BYLAWS OF THE
ARTICLE I:NAME
The name
of the organization shall be the Oklahoma Chess Association, commonly
known as the OCA.
ARTICLE II: PURPOSES
The
purpose of the Association shall be educational and instructional,
to broaden and develop chess as art and recreation, as a significant
element of culture in
a.) To
operate exclusively for educational, recreational, and
social welfare purposes;
b.) That
no part of its contributions, dues, or net income shall
inure to the benefit of any individual, except that trophies or prizes
awarded in the course of its educational and promotional program shall
not be so construed; and
c.) That
the Association is not operated for profit and that neither principal
nor income of any of its funds may be used in any attempt to influence
legislation.
ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP
III.1 Regular Membership: Any person
may become a Regular Member of the Association upon payment of $6.00 dues for one
year.
Patron Membership: Any person
may become a Patron Member of the Association upon payment of $25.00 dues for one
year.
Youth Membership: Any dependent
of a Regular or Patron Member may become a Youth Member of the Association upon
payment of $3.00 dues for one year.
111.2 Rights and Privileges: Each Member of the OCA,
regardless of membership
type, shall be entitled to receive a regular copy of the official state
publication, participate in the Annual Membership Meeting,
hold office, and to enjoy all other rights and privileges of membership
not herein enumerated.
111.3 Revocation of Membership:
The Policy Board may revoke or suspend the membership of any member for
good cause.
111.4 Annual
Membership Meeting: The President shall call and preside at an annual
meeting of the membership, held in conjunction with the
ARTICLE IV: POLICY BOARD
IV.1 Responsibility:
The Policy Board is responsible for the management of the affairs
of the Association, including employment and other contracts and shall perform
other duties as are specified in these Bylaws. In the case of a tie
vote, a motion fails. The Policy Board may refuse to publicize
or recognize a tournament for cause, including anything
tending to discredit the Association.
IV.2 Composition:'
The Board shall be composed of the President, Vice President,
Secretary/Treasurer, and three Members at large elected by the membership of the Association.
The Members at Large shall have terms of two years. The Immediate Past
President shall serve on the Policy Board for one year following the conclusion of his
or her term as President.
IV.3 Meetings:
The Board shall meet at least three times each year. Meetings may be held at
the request of any member of the Board provided that all Members have been given
advance notice of the meeting. The minutes of the Policy Board Meetings
shall be published in the "Oklahoma Chess Bulletin". A quorum shall
consist of four members of the Board being present in person.
IV.4 Nomination: Any OCA
member shall be eligible for nomination to any elected office upon
nomination by a fellow member at the Annual Meeting. The President may not be
elected to that office for more than two consecutive terms, and no
person may serve on the Policy Board more than five consecutive years. No full time
employee of the OCA shall serve in any elected office on the Policy
Board. The Secretary shall serve advance notice of the election
in the "Oklahoma Chess Bulletin".
IV.5 Elections:
All OCA elections shall occur at the Annual Meeting. A plurality shall
elect the nominee. A special election may be called in the case of a vacancy in the
Board.
IV.6 Term: The terms of the Policy Board members
shall begin at the end of the Annual Meeting after their election and shall
continue for one year except as provided in Section 2, above.
IV.7 Duties:
President: The President
shall preside at all meeting of the membership
and the Policy Board; carry out all requirements
of these Bylaws; represent the Association
on occasion; and report annually to the membership
at the Annual Meeting.
Vice President:
The Vice President shall execute the duties of the President
when the President is unable to serve.
Secretary/Treasurer: This officer
shall keep the minutes of all meetings
of the membership and the Policy
Board; carry out all duties prescribed
by these Bylaws; publish in the "Oklahoma
Chess Bulletin" the minutes of the meeting of the membership
and the Policy Board; keep records of the financial
affairs of the Association; and manage the funds of the Association.
IV.8 Revocation
of Membership: In the event that the Policy
Board shall revoke or suspend the membership
of an individual pursuant to Article III,
Section 3, it shall, prior to taking such action, give to the individual
thirty day's written notice of the proposed action. Within
said time, that individual may submit
in writing to the Policy Board
reasons why such actions should not
be taken. The Board may thereafter, if it sees fit, act upon the written suggestion or set a date for a hearing to be held concerning the proposed action. Nothing contained herein shall require
notice of termination of membership
of any individual for nonpayment of
monies due.
IV.9 If a
vacancy occurs in any elected office, a successor to
serve the unexpired term shall be nominated and elected by the membership
in a special meeting, except that a vacancy in the office of President shall be
filled by the Vice President.
IV.10 The
Policy Board shall appoint the Editor of the official publication of
the OCA. This appointment shall be reviewed annually. If a vacancy occurs in
the position of Editor, the Policy Board shall appoint an interim Editor to
fill the vacancy until such time as the Policy Board annual review.
ARTICLE V:
COMMITTEES
The Policy Board may appoint
any committees, standing or ad hoc, which are deemed necessary to
advance Association purposes.
ARTICLE VI:
SUNDRY BYLAWS
VI.1 Office:
The registered office of the Association shall be at the address of the
Secretary/Treasurer of the Association.
VI.2 Publications:
The "Oklahoma Chess Bulletin", or its successor publication, is
designated an official publication of the Association.
VI.3 Fiscal period: The Fiscal period
shall be the year ended June 30.
VI.4 Funds: All general funds shall be designated
in one or more federally insured depositories in the Associations name, disbursable
only by check signed by the Secretary/Treasurer or by others
designated by the Policy Board.
VI.5 National
Affairs: The association is the official
VI.6 Procedure:
"Robert's Rules of Order" (1967 revision) shall be
used at all meetings of the membership and the Policy Board.
VI.7 Authority:
These Bylaws have been adopted by the membership under the authority
of the United States Chess Federation (USCF), subject to all State and Federal
laws.
VI.8 Amendment:
The Bylaws may be amended by a majority vote of the membership at the
Annual Meeting or by the Policy Board.
VI.9 Reliance
of Records: Each officer and employee of the Association shall in the
performance of his or her duties be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the
books of account or reports made to the Association by any of its officials, or
by an independent Certified Public Accountant, or by an appraiser
selected with reasonable care by the Policy Board, or in relying in good
faith upon other records of the Association.
REVISIONS AND ADDITIONS TO THE BYLAWS OF THE
Revision of Article III. Section
3:
The revised section shall read as follows:
III.3:
Revocation of Membership: The Policy Board may revoke or suspend
the membership of any member for good cause. In addition, the Policy
Board may suspend or remove from office any OCA officer or official for
good cause. Any members under discipline may apply for a hearing in front of a
Board of Inquiry. The Board of Inquiry shall consist of no less than ten OCA
members. Three of the members of Board of Inquiry must also be members of
the OCA Policy Board and one of these must be the OCA president. The
president of the OCA shall act as chairman of the Board of Inquiry. This Board
of Inquiry shall have the right to overturn the findings of the OCA
Policy Board in relation to disciplines imposed by the OCA Policy Board.
Addition
of Article IV. Section 11: The new section shall read as follows:
IV.11: The Policy Board shall
be responsible for the organization of, or directing the
organization of, the tournaments sponsored by the OCA.
Addition of Article VI. Section
10: The new section shall read as follows:
VI.10:
The OCA shall sponsor an annual state championship tournament.
This tournament shall be known as the Oklahoma Open and shall consist
of two sections, an Open Section and a Reserve Section. The Reserve
Section shall be limited to players having a rating lower than 1800. This
tournament shall be open to all OCA members, however only players residing
in the State of
Addition of
Article VI. Section 11: The new section
shall read as follows:
VI.11: The OCA shall sponsor an annual state class
championship tournament. This tournament shall be known as the
Oklahoma Class Championship and shall consist of no less than five
sections. These sections shall be composed of players with similar
ratings. This tournament shall be open to all OCA members,
however only players residing in the State of
Addition
of Article VI. Section 12: The new section shall read as follows:
VI.12:
The OCA shall sponsor an annual Junior Championship Tournament.
This tournament shall be open to all
Addition of Article VI.
Section 13: The new section shall read as follows:
VI.13:
The OCA shall sponsor an annual High School Team Championship Tournament.
This tournament shall be open to all high schools in the state
of
Addition of Article VI.
Section 14: The new section shall read as follows:
VI.14: The OCA shall sponsor
an annual Oklahoma State Speed Chess Championship. This tournament
shall be open to all OCA members, however only players residing in the State of