VA Division By-Laws

BY-LAWS: VIRGINIA DIVISION OF US FENCING, INC.

Amended:June 15, 2019

ARTICLE I
The Virginia Division of USA Fencing, LLC., (“the Division”) shall operate under the Fencing Rules for Competitions as adopted by the United States Fencing Association, (“USFA”) and all subsequent modifications of these rules as officially adopted by the USFA or official interpretations of these rules as issued by the relevant commission of the USFA as well as the USFA Operations Manual as officially adopted by the USFA.

ARTICLE II
The Division shall have the following officers:

  • Chairman
  • Vice-Chairman
  • Secretary
  • Treasurer
  • Five (5) “At Large” Officers

ARTICLE III
The Division shall have one general meeting each year.  This meeting will be held within 30 days of the start of the USFA Summer Nationals each year.  The Chairman of the Division may call additional general meetings as necessary.  A quorum for general meetings of the Division shall consist of ten members of the Division, representing at least three different clubs.

The agenda of this divisional meeting shall be:

  • Reading of minutes of previously held meetings called by the Chairman (if any)
  • Reports of:
    • Chairman
    • Vice-Chairman
    • Secretary/Treasurer
    • Other Divisional Officers, committee chairmen, and administrative assistants (when appropriate)
  • Proposed amendments to the By-Laws
  • Election of officers (when appropriate)
  • Unfinished business
  • New business

A meeting of the Executive Committee shall be held after each of the USFA divisional meetings.

Officers for the coming year shall be elected at the annual general meeting of the Virginia Division.

ARTICLE IV
The Virginia Division Executive Committee shall consist of the following voting members:

  • Chairman
  • Vice-Chairman
  • Secretary
  • Treasurer
  • Five Divisional Executive Committee Members-at-Large

Each voting member shall have one vote and in the event of a tie vote, the issue shall be decided by the Division Chairman.  In the event of extenuating circumstances, the Vice-Chairman shall assume all the duties and privileges of the Chairman.

The duties of the Executive Committee shall be the following:

  • Certification of the classifications of fencers and of referees for divisional level ratings.
  • Organizing and running tournaments in the Virginia Division.
  • Assisting in the organizing and directing of fencing in the Virginia Division.
  • Any other activities designated by the chairman as appropriate.
  • A quorum of the Executive Committee shall be a majority of the voting members.

Nominations for officers may be made in person at the annual general meeting, or by letter of intent from a candidate and a seconding person, and/or by a nominating committee of the division, established by the Executive Committee.  All nominations will be published to the membership if received by a current officer up to one week before the annual general meeting.  Elections shall be held by secret ballot unless an open ballot is unanimously agreed upon.  Elections of officers shall be made by vote in person or by written proxy.  USA Fencing rules apply to voting in VA Division elections, “Members 18 and over, as of February 1st of the membership year, have the right to vote…”  This applies to every level of USA Fencing membership except Non-Competitive and Single Day.

First the election of a Chairman shall be completed.  Second the election of a Vice-Chairman shall be completed.  Third the election of seven (7) Members-at-Large shall be completed, by secret ballot in this manner: each voting member casts seven (7) votes for nominees; one for each of seven different nominees, or multiple votes in any combination for a smaller number of nominees so that the total number of votes is seven (7), including casting all seven votes for one nominee.  A nominee may vote for himself.  Votes shall be cast in whole numbers, no fractions. The seven nominees with the highest total of votes become Members-at-Large.  In the event of a tie for one of the 7 positions, a runoff shall be held. Immediately thereafter, the Members-at-Large best able to fill the roles of Secretary and Treasurer shall be nominated, and they shall be elected to those roles in that order by the voting members of the division (Note: the duties of Secretary and Treasurer may be combined and handled as a single position when appropriate.)

One club shall not be represented by 1/2 or more of the officers of the division, rounding fractions up. Of 7 or 8 officers, at most 3 shall represent one club. Of 9 or 10 officers, at most 4 shall represent one club. Representing a club is to represent that club in competition, or for that club to be the individual’s primary location of fencing activity.

Removal of an officer. An individual may be removed from office by:

Announcing his resignation of the position. An officer may resign his position at any time, effective immediately or on a specified date. The empty position shall be filled by election at a general membership meeting. This membership meeting shall be scheduled and announced by the Executive Committee. The meeting shall be scheduled not more than 45 days after the effective date of the resignation, and shall be announced as soon as possible and not less than 20 days in advance. Officers may change positions in filling the vacancy if approved by a majority of the voting members present at the meeting. The replacement officer may be elected in advance of the effective date of resignation.

Impeachment. An officer faces impeachment if 10% or more of the voting members of the division sign a written petition requesting his impeachment, and the petition is presented to the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, or Secretary of the division. A general meeting of the membership shall be held not more than 45 days after the date the petition is received, and shall be announced as soon as possible and not less than 20 days in advance. The impeached member shall retain the rights and responsibilities of his position during this time.

At the general meeting a 2/3 majority of voting members present removes the impeached officer. A replacement shall be elected immediately thereafter during the meeting, and officers may change positions in filling the vacancy if approved by a majority of the voting members present.

ARTICLE V
The Chairman shall be empowered to appoint other committees, officers (non-voting), and administrative assistants as needed to assist in the running of the division.

ARTICLE VI
The Bout Committee shall consist of all members of the Executive Committee present at the competition, and any additional people the Executive Committee appoints.

At least one member of the Executive Committee shall be present at each competition sanctioned by the Division.

ARTICLE VII
Votes on issues of divisional concern arising between divisional meetings may be held by the chairman by telephone, email, video conference or mail ballot.

The result of all such votes must be reported at the next general meeting and approved by the division at the meeting if the issue has not become moot.

ARTICLE VIII
The Divisional Championships shall be CLOSED unless specified otherwise in a general meeting. The qualifiers to the National Championships shall be the same as the Championships, provided it is in conformity with the requirements of the USFA.

ARTICLE IX
Amendments to the By-Laws of the Virginia Division shall require a 2/3 majority vote of a general meeting for approval.

ARTICLE X
The adoption of these By-Laws by a 2/3 majority vote of the division at a general meeting shall be considered as superseding and repealing all other By-Laws or other resolutions previously adopted by the Virginia Division.

ARTICLE XI
The Division’s financial reporting calendar must be consistent with the USFA, which runs from August 1st through July 31st of the following year.