governANCE

CUMRC Board of Directors

Maria Samson

CUMRC Chair

Jeff Chan

CUMRC Founder & Past Chair

Colin Petrillo

Treasurer

Meaghan Howat

Rugby Canada Rep

Gareth Rees

Rugby Canada Rep

Jamie Mackenzie

Coaches Association Chair

James Alder

Atlantic Rep

Hugo Montérémal

Quebec Rep

Cory Hector

Ontario Rep

Braydon Goldstein

Prairies Rep

Scott Manning

BC Rep

CUMRC Organizing Committee Representatives

Mark Janzen

2025 Host Rep
TWU Spartans

Andy Evans

Host Head Coach
TWU Spartans

CUMRC Governance and Finance Council

Jeff Chan

CUMRC Founder & Past Chair; Executive Director CRF

Mike Holmes

CUMRC Founder, Canadian Rugby Foundation Chair

Doug Tate

CUMRC Founder & Former Head Coach UVic Vikes

Maria Samson

CUMRC Chair

BOARD OF GOVERNORS’ ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Board of Governors (BoG) of the CUMRC works with the CUMRC Organizing Committee to ensure the long-term success of the university men’s rugby national championship and towards the official inclusion of Men’s Rugby in the U SPORTS portfolio of Core National Championship Sports.

• Acts as the ownership group for the Canadian University Men’s Rugby Championship.
• Is composed of 3-5 individuals, including the CUMRC Chair, who meet semi-annually and when needed for critical ad hoc decisions, (similar to the the founding year in 2016-2017 when the Committee operated with 4 founding members).
• Manages relationship with Rugby Canada re: U SPORTS application and university development path.
• Works with Rugby Canada to ensure the CUMRC is fully integrated with the development pathway for Canada’s Senior team, including cooperation with the U20 program and, as well as the development of coaches and officials in Canada.
• Manages relationship with U SPORTS at the direction of Rugby Canada re: Men’s Rugby application.
• Manages major continuing sponsors relationships (e.g., Canadian Rugby Foundation, Title and Presenting Sponsors (currently Raymond James and Lougheed Wealth Management) Langara Fishing Adventures, Gilbert Canada, Rugby Canada, and donors to the University Rugby Supporters Fund.
• Generates (with the Organizing Committee (OC)) funding for travel and accommodation subsidies for visiting teams (fixed $ amount towards hotel and travel)
• Ratifies OC structure and staffing, new hosts, annual OC plan and budget.
• Reviews OC decisions with long-term implications beyond the current year.
• Decides on final appeals from stakeholders on OC decisions.
• Works with the Canadian Rugby Foundation on the University Coaches initiative, and ongoing CRF sponsorship.

CUMRC ORGANIZING COMMITTEE ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Organizing Committee (OC) of the CUMRC is responsible for the organization of the annual CUMRC tournament.

• Is composed of 7-9 individuals in addition to the Chair and Past Chair.  These individuals may be head coaches, athletic department leaders, functional roles (i.e., Finance, Marketing, Communications/social media, Sponsorship solicitation and fulfilment, Rules, host relationship), host representatives (head coach and athletics leader), ensuring a designated representative from each of the five participating regions.
• Works with the Canadian Rugby Foundation and other major sponsors, and with the host university Organizing Committee, and the participating university men’s rugby programs, athletic directors, coaches, and staff.
• Meets regularly during the season and lead-up to the CUMRC tournament, with frequency and timing set by OC.  All OC members are expected to participate in regular conference calls (monthly from December – August; semi-monthly from September – November).
• Selects the annual host university, sets the tournament format and dates, and sets standards with the host’s organization of the tournament (e.g., venue selection, streaming, social media, media relations, marketing & communications, medical support, field conditions, ticket sales, etc.).
• Develops and implements the preliminary and final budgets and forecasts (excluding the host’s budget), track and manage actual revenues and expenses.
• Recommends to the BoG for approval the participating university and player eligibility rules consistent with or based on U SPORTS and Conference rules.  The underlying principle is to ease the transition to U SPORTS whenever Men’s Rugby is approved.  Add, revise, decide on exceptions, and interpret rules.
• Provides agendas and minutes of meetings, document of other discussions and decisions.
• Solicits and fulfils sponsorships, generate additional revenue sources, and coordinate with the host and BoG on major sponsors including the title and presenting sponsor.
• Coordinates activities between CUMRC national championship and men’s rugby programs across Canada, and the host university, especially related to playoff timing and CUMRC date.
• Shares responsibility with the host for marketing & communications, social media, tournament banquet/game program (print and online), and student-athlete eligibility management.
• Procures and ensures delivery of trophy, championship banner and medals, and Tournament All-Star recognition.
• Shares responsibility with Rugby Canada for officials’ logistics support, and rugby rules and regulations, including communication of tournament rules to all teams and as the tournament nears, the 16 contending and then 8 participating teams.
• Provides a subsidy towards the cost of the banquet meals
• Develops and executes process for selection of game “players of the game” and the tournament First and Second XV All Stars, and other Awards such as the Liam Geddes Memorial Award, and the Lt. Colonel WDC Holmes University Men’s and Women’s Rugby Awards.
• Organizes and implement the Host bidding process (bid RFPs, bid book, review of bids, decision, and communications).
• Works to create and maintain a Canadian University Men’s Rugby Coaches Association.
• Assigns each OC member specific duties (e.g., Finance, Sponsorship lead generation, solicitation and fulfilment, regional representation and clearing house for university men’s rugby activity throughout the regular season and playoffs, coaches’ communications, All-Star game organization).
• Expects 80% attendance of all members for regularly scheduled CUMRC meetings/Zoom calls.
• Optionally, oversees an annual or bi-annual All-Star match with the USA Collegiate All-Americans, including coach selection, team selection, travel and ground logistics, and game operations, and coordination with USA Rugby.