Constitution
The
constitution for the direction of the
historical
fencing club
Article
I - Name
This club shall be known as the Historical Fencing
Club.
Article
II - Purpose
The mission of the Historical Fencing Club is to
permit students to explore their interest in fencing as a
Western martial art through exposure to historical treatises
and diligent practice of pre-Twentieth Century fencing
technique. As
with the study of any martial art, safety and technical
precision are paramount concerns as we pursue the physical
practice of historical fencing.
As students gain a fair level of competency in
fencing technique, they will have opportunities to
participate in local, national or International
competitions.
Given the lengthy history of fencing as a martial
art, the earliest surviving fencing manual being from the
14th Century, we feel it is of great historical significance
to allow students an opportunity to practice this graceful
and effective art, preserving the knowledge for the future.
Article III - Affiliations
In our efforts to accurately study the art of
fence, we require the assistance of a local historical
fencing academy, The Academia della Spada, and other
knowledgeable instructors in the art.
Article IV - Membership
The membership of this club shall consist
primarily of regularly enrolled students of the University
of Washington. Any member that is not a student of the
University of Washington is not eligible to become an
officer or a member at large.
Section I Officers
The officers shall all be currently enrolled
students of the University of Washington, and have shown
exemplary commitment to attending, leading, and promoting
the Historical Fencing Club.
There shall be five officers: Signore
Primo, Signore Secondo, Scribe of Records, Steward of
Finances, and
Keeper of Arms.
The duties of the Signore Primo shall be to call and preside over any and all meetings
among the Executive Counsel; to act as the chief mediator
between the club and the University of Washington and ensure
that all requirements of said University are met by the
Historical Fencing Club; to give assistant to the club
Instructor at need, including but not limited to
demonstration and instruction; and to promote the Club at
all opportunities and seek to recruit new members.
Above all the Signore Primo must be dedicated to the
mastery of the art of fencing and to the study of technique
and historical and cultural context of the art.
The duties of the Signore Secondo shall be to preside over any meeting at which the
Signore Primo is not present; to assist the Signore Primo at
need; to arrange and plan any special events that may be
hosted by the club, for which he may solicit assistance from
the other officers; and to promote the Club at all
opportunities and seek to recruit new members.
The duties of
the Scribe of Records shall be to chronicle any worthy events or
occurrences for the Club, including photographs; to write
the formal rendition of any new amendments or bylaws that
are to be enacted; to know and make known the rules of
conduct for this Club; to create and publish (with
assistance if needed) any and all flyers, posters, letters,
etc, that may be required; to inform all Counsel members of
any meetings called by the Signore Primo; and to keep any
and all documents, legal and otherwise, that pertain to this
Club.
The duties of
the Steward of Finances shall be to maintain meticulous record of all
Club funds; to ensure that all members pay the set dues to
the Club, and that those payments are dealt with
appropriately; to discover ways to increase the financial
support of this Club, and seek their implementation; to plan
and oversee all fundraisers; and to work with the Instructor
to allocate funds as needed for new equipment and weapons.
The duties of the Keeper of Arms shall be to check all equipment at the beginning and
end of every practice to see that nothing is damaged or
dangerous; to see that any needed repairs are pointed out to
the Instructor, or to repair the piece if it is in the
Keepers power to do so; to see that no equipment is
abused during practice; to assist new members in the correct
use of equipment; to assist the Instructor in the
transportation, arrangement, and allocation of equipment;
and to inform the Counsel of any need for new equipment.
Note: all but the last of
the Keepers duties ought to be practiced by all members
at all times to ensure the safety of all members.
Officers will be chosen and removed by a consensus vote of the Executive Counsel.
There shall also be two Members at Large who shall assist the officers if they are asked and if at all capable. They shall attend Counsel meetings and participate in the governance of the Club, but shall not have voting privileges unless one or more of the officers is absent.
The Instructor of the Club shall be the instructor of the art of historical fence, currently held by Cecil Longino, Instructor of the Academia della Spada.
Section II Executive Counsel
The Executive Counsel shall be composed of the five officers, and the two other members at large.
This Counsel shall meet no less than once a month, at a location of the Signore Primos choice.
The Instructor of the Club must be consulted about any and all decisions and changes to be made and his advice sought before implementation, but he may not vote.
This Counsel shall have the power to amend this Constitution at need, referring only to the laws of courtesy, common sense, and responsibility, and the regulations of the University of Washington; to create or revise any bylaws as deemed necessary; to raise or lower monthly dues; to authorize any sponsorship of the Club; to alter the times and locations of Club practices as needed; to alter or add to Club policy; to arrange any kind of tournament or competition as the opportunity arises, and to solicit capable competitors from Club members; and to remove or replace any officer who has not fulfilled their duties satisfactorily.
>Decisions must be made in the presence of no less than three officers and one member at large, and must have the approval and acknowledgment of the Instructor of the Club. For any issue to be enacted it must have the consensus of no less than three officers.
Article VI Dues
All dues shall be set by the need of the Instructor, and the approval of the Counsel.
Dues are to be paid monthly, and shall begin at $25 for non-officers, $20 for officers as a compensation for their services to the Club.
The amount of Club dues may be altered at any time by the Counsel according to the needs and resources of the Club.