OKLAHOMA CHESS ASSOCIATION
FULFILLMENT OF

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF USCF STATE AFFILIATES
(USCF Delegates' Motion 91-27)

INTEGRITY IS ALL ABOUT HONORING YOUR COMMITMENTS. THE ITEMS IN CAPS, INSERTED BELOW THE USCF PRESCRIBED DUTIES, DESCRIBE HOW THE OCA HAS DEMONSTRATED ITS INTEGRITY TOWARD THE USCF AND ITS OKLAHOMA MEMBERS.

Purpose: These Duties and responsibilities are designed to offer criteria for the evaluation of how well a State Chapter is carrying out its responsibilities. *The first four items are mandatory and of special significance. ** The fifth previously mandatory item was eliminated by the USCF years ago. *** The Second previously mandatory item is in need of revision to reflect the new USCF Delegate election process. Each State Chapter should:

*1. pay its affiliate membership when due and payable;

OCA STATE CHAPTER AFFILATE MEMBERSHIP IS PAID THROUGH 9/30/04 AND WILL BE RENEWED THIS MONTH.

***2. certify in writing to the USCF Secretary by the authorized date (November lst), the state voting member(s) and alternate(s), who shall be USCF members, and report how they were selected (i.e., appointed, elected);

TWO DELEGATE NOMINEES SUBMITTED FOR THE ELECTION TO ASSURE OKLAHOMA REPRESENTATION WITH THE USCF.

*3. directly sponsor and hold (or arrange for) an annual USCF rated State Championship;

1-2 NOV 03 - OKLAHOMA STATE CLASS CHAMPIONSHIP AT TULSA
1 NOV 03 – OKLAHOMA STATE BLITZ CHAMPIONSHIP AT TULSA
8 MAY 04 – OKLAHOMA STATE QUICK CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP AT TULSA
26-27 JUN 04 – 59^th OKLAHOMA OPEN STATE CHAMPIONSHIP AT NORMAN

*4. have a formal organizational structure as laid out in bylaws or article of association which includes but is not limited to specifying the governing authority and their selection, meeting schedule and purpose of the state Chapter, and provide opportunities for membership and participation by all USCF members residing in the State;

OCA BYLAWS CONFORM TO ALL REQUIREMENTS AS REVISED AT ANNUAL MEETING AND ELECTION 27 JUNE 2004, ADDRESSING STATES COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS.

**5. appropriately request their SASP allocation to be paid to the State Chapter (or request it to be held for future use);

6. directly sponsor and hold (or arrange for) annual USCF rated Scholastic State High School, Junior High or Middle School and Elementary School Championships;

oKLAHOMA SCHOLASTIC CHESS ORGANIZATION (OSCO) CONDUCTED THE FOLLOWING AS PART OF its OFFICIAL DUTIES TO PROMOTE SCHOLASTIC CHESS IN OKLAHOMA FOR THE sTATE cHAPTER aFFILAITE oca:

25 oCT 03 - OK STATE GRADE CHAMPIONSHIP (128 AT OWASSO)
27 MAR 04 - OK State SCHOLASTIC Championship (208 AT EDMOND)

7. directly sponsor and hold (or arrange for) other chess tournaments throughout the State and be involved in tournament coordination within the State and with the USCF Tournament Clearinghouse Representative. State Chapters are to support chess throughout the state and exhibit geographical representation in its tournament sponsorship. Examples include but are not limited to statewide or geographically rotating: Rated Beginners Open tournaments, weekend Swisses, tornados, quads, as well as: participation in National Chess Day Activities, Regional and/or National Championships;

THE OCA ORGANIZED THE FOLLOWING OPEN EVENTS:
10-11 OCT 03 - OKLAHOMA CITY October Open
10-11 JAN 04 - Tulsa Winter Open
6-7 mAR 04 - OKLAHOMA CITY Winter Open

THESE AND THE CHAMPIONSHIPS COVER BOTH OF THE OKLAHOMA MAJOR METRO AREAS.

THE OCA PROMOTED 8 OTHER TOURNAMENTS in norman, STILLWATER and oklahoma city BY USCF CLUB AFFILIATES THAT DIDN’T CHARGE OUR MEMBERS ANOTHER AFFILIATE FEE TO PARTICIPATE.

OSCO PROMOTED 8 other club affiliate scholastic tournaments in claremore, owasso, tulsa, jenks and midwest city.

OCA COORDINATES CHESS IN OKLAHOMA THROUGH THE USCF/OCA CLEARINGHOUSE HAROLD BALL AND THE TOURNAMENT LISTS AT WWW.OCHESS.ORG/EVENTS AND WWW.OKSCHESS.ORG/EVENTS .

The oca even changed the date for the OKlahoma quick chess championship from 3 April to 8 May 04 to avoid conflicting with a club affiliate tournament not properly coordinated with the clearinghouse. they have used the clearinghouse for all tournaments since.

unfortunately, the oca must publish its tournament details after the chess life tla deadline for that date, to defend against oklahoma chess foundation ADVERTISING conflicting events NEARBY.

8. disseminate a periodical that serves as a State chess journal preserving a record of chess activities, promoting events, identifying state officers and, in general, providing a regular mechanism for communicating with its membership. Examples include but are not limited to: State Bulletins, Newsletters or Magazines;

THE Oklahoma chess bulletin has continued to be published by the oca with a lot of very positive feedback. the 3^rd issue of 2003 was late due to it being converted by frank berry into the 1^st issue of the oklahoma chess quarterly, which is the official publication of the okahoma chess foundation.

9. promote and publicize chess activities through various media, including but not limited to newspaper articles, television and radio coverage, flyers or notices at libraries, schools and veterans hospitals. Examples include but are not limited to: chess exhibitions and simultaneous, tournaments, chess lectures, chess lessons, chess columns and articles in local and statewide newspapers, chess clubs and meeting listings and announcements; and

THE OCA WITH OSCO HAS HAD NEWSPAPER COVERAGE IN OKLAHOMA CITY, TULSA, STILLWATER, EDMOND AND CLAREMORE. THERE WAS ALSO TELEVISION COVERAGE FOR THE SCHOLASTIC STATE CHAMPIONSHIP IN EDMOND.

10. responsibly act in the best interests of its entire State Chapter membership, encouraging and promoting chess activity statewide. The State chapter affirms its intention to comply with the duties and responsibilities of credentialed State Chapters.

THE OCA IS NOW SERVING ITS ENTIRE MEMBERSHIP AND ALL THE CHESS PLAYERS OF OKLAHOMA MUCH BETTER THAN BEFORE, RESULTING IN:

MORE TOURNAMENTS, PARTICIPATION, PRIZES AND SCHOLARSHIPS.

TAKING ALL OKLAHOMA CHESS PLAYERS SERIOUSLY AND PROMOTING PARTICIPATION AT ALL SKILL LEVELS AND AGES.

ACTIVELY ENCOURAGING PARTICIPATION BY ALL MEMBERS IN THE GOVERNANCE OF THE OCA AND EMBRACING THE DIVERSITY AMONG THEM THAT MAKES THE UNITED STATES A GREAT COUNTRY.

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,

OCA POLICY BOARD

AUGUST 2004