I probably should have posted this earlier on the forums (it is on the SWIFA website: www.swifa.net), but here is the latest version of the SWIFA By-Laws as they were amended at the Annual Meeting of the member teams held on April 14, 2007, at UTSA.
It's almost a certainty that this won't be the last version (I see some problems to be addressed at the next meeting and some things to be deleted once the Competitions Manual is fully fleshed out), but it is what we have for the current season.
Kyle Maysel
SWIFA ChairmanBy-Laws of the Southwest Intercollegiate Fencing AssociationARTICLE I: Name of Organization1. The name of the organization shall be the Southwest Intercollegiate Fencing Association, hereinafter “S.W.I.F.A.” . S.W.I.F.A. shall be a non-profit Association governed under the laws of the State of Texas.
ARTICLE II: ObjectivesThe purposes and objectives of S.W.I.F.A. are as follows:
1. To promote, encourage, and develop the sport of collegiate fencing in Texas.
2. To provide local competitions for collegiate fencers.
3. To assist individual member fencers and member teams in reaching their full potential in the sport of fencing whether as competitors, coaches, armorers, or referees.
Article III: Membership - Dues - Competitionsa) Individual MembershipSection 1.
Any individual who is 17 years of age or older and a member of a collegiate fencing club is eligible for membership in S.W.I.F.A.
Section 2.
Members must be enrolled in an accredited public or private vocational school, two year or four year college or university, graduate school, or similar institute of higher education.
Section 3.
Members must not be on academic or disciplinary probation.
Section 4.
Any individual not meeting the above qualifications may make a written petition to the Chair, which shall be presented to the Executive Committee for a waiver of the requirements.
b) Team MembershipSection 1.
a) Teams who are members of S.W.I.F.A. shall include the following organizations:
Baylor University,
The University of Houston,
The University of Texas,
Texas A & M University,
The University of Texas at San Antonio,
Texas State University - San Marcos,
Texas Tech University,
Rice University,
The University of North Texas,
Gary Job Corps, and
San Antonio College.
b) Additional member teams may be added to this list as provided for in these By-Laws, and the addition of a new member team by the existing members, is also an amendment to these By-Laws to include the new member team in the list of member teams in the preceding subsection.
Section 2.
Any member team shall be qualified to vote and shall have one vote at the Annual Meeting or any called Special Meeting.
Section 3.
Additional teams may become members of S.W.I.F.A. upon written application made to the Chair and a simple majority vote of the existing member teams at the next Annual Meeting.
Section 4.
Membership dues, registration fees, and entry fees, if any, shall be determined by the Executive Committee from time to time.
Section 5.
Annual team dues are due on or before September 1 of each year. If the annual dues are not timely paid, a team may not compete in the first S.W.I.F.A. competition of that competitive season. If the annual team dues are not paid on or before November 1 of each year, a team may not compete in any S.W.I.F.A. competition in that competitive season.
Section 6.
The S.W.I.F.A. Executive Committee shall prepare the seasonal fencing schedule and shall determine the conditions and restrictions governing the qualifications, entries, annual team dues accessed to member teams, disbursements and reimbursements made to member teams sponsoring a competition sanctioned by S.W.I.F.A., and conduct of all competitions under its jurisdiction.
ARTICLE IV: Officers and DutiesThe officers of S.W.I.F.A. shall consist of a Chair, a Vice-Chair, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. All officers shall take office the first day of the month next following their election, and shall hold office until the last day of the month following the next Annual Meeting.
The duties of the officers shall be as follows:
Section 1. Chair:
Shall preside at all meetings of S.W.I.F.A. and its Executive Committee, and perform other duties as usually pertain to that office and are not inconsistent with these By-Laws. The Chair may assign officers and individual members of S.W.I.F.A. to chair standing or ad-hoc committees. The Chair shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.
Section 2. Vice-Chair:
Shall perform the duties of the Chair in the Chair’s absence, and any other duties as assigned by the Chair and/or the Executive Committee.
Section 3. Secretary:
Shall conduct all official correspondence, keep a record of the meetings of S.W.I.F.A. and the Executive Committee, issue notices to members of all meetings, and perform such duties as may be assigned by the Chair or any other proper authority. The Secretary shall also be official custodian of S.W.I.F.A. and Executive Committee records. The Secretary shall maintain a website which sets out the names and contact information for the members of the Executive Committee, information concerning the competitions scheduled for the coming competitive year, these By-Laws and the Competition Operations Manual, as they may be amended from time to time, and any other information which may be of use to the membership.
Section 4. Treasurer:
Shall, with the assistance of the Executive Committee, present a budget for the following fiscal year at the Annual Meeting. The Treasurer Shall keep the accounts of S.W.I.F.A., receive all monies, fees, dues, pay all bills approved by the Executive Committee, and preserve all vouchers for such disbursements. The Treasurer shall, at the Annual Meeting, submit a report of the financial transactions of the preceding period. All disbursements shall be made by check from the S.W.I.F.A. checking account. Receipts stating the nature of the transaction and the payee must support such disbursements. All funds of S.W.I.F.A. shall be maintained in an FDIC insured account under the name of S.W.I.F.A. checking and/or savings. No amounts above $50 will be dispersed without Executive Committee approval, and no amounts over $1000, not part of the budget presented at the annual meeting, will be dispersed without the approval of S.W.I.F.A. membership by a majority vote. Said vote may be taken by either electronic mail or at a membership meeting. The Treasurer will provide upon receipt of a written request of at least five (5) member teams of S.W.I.F.A., current financial records within thirty (30) days of the request. The Treasurer shall perform other duties as may be assigned by the Chair or other proper authorities.
Section 5. Removal from Office by Member Teams:
Any officer of S.W.I.F.A. may be removed from office by the following procedure:
1. A petition by one third (1/3) of the member teams of S.W.I.F.A., and
2. An election in which the officer receives less than a majority.
3. The election may be held at either an Annual meeting or a special meeting of the S.W.I.F.A. membership.
ARTICLE V: Management by the Executive CommitteeSection 1. Composition:
The management of S.W.I.F.A. shall be vested in an Executive Committee consisting of the officers of S.W.I.F.A..
Section 2. Quorum:
A quorum shall consist of a majority of the members of the Executive Committee. A Quorum shall consist of those members of the Executive Committee present in person or by telephone or teleconferencing, and a majority of those present shall control.
Section 3. Meetings:
Meetings shall be held on a regular basis at such time and place as shall be designated by the Chair, and shall also be called upon the request of two or more members of the Executive Committee. All members shall be given not less than forty-eight (48) hours prior notice of all special meetings. All meetings except those in which disciplinary action is to be taken or contemplated against any Executive Committee member or S.W.I.F.A. member shall be open to the membership.
Section 4. Rules:
Meetings shall be conducted under the rules set forth in Robert’s Rules of Order unless they conflict with these By-Laws.
Section 5. Removal From Office by Executive Committee:
The Executive Committee, using the following procedures, may remove any member of the Executive Committee who fails to perform his or her duties:
a. Written notification of the causes for removal must be provided to the entire Executive Committee, including the member to be removed.
b. At any meeting in which the removal of any member of the Executive Committee is contemplated, three quarters of the members of the Executive Committee must be present or attend by telephone or telephone conferencing. The use of proxy votes is not allowed.
c. The member so charged has the right to appear at the meeting and present any arguments against removal.
d. The member who is contemplated for removal has no vote at this meeting.
e. The majority of the Executive Committee members present must vote for removal before the person in question is removed.
Section 6. Replacement of Officers:
The Executive Committee may replace a member who has resigned or who has been removed by the following procedure:
a. At any Special Meeting where a new member of the Executive Committee is to be voted upon, a majority of the members of the Executive Committee must be present or attend by telephone or telephone conferencing. The use of proxy votes is not allowed.
b. A majority of the member teams at this meeting must cast votes of approval before the new member of the Executive Committee is approved.
ARTICLE VI: Meetings of the Member TeamsSection 1. Annual Meeting:
The member teams of S.W.I.F.A. shall hold an Annual Meeting which shall be held during the last competition of the competitive season. The Chair shall designate the date, time, and place for the meeting.
Section 2. Special Meetings:
A Special Meeting may be called at any time, and held at any place where a member team is located, by the Chair, and shall be called by the Chair upon request of not less than a majority of the member teams of S.W.I.F.A.. Member teams shall be given no less than fourteen (14) days advance notice of any such Special Meeting, unless advance notice is waived by a majority of the member teams. Section 3. Quorum:
A Quorum shall consist of those member teams of S.W.I.F.A. present in person, by written proxy, by telephone or teleconferencing, and a majority of those present shall control.
ARTICLE VII: ElectionsSection 1.
Candidates for all offices established under these By-Laws, except for the initial volunteer officers serving as the initial Executive Committee, shall be nominated from the floor by the member teams at the Annual Meeting of S.W.I.F.A.
Section 2.
If not more than one (1) nomination is made for any office, the Secretary of S.W.I.F.A. shall record a unanimous ballot at the Annual Meeting for the candidate nominated. If two (2) nominations are made for any office, voting for the candidates shall either be in person or proxy or by telephone or telephone conferencing, and the candidate receiving the majority of the votes shall be elected. Written ballots shall be used. In the event that three (3) 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 ballots on the first round and the winner shall be declared elected.
Section 3.
Members teams in good standing may give their proxy for election of officers only to any other member team in good standing of S.W.I.F.A. All proxies shall be in writing and verified by the Secretary. The member team designated in the proxy must be in attendance at the Annual Meeting in order to exercise it.
ARTICLE VIII: CompetitionsSection 1. Number:
S.W.I.F.A. shall hold no less than four (4) nor more than six (6) sanctioned competitions in a competitive season. The final competition in any competitive season shall be a two-day competition at which the Annual Meeting shall be held.
Section 2. Rotation of Competitions:
Each member team shall be allowed to host a competition. To ensure that all member teams are allowed to periodically host a sanctioned competition, the Chair shall hold a drawing of the member teams at the first meeting of the Executive Committee following the adoption of these By-Laws to establish the order of the teams which may accept the option to host a competition or decline in favor of the next member team in the rotation. A member team may also elect to step back one position in the rotation and allow the next team in the rotation the option to host the immediate competition. This option may only be exercised one time by a team in any competitive season. The order of the teams in the rotation shall continue from season to season, and shall begin with the next team which did not decline or accept to host a competition in the preceding competitive season. No member team shall be required to host a S.W.I.F.A. sanctioned competition in any competitive season in order to compete at other competitions or maintain standing as a member of the S.W.I.F.A. organization. Additional member teams which are allowed to join S.W.I.F.A. shall be added to the end of the rotation list unless a different order is approved by a simple majority of the member teams at the Annual Meeting at which the new team is approved for membership. The competition rotation list shall be published and maintained on the official S.W.I.F.A. website.
Section 3. Format and Rules:
All S.W.I.F.A. sanctioned competitions shall follow the format and rules set forth in the Competition Operations Manual.
ARTICLE IX: By-Laws, Rules, and policies of S.W.I.F.A.Membership in the United States Fencing Association shall not be required to participate in S.W.I.F.A. or in competitions sponsored by S.W.I.F.A. or its member teams.
S.W.I.F.A. will propound a Competition Operations Manual which establishes the rules for the conduct of competitions held under the authority of the S.W.I.F.A. organization.
All rules, regulations and matters of policy concerning the conduct of competitions as set forth in the Fencing Rules and Operations Manual of the United States Fencing Association are hereby incorporated as part as these By-Laws without action by the Executive Committee or member teams of S.W.I.F.A., unless they are specifically contradicted herein or in the Competition Operations Manual of S.W.I.F.A.
The Executive Committee or the member teams, by a majority vote, shall have authority to waive any provision of the Fencing Rules and Operations Manual of the United States Fencing Association at the Annual or Special Meeting, to become effective for the next competitive season.
These By-Laws and the provisions of the Competition Operations Manual of S.W.I.F.A. may be amended at any Annual Meeting of the member teams. An amendment receiving a majority of all votes cast by the member teams voting shall be deemed as adopted, and shall be implemented at the first competition of the next competitive season.
(By-Laws of the Southwest Intercollegiate Fencing Association, as amended April 14, 2007.)
