials and general members." BOD members "cannot have worked for the federation within the last three years." The board also "did away with the complex web of 13 subcommittees" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 5/19).
