USFA
OKLAHOMA DIVISION
BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I
NAME AND AFFILIATION
The name of the division shall be the Oklahoma Division of the United States Fencing Association, Inc.
The Division shall hereinafter be referred to as “THE DIVISION,” and the United States Fencing Association, Inc. shall be referred to as “USFA, INC.”
THE DIVISION is a duly chartered, subordinate, constituent body of the USFA, INC., exercising powers given by, performing duties directed under, and subject to, the Charter and By-laws of the USFA, INC., with jurisdiction over the geographic areas outlined by the USFA as the Oklahoma Division.
ARTICLE II
OBJECTIVES
The purposes of THE DIVISION are:
To promote, encourage, and develop the sport of fencing.
To provide local competitions and tournaments.
To assist Divisional fencers to reach their full potential in fencing.
To aid and assist the USFA, INC., in all its objectives and purposes.
ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP - DUES - COMPETITIONS
Section 1.
Any person residing within the boundaries of THE DIVISION or representing a fencing club within this same area shall be eligible for membership in THE DIVISION. No member of this Division may be a member of any other Division of the USFA, INC.
Section 2.
Classes of membership: Membership shall be the same as that designated from time to time by the USFA, INC.
Section 3.
Memberships may be transferred into this Division provided that the transferee has a current valid membership card from the USFA, INC.
Section 4.
Any Member in good standing, 18 years old or older at the time of the membership meeting, shall be qualified to vote.
Section 5.
Annual Divisional dues shall be determined by the USFA, INC. with the concurrence of THE DIVISION. THE DIVISION may, upon majority vote of the membership, add an additional fee or dues for the Divisional expenses.
Section 6.
The Divisional Executive Committee shall prepare the fencing schedule and shall determine the conditions and restrictions governing the qualifications, entries, and conduct of all competitions under its jurisdiction.
Section 7.
Fencers who are found to have entered a competition without being members of the USFA, INC. or who have failed to pay the entrance fee, will be subject to the following penalties and fines:
First offense: warning
Second offense: $25 fine and expulsion from the competition following the occurrence in which the fencer wishes to participate;
Third offense: Expulsion for the year
ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS AND DUTIES
The Officers of THE DIVISION shall consist of a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. All officers shall take office the first day of August next following their election, and shall hold office until the following July 31, or until their successors are elected and have justified.
The duties of the officers shall be as follows:
Section 1. Chairperson:
The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings of THE DIVISION and its Executive Committee, and perform such other duties as usually pertain to that office and are not inconsistent with these By-laws. The Chairperson has the responsibility for filing with the Secretary and the Treasurer of the USFA, INC. the annual reports called for under the corporate By-laws of the USFA, INC. and the standing votes of the Board of Directors. The preparation of these reports may be delegated to the Secretary and Treasurer of THE DIVISION. The Chairperson may, from time to time, assign officers and members of the Executive Committee to chair standing or ad-hoc committees. The Chairperson shall be ex-officio member of all committees. The Chairperson of THE DIVISION is responsible for the custody and maintenance of all Division equipment.
Section 2. Vice Chairperson:
The Vice Chairperson, in the absence of the Chairperson, shall perform the duties of the Chairperson and any other duties assigned by the chairperson and / or the Executive Committee.
Section 3. Secretary:
The Secretary shall conduct all official correspondence, keep a record of the meetings of THE DIVISION, issue notices to members of all meetings, and perform such duties as may be assigned by the Chairperson of THE DIVISION or any other proper authority. The secretary shall be official custodian of the records of THE DIVISION. The secretary shall prepare and publish minutes of all division meetings including meetings of the executive committee, and shall bring a copy of the previous meeting’s minutes to each meeting.
The Secretary shall bring the most current division membership roster to each meeting of THE DIVISION and each meeting of the Executive Committee. The secretary shall also verify the voting status of each member as appropriate, and issue some indicia to the individual, which shows the number of votes that individual represents (e.g. the individual plus proxies). All Division meeting minutes shall be published on the Internet.
The secretary shall discuss bylaw changes proposed under Article IX, Section 2, with the USFA, in conjunction with the proponent, prior to the required mailing.
Section 4. Treasurer:
The Treasurer shall, with the assistance of the Executive Committee, present a budget for the following fiscal year (August 1 - July 31) at the July Annual Meeting. Changes made upon the budget shall be presented at the next Annual meeting. The Treasurer shall keep the accounts of THE DIVISION, receive all money, fees, dues, pay all bills approved by the Executive Committee, and preserve all vouchers for such disbursements. The Treasurer shall, at the Annual meeting of THE DIVISION, submit a report of the financial transactions of the preceding period. All disbursements shall be made by check from the Divisional checking account. Such disbursements must be supported by receipts stating the nature of the transaction and the payee. All funds of THE DIVISION shall be maintained in an FLIC insured account under the name of THE DIVISION, checking and/or savings. No amounts above $50 will be disbursed without Executive Committee approval, and no amounts over $1000, not part of the budget presented at the Annual Meeting, will be dispersed without the approval of THE DIVISION’s membership by a majority vote. Said vote may be taken by either mail or at least ten (10) members of THE DIVISION current financial records within one (1) month of the request. The Treasurer shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Chairperson of THE DIVISION or other proper authority.
Section 5.
The offices of the Secretary and Treasurer may be combined for any year upon majority vote of the members of THE DIVISION voting, in person, at the Annual meeting. In the event of such a vote, the candidates for the office of Secretary and the Office of Treasurer, nominated pursuant to Article VIII of these By-laws, shall all be deemed candidates for the combined office.
Section 6.
Any officer of THE DIVISION may be removed from the office by the following procedure:
1. A petition by twenty-five (25) voting members of THE DIVISION, and
2. An election in which the officer receives less than a majority.
3. The election may be held at either an Annual meeting or a special meeting of the Divisional membership.
ARTICLE V
MANAGEMENT BY THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Section 1: Division Clubs
Recognition as a Division club occurs if the club meets the requirements for club membership specified in the USFA By-Laws, pays the specified fee to the USFA, and the club members are members of the Oklahoma Division. Division clubs are entitled to representation on the Executive Committee of the Division.
Section 2. Composition:
The management of the Division shall be vested in an Executive Committee consisting of the officers of THE DIVISION, additional directors, and a representative from each USFA recognized club within the Division.
Section 3. Quorum:
A quorum shall consist of one-third (1/3) of the members of the Executive Committee or (3) members, whichever is the greater.
Section 4. Meetings:
Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held on a regular basis at such time and place as shall be designated by the Chairperson, and shall be also called upon the written request of three (3) or more members of the Committee. All Committee members shall be given not less than forty-eight (48) hours prior notice of all special meetings. All meetings except those in which disciplinary action is to be taken or contemplated against any Executive Committee member or Divisional member shall be open to the Divisional membership.
Section 5.
Any member of the Executive Committee who fails to perform his duties may be removed by the Executive Committee using the following procedures:
a. Written notification of the causes for removal must be provided to the entire Executive Committee, including the member to be removed.
b. At any meeting in which the removal of any member of the Executive Committee is contemplated, three quarters (3/4) of the members of the Executive Committee must be present.
c. The member so charged has the right to appear at the meeting and present any arguments against removal.
d. The member who is contemplated for removal has no vote at this meeting.
e. Three quarters (3/4) of the Executive Committee members present at the hearing must vote for the removal before the member is removed.
Section 6.
The Executive Committee may replace a member who has resigned or who has been removed by the Executive Committee by the following procedure:
a. At any executive meeting where a new member is to be voted upon, three quarters (3/4) of the members of the Executive Committee must be present.
b. Three quarters (3/4) of the Executive Committee at this meeting must cast votes of approval before the new member of the Executive Committee is so approved.
Section 7.
The Executive Committee is empowered to carry out or cause to be carried out actions necessary for the operation of the Division. All disputes involving the Division, including actions by the executive officers and scheduling conflicts regarding competitions, shall be resolved by the Executive Committee. Any action taken or approved by the Executive Committee requires a majority of the representative votes. The Executive Committee is prohibited from changing or amending the Division By-Laws without approval of the full membership.
The annual schedule for Division competitions must have the approval of the Executive Committee. For a qualifying event, approval of fees, location, and times are required. The Executive Committee may levy fees on any Division event, in addition to fees assessed by the host club, to raise funds to cover Division expenses. All Division clubs must be made aware of any decision by the Executive Committee to levy a fee or fees on a meet before the Division competition schedule is finalized. The Executive Committee may raise funds by other means, but may not require a financial contribution from any member or club.
ARTICLE VI
MEETINGS OF THE MEMBERS
Section 1. Annual Meeting:
The Annual Meeting of THE DIVISION shall be held at the end of the Division fencing season. The date, time, and place for the Annual Meeting shall be designed by the Chairperson.
Section 2. Special Meetings:
Special Meetings may be called at any time and place by the Chairperson, and shall be called by the Chairperson upon written request of not less than twenty-five (25) members of THE DIVISION or by the simple majority of the Executive Committee members. THE DIVISION members must be given two weeks advance notice of such special meeting.
Section 3. Quorum:
A quorum shall consist of those members of THE DIVISION present in person or by proxy and must meet the quorum requirements set forth in article v section 2 at a minimum. A majority vote shall control, except as herein otherwise provided.
ARTICLE VII
ELECTIONS
Section 1.
Candidates for all offices established under these By-laws shall be nominated from the floor at the annual meeting of THE DIVISION. To qualify for a Division office, a candidate must be a current member of the Division, and must agree to accept the position, either in person at the meeting or in a written statement to a current Division officer.
Section 2.
If not more than one (1) nomination is made for any office, the Secretary of THE DIVISION shall cast a unanimous ballot at the annual meeting for the candidate nominated. If two (2) nominations are made for any office, voting for the candidates shall be either in person or by proxy and the candidates receiving the majority of the votes cast shall be declared elected. Written ballots shall be used. In the event that three (3) or more candidates are nominated for any office, and no candidate receives a majority vote, a run-off election shall be conducted between the two candidates receiving the most ballots in the first round and the winner shall be declared elected. If the voting in either a regular or run-off election for any office results in a tie, a lot shall be cast and the winner declared elected.
Section 3.
Members in good standing may give their proxy for election of officers only to any other member in good standing of the Division. All proxies shall be in writing and shall be submitted for verification to the Secretary of THE DIVISION at the commencement of the Annual Meeting. The person designated in the proxy must be in attendance at the annual meeting in order to exercise it.
Section 4.
Election of club representatives shall be conducted at the annual Division meeting. If an elected club representative position becomes vacant, the club may elect a replacement who will serve until the next annual Division meeting.
ARTICLE VIII
DIVISION FUNDS AND PROPERTY
Use of Division funds and access to Division equipment requires approval by the Executive Committee. The signature of the Secretary-Treasurer or Chairperson is required on all checks or vouchers. Division clubs are responsible for the proper care and transport to meets of Division equipment in their possession. All Division equipment shall be clearly marked “Oklahoma Division”.
ARTICLE IX
COMPETITIONS AND OTHER EVENTS
The Division has no authority at, and takes no responsibility for, any event not designated by the Executive Committee as a Division event. Division competitions shall follow current USFA rules and guidelines as outlined in the USFA manual and rule book. The host club shall organize the meet and appoint bout committee members from attending USFA members. A Division member assigned by the host shall record all meet results and deliver then within seven days to the Division Secretary-Treasurer.
Two types of competitions are recognized as Division events:
1. Division qualifying competitions
a. A Division qualifying competition is any event where placement in that event is required to qualfiy for another USFA sanctioned event.
b. A notice stating date, time(s), location, fee(s) and a contact person’s telephone number for all qualifying competitions shall be transmitted by the host to each eligible competitor, directly or via their club, at least twenty-one days before an event.
c. The host assumes all responsibilities for the event and all fees belong to the host unless other arrangements have been made with the Executive Committee before the schedule for the event has been approved by the Executive Committee.
2. Non-qualifying competitions
a. A non-qualifying competition is any Division event that is not classified as a Division qualifying competition.
b. In a non-qualifying competition, the host organization may set the fee(s) it considers appropriate, provided that the total cost for a fencer is clearly stated on the meet notices, and that the notices are distributed to eligible competitors, directly or via their clubs, at least fourteen days before the event. The notices shall also state date, time(s), location, and the telephone number of a contact person.
c. The host assumes all responsibilities for the event and all fees belong to the host unless other arrangements have been made with the Executive Committee before the schedule for the event has been approved by the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE X
CLASSIFICATION OF COMPETITORS
The Division recognizes all classes of competitors recognized by the USFA, and may use such classifications to decide eligibility and entry fee requirements at Division competitions. These classifications include Beginner, Student, Unclassified, and Classified. Classifications may overlap.
1. A Beginner has fenced in competitions sanctioned by the USFA (or comparable organization in another country) less than one year and has not won a sanctioned competition, including a tournament for Beginner fencers.
2. A Student is enrolled full time in a recognized elementary school, middle school, high school, trade or technical school, college, or graduate school.
3. An Unclassified fencer (also called a Novice) does not have a USFA rating in a particular weapon.
4. A Classified fencer has a USFA rating in a particular weapon.
ARTICLE XI
BY-LAWS, RULES AND POLICIES OF THE USFA, INC.
All By-laws, rules, regulations and matters of policy concerning the conduct of competitions as set forth in the fencing rules and manual of the USFA, INC. are hereby incorporated as part of these By-laws without action by the Executive Committee or members of THE DIVISION.
ARTICLE XII
AMENDMENTS
Section 1.
These Oklahoma Division By-laws may be amended at any Annual Meeting of the membership. An amendment receiving a majority of all votes cast by the members voting in person shall be deemed as adopted, subject to the approval of the National USFA, INC.
Members in good standing may give their proxy for election of officers only to any other member in good standing of the division. All proxies shall be in writing and shall be submitted for verification to the Secretary of THE DIVISION at the commencement of the Annual Meeting. The person designated in the proxy must be in attendance at the annual meeting in order to exercise it.
Section 2.
These Oklahoma Division bylaws may also be amended at a special meeting provided that the following conditions are met:
1. That notice be given by US Mail to all division members no less than three weeks before the special meeting, stating when and where the meeting will be held and the general nature of the bylaw amendments to be decided upon,
2. That the meeting date not conflict with any divisional, sectional or national tournament, with the SAT or ACT exams, or with any major religious or secular holidays, and
3. That at least twenty-five (25) members, or 10% of the membership, whichever is less, be present in person or by proxy.
An amendment will be approved (subject to the approval of the USFA, INC.) if it receives two thirds (2/3) of all votes cast, in person or by proxy.
ARTICLE XIII
ACCESS TO DIVISION RECORDS
All Division members shall be allowed to review Division records. Requests must be submitted in writing to the Chairperson and a date, time, and location will be scheduled for such review. The records are Division property and must remain in a Division officer’s possession.
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