Bylaws

BYLAWS OF THE SAN DIEGO DIVISION OF

THE UNITED STATES FENCING ASSOCIATION

July 2013

ARTICLE I NAME: AFFILIATION AND DEFINITIONS

The name of the Division is The San Diego Division of the United States Fencing Association. (“The Division”)

The United States Fencing Association shall be referred to hereinafter as the USFA.

The Division is a duly chartered, subordinate, constituent body of the of the USFA, a non profit organization, with jurisdiction over the geographic region of the San Diego and Imperial counties of the State of California and is subject to the general supervision and control under the provisions of The USFA Bylaws and Operations Manual

Within this document:

a) Competitive year" is defined as starting August 1 and ending July 31 of the following year.

b) Voting member" shall refer to an individual member of the Division who is eligible to vote in the USFA.

c) The fiscal year of The Division will be that of The USFA.

d) The activities and operations of the Division are governed by these bylaws, the Division Charter/Articles of Incorporation, and the Bylaws of the USFA.

ARTICLE II OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the San Diego Division of The USFA are:

a) The support, enhancement and development of the sport of fencing;

b) The hosting and organization of local competitions and tournaments;

c) The promotion of participation in local, state, sectional and national competitions sponsored by The USFA and its Divisions; and

d) Such other purposes and objectives as have been promulgated in the Bylaws of The USFA.

ARTICLE III MEMBERSHIP

3.1 Eligibility for membership in the Division is limited to persons eligible for membership in the USFA who reside within the territorial limits of the Division or belong to a fencing club located within the territorial limits of the Division and who are not members of another Division.

3.2 Classes of membership and their requirements are limited to those established in the Bylaws of the USFA

3.3 Applicants who qualify under Section 3.1 of this article shall be admitted to membership upon payment of dues

3.4 The disciplinary power of the Division shall be limited to the competitive penalties of expulsion or exclusion. All other matters regarding discipline shall be referred to the Board of Directors of The USFA for resolution.

3.5 Privately sponsored competitions may be sanctioned and listed on the Division's schedule of events, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee. In order to be so sanctioned, the sponsors must meet the conditions, qualifications and restrictions established by the Executive Committee for such events. At least one member of the Executive Committee shall be present at such approved, privately sponsored competitions.

ARTICLE IV OFFICERS AND DUTIES

4.1. The officers of the Division consist of a Chairman, a Vice Chairman, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and such additional members of the Executive Committee elected under Article V, Section 5.1 of these Bylaws. Officers shall assume office the first day of the competitive year for which they are elected, except in the case that the Annual Meeting is postponed into a new competitive year, in which case the officers shall assume office upon the adjournment of the Annual Meeting. Officers will hold office through the latter of the last day or the competitive year for which they are elected or until their successors are elected and have qualified.

4.2 The Chairman shall preside at all meetings of the Division and its Executive Committee and perform such other duties as are relevant to the operation of the Division and not inconsistent with these Bylaws. The Chairman has the responsibility for appointing the Bout Committee and the Chairman of the Bout Committee. The Chairman has the responsibility for filing with the Secretary of the USFA and the Treasurer of the USFA the annual reports called for under the corporate Bylaws and the standing votes of the Board of Directors of the USFA. The preparation of these reports may be delegated to the Secretary and Treasurer of the Division.

4.3 In the prolonged absence of the Chairman, the Vice Chairman shall perform the duties of the Chairman.

4.4 The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings of the Division and the Executive Committee, keep a record of the members of the Division and their weapon and officiating classifications, keep a record of the competitions conducted by the Division including their results, issue timely notices of meetings to members, conduct official correspondence and perform such duties as may be assigned by the Chairman of the Division or other proper authority.

4.5 The Treasurer shall keep the accounts of the Division, receive all fees, dues, and other monies, 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 year. The Treasurer shall keep all funds of the Division in such accounts as the Executive Committee may prescribe. Nominal disbursements maybe made from a petty cash fund under such regulation and control as may be established by the Executive Committee. The Treasurer shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Chairman of the Division or other proper authority.

4.6 The offices of Secretary and Treasurer may be combined for any year upon majority vote of the members of the Division voting in person or by proxy 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 Bylaws, shall be candidates for the combined office.

ARTICLE V MANAGEMENT OF THE DIVISION BY THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

5.1. The management of the Division shall be vested in an Executive Committee consisting of the officers of The Division, such Members of Congress of The USFA as the Division may be entitled to elect, and such additional members, not exceeding six (6) in number, as may be elected by the members of The Division.

5.2. A quorum shall consist of one‑third of the members of the Executive Committee or three members, whichever is the greater.

5.3. Meetings of the Executive Committee may be called by the Chairman and shall be held at such time and place as shall be designated by the Chairman. Meetings of the Executive Committee shall also be called upon the written request of three or more members of the committee. All members shall be given not less than forty-eight hours prior notice of all meetings, except when there is a unanimous consent to waive such notice.

ARTICLE VI COMMITTEES

6.1 There shall be a Bout Committee of the Division whose chairman shall be appointed by the Chairman of the Division with the approval of the Executive Committee. The Chairman of the Division shall appoint two or more members of the Division for each competition who shall, with the Chairman of the Bout Committee, constitute the Bout Committee for each competition. the Bout Committee and the Chairman of the Bout Committee shall exercise the relevant duties and authorities defined in the USFA Operations Manual.

6.2 The Chairman of the Division has the authority to appoint other committees, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE VII MEETINGS OF THE MEMBERS

7.1 An Annual Meeting of the members of the Division of which there shall be at least 15 days notice, shall be held during the final month of the competitive year at a date, time and place within the Division designated by the Chairman. Its agenda will include, but not be limited to, the election of officers for the following competitive year. If the Annual Meeting is not held before the first day of the new competitive year, the Chairman must convene the Annual Meeting at the earliest practical date of the new competitive year.

7.2 Special Meetings may be called at any time and place by the Chairman, and shall be called by the Chairman upon the written request of seven members of the Division. These Bylaws shall not be amended nor Executive Committee members elected at a Special Meeting unless five days notice is given to the members of the Division and the special meeting is held within the territorial boundaries of the Division.

7.3 A quorum shall consist of seven voting members of the Division present in person or by proxy, and a majority vote of those present shall control, except as herein otherwise provided.

ARTICLE VIII ELECTIONS

8.1 Voting members of the Division are qualified to vote at Division membership meetings and in mail ballots of the Division. Non‑voting members will enjoy all other privileges at Division membership meetings, including the right to speak on issues and introduce matters for the consideration of the electorate. Matters for inclusion shall be submitted to the Division Secretary no later than 15 days from the date of the meeting.

8.2 Candidates for all offices established under these Bylaws shall be nominated from the floor at the Annual Meeting of the Division or by written petition signed by two voting members of the Division and endorsed by the nominee to signify his consent.

8.3 If not more than one nomination is made for an office, the Secretary of the Division shall cast a unanimous ballot at the Annual Meeting for the candidate nominated.

8.4 If two or more nominations are made for an office, voting for such a contested office shall be by written ballot, either in person or by proxy, and the candidate receiving the majority of the votes cast shall be declared elected.

8.5 In the event that three 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 votes and that winner shall be declared elected.

8.6 All proxies shall be in writing and shall be registered with the Secretary of the Division before the meeting for which they are to be effective.

8.7 For the election of Members of Congress each Division member eligible to vote shall be entitled to cast as many votes as there are Members of Congress to be elected. Each member may cast the whole of his votes for one nominee or distribute his votes among two or more nominees.

8.8 Should a position on the Executive Committee be vacated due to the death, incapacity or resignation of a member, the Chairman shall have the authority to appoint a successor to fill the remainder of the term of the vacated position, subject to confirmation by ballot of the Executive Committee during an Executive Committee Meeting called for that purpose.

8.9 In the event that the Executive Committee is unable to confirm a nomination. a special meeting of the Division shall be ordered and the position filled according to the provisions of Article VIII.

8.10 If the office of Chairman of the Division is vacated, the Vice Chairman of the Division shall become the Chairman of the Division and resign the office of Vice Chairman of the Division.

ARTICLE IX FEES, DUES, AND ARREARS

9.1 Dues: All dues shall be prescribed in the Bylaws of the USFA

9.2 All dues are payable on application for membership and thereafter on or before August 1 of each fiscal year of the USFA. Any person who has not paid these dues will not be eligible to compete in competitions sponsored by the Division except those competitions specifically open to unlicensed fencers. Nor will such persons have the capacity to participate in Division elections.

9.3 Members of the USFA who have outstanding financial obligations to the Division, particularly those resulting from checks drawn upon insufficient funds, may be excluded from competition within the Division until such debts are resolved.

ARTICLE X APPOINTMENTS

Throughout the year the Chairman, with the approval of the Executive Committee, may appoint other positions and committees as needed including, but not limited to, technician, sectional representative, and nominating committee.

ARTICLE XI BYLAWS, RULES AND POLICIES OF THE USFA

All Bylaws, rules, regulations and matters of policy concerning the conduct of competitions as set forth in the Fencing Rules, Bylaws and the Operations Manual of the USIA are hereby incorporated as part of these Bylaws without action by the Executive Committee or members of the Division.

ARTICLE XII AMENDMENTS

These Division Bylaws and Charter may be amended at any annual meeting of the Division, or at any special meeting of the members called for that purpose, subject to the laws of the state of California and the Constitution and Bylaws of the USFA. In either case, any proposed changes or additions to the Bylaws or Charter must be communicated to the members of the Division no later than 15 days before the date of the meeting.