Minnesota Division of the United States Fencing Association
By-Laws of the Division
Revised:
June 2, 1977
Amended: May 23, 1982
Amended: May 11, 1990
Amended: June 10, 1999
Amended: Aug. 12, 2006
Amended: May 16, 2010
Revised: August 2, 2017
Chapter I – Name and Area
Section 1. This organization, hereinafter referred to as the Division, shall be a component unit of the United States Fencing Association, hereinafter referred to as the Association, which Association is the official governing body for amateur fencing in the United States, and the Association is recognized in this capacity by the Amateur Athletic Union, the United States Olympic Committee, and the Federation Internationale d’Escrime. It shall embrace the area comprising the State of Minnesota of said Association as designated by a Charter granted by the Association, and it shall be known as the Minnesota Division of the United States Fencing Association. This Division shall be governed by its Articles of Incorporation and these By-laws, the Constitution and By-laws of the Association. The Division is a separate 501.3(c) entity from the United States Fencing Association.
Chapter II – Purposes of the Division
Section 1. The purposes of this Division, through its relationship with the other organizations mentioned in Chapter I, are to advance the purposes of the Association; to promote and encourage the sport and art of amateur fencing in the Division; to maintain relations with other Divisions of the Association.
Chapter III – Membership
Section 1. The qualifications and requirements for membership in this Division shall be defined by the current Association By-laws.
Chapter IV-Meetings
Section 1. At least one regular general membership meeting shall be held each fall at the call of the President. Special meetings may be called by the President or upon petition of twenty percent of the membership.
Section 2. An Annual Division meeting shall be held each spring, at which time the Divisional Officers for the ensuing year shall be elected.
Section 3. Written notice of the Annual Division Meeting shall be communicated to each member of the Division at least fifteen days prior to the date of the meeting.
Chapter V – Officers and Duties of Officers
Section 1. The officers of the Division shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer and a Public Relations Director, elected for a term of one year.
Section 2. The President shall read and understand the bylaws, pledge to uphold them and be the chief executive officer of the Division; and shall preside at all meetings, and appoint, by agreement with the Executive Committee, all committees and committee presidents of the Division. The President shall have the right to vote only in the case of a tie, except in the election of officers. The President shall present an annual written report on the activities of the Division at the Annual Division Meeting, and shall be ex-officio member of the Division Committee.
Section 3. The Vice President shall read and understand the bylaws, pledge to uphold them and act as President in the latter’s absence. The Vice President shall be responsible for proposing a meet schedule at the Annual Division Meeting. The Vice President shall serve as the Chair of the Tournament Committee and is responsible for supervising the development of and revisions to the Division’s Operating Manual with oversight by the Executive Committee
Section 4. The Secretary shall read and understand the bylaws, pledge to uphold them and keep the minutes of all Division Meeting and Executive Committee Meetings, preserve the records and papers of the Division, prepare an Annual Report, and attend to all correspondence. The Secretary shall keep an annual roster of Association fencers in the Division membership. The roster shall show the full name, address, date of Division membership and other such information about each person as may be deemed pertinent. Immediately following the Annual Division
Meeting, the Secretary shall forward to the Secretary of the Association, the Division roster of newly elected officers and members, and supply a mailing list of Association members to Historian in a timely fashion. The Secretary is responsible for submitting all appropriate documentation to the USFA.
Section 5. The Treasurer shall read and understand the bylaws, pledge to uphold them and demand and receive all funds due the Division together with bequests and donations, and shall pay money out of the treasury when presented with appropriate documentation of authorized expenses on behalf of the Division. The Treasurer shall subject accounts to such examination as the Executive Committee might order, and shall render an annual account of the receipts and expenditure and the state of the funds of the Division. The Treasurer shall be bonded in such sum as the Executive Committee may require. The Treasurer shall prepare and/or oversee the preparation of all necessary financial documentation to the USFA, the State of Minnesota and the IRS in satisfaction of the requirements of the Division and the Division’s 501 c3 status. The Treasurer and one other Officer shall be authorized to sign on the Division’s checking account.
Section 6. The Public Relations Director shall read and understand the bylaws, pledge to uphold them and serve as the Chair of the Publicity Committee and Historical Committee. The Public Relations Director shall be responsible for the publication and distribution of the newsletter in all formats to all Division members.
Section 7. Following any tenure as President, one shall normally serve, for a period of one year, as “Past President,” sitting as a voting member, on the Executive Committee and may continue to serve, at will, until supplanted by the ensuing President or removed as per Chapter 7, Section
- The Executive Committee shall fill any vacancy of this position by appointment, as per Chapter 7, Section 1.
Chapter VI – Elections
Section 1. The Nominating Committee (as defined in Chapter VII, Sec. 4) shall make the following nominations: at least one candidate for the office of President and at least one candidate for each of the offices of Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Public Relations Director. The Nominating Committee shall provide a report of their nominations to the Executive Committee and the Secretary will communicate said report to the membership. Additional nominations may be made from the floor during the Annual Division meeting. The nominee must accept the nomination either through written or verbal confirmation to the Secretary.
Section 2. Election shall be by written ballot. A majority of votes cast by those present and voting shall elect the officers. If no nominee receives such majority, a re-ballot shall be taken on the nominees receiving the highest number of votes.
Section 3. In case of a tie vote for election for any individual office, a re-ballot on the tied names shall be taken. A tie vote after a second re-ballot shall be decided by the toss of a coin.
Section 4. The officers shall assume their duties on the August 1st following the Annual Meeting of the Division.
Chapter VII-Committees
Section 1. There shall be an Executive Committee consisting of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Historian and immediate Past President, which committee shall meet at the call of the President or on request of three members of the Committee. Four members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The Executive Committee shall conduct the business of this Division during the interim between meetings; shall audit the books of the Treasurer at least once per year; shall determine all membership questions subject to appeal to the Association; and fill any vacancies of office occurring between Annual Meetings of the Division.
Section 2. There shall be a Publicity and Historical Committee to publicize the Division and Association affairs and to assemble and keep up to date all important records of activities, publications, committee accomplishments and historical material of the Division.
Section 3. There shall be a Tournament Committee to study and enforce the USFA rules governing organizations of contests and competition in the Division and to conduct and organize all Divisional exhibition and competitive contests. The Committee shall keep written records of all contests and competitions, classifications of fencers and awards for competitions and shall cause same to be filed with the Secretary of the Division. The Vice President is designated as the Chair of the Tournament Committee.
Section 4. There shall be a Divisional Steering Committee consisting of one member, who is a member of the USFA, from each Division Club and chaired by the immediate Past President, or appointed replacement. This Committee shall act as the Nominating Committee for the Division offices. In addition, this Committee shall by a two-thirds (2/3) majority, vote to remove a member of the Executive Committee when such a request has been approved by a simple motion from the Executive Committee. The Committee will consist of an odd number of representatives. If the Committee contains an even number of representatives, it is the Past President’s duty as Committee chair to fill the vacant spot.
Section 5. Other special committees may be appointed as required.
Chapter VIII – Dues
Section 1. Annual National membership dues shall be in accordance with those prescribed in the Constitution and Bylaws of the Association for various classifications of membership subject to the approval of the Executive Committee. National dues shall be payable directly to the USFA.
Chapter IX – Amendments
Section 1. These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members voting by ballot or proxy at a regular meeting, the proposed amendments having been presented in writing to each member by mail not less than ten (10) days prior to the meeting.
Chapter X – Miscellaneous
Section 1. The deliberations and business of the Division meetings shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order, when this is not in conflict with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Division or Association.