Legislative Council to Meet in October
By McKensie Wallesen, UIL intern | Monday, September 26, 2011 2:30 PM
At the 2010 Legislative Council meeting, Rick Reedy, the superintendent of Frisco ISD, and UIL Academic Director Treva Dayton present proposed academic changes to the full Council.
Photo by Jeanne Acton
Each October, superintendents from around the state arrive in Austin for the Legislative Council meeting where they decide University Interscholastic League rule changes.
This year, the Legislative Council meeting will address proposals regarding athletics, music and academics. The Council will meet Oct. 16-17 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
Athletics
Proposed changes include an additional conference in soccer and wrestling. This change was requested “because of the continued increase in the number of schools that participate in the sports,” Athletic Director Mark Cousins said.
Currently, tennis coaches are only permitted to coach players during the 90-second changeover at the end of odd games, and during the ten-minute rest period for split set matches. A proposed amendment would allow coaching between all matches as long as the coaching does not interfere with matches on adjoining courts.
“This proposal would give the coaches more flexibility in communicating with their athletes during a match,” Dr. Cousins said.
The Council will also weigh the difference between soccer penalty kicks and shoot-outs in the event of a tie in play-off games. Currently, a shoot-out is conducted if there is a tie.
Academics
Academic Director Treva Dayton said most academic changes involve theatre.
According to Theatre Director Luis Muñoz, there are four notable proposed rule changes.
Currently alternates are not allowed backstage during One-Act Plays. The proposed change would allow alternates to be involved backstage in a supervised area, rather than out in the audience.
Another proposal would limit the amount of copyrighted music from 10 minutes to 30 seconds of one work. This is consistent with the current legal definition of what is “fair usage” of music for educational purposes.
Additionally, Munoz has proposed eliminating the timing of blackouts between acts and is encouraging the Legislative Council to permanently incorporate theatrical design into a sanctioned contest. The theatrical design program has been piloted for six years.
“There are a great number of job opportunities in the theatrical design field,” Muñoz said. “Students that participated in the pilot program have received actual design jobs since high school.”
Music
A more cost effective way to deal with area marching band meets in West Texas will most likely be brought up for discussion during the Legislative Council meeting, said Music Director Richard Floyd. The travel distance is greater in West Texas than other parts of the state.
“People forget that El Paso is actually closer to San Diego then it is to Houston,” Floyd said. “We have to find a way to make [travel] more equitable.”
Proposed changes in music include standardizing the judging of cadenzas and creating an option for schools with new or rebuilding music programs to compete at a non-varsity level.