Governance

The organization is governed by a Board of Directors that oversees personnel, vision, and financial issues. Beneath the Board of Directors are three Governance Councils, two of which oversee varsity competition: the CWPA Varsity Governance Council and the Northeast Water Polo Conference Governance Council, in addition to the Club Governance Council. 

---

Governing Councils

The CWPA has three Governing Councils that manage issues specific to the competition for their respective teams.

CWPA Varsity Governing Council

Oversees

• All Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) women’s varsity teams
• All varsity Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC) men’s teams

Composition

• Commissioner (ex officio) – Dan Sharadin (Collegiate Water Polo Association/Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference/Northeast Water Polo Conference)
  
• Division III women’s program – 1 administrator – Mike Zapolski (Augustana College)
  
• Division I or II women’s program – 1 administrator – Rob Rademacher (University of Michigan)
  
• Men’s Program Administrator – 1 administrator – Joe Cook (United States Naval Academy)
  
• Undesignated Administrator – 1 administrator – Justine Miller (Mount St. Mary’s University)
  
• Undesignated Administrator – 1 administrator – Andrea Lapointe (Harvard University)
  

Chair is elected by the council members with no term limits.                       

Varsity Coaches’ Role          

• Varsity coaches may meet annually to propose recommendations.

Jurisdiction 

• Membership Development
• Compliance*
• Scheduling
• Playing and Practice Seasons
• Championships
• Officiating Issues
• Disciplinary Issues

*Two administrators will serve on a Compliance Committee as needed. These individuals would not necessarily be members of the Governing Council and may be appointed by the Commissioner. 

Meetings                               

• Governing Council will meet by conference call as necessary.

Vacancies                              

• Governing Council members will nominate a replacement for any vacancy to be approved by the Board of Directors. This individual will assume the term of the vacant position.

Quorum                                 

• A majority of the Governing Council members will serve as a quorum for the conduct of league business.

Removal                                

• The Board of Directors may declare vacant the position of a Governing Council member if declared of unsound mind by an order of court, convicted of a felony, or they are unable to fulfill their duties due to extraneous circumstances.

Terms                          

• Council members serve two-year staggered terms without limit.

---

Northeast Water Polo Conference Governing Council

Oversees

• Men’s varsity teams in the Northeast Water Polo Conference

Composition

• Commissioner (ex officio) – Dan Sharadin (Collegiate Water Polo Association/Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference/Northeast Water Polo Conference)
  
• Administrator from each institution
  • Ray Grant (Brown University) – Chair
  • Matt Mancini (Connecticut College)
  • Andrea Lapointe (Harvard University)
  • Matt Glovaski (Iona University)
  • William Martinov (Long Island University)
  • Barb Bolich (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
  • Anthony Archbald (Princeton University)

Chair is elected by the council members with no term limits.                     

Varsity Coaches’ Role         

• Varsity coaches may meet annually to propose recommendations.

Jurisdiction

• Membership Development
• Compliance*
• Scheduling
• Playing and Practice Seasons
• Championships
• Officiating Issues
• Disciplinary Issues

*Two administrators will serve on a Compliance Committee as needed.  These individuals would not necessarily be members of the Governing Council and may be appointed by the Commissioner.

Meetings                

• Governing Council will meet by conference call as necessary.

Vacancies                              

• Governing Council members will nominate a replacement for any vacancy to be approved by the Board of Directors. This individual will assume the term of the vacant position.

Quorum                                 

• A majority of the Governing Council members will serve as a quorum for the conduct of league business.

Removal                                

• The Board of Directors may declare vacant the position of a Governing Council member if declared of unsound mind by an order of court, convicted of a felony, or they are unable to fulfill their duties due to extraneous circumstances.

Terms                          

• Council members serve without limit.

---

Club Governing Council

Composition

• Commissioner (ex officio) – Dan Sharadin (Collegiate Water Polo Association/Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference/Northeast Water Polo Conference)
  
• Full-time student – 3
  • TBD
  • Chandler Jones (Michigan State University)
  • McKenna Purdy (San Diego State University)
• Club Sport Administrator – 2
  • Brian Coughlin (University of Notre Dame) – Chair
  • Jim Wilson (Dartmouth College)

No two members of the Governing Council may be from the same division. Chair is elected annually by the council members and must be an administrator.

Jurisdiction

• New Member Approval
• Discipline
• Player Eligibility Allegations

Decision-making for the topics listed below are handled by an annual conference call at the division level by member teams:

• Scheduling
• Playing and Practice Seasons
• Athlete Eligibility Requirements
• Championships

Meetings                               

• Governing Council will meet by conference call at least annually and as necessary.
  

Vacancies                              

• Governing Council members will nominate a replacement for any vacancy to the Board of Directors for final approval. This individual will assume the term of the vacant position.

Quorum                                 

• A majority of the Governing Council members will serve as a quorum for the conduct of league business.

Removal                                

The Board of Directors may declare vacant the position of a Governing Council member if declared of unsound mind by an order of court, convicted of a felony, or they are unable to fulfill their duties due to extraneous circumstances.

Club Coaches’ Role               

• Club coaches maintain their annual conference call to determine policy on certain issues.

Terms                          

• Council members serve two-year staggered terms without limit.