STANDARDS OF CONDUCT FOR THE USCF Executive Board
The USCF Board of Delegates establishes the
following standards of conduct for Executive Board members in the
performance of their duties:
GENERAL PRINCIPLES Members of the USCF Executive Board have responsibilities of the highest order for the promotion of chess and for stewardship of the resources of the
USCF. In the execution of these responsibilities, they are
expected to act lawfully and in accordance with USCF policy, and
to adhere consistently to the principles of fairness, honesty,
and respect for the rights of others. They are expected to
conduct themselves in a professional manner throughout the
performance of all duties, contributing thereby to maximum
effectiveness in the achievement of the goals of the USCF.
(1) Executive Board members are expected to
contribute to the functioning of the Board as a cohesive unit,
with information flowing comfortably among all its members.
Actions that interfere with comfortable and open communication
among all Board members should be avoided.
(a) All Board members have the right to receive
all information pertinent to the making, monitoring, and
implementation of USCF policy. Board member(s) should not
withhold full and accurate information from other Board members,
when that information is relevant to Board decisions or potential
decisions. Where decision-making authority has been given to a
specific officer by the Board or the Bylaws, that officer must
keep all Board members fully and accurately informed of all
decisions made and factors influencing those decisions.
(b) All Board members have the right to be
involved in the determination of all Board decisions. A Board
majority has no authority except as a majority vote within the
context of a properly called Board meeting. Board decisions must
result from discussions in which all Board members have had the
opportunity to participate.
(c) Board members are responsible for
contributing to constructive communication within the Board.
Board members are responsible to communicate directly with each
other whenever there is misunderstanding or ill will, making
strenuous efforts to resolve the issue amicably through such
communication, before making the dispute public.
(2) Executive Board members must be motivated
solely by the best interests of the USCF in exercising their
duties. Any potential conflict of interest, whether due to
financial, political, personal, geographical, organizational,
familial, or other considerations, must be prevented from
affecting any Board member in the discharge of his or her duties.
(a) Except where noted below, no Executive Board
member or a member of his immediate family may receive financial
compensation from the USCF for any reason, except for standard
reimbursement of expenses, during his tenure on the Board, or for
two years after completing his tenure if such compensation
results from bids accepted or agreements made by the Board during
his tenure. In claiming expense reimbursement, a Board member
must claim only that portion of expenses that were incurred in
non-political activities that were a legitimate exercise of the
Board member's duties. Any unusual expenses for which
reimbursement is questionable must be referred to the full Board
for consideration. Board members are expected to exercise all
reasonable frugality in incurring expenses to be reimbursed.
(b) No Executive Board member, or a member of his
immediate family, may profit financially from organizing or
directing a national tournament or activity organized or
co-organized by the USCF, or from any business activity of the
USCF, if the Executive Board or the USCF business office is involved
in determining the arrangements; such restriction applies during
the Board members's tenure and for two years thereafter, with
respect to actions taken during his or her tenure on the Board..
This provision does not apply if the bid, and all relevant
financial arrangements, were finalized before the member was
elected to the Board, and are not changed to his advantage during
his tenure.
(c) No Board member may participate in
consideration of bids for any event or for any expenditure of
USCF funds if he or his immediate family member has any office or
other interest in any entity offering a bid. He is required to
inform the Board whenever there is a conflict of interest.
However, the Board member may provide information on behalf of
such a bid, provided that his opportunity to provide information
is the same as for those involved in other bids. The Board member
with a potential conflict of interest may not make or second
motions, enter into debate or discussion in the capacity of a
Board member, or vote on the bids or on any issue reasonably
related to the bid consideration. If consideration of the bid
involves sensitive matters that require a closed session, a Board
member who has a potential conflict of interest may not attend
the portion of the closed session involving that bid, unless all
parties representing competing bids are permitted to attend.
(d) Any Board member who believes that he or
another Board member may have a conflict of interest on any
matter is expected to inform immediately all members of the
Board.
(e) A Board member should not pressure any USCF
employee by means of stated or implied threats to
employment..Specific criticism of other USCF employees should be
conveyed discreetly to the Executive Director.
(3) The Executive Board is responsible for
conducting business in an efficient, constructive, and open
manner.
(a) All actions taken by the Executive Board must
be consistent with the Bylaws of the USCF, and with all policy
established by the USCF Board of Delegates.
(b) Executive Board members must respect the
dignity of all persons in all statements and actions. Any
derogatory and/or sarcastic statements attacking an individual in
a personal manner, or intended to bring scorn or ridicule on an
individual , shall be considered out of order at any and all
times in a Executive Board meeting, whether in open or closed
session. Any angry and heated exchanges in a Board meeting should
be considered out of order. The Chair of the meeting shall be
responsible for promptly ruling such utterances out of order, or
any member may raise a point of order to that effect. Personal
differences must be privately resolved without disturbing the
efficient conduct of USCF business in a Board meeting.
(c) A closed session should be held only when
the best interests of the USCF are definitely served by doing so.
Examples of when closed sessions are proper would include the
discussion of matters that are legally sensitive, issues
involving sensitive negotiations, or matters in which the privacy
rights of any individual may be at risk. Closed sessions should
not be scheduled to permit the airing of heated or derogatory
comments, which should be out of order in any meeting discussion,
or to avoid the necessity of Board members' dealing with
unpopular issues publicly. The Board may invite other persons
into the closed session if such persons possess special
information or expertise needed by the Board, but a certified
Executive Board candidate who is not currently on the Board should
not be included in a closed session unless all Board candidates
present at the meeting are also invited.
(d) Board members should be sensitive to the
feelings of volunteers and staff members whose names may be
mentioned, or whose work may be criticized, during Board
discussion.
(e) All Board members must strictly observe
confidentiality of closed sessions. In the case of a conference
call, the Board members must clearly understand what portions of
the call are considered open or closed, for the purpose of
determining what information in the call must be considered
confidential.
(4) When appointed by the Delegates, the USCF
Ethics Committee may consider an allegation by any USCF member
that a Executive Board member has committed significant violations
of this code of conduct. The Ethics Committee may, if it
determines that such violations have occurred, either warn the
Board member or recommend actions, such as recall of the member,
to the Board of Delegates in accordance with the Bylaws of the
USCF.
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