Constitution
The Greenville Chess Club Constitution
Table of Contents
The Preamble and Mission Statement
The Sanctioning Bodies
Article I - The Benefits of Membership
Section A - Paid Membership
Section B - Complimentary Membership
Article II - The Club Officers
Section A - Nominations and Elections
Section B - The Office of GCC President
Section C - The Office of GCC Vice President
Section D - The Office of GCC Secretary
Section E - The Office of GCC Treasurer
Section F - Malfeasance
Section G - Reasonableness
Article III - Rated Club Events
Section A - The Organizer and the Director
Section B - Special Rules for Swiss-Paired Club Events
Article IV - The Code of Conduct
Section A - Adult and Teen Members
Section B - Child Members
Article V - Committees
Section A - Official Committees
Section B - Unofficial Committees
Article VI - The Business Meeting
Section A - The Elements and Format of the Business
Meeting
Section B - The Rules of Order
Section C - Committees in the Business Meeting
Amendments
Back to Top
The Preamble and Mission Statement
We, a group of individuals from the Greenville and surrounding areas of
upstate South Carolina, do ordain and establish ourselves as the
Greenville
Chess Club (GCC). It is our mission and purpose to gather together on a
regular basis to enjoy chess on a social and competitive level, to
promote
and participate in chess in our schools and community, to provide for
our
longevity by actively seeking new members, to be an active and visible
part of our community, to always be an organization of good report in
the
eyes of all who visit or join us, and to provide a place of belonging
for
all who like to participate in the game of chess. We do solemnly swear
to never refuse membership to anyone based upon race, religion, sex,
nationality,
or creed. All individuals of good report are welcome among us for the
purpose
of more and better chess.
Back to Top
The Sanctioning Bodies
This constitution, at many points, refers to sanctioning bodies. These
organizations officially govern and rate the chess events played under
their auspices. Furthermore, no one may play in a sanctioned (rated)
event
unless they are a member of the sanctioning body. Several sanctioning
bodies
exist; here is a list of some of the most important ones:
At the time this constitution was drafted, the GCC has had dealings
with
only the USCF and the WBCA. It is
safe to assume that any reference to a sanctioning body in this
document
refers to one of these two organizations. Members of these sanctioning
bodies are expected to know and abide by the official rules of that
organization.
Back to Top
Article I - The Benefits of Membership
Section A - Paid Membership
Membership dues cover from the day of payment to the end of that month
the following year. For example, if a member paid his/her membership on
March 15th, the membership would expire at the end of March the
following
year. A paid club member may participate in all of the club's
activities
and business. If the membership of a participant in a club event will
expire
during the event, the participant MUST renew before the event or they
will
not be allowed to register. An early renewal of this kind will maintain
the original expiration date so the member will not "lose days" on
his/her
current membership. The cost of membership for a given year is decided
by the elected club officers. However, it may be overturned by majority
vote of the club members. This section defines the benefits that a paid
member of the Greenville Chess Club is entitled to:
-
Participation in "members only" club events.
-
A discount on USCF membership.
-
Rated chess without having to go the expense of weekend tournaments.
-
Voting and participation privileges in club business meetings.
-
The privilege to run for club office.
-
Club mail-outs.
Back to Top
Section B - Complimentary Membership
It is understood that while rated, serious chess is the mainstay of a
good
chess club, there will always be those who only play chess on a social
level, or just for fun. This type of player is not interested in a
discounted
USCF membership or running for club office, they just want to play
casual
chess. In recognition of this, the GCC features a complimentary
membership
that is free. The complimentary member will still have his/her
information
in the club's records and receive club mail-outs, but they are not
permitted
to play in "members only" club events and may not participate in the
club's
business affairs. This type of membership requires no renewal, just the
one-time completion of a membership application.
NOTE: Any reference to "members" in this constitution refers to
Paid
Members only, not Complimentary Members, unless stated otherwise.
Back to Top
Article II - The Club Officers
Section A - Nominations and Elections
Nominations, barring unusual circumstances, are to be held on
the
last club meeting in December. They will be in open forum where a
member
states who they would like to nominate for a particular office out loud
for all to hear. It is optional to require a second motion to the
nomination
before it is offered to the nominee. Members have the right to voice
opposition
to any nomination so long as it is done tastefully and in compliance to
the Rules of Order (see Article VI, Section B - The Rules of Order).
The
nominee has the choice to either accept or decline the nomination. A
nominee
need not be present to be nominated, but the nomination would be
pending
the nominee's acceptance, and it must be accepted before elections if
they
are to appear on the ballot. A nominee has the right to recant an
accepted
or declined nomination, but only one such recantation is permitted and
it must be done no later than two days before election night.
Elections are to be held on the first non-holiday meeting
night
in January. It will be done by secret ballot. The polls will open and
close
at specific times to be set by the old officers. The polls will be
closed
at exactly the specified moment, at which time, the one or ones
designated
to count the votes will be secluded from the rest of the club members,
not to be disturbed or spoken to until the votes are counted. A new
counter
must be designated if the current counter is interacted with by anyone
in anyway. If possible, a neutral and mutually trusted individual
(preferably
a non-member) will count the votes and report the results to the club
membership
no later than the next meeting night. If no such person can be found,
two
club members who are not running for office will be appointed by random
means. They will both count the votes without interaction with one
another
until they have both finished counting. If both members produce the
same
results, the results are final. If the two turn in conflicting results,
there will be a recount until both counters arrive at the same results.
The nominees that receive the most votes for their particular office
has
earned the right to hold that office and is required to execute the
duties
of that office for a one year term beginning from election night of the
current year to election night of the following year. Any nominee who
loses
an election by two votes or less has the right to call for a run off
between
them and the winner, to be held the same night if possible. Counting
procedures
are the same as the full election. The results of the run off are
final,
no matter how close the results.
Back to Top
Section B - The Office of GCC President
The other members and club officers of the Greenville Chess Club look
upon
the President for leadership. It is not meant to be a figurehead
office,
but a highly functional one. The President is responsible for
accomplishing
and promoting the club's mission through both action and delegation.
The
President should be one who has the future of the club at heart and has
ideas to improve the clubs efficiency and growth. He/She should also
see
that the members of the GCC are enjoying their experience at the club
and
work to expand and maintain that enjoyment. Below is a list of the
general
responsibilities of the President:
-
Presiding over the business meetings and keeping them in order,
including
yielding the floor to one person at a time, seeing that all business is
presented to the floor, using the gavel to bring the floor to order,
etc.
- Presiding over the officers meetings, including making an effort
to notify
all the officers of the meeting and to remind them to attend.
- Presenting club business to the membership and officers in a way
that encourages
input and participation.
- Representing the club in any interaction with a sanctioning body
other
than that of tournament director, though it is recommended that the
President
be qualified for that as well.
- Delegating the responsibilities for running the club's affairs to
the other
officers while preserving some duties for himself/herself.
Back to Top
Section C - The Office of GCC Vice President
The Vice President (VP) of the Greenville Chess Club is very similar to
that of the President. The VP primarily serves in a "right hand"
capacity
to the President, and the two should be able to work together well.
While
the VP is not called upon to preside over meetings, he/she will do so
if
the President is unable to. The VP should be the individual that the
most
work is delegated to by the President, but this is not a requirement.
The
primary functional responsibility of the VP is the directing,
overseeing,
and scheduling of the club's events and activities. For example, the VP
must produce the club calendar of events and arrange for all scheduled
tournaments to have a TD and organizer. The general functions of the
Vice
President are as follows:
-
Serving as Activity Director which includes preparation of the club's
calendar
of events, arranging for a TD and organizer for club tournaments, and
seeing
that a variety of activities are evenly spread over the year to appeal
to all kinds.
- Answering any questions and addressing any problems regarding the
club's
activities.
- Being present at the club's meetings as much as humanly possible
to oversee
and observe the various activities as well as to receive feedback in
regard
to them.
- Presiding over the business meetings in the event that the
President is
unable to do so.
- Assuming the office of President in the event that office becomes
vacant
during the term.
- Generally serving as a "right hand" to, and working closely with,
the President
to promote and achieve the club's mission.
Back to Top
Section D - The Office of GCC Secretary
The Greenville Chess Club Secretary is a very important role in the
club's
overall management. In general, the Secretary keeps the informational,
non-financial records of the club as a whole, as well serving as the
club's
communicator with the community and outside business entities. The
responsibilities
of the Secretary are as follows:
-
Keeping membership records on all club members for informational
purposes.
- Maintaining contact and dialog with all advertising entities.
- Either serving as newsletter editor or appointing the newsletter
editor.
- Stuffing envelopes, making and applying address labels, applying
postage
stamps, and mailing all club mail-outs.
- Retrieving the clubs mail and e-mail and bringing it to the club.
- Keeping track of all business contacts including names and phone
numbers.
- Assuming the office of Vice President should that office become
vacant
during the term.
- Keeping the minutes at the business meetings as well as reading
the officer's
items of business out loud to the floor.
- Serving as a business contact for the club.
Back to Top
Section E - The Office of GCC Treasurer
The Treasurer of the Greenville Chess Club is responsible for managing
all aspects of the club's financial affairs. This includes, but is not
limited to, recording and reporting on all income, recording and
reporting
on all transactions and expenditures, managing the budget, and having
an
all-inclusive budget report for each member at all business meetings.
An
individual of integrity and accountability, whom the club members know
and trust implicitly, must hold the office. It should be noted that the
Treasurer does not control any of the club's spending, he/she only
reports
on and keeps track of it. The Treasurer's input is valued, however,
when
the spending of money is being considered. The following
responsibilities
apply to this office:
-
Keeping the club members and the other officers notified of the club's
financial standing at regular intervals and upon request.
- Being accountable for all club funds at all times without prior
notice.
- Ensuring that no action is taken with club funds without the
knowledge
and approval of the club officers and/or the club membership.
- Managing the club's bank accounts and checkbooks.
- Advising the club officers and members when the use of club funds
is an
issue.
- Ensuring that all club funds adhere to a clearly defined budget
that is
approved by the club members and managing such a budget.
Back to Top
Section F - Malfeasance
The officers are accountable to the club members at all times. In the
event
that a number of club members feel that an officer is not performing
his/her
duties properly and/or ethically, a formal charge of malfeasance must
be
brought before the club when it is officially called to order. A
"formal
charge" is defined as a verbal charge, with a second and third motion,
given in an official business meeting, whether it is the regular
meeting
or a special meeting called for the purpose of the charge. In this
manner,
no less than three members may bring a charge of malfeasance; any less
than three members bringing the charge are out of order and the charge
should be stricken from the record. If the charge meets these
requirements,
a representative of the accusing party is then recognized by the
presiding
officer to address the club on the reasons for the charge for no longer
than three minutes. The meeting will then recess for five minutes. The
accused is then recognized for a rebuttal time of no more than six
minutes.
A vote of secret ballot is taken immediately following the rebuttal in
the presence of both the accused and the accusers, both of whom may
vote.
A vote of Yea meaning that the accused is guilty and a vote of Nay
meaning
the accused is not guilty. If the majority vote finds the accused
guilty
of malfeasance, immediate discharge from office for the remainder of
the
term is carried out. Vacant offices are then filled as described in the
sections defining the club offices (i.e. VP becomes President,
Secretary
becomes VP). If the accused is found not guilty, no changes in the club
offices are implemented and the charge may not be repeated for at least
two months. At that time, no more than one of the three members
bringing
the original charge may support the same charge again. This is to
prevent
railroading
and mud slinging.
Back to Top
Section G - Reasonableness
In many places this constitution makes the statement that "reasonable
exceptions
apply". It should be understood that there must be a stopping point for
disputes over what is reasonable. In order to provide for this, it is
the
responsibility of the four elected officers to deliberate and decide on
what is reasonable should there be a dispute of this nature.
Back to Top
Article III - Rated Club Events
Section A - The Organizer and the Director
Rated events at the GCC shall be initiated and managed by a club member
known as the organizer and a club member, who is certified by the
sanctioning
body, called the director. All official responsibilities in these
events
rest upon one or both of these individuals in one capacity or another.
Participants
in these events shall be sufficiently notified of the names of these
individuals
before the start of the event. The amount of advance notification
required
is to be decided by the club officers. The functions of organizer and
director
are given in the following sections, and may be performed by a single
certified
director if no others are able to assume one role or the other. There
is
a special consideration if the director of the event is also a
participant
and it is given below. Also, more than one individual may serve as
organizer
or director so long as those individuals meet the aforementioned
requirements.
Part I - The Functions and Responsibilities of the Organizer
Any adult member of the GCC who is familiar with Article III may be
an organizer. The organizer of a rated event for the GCC is responsible
for the following:
-
Conducting all business with the proprietor of the playing site,
including,
but not limited to, securing the site with proper funds, and
maintaining
all necessary communication between the GCC and the proprietor.
- Managing and initiating all publicity and advertisement for the
event.
This includes ensuring that prospective players know all the important
information about the event, including, but not limited to, dates and
times,
entry fee, site address and contact information. For example, the
organizer
would be responsible for sending the Tournament Life Announcement to
Chess
Life magazine.
- Ensuring, to the best of his/her abilities and foresight, that
the most
ideal and professional playing conditions will be exhibited at the
playing
site during the event, including, but not limited to, low noise level,
comfortable and adjustable climate, sufficient space for chess
equipment,
sufficient and reasonably comfortable seating, accommodation of players
with special needs (wheelchair access, blind player's equipment etc.),
convenient restrooms, and a lack of overall distraction.
- Establishing the date and time that player registration for the
event will
end, and conducting and/or seeing to the registration of each
participant
prior to the registration deadline. The organizer is NOT required or
expected
to register any participant after the registration deadline.
Registration
for the event is not complete until any and all entry fees as well as
any
and all required information is collected from all players. The
organizer
has the right, and is expected, to withdraw any player who does not
produce
the proper entry fee or required information before the registration
deadline.
- Establishing any and all rules regarding smoking and/or a
designated smoking
area.
- Assisting the TD if needed, wherever and whenever possible,
EXCLUDING making
any official rulings on the behalf of the TD in regard to any issues
that
only the TD is authorized to rule on. It is the responsibility of both
TD and organizer to see that this exception is enforced.
- Attending the event for all games.
- Adhering to any official rules or arbitration regarding any of
these responsibilities
by the event's sanctioning body.
These listed responsibilities are meant to serve as guidelines for the
organizer. It assumes common sense and maturity of all those involved
and
it is understood that reasonable exceptions will apply. Any player
complaints
regarding these issues should be directed, first, to the organizer,
then
to the TD, then to the club officers, then to the sanctioning body as
needed
until the dispute is resolved. In the event of an unresolved dispute
the
sanctioning body (and/or any entity they identify) has final rule.
Part
II - The Functions and Responsibilities of the Director (TD)
An adult club member wishing to be a TD must have the certification
of the sanctioning body of any event he/she wishes to direct. If a TD
does
not meet with the approval of the club members, that TD may be barred
from
directing any club events by majority vote. The TD of a rated event for
the GCC is responsible for the following:
-
Having a printed copy of the official rules of the event's sanctioning
body present for all games during the event. The TD is also expected to
have a working knowledge of these rules prior to the start of the event.
- Attending the event for all games.
- Maintaining a character that is mature, respectful, fair, and
above ethical
reproach.
- Making a fair and official ruling that is supported by the
sanctioning
body in print or by arbitration for all disputes as soon as a ruling
can
be made, pending appeal to the sanctioning body which has final rule in
all disputes.
- Maintaining all necessary communication with the sanctioning body
prior
to, during, and after the event.
- Being readily available (barring unusual circumstances) to
immediately
attend to the player(s) at any board in any round requiring the
intervention
of a TD.
- Ensuring that the event crosstable is correct, sending the
crosstable and
rating fees to the sanctioning body, verifying that the official
crosstable
(the one from the sanctioning body) matches the actual event results,
and
correcting any errors in the official crosstable.
- Dealing with any player(s) or factor(s) causing a disruption to
the event.
- Pairing all players for, and properly recording all results from,
all boards
in all rounds of the event.
The Alternate TD
- Ensuring before the event that another certified, club-approved,
TD (called
the alternate TD) can stand in should he/she be unable to perform
his/her
duties during the event for any reason, and ensuring that all players
will
know who the alternate TD is. The alternate TD has no authority until
appointed
by the TD to stand in and should NOT be consulted by any players until
that time.
The following responsibility applies if the TD is also a
participant
in the event that he/she is directing:
- To ensure that the alternate TD (see alternate TD above)
intervenes on
any disputes regarding his/her games. The TD has NO AUTHORITY
over
such disputes and it is solely the responsibility of the alternate TD
to
resolve them. If the TD and the alternate TD are both participants in
the
event they are directing and the possibility exists that the two will
play
each other, and thus creating the possibility of a dispute between the
two, a second alternate TD must be designated before the start of the
event
to resolve that dispute if necessary. The second alternate must meet
all
the requirements for TD stated in this constitution.
These listed responsibilities are meant as guidelines for the TD. It
assumes
common sense and maturity of all those involved and it is understood
that
reasonable exceptions will apply. Any player complaints regarding these
issues should be directed, first, to the TD, then to the club officers,
then to the sanctioning body as needed until the dispute is resolved.
In
the event of an unresolved dispute the sanctioning body (and/or any
entity
they identify) has final rule.
Back to Top
Section B - Special Rules for Swiss-Paired Club Events
There are some special guidelines that will be
adhered
to in general for all rated club events using the Swiss pairing system
that are not addressed specifically in the official rule books. This
section
ties up these loose ends. Reasonable exceptions to these guidelines
will
be allowed.
In most chess tournaments, a missed round without notification prior to
the start of the event, even under emergency or extenuating
circumstances,
constitutes a loss by forfeit. Ideally, all club players who register
and
pay to participate in a club event should make the very best effort to
keep that commitment by showing up for all rounds. It is understood,
however,
that this is too much to expect of our club members who have other,
more
pressing, concerns outside of the GCC. In round-robin events, missed
rounds
are less of a burden since the pairings are fixed. This is not the case
under the Swiss system. The TD must have a result for all boards in a
round
before the next round can be paired.
Club members are asked to pardon the tone of strictness that these
rules
exhibit. Prudence demands that the rules attempt to address the worst
possible
scenarios. While most club members will not cause many problems, these
rules are here to deal with those who do. To solve the potential
problems
in a Swiss event, the following guidelines are given to the club
tournament
directors and all players are expected to abide by them without
dispute:
-
All entry fees must be paid before the start of the first round. Anyone
who has not paid the required entry fee by this time will be withdrawn.
- The following item has been changed by Amendment I. It is
listed
here for historical purposes. At the discretion of the
organizer
and/or TD, byes may be requested before the start of the first round.
It
is up to the organizer and/or TD to determine how many byes, if any,
are
allowed, but they must be requested prior to the start of the event
without
exception.
- If one or both players know ahead of time that an upcoming round
will be
missed, (assuming that a bye is not an option) it is the "offending"
player(s)
responsibility to notify the TD of the event as far ahead of the missed
round as humanly possible. Failure to notify the TD will allow the
game's
clock to be started at the normal time, and both players have one hour
from the start time to show up and begin play. After one hour, the
player
who has not arrived receives a loss by forfeit. If neither player shows
up by that time, the game is a double forfeit.
- Players who miss a round are expected to make the very best
effort to make
the game up before the start of the next round so that pairings can be
made. The TD is to be kept informed of this effort at all times by both
players. It is emphasized that at least some effort must be made.
"Effort"
is defined as communicating with both the opponent and the TD regarding
possible make-up times. Failure of both players to make an effort to
make
up the game before the start of the next round results in double
forfeit.
If the TD only hears from one of the players, the TD must assume that
the
other player has not participated in any make-up efforts. If one player
makes an effort to make up the game and the other player does not, the
player who neglected their responsibility loses by forfeit.
- If a missed game is not made up before the next round despite the
best
effort by both players to do so, then the players may make the game up
at the earliest convenience, so long as it is made up by no later than
one week following the final round. However, both players will be
paired
for the next round as winners. This is to prevent abuse of the system
to
get weaker opposition and thus better winning chances.
- If a game is adjourned, the players are expected to make the very
best
effort to play out the adjournment before the start of the next round.
The adjourned position MUST be submitted to the TD at the time of the
adjournment.
The position is to be entered into a chess computer program and
evaluated.
If the players, despite their best effort, are unable to play out the
adjournment
before the next round, they may play the adjournment out at the
earliest
convenience so long as it is played out no later than one week after
the
final round. In addition, pairings for the next round are to be made as
follows: The computer's evaluation of the adjourned position is used to
anticipate the winner of the game with best play. The side with a 0.5
pawn
unit advantage or greater is paired as a winner since the computer
gives
that player the advantage. If the position is evaluated as dead even or
the advantage is evaluated at less than 0.5 pawn units, the players are
paired as drawn.
- Players who make up a missed game or play out an adjournment MUST
REMEMBER
that a game is not "made up" nor an adjournment "played out" until the
result is reported to the TD no later than the day before the next
round.
Failure to do so will force the TD to pair the players for the next
round
according to the methods described above.
- Any missed games that are not made up by one week after the final
round
will result in double forfeit. Adjournments that are not played out by
this time are ruled as "abandoned" by both players and also result in a
double forfeit.
- Computer evaluations of adjourned positions are NOT under any
circumstances
to be revealed to anyone but the TD(s) of the event. These evaluations
should be done with the strongest computer or software available that
uses
the pawn unit system of evaluation.
Players are strongly encouraged not to make missed rounds a problem
where
it is preventable. To skip a game wantonly without regard for the
opponent
or the pairings will not be tolerated. This will, in the very least,
result
in forfeiture and may be punishable by withdrawal from the event
without
refund and/or report of the player's name and action to the sanctioning
body for whatever penalty they see fit to impose.
Back to Top
Article IV - The Code of Conduct
Section A - Adult and Teen Members
The GCC is highly concerned about the quality of our membership and the
impression we make upon those that visit or join us. Therefore let it
be
known that any and all impropriety, malcontent, or contemptible and
inappropriate
behavior does not reflect the standard of conduct for GCC membership.
Deliberate
persistence in such behavior is punishable by revocation of membership
and its privileges indefinitely and authorities will be notified if
necessary.
It is expected of all adult members to be mature, respectful, polite,
and
obedient of the rules at all times, doing unto others only what they
would
have done unto themselves, and continually exhibiting to others the
respect
and patience that they would want for themselves. Members should
understand
that this code cannot cover every possible violation of this general
rule.
Whether or not a particular act is in violation of good, mature, and
respectful
behavior is at the discretion of the elected club officers. The
following
is a list of guidelines that generally outline what is expected of our
members, but is not intended for rigid interpretation.
-
Have respect for any equipment and property that is not yours to do
with
as you please. This includes the opponent's, another member's, or the
club's
sets, boards, and clocks. Do not use such items without permission of
the
owner, as this may delay the owner in leaving or using them
himself/herself.
Club-owned equipment may be used by anyone so long as it is respected.
- Maintain a character that is above ethical reproach at all times.
Expect
disciplinary action for any act that is ruled as unethical by a TD or
the
club officers.
- Endeavor to be tolerable of other people's mistakes. It's only a
matter
of time before you make one of your own.
- Please respect those who are playing serious, rated chess by
keeping as
quiet as possible in the playing area, being sure to only socialize and
conduct post-mortem analysis or non-serious games in areas designated
for
that purpose.
- Understand that it's impossible to eliminate all possible
distractions
in rated play. Members are expected to bear with them the best they can
and refrain from outward expressions of anger or frustration that may
themselves
become a distraction.
- Profanity should not be used, especially in the presence of
children. Open
vulgarity and lewdness is not welcome and will not be tolerated.
- Protests and disputes should be conducted in a professional,
mature, and
respectful manner. Any protest that can be reserved for the business
meeting,
when the floor is recognized for business, should be.
- Regarding personal disputes with another member or individual in
attendance;
conduct any confrontation with that individual out of sight and out of
earshot of everyone else, preferably at some time other than a club
meeting.
Fights and personal arguments for all to see and hear are an
embarrassment
to the club as a whole. The authorities will be called in the event of
any violent or malicious disturbance.
- Common sense and good judgment are required at all times.
- In rated events, abide by all rulings of the sanctioning body in
print
(the rule book) and arbitration, as well as all rules and stipulations
in this constitution regarding rated play. All members are responsible
for knowing them before playing in a rated event.
- Unreasonable displays of anger and frustration are inappropriate.
- Let this constitution and your common sense be your guide. When
in doubt
about what is appropriate, consult the club officers.
- The following item was added by Amendment II The
use of intoxicating
substances including, but not limited to, alcoholic beverages,
marijuana
and other illegal drugs, is strictly prohibited on the club premises.
Anyone
doing so, will be required to leave immediately and the authorities may
be notified with or without that person's knowledge. While there is
nothing
to stop members from consuming intoxicating substances before a club
meeting
or off the club premises, intoxicated indivduals are an embarrasment to
the club, and, at the discretion of the club officers, may be required
to leave.
Back to Top
Section B - Child Members
The GCC welcomes children 7 years and up to participate in our events
and
activities and for membership. It is understood that children will be
children.
The code of conduct for adults generally applies to children as well,
but
with reasonable lenience. However, any child that persists in
deliberate
disruption must have parental supervision during attendance.
Back to Top
Article V - Committees
Section A - Official Committees
The club officers have the option, if a majority of them agree to do
so,
to form committees made up of club members to meet a specific, on-going
need of the club that would not best be met by neither the officers
themselves
nor by amendment to the constitution. The committee's size, purpose,
and
life span are up to the club officers. The officers pick the members of
these committees and the officers themselves may serve on them if
necessary.
The club members may not dismiss specific committee members by vote,
but
may appeal to the officers to have specific members removed. The club
members
may dissolve or overturn the forming of an official committee by
majority
vote. Official committees may be recognized as a governing entity at
any
club business meeting. For more information on the role of official
committees
in the business meetings, see Article VI, Section C -
Committees
in the Business Meeting.
Back to Top
Section B - Unofficial Committees
The club members themselves may form committees of any size, purpose,
or
life span of their choosing, so long as the committee meets the
following
standards:
-
The committee serves a functional purpose and is not merely a lobbying
group.
- Neither the formation nor purpose of the committee may lead to
divisive
or offensive ends.
- No member may be refused membership for personal, unreasonable,
or illogical
reasons. This is to prevent elitism and the formation of cliques.
- The purpose of the committee may not be to replace or take over
club leadership.
For guidelines on removing ineffective or inadequate club leadership,
see
Article
II, Section F - Malfeasance.
Unofficial committees have no more authority in club business than it's
individual members. For more information on the role of unofficial
committees
in the business meeting, see Article VI, Section C -
Committees
in the Business Meeting.
Back to Top
Article VI - The Business Meeting
Section A - The Elements and Format of the Business Meeting
A business meeting has two main elements; the officers (consisting of
the
President, who is the presiding moderator, the Vice President, the
Secretary,
who keeps the minutes for the meeting, and the Treasurer) and the floor
(consisting of all paid members who are not included among the
officers).
The general format of a typical business meeting is as follows:
-
Meeting begins when officers are seated and the moderator calls the
floor
to order, informing the floor that a regular business meeting for a
specified
period is taking place (i.e. "I call to order the Greenville Chess Club
for the regular business meeting of January.").
- Moderator recognizes the Secretary to read the minutes from the
previous
meeting. Once the Secretary has read the minutes in their entirety, the
Moderator asks the floor if there are any corrections that need to be
made
to the minutes. If so, the Secretary is to make note of them. Once this
is done (or if there are no corrections to be made) the minutes are
approved
by the Moderator.
- Moderator recognizes the Secretary for items of business from the
officers.
Any voting or discussion of these items of business is carried out as
needed.
- Moderator recognizes the floor for any further items of business.
Any voting
or discussion of the items of business from the floor is carried out as
needed.
- Moderator asks if everyone has a copy of the Treasurer's report
and if
there are any questions or discussion in regard to it. If so, these
concerns
are addressed.
- Barring any further business, discussion, or announcements, the
Moderator
makes a motion that the meeting be adjourned. The motion must receive a
second motion from the floor (not the officers). Once this is done, the
Moderator asks if there are any that are opposed to adjourning the
meeting.
If so, any further business that needs to be addressed is brought to
the
floor. When this is done (or there is no objection), the meeting is
adjourned.
This format need not be strictly followed, lest the meeting become a
mere
rhetorical formality. The focus of the business meeting is club
business,
not a specific routine or cycle. It is further noted that the time used
in the business meeting must be used wisely, and the Moderator is
responsible
for keeping club business at the center of attention and putting a stop
to any wasting of time. After all, the purpose of having a chess club
is
playing chess, not long business meetings.
Back to Top
Section B - The Rules of Order
The purpose of the regular club business meeting is primarily to keep
the
members informed and involved in the issues and events that affect the
club and it's well being. In order to achieve this, a strict format
will
be adhered to so that progress can be made and so that the meeting does
not turn in to a "free-for-all". All members are, therefore, required
to
abide by this format which is henceforth referred to as the Rules of
Order.
The Rules of Order:
-
The presiding moderator, usually the President of the club, is in
charge
of the meeting at all times. All members are to come to order at the
moderator's
command, which may include the use of the gavel to quiet a noisy room.
- Only one person, who is recognized by the presiding moderator,
may address
the floor at any one time. Any one else who speaks out while this
person
has the floor is out of order and their remarks are not to be kept on
record.
- Issues of the club's government are resolved with proposals. Any
member
or the club officers may give a proposal. Once a proposal is given it
is
put to the floor for approval for vote by motion. Once the proposal has
received sufficient motions, the moderator will call for a vote by all
members in attendance on whether to enact or reject the proposal.
- Proposals from the members on the floor require a first and
second motion
of approval from the floor before the proposal may be brought to a vote.
- Proposals from the elected club officers require only a first
motion of
approval from the floor before the proposal may be brought to a vote.
This
is because the members elected the officers for the purpose of
governing
the club through such proposals.
- A proposal is withdrawn if it does not receive sufficient
approval from
the floor for vote, or if the member making the proposal verbally
withdraws
it.
- Once a proposal is presented to the floor, whether it is approved
for vote
or not, no other proposals may be brought to the floor until the
initial
proposal is resolved (either withdrawn or voted on). A counter-proposal
may be made to the initial proposal, but it may not be approved for
vote
until the initial proposal is withdrawn. If the initial proposal is
approved
for vote (meaning it was not withdrawn) the counter-proposal is
withdrawn.
- The moderator is to ask and allow for all motions, discussion,
and questions
regarding a proposal before the proposal is voted on or ruled as
withdrawn.
Only one question on the current proposal may be on the floor at any
one
time. Any other questions that are presented while the current question
is on the floor are out of order.
- Once a proposal is approved for vote, the standard voting
procedure is,
first, a show of hands by all in favor of the proposal, followed by a
show
of hands by all opposed to the proposal. The Secretary is in charge of
counting the votes, and may call for a repeated show of hands to verify
his/her numbers. A secret ballot format may be used if it is deemed
necessary.
- Items of business not requiring a vote are to be preceded by "For
information
only".
These guidelines are meant as a standard to keep the business meeting
structured,
orderly, and productive. This should always be kept in mind as the
purpose
of these rules, and they should not be followed to the letter if doing
so is counterproductive.
Back to Top
Section C - Committees in the Business Meeting
Committees are defined and regulated in Article V of this document.
Official
committees are recognized as governing entities and may present
proposals
to the floor. Since official committees are appointed by the elected
officers,
proposals from such committees only require a first motion from the
floor
to be approved for vote.
Unofficial committees are not recognized as governing entities and
therefore
may not make proposals as such. However, there is nothing to stop the
members
of such committees from making any proposals their committee wishes to
make. Such proposals are considered proposals from the floor and
require
a first and second motion from the floor before they are approved for
vote.
Back to Top
Amendments
Amendment I to Article III, Section B
By majority vote of the officers and membership, the text in Article
III, Section B that currently reads:
At the discretion of the organizer and/or TD, byes may be requested
before the start of the first round. It is up to the organizer and/or
TD
to determine how many byes, if any, are allowed, but they must be
requested
prior to the start of the event without exception.
Should now read as follows:
At the discretion of the organizer and/or TD, byes may be requested
before the start of the fourth round. It is up to the organizer and/or
TD to determine how many byes, if any, are allowed.
Amendment II to Article IV, Section A
By majority vote of the officers and membership, the following item
was added to Article IV, Section A:
The use of intoxicating substances including, but not limited to,
alcoholic
beverages, marijuana and other illegal drugs, is strictly prohibited on
the club premises. Anyone doing so, will be required to leave
immediately
and the authorities may be notified with or without that person's
knowledge.
While there is nothing to stop members from consuming intoxicating
substances
before a club meeting or off the club premises, intoxicated indivduals
are an embarrasment to the club, and, at the discretion of the club
officers,
may be required to leave.
|| GCC Home || Calendar
||
Members
|| Newsletter || Constitution
|| Ratings ||
|| Directions || Pairings
|| FAQ || Game Gallery
|| Links || TDs ||