SAU Chess Club Constitution and By-Laws

Chess Club Constitution and By-Laws

I.	Purpose
a.	The primary purpose of the Chess Club is to provide a safe and welcoming environment for individuals to enjoy playing chess and engage in friendly discussion and the free exchange of ideas. A desire to aide in the spiritual growth of those who attend guides the Club, and to this end, its goal is fostering an atmosphere of open-mindedness, acceptance, and tolerance.
b.	A secondary purpose of the Chess Club is to promote the growth of the sport of chess on campus, both inside and outside the Club, and to work towards forming a team that will eventually have the opportunity to compete against other teams in the greater Chattanooga area.
c.	A final purpose is to have the willingness to assist groups or individuals that share similar goals with the Chess Club and require space, time, volunteers, or other resources. This will be dependent on either formal or informal agreements reached by all of the Chess Club Officers (as mentioned below in II(a)ii). When two clubs collaborate, it strengthens them both.
II.	Procedures
a.	The first procedural guideline protects the position of the Officers, as well as their right to freedom of speech and thought. Therefore, no motion, proposal, or initiative shall be carried out if even one of the officers object to it.
i.	If there is no objection, but all Officers have not given their approval, there shall be a waiting period which gives them time to make a decision. The length of this period distinguishes between the two types of Motions—Major and Minor.
ii.	Major Motions shall require at least a week from the date of announcement to the Officers, as well as at least three days from the date of presentation to the Officers in person. If this or any other time period of multiple days mentioned in this Constitution ends on a Friday or Saturday, it is extended until the end of Sunday. ‘Announcement’ only refers to e-mails sent to the officially provided addresses of the Officers, and ‘presentation’ only refers to motions discussed at official Club Meetings.
Major Motions include:
1.	Adding or removing an Officer or Adviser to or from the Club. No Officer will ever be forced to leave the Club, with the exception of the President, as listed in II(e).
2.	Making changes to this Constitution and By-Laws (including completely re-writing them).
3.	Committing to an Official Event (that has the affiliation of the Chess Club).
4.	Using either over 50$ or over 25% of the club’s money at once, whichever is less (the Treasurer is responsible for determining whether or not a request involves this).
5.	Removing a Member from the Club. If this occurs, the Member does not receive a refund on their membership dues, unless they are removed within a month of joining and return any and all items that they received as a result. However, even after being removed, they are still entitled to dispute the removal. This shall result in a review of their status being held within two weeks of the dispute, at which at least the President, Vice-President, and an Adviser must attend. The individual with the dispute is encouraged to bring one individual to help represent them, and the conflict shall be resolved from this meeting. The President shall have the final decision on whether or not to reinstate the Member, and the Vice-President shall decide what other actions are appropriate.
6.	Resolving a dispute involving whether or not a Motion has been made properly, or a dispute involving any other procedural aspect of this Constitution. Note that making a dispute is an equal right of any Officer, Adviser, or Member, as all are subject to and protected by this Constitution. The Major Motion of resolving the dispute should ideally be participated in by all those involved, whatever their status. However, as outlined below in II(a)v, the final resolving of the dispute is decided on by the Officers (and subject to delay by the Advisers).
iii.	Minor Motions shall require at least three days to be acted upon.
Minor Motions include:
1.	Adding a member to the Club.
2.	Using less than 25% of the Club’s money, as long as it is less than 50$.
3.	Modifying the Club’s schedule for Club Meetings, changing a Meeting’s location, adding Meetings, cancelling Meetings, or changing a Meeting’s agenda or activities.
4.	Modifying the format of the chess activities at Club Meetings (what games are played and how they are played).
5.	Suspending the need for a Major Motion (this is useful if an Officer will be unable to provide their opinion on an anticipated matter which would normally require a Major Motion in order to proceed).
iv.	The following motions are exempt from this rule, and should be discussed and acted upon informally:
1.	Taking part in an event where some Officers want to help out and some do not, as long as the entire Chess Club is not affiliated with the event—just those Officers who choose to help out. This does not mean that the Officers should not mention or promote the Chess Club, only that they should not claim that the entire Chess Club is officially involved.
2.	Having a meeting of Officers, Members, or Advisers that is not announced as an official Club Meeting (this type of meeting may or may not have all Officers present, and may or may not have a devotional, league play/ladder play or other usual activities). It is beneficial to the Club to have as many meetings as is possible, both formal and informal.
v.	Both Major and Minor Motions require the consent of all of the Officers, but have different required waiting periods before they are carried out, and this only affects the action if an Officer does not give their opinion on the Motion. Advisers who do not give their opinion do not affect the required waiting period. However, if no Officers object to a motion (even if all are in favour), but one of the Advisers objects, then there shall be an extra week required from the time of discussion and dissent (either at an official Club Meeting or through e-mails sent officially to all Officers) to carry out the Motion. If there is no change in opinion, it shall still be carried out, but it is ideal that the Adviser and Officers are able to resolve their differences.
b.	Official Club Meetings must have at least the President or Vice-President and one other Officer or Adviser present.
c.	Official Officer Meetings must have at least four total Officers or Advisers present, with one of them being the Vice-President or the President.
d.	Under no circumstances shall a ‘simple majority’ ever be used to decide an issue—the procedure outlined in this Constitution is the one that should be followed.
e.	The President is the one officer who serves at the pleasure of all the other officers. If all of them disagree with him being president, he has one week to try and change this, and if he cannot, he must resign as President.
III.	Officers
a.	President
i.	Represents the Club to faculty and administration, current and prospective Members, and other individuals. Communicates with other entities and individuals on behalf of the Club. Attends required meetings related to the Club’s business.
ii.	Attends each Club Meeting, except in the case of an absence which is accepted by the Vice-President, who will then assume the role of President for that meeting.
iii.	Brings each Club Meeting to adjournment, and is prepared with an agenda of activities. Summarises each Meeting and sends these summaries to the manager.
iv.	Delegates responsibilities among Officers. Officers have the right to decline delegated responsibilities not listed in the Constitution, in which case the President shall take them on himself.
v.	Makes executive decisions; an executive decision being defined as one that deals with a situation which is not otherwise mentioned in this Constitution, and is deemed such a decision by at least three Officers other than the President.
vi.	Takes responsibility for the general atmosphere of the Club as outlined in the Constitution, as well as the activities of any individuals associated with it. Receives any complaints and makes the other Officers aware of any problems.
vii.	Is always open to be challenged. A challenge involves an individual asking for a game, and a time being set to play, either right then, or within a week. The challenger has the right to choose White or Black, and the game has no time limit. In the case of a draw, the challenger is not deemed to have challenged successfully. Victory during the challenger’s very first game against the President results in a free membership to the club being offered. If the challenger is already a member, the club dues can be refunded (unless they already have been due to recruiting three others, as outlined below). A successful challenge entitles the President to a challenge of his own for a re-match. If he plays a re-match and loses a second consecutive time, he is encouraged to stop being President, as the challenger is much more deserving of that position.
b.	Vice-President
i.	Sets Meeting times (together with the other Officers). These must be agreed upon by at least four Officers or Advisers total (including the Vice-President) to be considered an official Meeting. Note that any Officer has this right, and the requirements are the same. However, in the absence of their action, the responsibility is that of the Vice-President.
ii.	Promotes the Club to students, faculty, and other individuals and entities.
iii.	Brings each Officer Meeting (not a Club Meeting) to adjournment.
iv.	Delegates event-planning collaborative responsibilities among officers. Again, officers have the right to refuse, in which case the Vice-President shall assume these responsibilities.
v.	Takes on the duties of the President in his absence.
c.	Treasurer
i.	Responsible for maintenance of the Club’s monetary account.
ii.	Withdraws from and deposits funds to the account.
iii.	Decides whether or not a certain transaction constitutes a Major or Minor Motion (see II(a)ii above)
iv.	Reports the expenses of the Club and its current balance at least once a month.
v.	If deemed necessary by all of the other Officers, proposes a budget for the Club.
vi.	Makes the other Officers aware of and takes responsibilities for any issues or irregularities connected with the Club’s account.
d.	Pastor
i.	Represents and promotes the Club’s spiritual vision to the public.
ii.	Together with the other Officers, arranges for the devotional at the beginning of each official Club Meeting. Is responsible for giving the devotional if no one else is having it.
iii.	Contacts and keeps in touch with anyone who requests help or guidance as a result of activities related to the Club.
iv.	Ensures that the correct atmosphere of nurturing and acceptance is being maintained.
v.	Notifies the Officers of any issues connected with unfair treatment of an individual that is related to the Club.
vi.	Works together with the President to organise outreach activities; collaborates with other groups and clubs in order to serve others, whoever they may be.
e.	Manager
i.	Arbitrates any dispute related to the laws of chess or the de facto rules that occurs during any Club Activities; this responsibility may be passed on to the president if necessary.
ii.	Helps decide both what activities the Club will participate in during its meetings, and what chess-related events the Club will host, along with the President (see III(a)iii).
iii.	Manages pieces, boards, clocks, scores, books, and other Club resources.
iv.	Keeps in order the archive of game scores that are left by participants in Club activities.
v.	Is prepared to either become or select the next president of the Club, or in the event that neither of these is feasible, attempts to ensure that it continues to function during the next year.
vi.	Is prepared to manage and/or coach any and all teams associated with the Chess Club, whether they consist of Members, Officers, or a combination of the two. If necessary, this responsibility can be delegated to the President.
f.	Advisers
i.	Represents the Club to the faculty, administration, and other individuals when someone who is not an Officer is required (as decided by the Officers and Advisers).
ii.	Assists the club when experience and/or influence is needed to move an initiative through official channels.
iii.	Speaks on behalf of the Club with faculty and Advisers of other clubs when necessary.
iv.	Promotes the club to any individuals or entities within his sphere of influence.
v.	Advises the club on any matters of importance.
vi.	Gives the final arbitration in any dispute between Officers, or between another Adviser and an Officer (see II(a)ii-6).
vii.	Is prepared to support the Club and offer assistance in dealing with any issue resulting from a conflict with the administration, faculty or any other organisation.
g.	Communal model of operation
i.	All Officers should ultimately be equally responsible for the Club’s activities, as the only real difference between Officers is their individual set of abilities—they all should share the same desire to support and promote the Club, or else they should not be an Officer.
ii.	This constitution shall not be altered in a way that compromises this spirit of shared responsibility or harms any individual related to the club.
iii.	Working together is not a means to an end; cooperation is the end, and chess is the means to achieve it.
IV.	Members
a.	Members are unofficially recognised once they have paid the 5$ fee and it has been accepted by the Treasurer, and they are fully recognised once all of the Officers have officially approved them joining the club.
b.	The membership fee of 5$ is refunded completely if the Member is able to recruit three others to join the club (upon joining—that is, before they have officially been recognised as members—all three individuals must clearly indicate who it is that recruited them; however, the recruits need not occur simultaneously).
c.	Being fully aware that it is both possible and undesirable that one play at the Chess Club frequently, and yet never pay the Club dues, we nevertheless also recognise that each individual contributes to the club by simply being there, and has the right to freely associate. Therefore, it does not aide the cause of the Club to forcefully demand such a small sum of money from attendees. However, those who attend are encouraged to become a Member, and it is the responsibility of Officers and other Members to do this in a friendly way. Individuals are much more likely to become Members if they do not feel forced, but instead decide to join because they want to.
d.	Without paying Members, this Club would not be able to function. Therefore, their input is valued, and they are encouraged to make suggestions, both formally and informally, to the Officers and Advisers. Official (formal) suggestions should be made through the suggestions box or during the designated time in the Club Meeting, while unofficial (informal) suggestions are those that are made via word of mouth, e-mail, or other means. There should be at least 10 minutes of each Club Meeting dedicated to discussing suggestions that have been made (see VII(a)) during or since the previous Meeting. A suggestion can become a Motion if and only if it is made by either an Officer or Adviser. The priority of discussing suggestions will be:
i.	Suggestions made by Officers (this allows an Officer to redirect the discussion during this time)
ii.	Suggestions made by Advisers
iii.	Suggestions made officially by paying Members
iv.	Suggestions made officially, but not by paying Members
v.	Unofficial suggestions made by paying Members
vi.	Unofficial suggestions not made by paying members
e.	Members should feel like their experience at the Club is worth the time they take playing and any other resources (including money) they spend. It is the President’s (and ultimately every Officer’s) responsibility to ensure that this is the case.
V.	Meetings
a.	Places
i.	The meeting place shall be agreed upon by all of the Officers and Advisers (see II(a)iii-3).
b.	Times
i.	The Meeting times shall be set by the Vice President (see III(b)i); see also V(a)iii above and II(a)iii-3.
c.	Activities
i.	Devotional/Discussion
In the interest of preserving the purpose outlined in I(a), each  meeting shall begin with a devotional, which is to be planned by the pastor in accordance with III(d)ii.
ii.	Games
1.	League
The main competition held by the Chess Club is in a league format where each player in the league plays against every other player, once with White, and once with Black. It proceeds as follows:
a.	Placing in the league will be determined based on a points system, with three being awarded for a win, one for a draw, and none for a loss. Of course, this format may be changed to fit the needs of the Club, but it is ideal.
b.	The Manager and President are responsible for organising and scheduling these games, in accordance with III(a)iii and III(e)ii.
c.	When new members enter into the Club, they are to be integrated directly into the league if at all possible, although if they enter into the club more than halfway through the year and/or are unable to attend Meetings regularly, there is no guarantee that they will end up with the same number of games.
d.	There is no required time limit for league games, as the aim is to create an atmosphere that is both competitive and enjoyable. However, if two individuals want to play with a clock and impose a time limit on themselves, then that is valid as well. This is not required, however.
e.	It is strongly encouraged, although not required, that all official Club games (whether league, ladder, or tournament) are recorded. Keeping a game score is not only good practise and can allow one to later learn from one’s mistakes, but it also makes it easier for the Manager or President to arbitrate in the case of any disputes.
f.	All league, ladder, and tournament games are to be ‘standard chess’ (that is, they are not to be played with a larger board, or with different rules, such as ‘odds chess’, ‘progressive chess’, ‘losing chess’, ‘bughouse chess’, or any other variant). There is plenty of opportunity for playing with alternative rules during ‘casual play’ (see V(c)ii-3).
2.	Ladder
There is also a ladder system, which begins with the first Member of the club and proceeds downwards in the order the Members joined. Officers may join the ladder, but they must begin at the bottom. The rules for the ladder are as follows:
a.	Any individual on the ladder may challenge any other individual within five places of them (meaning there are no more than four places in between them) at any time, except for in case of the exceptions mentioned below in V(c)ii-2(h) through V(c)ii-2(j). Other than these stipulations, there is no limit to the amount of challenge matches that can be played in a day.
b.	Challenges should be issued either at the Meeting itself, or via e-mail in which case a copy (‘CC’) shall be sent to both the Manager and the President.
c.	Challenge matches will generally take place at the meeting itself, after league games have finished. However, they may take place anywhere, as long as the two individuals can agree on a time and place, and are able to report the results without any disputes. Each challenge match consists of a single game between the challenger and his opponent.
d.	To decide on colour, either the individuals should come to an agreement, or flip a coin, with the winner choosing White or Black. Other methods are permissible as well if both parties agree.
e.	Just as is the case with league games (see V(c)ii-1), there is no imposed time limit on challenge matches, but if the individuals wish to, they are allowed to play with a time limit if they both agree to it. As mentioned above in V(c)ii-1, all official Club games are to be standard chess only.
f.	If a player is unable to accept a challenge, the challenging individual is expected to be cordial and have respect for the other party. However, dodging a challenge for more than three days (including time allotted under clause II(a)ii) will result in a forfeit, and the challenger switching places in the ladder with the player avoiding his challenge. This is subject to the decision of the Manager or the President, according to III(e)i.
g.	If the lower-placed individual wins, the two trade places in the ladder. If a draw occurs or the higher-placed individual wins, no change occurs. If a draw occurs, the lower-placed individual has the right to a rematch. However, the higher-placed player has a right to postpone that rematch until a time no more than three days in the future. Of course, the clause from II(a)ii applies in this situation. To postpone the challenge in the case of a draw, the higher placed-player must actually be able to play the match within the three days, or else he runs the risk of forfeiting, subject to the Manager’s or President’s arbitration.
h.	If the lower-placed individual loses, there is no change in place between the two, and the lower-placed individual must play a game against someone else before they are allowed to re-challenge the same opponent they lost to again (assuming that they are still within five places of the opponent after playing someone different).
i.	To ensure that the ladder is unable to be ‘engineered’ by those attempting to gain an unfair advantage, there is a restriction on how many times one is able to challenge a Member above them. If a Member is either within the top 10 places or within the top half of the ladder, they are only allowed to challenge three players above them consecutively, before they must play someone who is lower ranked and challenging them. If no one challenges them for three days, then this restriction is lifted.
j.	To take part in the ladder, an individual must be a paying member, unless they are otherwise exempted from this by the President or the Manager.
3.	Casual play
A casual atmosphere is encouraged at all times within the chess club, and there is no need for games to be overly draining or uncomfortable just because they are heated and competitive. However, in the interest of all members who may represent a wide range of different skill levels, a time for ‘casual chess’ is desirable. This is a time for both ‘friendly’ games which are otherwise exactly the same as league games or ladder matches, and also for testing out strategies or studying openings, giving ‘odds’ or a handicap, playing as teams or asking others for advice, or trying out any non-standard variants of chess.
4.	Arbitration
As mentioned in III(e)i, any disagreements connected with a game or result, including any rules disputes or pace of play issues (see V(c)ii-6 below) are to be handled by either the Manager or the President.
5.	Tournament
The Club should sponsor several tournaments (as events) each year with varying entry requirements, but in addition to this, there should be at least two tournaments each year that are part of the club activities. The top four players in both the league and the ladder are invited to participate in a ‘league cup’ and a ‘championship cup’, no earlier than Spring Break. Additionally, other tournaments may be included in the club’s activity schedule, as determined by the Officers.
6.	Pace of play
iii.	Presentation
There should be time for the sharing and viewing of items of interest related to chess in varying formats, presented by various individuals. This is to be organised by President in concert with the Manager, as outlined in III(a)iii and III(e)ii. The presentation and analysis of games played either by the presenter or by an individual of similar skill level to the audience is encouraged, as is dual-commentary analysis, strategic or tactical advice, or documentary segments, all of which are very instructive. While Members should be respectful and not talk loudly during the presentation time, they are encouraged to play chess casually during this time, should they so choose.
iv.	Other Activities
Any other activities that could be beneficial to the chess club as a whole should be considered by the Officers planning the agenda. Chess problem composition and solving is an especially instructive activity that can also be made into a contest, as can certain exercises, such as giving checkmate with a knight, bishop and king against a lone king. New possibilities should be explored, as suggested by the Members (see VII(a)).
VI.	Events
Events are to be planned in a communal effort among the Officers and Advisers, with a division of labour commissioned by the Vice-President under III(b)iv and a proposal produced by the Manager and President in accordance with III(e)ii.
VII.	Miscellaneous
a.	Suggestion box
There should be a way for Members to provide feedback, either anonymous or otherwise, on how the Club is being run, and what could be done to improve it. As mentioned in IV(d), these suggestions should be read at some point (after the devotional but some time before most of the members leave) and discussed. If necessary, Official decisions may be made while reading the suggestions, but only if they follow the other guidelines in the Constitution (meaning, if a major motion is required, there must be an agreement by all of the Officers and no disagreement from the Advisers).
b.	Library
The Officers in the Chess Club have a few interesting books (often related to chess) in their collection, which should be shared so that the Members can be able to borrow them and learn from what they have not had the chance to read. A spirit of sharing is goodwill is to be fostered when maintaining and making use of the Chess Club library, which, in addition to books, should also include art, film, software, and other resources related to the Club.
c.	Webpage
There is already some storage space on a school-affiliated website, but in addition to this, a webpage is proposed, the details and implementation of which are to be decided on by the Officers as a whole.
d.	Logo
The Chess Club logo shall be chosen and agreed upon by the Officers, and shall not be decided on until all agree with the design. Once selected, this design can be used not only on promotional material, but also on custom clothes (such as shirts or caps) that can be worn by the Officers, Advisers, or Members.