Constitution

Mary Washington Fencing Club

2012

Preamble

We the members of the Mary Washington Fencing Club, in order to perform a more perfect lunge, establish right of way, insure proper distance, provide eight common defenses, promote entertainment and exercise, and ensure victories for ourselves and our club, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the Mary Washington Fencing Club.

Article I. Title

The title of this organization shall be Mary Washington Fencing Club.

Article II. Purpose

The purpose of the Mary Washington Fencing Club is to instruct interested students in the art of fencing with the modern weapons of foil, epee, and sabre.

Article III. Affiliations

The Mary Washington Fencing Club shall be a member of the Inter-Club Association and the Sports Club Association.

Article IV. Membership

Section 1: Membership of the Mary Washington Fencing Club shall be open to any interested undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Mary Washington. Members shall be listed as either Active or Inactive.

(A)  Active members are those undergraduate students that fulfill the following requirements:

  1.  Club dues have been paid in full
  2. The Club roster has been signed
  3. The liability form is completed and turned in.
  4. The Code of Conduct form is completed and turned in
  5. Must attend at least two (2) practices a month

(B)   Inactive members are those undergraduate students that have not met all of the requirements as stated above. Inactive members do not have voting rights and cannot run for office.

(C)  Graduate Students have voting rights but cannot be nominated or run for elected office.

Section 2: Mary Washington Fencing Club must follow the University’s Statement of Non-Discrimination. The University of Mary Washington subscribes to the principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, disability, national origin, political affiliation, marital status, sexual orientation, sex, or age in recruiting, admitting, and enrolling students or in hiring and promoting faculty and staff members. The University will not recognize or condone student, faculty, or staff organizations that discriminate in selecting members. Complaints of discrimination or questions should be directed to the AAEEO Officer of the University.

Article V. Officers

Section 1: Establishment of Executive Officers, General Officers, and Field Officers

(A)  The Executive Officers shall include the President, Vice President, and Executive Armorer.

(B)  General Officers shall include the Treasurer and the Secretary

(C)  Field Officers shall include the Senior Armorer and Junior Armorer.

Section 2: Qualifications of Executive Officers

(A)  President

  1. Must be an active member of the Mary Washington Fencing Club
  2. Must be a rising Junior or Senior
  3. Must be an active member for a minimum of one (1) year
  4. Must have at least one (1) year of cumulative experience as an officer of any position

(B)  Vice President

  1. Must be an active member of the Mary Washington Fencing Club for a minimum of one (1) year
  2. In case of an Emergency Election, one (1) full semester of active membership shall suffice

(C)  Executive Armorer

  1. Must be an active member of the Mary Washington Fencing Club for a minimum of one (1) year
  2. Must have a minimum of one (1) year of prior service as an Armorer of any position
  3. In case of Emergency Election Armorer service may be as little as one (1) semester

Section 3: Qualifications of General Officers

(A)  Treasurer

  1. Must be an active member of the Mary Washington Fencing Club for a minimum of one (1) semester, though one (1) year is preferred it is not required

(B)  Secretary

  1. Must be an active member of the Mary Washington Fencing Club for a minimum of one (1) semester, though one (1) year is preferred it is not required

Section 4: Qualifications of Field Officers

(A)  Senior Armorer

  1. Must be an active member of the Mary Washington Fencing Club for a minimum of one (1) year
  2. Must have a minimum of one (1) semester of prior service as an Armorer
  3. In case of an Emergency Election, active membership may be as little as one (1) semester

(B)  Junior Armorer

  1. Must be an active member of the Mary Washington Fencing Club for a minimum of one (1) semester, though one (1) year is preferred it is not required

Section 5: Establishment of Chain of Command

(A)   The Officers shall be subject to a chain of command to eliminate any confusion in emergencies and in cases of absence.

(B)  The Chain of Command is in no way a definition of rank, file, or classification. All officers should respect each other’s position accordingly.

(C)  In order to establish a proper and effective chain of command the officer positions, with the exception of the President, shall be divided evenly into two branches; the Administrative branch and the Field Branch

 

 

  1. Administrative Branch

i.      The Administrative Branch shall be headed by the Vice President

ii.      The Treasurer and the Secretary shall both fall under the Vice President respective to the order listed.

  1. Field Branch

i.      The Field Branch shall be headed by the Executive Armorer

ii.      The Senior Armorer and the Junior Armorer shall both fall under the Executive Armorer respective to the order listed.

  1. The Vice President and the Executive Armorer shall both report directly to the President

Article VI.     Officer Duties and Powers

Section 1: General Duties and Powers for all of the Officers

(A)  Duties

  1. All officers shall attend all mandatory meetings and club practices, unless a valid reason is presented in advance to the President
  2.  If the officer happens to be the President, the President shall notify the presiding officer
  3. All officers shall assist as needed in the planning of club activities, including online communication interfaces

 

(B)  Powers

  1. All Officers shall have the power to halt any bout or unauthorized activity where safety may be a concern
  2. All Officers shall have the power to coach in the weapon of their specialty
  3. All Officers have the power to instruct members to facilitate in practice and other events as deemed necessary

 

Section 2:  Duties and Powers of Executive Officers

(A)  Office of the President

  1. Duties

i.      Shall be fully responsible for all club activities

ii.      Shall call to order and preside over all club and officer meetings

iii.      Shall keep faculty and administration informed of club status and events

iv.      Shall coordinate all facilities for club usage

v.      Shall represent the Mary Washington Fencing Club in administrative, faculty, and student affairs

vi.      Shall attend all meetings as dictated by the faculty, administration, and organizations of which the club is affiliated

vii.      Shall be responsible for establishing and maintaining correspondence with other fencing clubs and any relevant organizations or individuals regardless of affiliation with the University of Mary Washington or otherwise

viii.      Shall keep records of all contact information for use by the Mary Washington Fencing Club for future use and distribute it as needed

ix.      Shall be responsible, with the Vice President, for organizing tournaments with other clubs, including working with the Treasurer to acquire the proper funding for supplies for hosting a tournament held at the University of Mary Washington, when appropriate

x.      Shall be aware of and inform club of all USFA regulations.

xi.      Shall act as head coach during tournaments when possible and have sufficient knowledge of Foil, Epee, and Sabre.

xii.      Shall coordinate with the Executive Armorer and Treasurer for ordering club equipment

xiii.      Shall be responsible for the orientation of future and succeeding club Presidents

  1. Has the Power to

i.      Call forth an emergency election

ii.      Reprimand, issue a warning, and/or suspend any member for one (1) practice, before having to involve the sport club administration

iii.      Bring any fencer before any presiding administrations in any case of violations of the Sports Club Administration Honor Code, any repeat safety violations, violations of the Club Constitution or its bylaws.

iv.      Call forth a vote of no confidence

v.      Remove a fencer from any event as result of a black card during that event

vi.      Bar or restrict any fencer’s right to fence and/or use of club equipment

 

(B)  Office of the Vice President

  1. Duties

i.      Shall assume the responsibilities of the President if he/she is unable to perform his/her duties or at the President’s request

ii.      Shall organize club activities

iii.      Shall keep club members informed of club activities

iv.      Shall be responsible for running fencing drills at the beginning of each club practice and act as coach in teaching new weapons and techniques

v.      Shall assume responsibility for the orientation of future and succeeding Vice Presidents

  1. Has the Power to

i.      Call to question an emergency election, should the President not be able to be the presiding Officer

ii.      Call to question a vote of no confidence, should the president be the office in question the vice president can call for the vote

iii.      Reprimand, issue a warning, and/or suspend any member for one (1) practice, before having to involve the sport club administration

iv.      Remove a fencer from any event, as result of a black card during that event should the president not be present.

v.       Restrict use of club gear

 

(C)  Office of the Executive Armorer

  1. Duties

i.      Shall be responsible for and oversee the maintenance, storage, breakdown, and creation  of all club equipment, electric or dry

ii.      Shall be responsible for maintaining an accurate and up to date inventory of club equipment

iii.      Shall coordinate with the President and the Treasurer to order club equipment

iv.      Shall assume responsibility for the orientation of future and succeeding armorers, Executive, Senior, and Junior

 

  1. Has the Power to

i.      Call to question an emergency election should the President and the Vice President not be able to be the presiding officer

ii.      Reprimand, issue a warning, and/or suspend any member for one practice, before having to involve the sport club administration

iii.      Call forth a vote of no confidence

iv.      Remove a fencer from any event as result of a black card during that event

v.      Bar or restrict any fencer’s right to fence due to repeat offences

vi.      Grant or deny access to storage facilities as deemed necessary

vii.      Restrict use of club gear

Section 3: Duties and Powers of General Officers

(A)  Office of the Treasurer

  1. Duties

i.      Shall be responsible for collecting Club dues

ii.      Shall be responsible for maintaining the record of membership liability forms, which includes obtaining pre-approval of the form from the Director of Student Activities, ensuring that all members sign membership forms, and providing the Student Activities office with copies of all signed forms

iii.      Shall be in charge of all Club finances, which includes maintaining an official ledger, preparing the annual budget and any grant requests, and attending the mandatory training session at the beginning of the Fall Semester

iv.      Shall be responsible for keeping all officers informed of the Club’s current financial status

v.      Shall coordinate with the President and the Executive Armorer to order club equipment

vi.      Shall be responsible for all financial records kept

vii.      Shall assume responsibility for the orientation of future and succeeding Treasurers

  1. Has the Power to

i.      Issue a warning and a reprimand if necessary

ii.      Reject any proposed official club spending

(B)  Office of the Secretary

  1. Duties

i.      Shall be responsible for the documentation of all Club events and records that are non-financial

ii.      Shall be responsible for establishing and maintaining communication within the Club, between officers and the Club, including keeping members aware of all upcoming events and relevant information

iii.      Shall be responsible for the publicity of all Club activities to the University of Mary Washington community, and Fredericksburg area when appropriate, including hanging posters, assisted by the Vice President, and shall keep copies of old posters for future use by the Club

iv.      Shall be responsible for maintaining an alumni directory for the purposes of alumni tournaments and keeping former fencers up to date with Club activities

  1. Has the Power to

i.      Issue a warning and a reprimand if necessary

Section 4: Duties and Powers of Field Officers

(A)  Office of the Senior Armorer

  1. Duties

i.      Shall be responsible for the maintenance, storage, breakdown, and creation  of all club equipment, electric or dry

ii.      Shall be responsible for maintaining an accurate and up to date inventory of club equipment

iii.      Shall assume responsibility for the orientation of future and succeeding Senior and Junior Armorers

  1. Has the Power to

i.      Issue a warning and a reprimand if necessary

ii.      Restrict access to Club gear

iii.      Grant or deny access to storage facilities as deemed necessary

(B)  Office of the Junior Armorer

  1. Duties

i.      Shall be responsible for the maintenance, storage, breakdown, and creation  of all club equipment, electric or dry

ii.      Shall be responsible for maintaining an accurate and up to date inventory of club equipment

iii.      Shall assume responsibility for the orientation of future and succeeding  Junior Armorers

  1. How the Power to

i.      Issue a warning and a reprimand if necessary

ii.      Grant or deny access to storage facilities as deemed necessary

Article VII.  Nominations and Elections

Section 1: General Nominations

(A)   Nomination Qualifications

  1. Only active members can be nominated for any office
  2. Nominees must meet all prerequisites for the office of nomination

 

(B)  Nomination Process

  1. Nominations will be open for one (1) week, before or during spring break

i.      In cases of emergency this can be delayed, expedited, or extended

ii.      A case of emergency shall be defined by an unanimous vote of the incumbent officers

  1. Nominations may be submitted via electronic mail or paper ballot
  2. Nominations can be given by the Nominee or another active member
  3. Any Nominee has the right to decline a nomination

Section 2: Emergency Nominations

(A)  Emergency Nomination Qualifications

  1. Only active members can be nominated for any office
  2. Nominees must meet all emergency prerequisites for the office of nomination

 

(B)  Emergency Nomination Process

  1. Nominations shall be open for one (1) week after the declaration of the emergency
  2. Nominations may be submitted via electronic mail or paper ballot
  3. Nominations can be given by the Nominee or another active member
  4. Any Nominee has the right to decline a nomination

Section 3: General Elections

(A)  General Election Process

  1. Elections shall begin one (1) week after nominations close
  2. Elections shall close after a period of one (1) week
  3. Only votes from active members shall be counted
  4. Voting shall be through an anonymous process, be it paper or electronic
  5. All offices shall be elected by a majority vote
  6. Election results shall be announced at the practice following the conclusion of the election along with an e-mail sent that day of practice declaring the results

 

Section 4: Emergency Elections

(A)  Establishing the Need for an Emergency Election

  1. Definitions

i.       Resignation of an officer

ii.      Dismissal of an officer

iii.      A vacancy created by acts of gods or nature

  1. The need for an emergency election shall be decided with a unanimous, if possible, vote from the officers.

(B)  Emergency Election Process

  1. Emergency elections shall begin one (1) week after emergency nominations close
  2. Emergency elections may have an voting period of as few as three (3) business days, but no more than one (1) week
  3. Only votes from active members shall be counted
  4. Voting need not be though an anonymous process, electronic mail shall suffice
  5. All offices shall be elected by a majority vote
  6. Election results shall be announced no more than two (2) weekdays after the polls have closed via electronic mail

Section 5: Secondary Elections and Double Billeting

(A)  Establishing the Need for a Secondary Election

  1. The event of a tie in any general election

i.      If a tie occurs between two candidates, the vote will go before the officers

ii.      The President will preside over the hearing, but will only vote in the event of a tie

iii.      Should there be a tie with the incumbent officer the officer does not have the right to be present at the meeting

iv.      If the Office of the President is the Office that results in an Secondary Election the Vice President shall assume the President’s duty

  1. The event of a tie in any emergency election

i.      If a tie occurs between two candidates, the vote will go before the officers

ii.      The President will preside over the hearing, but will only vote in the event of a tie

iii.      If the Office of the President is the Office that results in an Secondary Election the Vice President shall assume the President’s duty

(B)  Secondary Election Process

  1. In a tie of two (2) nominees and there are more than two (2) nominees running

i.      The two (2) tied nominees will be the only nominees in the secondary election

ii.      The club will then follow emergency election voting procedure

  1. In a tie of two (2) nominees and there only two (2) nominees running

i.      The vote will be brought before the officers at an officer’s meeting presided over by the President

ii.      If the vote remains tied, the President will cast the deciding vote

 

(C)  Double Billeting

  1. In the event of an open position that cannot be filled

i.      A current officer with the best qualifications for the office in question and the available time shall be allowed to fill the vacant office

ii.      The officer in question can fill both offices until the next election

  1. One person can fill no more than two (2) offices

Article VIII. Impeachment and Dismissal

 

Section 1: Grounds for Impeachment/Dismissal

(A)  Abuse of Power

  1. The officer in question has overreached or overextended the powers defined in Article VI
  2. The officer has also been warned twice before impeachment/dismissal

(B)  Failure to Perform Duties

  1. The officer in question has not fulfilled the duties defined in Article VI
  2. The officer has also been warned twice before impeachment/dismissal

(C)  Unethical Conduct

  1. The officer in question has violated the Code of Ethics as defined in the bylaws
  2. The officer has also been warned twice before impeachment/dismissal

Section 2: Impeachment by Active Members

(A)  Requiring a Presiding Officer or Faculty Adviser

  1. The active members shall bring their complaints before an unbiased officer
  2. If there is no unbiased officer, they shall bring their complaints to the Faculty Advisor

(B)  Vote to Impeach

  1. A two-thirds (2/3) vote is required to impeach
  2. The vote can be taken electronically or on paper, but there must be record of the vote
  3. A petition can serve in place of votes, however the signees must be active members and  two-thirds (2/3) majority is still required

Section 3: Officer’s Vote of No Confidence

(A)  Calling the Vote

  1. The President can call forth a vote of no confidence at any officer’s meeting
  2. In the event it is the office of the President that is in  question the Vice President can call forth the vote

 

(B)  Voting Process

  1. The officer(s) in question must have a chance to present their case to the other officers prior to the vote
  2. The officer(s) in question shall temporarily leave the room while the remaining officers deliberate and vote
  3. A unanimous vote of the remaining officers is required to Impeach

Section 4: Dismissal

(A)   Dismissal of an Impeached Officer

  1. Process

i.      A hearing shall be held on the commonly most populous practice

ii.      A one (1) week notice must be given to active members and the accused

iii.      The accused the right to attend the hearing and plead their case

iv.      The accused cannot be in the immediate area during deliberation and voting

 

  1. Voting

i.      A two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Active Members present at the hearing is required to dismiss the accused

ii.      The result shall be announced to the accused, the faculty advisor, and the club that day via electronic mail

iii.      The resulting vote is effective immediately

iv.      If the accused is dismissed the club shall undergo emergency nomination and election procedures

 

(B)  Dismissal of a Club Member

  1. Process

i.      The President can call the officers to vote on the dismissal of a member

ii.      The President will preside as an arbiter and have no vote unless the event of a tie

iii.      A majority vote of the officers will suffice

 

  1. Administration Involvement

i.      If the officers vote to dismiss, the President will bring the member in question, before the  proper administration

ii.      Only the administration can fully dismiss a member

Article IX. Meetings

Section 1: Club Meetings

(A)  The club shall meet as determined by the availability of facilities

(B)  Optional meeting days can be voted upon by club majority

Section 2: Officer Meetings

(A)  The officers shall meet a minimum of once per month

(B)  Any additional meetings can be decided at the will of the President

Article X. Finances

Section 1: Dues

(A)  Dues shall be five (5) dollars per semester

(B)  Dues can be paid in advance by paying ten (10) dollars in the first semester

Section 2: Financing

(A)   The club will receive funding as dictated by the Sports Club Association

(B)  The club will have access to any and all funds in the Club Foundation Account

(C)  The club has the right to fund raise to accrue revenue

Article XI.     Amendments

Section 1: ICA and Administration Mandated Amendments or Revisions

(A)  Process

  1. The officers shall meet to discuss any changes that are mandated by the administration or the ICA
  2. These changes include: Non-discrimination Policy updates, Organization name updates, and any changes that are not negotiable and do not change the definition and/or purpose of any Article, Section, Subsection, or Clause in the constitution

(B)  Vote

  1. The vote required is an unanimous vote of the officers
  2. Minutes must be kept of this meeting should the ICA or Administration request them

Section 2: Member Proposed Amendments and Revisions

(A)  Proposal Process

  1. Any active member can propose to the President an amendment
  2. The president will then propose the amendment to the officers at an Officers meeting
  3. The member(s) who proposed the amendment have the right to attend this meeting
  4. The officers and, if present, the member(s) will deliberate and the President will call forth a vote
  5. The President will serve as an arbiter and will not vote unless in the event of a tie
  6. The amendment will be proposed to the club if the officers approve by a majority vote
  7. The member(s) who proposed the amendment do not have the right to be in the room during voting

(B)  Voting Process

  1. The club shall receive a notice of one (1) week of the voting date
  2. The club, after deliberation, will need a two-thirds (2/3) vote to adopt the amendment

Article XII.  Faculty Adviser

Section 1: Establishment of a Faculty Adviser

(A) The Club Officers shall unanimously agree upon and appoint an adviser no later than April 1 to serve a term from May 1 – March 31

(B)   The Club Adviser must be a full-time UMW faculty member or administrator

Section 2: Duties of the Faculty Adviser

(A) The Adviser shall be an ex-officio member of the club, and as such, shall not have voting rights.

(B)  Act as mediator if necessary in cases of impeachment and or dismissal

(C)  The Adviser shall have veto power over any decision made by the club, which is in direct violation of University policy. This authority shall be used only in circumstances where the club officers knowingly intend to violate University policy.

Article XIII. Bylaws

Section 1: Establishment of Bylaws

(A)  The Mary Washington Fencing Club shall have written Bylaws

(B)  All members will abide by the bylaws

Section 2: Amending Bylaws

(A)  The Officers must vote on any changes to the bylaws unanimously

(B)  Bylaws will be written and reviewed by officers

(C)  Active Members will be able to propose a change to the bylaws to the officers

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