• ADM 96-01: (Rachel Lieberman, AZ): Moved, that the minutes of the 1995 Delegates' meeting be accepted.

Normally this will generate two motions from the floor. One motion will be to certify the election results and the other to commend the election tellers.

• ADM 96-02 (Rachel Lieberman, AZ): The Delegates certify the election results.
• ADM 96-03 (Rachel Lieberman, AZ): The Delegates thank and commend the Tellers and Assistants in the election:

• A. Report of the President

  Re-election of those Delegates-At-Large whose terms are expiring or have expired is normally sponsored by Harold Winston (IL). Please note: Those eligible for re-election as Delegates At Large under this motion are those who were previously elected as Delegates At Large, whose terms have expired or are expiring as of the beginning or the end of the 1996 Delegates' meeting, and who are present at the 1996 Delegates' meeting. All three conditions must be met.

  • ADM 96-04 (Harold Winston, IL): The Delegates re-elect as Delegates At-Large those whose terms are expiring or have expired and who are present at this meeting (names to be filled in).

• B. Report of the Treasurer

  The following motions are submitted as part of the Treasurer's report:

  • ADM 96-05 (Board): The 1995-96 budget as presented by the Treasurer is adopted.
  • ADM 96-06 (Board): The employment of the accounting firm of Ernst and Young is ratified.
  • ADM 96-07 (Frank Camaratta, AL; E. Steven Doyle, NJ; Recommended by Executive Director Al Lawrence): [ Sell the land and building in New Windsor, New York ]
  • ADM 96-08 (Frank Camaratta, AL; E. Steven Doyle, NJ; Recommended by Executive Director Al Lawrence): [ All income from Life and Sustaining Memberships be deposited directly into the Life Member Asset Account ]
  • ADM 96-09 (Frank Camaratta, AL; E. Steven Doyle, NJ; Recommended by Executive Director Al Lawrence): [ Regarding the internal return rate used in actuarial calculations of liability to Life and Sustaining Members ]
  • ADM 96-10 (Frank Camaratta, AL): [ Regarding a 2 percent Contingency Budget Line ]

• C. Report of the Executive Director

• D. Report of the editor of Chess Life

• ADM 96-24 (Harold Winston, IL): The Delegates ratify all actions of the Policy Board appearing in the published minutes of the Policy Board meetings between the 1995 and 1996 Delegates meetings.

Any motions or reports arising out of past Delegate motions and any routine recurring motions should be considered here.

• ADM 96-25 (Harold Winston, IL): Pursuant to Article III, Section 9 of the USCF Bylaws, the Delegates have reviewed the promotional memberships offered by the Policy Board in 1995 - 96 and authorize their continuation.

The following items are from the 1995 agenda:

• DM 95-18/ DM 94 62 (NDM 94-75): (Todd Barre, IL; Alexey Root, TX; Dewain Barber, SCA): Child care shall be available during the US Open Delegate Meetings and awards banquet REFERRED TO THE LEGAL TASK FORCE.
• DM 95-39/ ADM 95-14 (Dan Burg, MI): The 1% Solution and other issues dealing with USCF Voting Member apportionment shall be referred to the Bylaws Committee and the Regions and States Committee. REFERRED TO BYLAWS AND REGIONS AND STATES
• DM 95-09/ NDM 95-51 (Frank Camaratta, AL): The financial statements of the USCF shall be presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Additional management reports shall be presented, including a report of actual capital expenditures versus budget and a comparative cash flow statement. REFERRED TO THE PB AND FINANCE COMMITTEE WITH POWER TO IMPLEMENT.
• .DM 95-24/ DM 94-10/ ADM 94-20 (Todd Barre, IL: Frank Camaratta, AL): The issue of ratings and rating floors shall be studied by the Ratings Committee for review and implementation. PASSED/ REFERRED TO THE RATINGS COMMITTEE FOR REVIEW AND IMPLEMENTATION.

Refer to the report of the Ratings Committee. New motions regarding rating floors can be found under New Business as ADM 96-29 to 96-36

• DM 95-49/ ADM 95-25 (Bill Snead, TX): The Delegates charge the rules committee to come up with an appropriate way to create a new category called an unrated draw and have the Policy Board have the power to implement. REFERRED TO THE RULES COMMITTEE AND POLICY BOARD

This was reviewed but not implemented.

The Bylaws Committee offers the following recommendation:

• ADM 96-26 (DM 95-39) (Bylaws Committee): [ Amend the Bylaws to Increase the Number of Voting Members ]

The Regions and States Committee was torn between the following two sets of wording and requested that both versions be printed in the advance agenda. The difference is inderlined and relates to the number of members a state must have to merit two Voting Members.

• ADM 96-27A (DM 95-39) /Wording A (Tom Dorsch, NCA; Harold Winston, IL): [ Amend Article V, Section 2 of the Bylaws ... ]
• ADM 96-27B (DM 95-39) /Wording B (Guy Hoffman, WI): [ Amend Article V, Section 2 of the Bylaws ... ]

The following motion was referred to the Regions and States Committee, where it PASSED 10-0, and is now being presented to the Delegates as a Committee motion:

• ADM 96-28 (DM 95-56) (Regions and States Committee; Dan Burg, Chairman): Article IV, Section 1 of the bylaws is amended by removing Kentucky from Region V and transferring it to Region VIII

The following 8 motions relate to rating floors.

• ADM 96-29 (Tim Just, IL): As of January 1, 1997, the use of a rating floor will be discontinued. (Any attempt to amend this issue is covered in Motions 2, 3, 4, or 5. This and Motions 2, 3, and 5 have been in Committee since 1993.)
• ADM 96-30 (Tim Just, IL): As of January 1, 1997, the use of a rating floor will be discontinued for all ratings above X (X to be determined by all Delegates or the Ratings Committee before January 1, 1997.) Note: This is to be considered only if 96-29 fails.
• ADM 96-31 (Tim Just, IL): As of January 1, 1997, the use of a rating floor, using the current formula to determine a floor, will be X (X to be determined by the Delegates or the Ratings Committee before January 1, 1997.) Note: This is to be considered only if 96-29 fails.
• ADM 9632 (Tim Just, IL): As of January 1, 1997, the use of a rating floor will continue as it is currently calculated except that rating floors will automatically drop 100 points for all individuals that remain at their floor for X years (X to be determined by the Delegates or the Ratings Committee before January 1, 1997.) Note: This is to be considered only if 96-29 fails.
• ADM 96-33 (Tim Just, IL): The use of a rating floor will continue as it is currently calculated. Note: This is to be considered only if 96-26 through 29 fail.
• ADM 96-34 (Tim Just, IL): Effective immediately PB 96-34 (in round robins or matches a player may not gain rating points against a player currently at his rating floor) is rescinded.
• ADM 96-35 (Tim Just, IL): Effective January 1, 1997, no rating fee shall be paid in any game where both player's ratings do not change because one or both of the players are at a rating floor.
• ADM 96-36 (Tim Just, IL): Effective January 1, 1997, one-half (1/2) the current rating fee shall be paid in any USCF rated game where only one of the player's ratings changes because the other player was at a rating floor.

The following 4 motions concern other issues related to ratings, rating lists, and rating fees

• ADM 96-37 (Thomas Fineberg, IL): Quick Chess ratings should be used for time controls G/10 through G/44. Regular ratings should be used for G/45 and slower.
• ADM 96-38 (Scott Freneaux, AZ): USCF is to waive all rating fees during the first six months after a new full-time chess studio opens, running only USCF tournaments.
• ADM 96-39 (Garrett Scott, IL): The Rating Committee shall be directed to adopt procedures to combat rating deflation apparent in scholastic chess.
• ADM 96-40 (Myron Lieberman, AZ): Any affiliate can choose to have its rating lists provided as hard copy or on disk with no additional cost.

The following 13 motions refer to USCF governance

• ADM 96-41 (Tim Redman, IL, USCF President 1981-84; George Koltanowski, NCA, USCF President 1975-78; Frank Skoff, IL, USCF President 1972-75; Leroy Dubeck, NJ, USCF President 1969-72): Add to Article VII, Section 1, after the word "Treasurer": "The Immediate Past President in the year immediately following his term as President".

  Please note: The new wording of Article VII (Policy Board), Section 1(Composition) would be as follows: "The Policy Board shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, The Immediate past President in the year immediately following his term as President, and three Members at Large elected by all Voting Members."

The Bylaws Committee offers the following substitute for 96-41:

• ADM 96-42 (Bylaws Committee): Add as the third sentence to Article VII, Section 1: "The Immediate Past President shall serve on the Policy Board through December 31 of the year his or her term (as President) ends."
• ADM 96-43 (Camaratta): Any Immediate Past President who remains on the Policy Board of the US Chess Federation, serves to offer advice and insure continuity only and, consequently, shall have no voting rights as a Board member.
• ADM 96- 44 (Jerry Hanken, CA/S): Any USCF member who has served ten years on the Policy Board is automatically a Life Member of the Policy Board.
• ADM 96-45 (Harold Stenzel, NY): The members have the right to expect Policy Board members to be visible and accessible. It is the sense of the Delegates that since transportation and lodging are provided at USCF expense, there is an ethical obligation and responsibility for Policy Board members to be present at all meetings at which their presence should reasonably be expected.
• ADM 96-46 (Arnold Denker, FL): The Delegates establish a committee to advise the Policy Board on matters pertaining to FIDE. The committee is to report to the Policy Board and assist the FIDE Delegate as needed.
• ADM 96- 47 (Arnold Denker, FL; Leroy Dubeck, NJ; Robert Erkes, MD): Add to Article VII, Section 4, after "No full time employee of the USCF" the phrase "nor anyone earning more than 50% of his/her annual income from USCF sponsored or rated events exclusive of prizes won by contestants." The rest of the sentence would continue to read "shall serve in any elected office on the Policy Board."

  Please note: The full sentence would read as follows: No full time employee of the USCF nor anyone earning more than 50% of his/her annual income from USCF sponsored or rated events exclusive of prizes won by contestants shall serve in any elected office on the Policy Board.

• ADM 96-48 (Tim Redman, TX): [ Regarding Conflict of Interest ]
• ADM 96-49 (Myron Lieberman, AZ): Amend Article IV, Section 2 of the Bylaws to append the following: All states should have the opportunity to have at least one Regional Vice President. Therefore, a candidate from a state that already has a Regional Vice President may only run if there are no candidates from states with no Regional Vice Presidents within the same region.
• ADM 96-50: (Ken Horne, NV) [ Regarding Recalling Policy Board Members ]

Note: Mr. Horne has indicated that the purpose of this motion is to establish a recall procedure for PB members (not necessarily this procedure). The Bylaws do not currently provide a recall procedure.

Myron Lieberman offers the following substitute wording.

• ADM 96-51 (Myron Lieberman, AZ): [ Regarding Recalling Policy Board Members ]
• ADM 96-52 (Ken Horne, NV): The Board of Delegates can refuse to seat a delegate by a 2/3 majority.
• ADM 96-53 (Jerry Hanken, CA/S; Randy Hough, CA/S): Five votes shall be required for the Policy Board to terminate the contract of an Executive Director (six if the Board has eight members, rather than seven.)

The following 2 motions concern full time chess studios

• ADM 96-54 (Scott Freneaux, AZ): USCF is to match industry average wholesale discounts from publishers to full time retail and chess outlets that sell only chess books and equipment and run USCF tournaments.
• ADM 96-55 (Scott Freneaux, AZ): USCF is to arrange for free advertising in Chess Life Magazine for the first six months after a new full-time chess studio opens, running only USCF tournaments.

The following 3 motions relate to scholastic issues.

• ADM 96-56 (Scott Freneaux, AZ): For every 100 USCF scholastic memberships sold in one year, a 20% rebate will be accrued onto the affiliate's account, to be used only for scholastic ads, chosen by the affiliate.
• ADM 96-57 (Sponsored by M. Lieberman, AZ, for Dewain Barber, SCA): A separate scholastic state affiliate shall be created for all states.
• ADM 96-58 (Sponsored by M. Lieberman, AZ, for Dewain Barber, SCA): No alcoholic beverages may be possessed or consumed within any areas of any scholastic event.

The following 3 motions relate to the US Open

• ADM 96-59 (Hal Terrie, NH): Effective with the 1997 event, re-entries are forbidden in the US Open.
• ADM 96-60 (Hal Terrie, NH): Effective with the 1997 event, playing schedules involving more than two games per day and/ or a primary sudden death time control, are forbidden in the US Open.
• ADM 96-61 (Walter Schaetzle, AL): The US Open shall be completed by the end of the first full week in August each year.

The following 3 motions deal with LMA administration

• ADM 96-62 (Harold Winston, IL): [ Regarding Amendments to DM 95-05 ]

  Click Here for DM 95-05

• ADM 96-63 (Tony Cottell, NJ): The Delegates direct the Policy Board to transfer title to all real estate to a new NY corporation, named LMA Trust Corp.
• ADM 96-64 (Tony Cottell, NJ): The Delegates direct the Policy Board to transfer ownership of all LMA liquid assets including, but not limited to, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, partnership interests, Treasury bills, notes, bonds, etc., to a new NY corporation named LMA Trust Corp.

The following 7 motions are concerned with tournaments

• ADM 96-65 (Guy G. Hoffman, WI): Tournaments that prohibit the consumption of alcoholic beverages shall include the code NA (No Alcohol) in their TLAs.
• ADM 96-66 (Walter Schaetzle, AL): The Cadet shall be completed before the start of the US Open each year.
• ADM 96-67 (Walter Schaetzle, AL): [ Regarding the Junior Chess Congress and the World Chess Festival ]
• ADM 96-68 (Jerry Hanken, CA/S): The Policy Board motion raising eligibility for the US Senior Open to 60 and barring non-US players is hereby rescinded.

Note: Please refer to PB 96-09 and 96-10 in PBN 2 for 1995/ 96.

• ADM 96-69 (Ken Horne, NV): The US Senior Open Championship is open to those 50 and over. PB 96-09 will have to be rescinded if the Policy Board was referring to the US Senior Open Championship in this motion.
• ADM 96-70 (Ken Horne, NV): Eligibility for prizes or a title in the US Senior Open Championship, except for the age requirement, will have the same requirement as the US Open and National Open Championships. PB 96-10 will have to be rescinded if the Policy Board was referring to the US Senior Open Championship in this motion.
• ADM 96-71 (Ken Horne, NV) The office will conduct a survey at the major open tournaments that are sponsored by the USCF. The purpose of these surveys will be for marketing and to learn information about the USCF's customers.
• ADM 96-72 (Garrett Scott, IL): School Mates shall be designated an official magazine of the United States Chess Federation.
• ADM 96-73 (Board - motion PB 96-57): The Policy Board recommends to the Delegates approval of the following recommendations from the Chairman of the Legal Task Force and outside Counsel: Reorganize the corporate structure of the USCF which may include, but not necessarily be limited to, a change in the state of incorporation.

Important Note: Editor's Comment: ADM 96-74 deals with officially changing the USCF's legal name, and is presented here in two forms. Version 1 appeared in the printed copy of the Annual Report, and states that the new name will be "U.S. Chess". USCF Secretary Rachel Lieberman has advised us that the correct wording is "US Chess Federation", as shown in Version 2. She has also requested that the following statement be included: The wording of ADM 96-74 [version 2 - ed.] is listed correctly in this agenda. It differs from the published agenda in that the Board is recommending the name change to "US Chess Federation", not "US Chess". The original name is the United States of America Chess Federation.

1. ADM 96-74, Printed Version with Error: (Board) The Policy Board recommends to the Delegates that the corporate name of the USCF be changed to "U.S. Chess." (See PB 96-28) Appropriate, related wording changes to the USCF's Bylaws and legal filings shall be made.

2. ADM 96-74, OFFICIAL VERSION: (Board) The Policy Board recommends to the Delegates that the corporate name of the USCF be officially changed to the US Chess Federation (See PB 96-28). Appropriate related wording changes to USCF's Bylaws and legal filings shall be made.