BYLAWS OF THE SOUTHEAST SECTION
UNITED STATES FENCING ASSOCIATION

ARTICLE I ORGANIZATION NAME
This organization shall be known as the Southeast Section of the United States Fencing Association
(“USFA”). The USFA is qualified as a tax-exempt organization under the Federal Internal Revenue Code.

ARTICLE II PURPOSE AND GOALS
To further the goals of the USFA and encourage and promote fencing in the United States of America, the Southeast Section shall:
• Serve as a communication channel between the USFA and individual members of the Southeast
Section.
• Provide information to member divisions regarding competitive event schedules, national events
and Board of Director activities.
• Promote the sport of fencing locally, regionally, and nationally.
• Organize and hold the Southeast Section qualifying events to the National Championships of the
USFA.
• Develop and enhance a strong junior development fencing program.
• Support and promote the formation of classes, fencing clubs and salles d’armes.
• Encourage membership growth in the USFA.
• Disseminate knowledge and heighten public awareness of the sport of fencing.

ARTICLE III FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year of the Southeast Section shall coincide with that of the USFA and commence on August 1 and end on the following July 31st.

ARTICLE IV MEMBERSHIP
Classes of membership, fees and requirements shall coincide with that of the USFA and include current
members in good standing, having paid all dues and fees owing to the organization and who reside or
belong to a fencing club which resides permanently within the boundaries of the Southeast Section.

ARTICLE V TERRITORY
The territory of the Southeast Section includes the following divisions:
Alabama
Central Florida
Gateway Florida
Georgia
Gold Coast Florida
North Carolina
South Carolina
Tennessee
Virginia
A map of this territory, with borders outlined, is attached to this document.

ARTICLE VI OFFICERS
Section 1 Officers
The officers of the Southeast Section shall consist of a Chairman, a Vice Chairman, a Secretary and a
Treasurer. All officers shall work to further the goals of the National and Southeast Section USFA.
Section 2 Term
Election of officers shall take place at the General Meeting on years ending in an odd number.
Candidates may be nominated by submitting the candidate’s name to the Section Secretary. All
nominations must be received no later than three months prior to the General Meeting held on years
ending in an odd number. Nominees for Chairman are permitted to include a statement of purpose (not
to exceed one typed page). Nominees for Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer are permitted to
include a statement of purpose (not to exceed one-half typed page). Candidates for each office who
receive the greatest number of notes shall be declared to have been elected. The term of Section officers
shall be two years, starting concurrent with the USFA membership year. In the event that a General
Sectional Meeting is not held, new officers may be selected at a special meeting of the Executive
Committee.
Section 3 Duties
The officers of the Southeast Section are empowered to pass all such resolutions as are necessary to
open or close bank accounts and perform other actions in the ordinary course of the performance of their
duties. Such resolutions, if passed by a majority of the officers shall be as valid and binding as if they had
been passed by the entire Executive Committee.
The duties of the Southeast Section officers are as follows:

CHAIRMAN
The Chairman of the Southeast Section shall perform the following duties:
• Preside over meetings of the Southeast Section.
• Represent the Southeast Section at meetings of the National Board of Directors for the USFA and
be eligible to cast a vote at the meetings in accordance with the bylaws of the USFA.
• Ensure that financial and administrative reports required by the USFA are completed and
returned in a timely manner. These reports may be delegated to the Secretary or Treasurer at
the discretion of the Chairman or Executive Committee.
• Serve on national committees as requested by the National Board of Directors and discharge
those responsibilities as required.
• Organize and hold the appropriate qualifying events for the National Senior or Junior
Championships.

VICE CHAIRMAN
The Vice Chairman of the Southeast Section shall perform the following duties:
• Upon designation of the Chairman of the Southeast Section or the Executive Committee, shall
fulfill the duties of the Chairman during any temporary absence.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Chairman of the Southeast Section or the Executive
Committee.

SECRETARY
The Secretary of the Southeast Section shall perform the following duties:
• Conduct all correspondence.
• Keep records of all meetings.
• Complete and return all administrative reports requested by the National Board of Directors and
its administrative office.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Chairman of the Southeast Section or the Executive
Committee.

TREASURER
The Treasurer of the Southeast Section shall perform the following duties:
• Keep accurate records of the accounts of the Southeast Section.
• Receive all income due to the Southeast Section.
• Pay all bills incurred by the Southeast Section.
• Retain all vouchers for disbursements made on behalf of the Southeast Section.
• Prepare and return the annual financial report required by the National Board of Directors and
Treasurer of the USFA by the deadlines set by them.
• Prepare and deliver a detailed financial report at the annual meeting of the Southeast Section.
• Prepare an annual budget for review at the annual meeting of the Southeast Section.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Chairman of the Southeast Section or the Executive
Committee.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Executive Committee of the Southeast Section is responsible for making general management and
policy decisions between annual meetings. The Executive Committee is comprised of the Southeast
Section Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, and all division chairmen within the Southeast
Section’s jurisdiction. Each member of the Executive Committee shall have one vote with the exception
of the Southeast Section Chairman, who has a vote equivalent to one and one half.
Section 4 Removal
Any officer of the Southeast Section may be removed from office with or without cause by simple majority vote of the membership of the Southeast Section.
Section 5 Replacement
In the event that an officer of the Southeast Section resigns, is removed or is otherwise unable to perform their duties, the Executive Committee shall select a member of the Southeast Section to serve in that capacity until an election can be held.
Section 6 Expenditures
Expenditures of the officers for reasonable business expenses related to the normal business of the
Southeast Section may be reimbursed by the Southeast Section Treasurer. Expenses totaling over $200 must be approved by the Executive Committee. Normal business expenses include postage, telephone, competition expense and trophies for the Southeast Section qualifying events. Half of the Chairman’s travel expenses (not otherwise reimbursed) to attend two meetings of the National Board of Directors will be reimbursed. If the Chairman chooses, instead of a National Board of Directors meeting, to attend the Sectional Championships for the purpose of fulfilling his duties and does not enter the tournament, then half of his travel expenses will be reimbursed.

ARTICLE VII MEETINGS
The Southeast Section may meet at the request of one half of the members of the Executive Committee
with fourteen days advance written notice to the Chairman. There are two types of meetings which may
be held.
Section 1 Annual Meetings
There shall be at least one open meeting annually which shall take place at the Southeast Section
qualifying event. At this meeting, the officers will deliver reports on their activities over the past year and
on the current standing of the Southeast Section. Other matters relating to the business of the Section
may be discussed at this time, including but not limited to amendments to Section bylaws and the
competition schedule for the upcoming year. Ballots shall be counted at this meeting for the regular
election of officers.
Section 2 Special Meetings
A special meeting may be called at any time to discuss and take action on Southeast Section business.
This meeting may be called by a request from one half of the members of the Executive Committee with
fourteen days advance written notice to the Chairman. A special meeting may also be called at the
request of the Chairman.
Section 3 Voting
Votes pass by a simple majority rule of the eligible voters if a quorum exists. All members of the
Southeast Section are eligible to vote at the annual meeting.
Section 4 Quorum
A quorum for any Southeast Section meeting consists of 50% of the eligible members of the Executive
Committee.
Section 5 Alternates
In the event of a Division Chairman’s absence or disability, that Chairman or the Division’s Executive
Committee may name an alternate in writing who may vote for that Division.
Section 6 Proxy and Absentee Voting
1. Proxy votes are not permitted.
2. In lieu of proxy votes, members of the Southeast Section may cast absentee ballots at the
annual meeting of the Southeast Section in conformity with this section.
3. Absentee ballots may always be cast for an individual who has been nominated for any
Sectional office.
4. Absentee ballots may be cast for or against any proposal which has been placed before the
membership of the Section by a notice mailed by first class mail to all members of the Section
at least one month before the meeting at which the proposal is to be voted upon by the
membership. The notice of proposal shall include sample ballots which members may fill in
and deliver to the Secretary of the Section. Such sample ballots shall include spaces for
members to vote for or against any proposal. Amendments to the bylaws and election of
officers shall be conducted by a mail ballot of the membership of the Southeast Section.
5. Any notices of proposal which the Secretary receives in a timely manner shall be included in
a general mailing to the membership approximately one month before the next general
meeting. Otherwise, it shall be upon the parties presenting the absentee ballots to show that
their notice was mailed in out accordance with the provisions of paragraph 4 of this section.
6. All notices of proposal shall be voted upon at the next general meeting.
7. Absentee ballots must be presented to the Secretary or such other person or body may be
tabulating votes by not later than the time the question is called for a vote.
8. To be valid, an absentee ballot (excluding ballots for the election of officers) must be signed
by the member casting the ballot. The member’s name and date of signing must also appear
legibly upon the face of the ballot. Absentee ballots cannot be postdated. Ballots for election
of officers must be contained in an envelope which is signed by the member casting the
ballot. The member’s name must appear legibly on the face of the envelope.
9. A member may cancel an absentee ballot at any time, with or without cause. If a member
casts more than one absentee ballot, that ballot with the most recent date of signing shall be
counted, the older ballot being deemed cancelled. In the event that it cannot be determined
which ballot was cast most recently, neither shall be counted unless both votes are cast in
the same manner, in which case only one shall be counted.
10. No member present and able to vote may cast an absentee ballot.
Section 7 Conduct of Meetings
All meetings of the Southeast Section, whether annual or special, shall be conducted under Robert’s
Rules of Order unless other rules are adopted by a majority of those present and voting.

ARTICLE VIII QUALIFYING EVENTS
The Southeast Section shall, under the direction of the Southeast Section Chairman, organize and hold
all qualifying events for the Senior and Junior National Championships of the USFA under such rules and
conditions as the Executive Committee may require. Other events may be held along with the qualifying
events at the discretion of the Executive Committee of the Southeast Section with the approval of the host division.

Section 1 Fees and Schedules
All entry fees and event schedules for the Southeast Section qualifying events shall be set by the
Executive Committee. The net proceeds from the Sectional Championships shall be divided with 75% to the Section and 25% to the Division.
Section 2 Reporting
The Southeast Section Secretary shall report the qualifiers and results of the Southeast Section qualifying
events in a timely fashion to the administrative office of the USFA in accordance with their requirements.
Section 3 Rotation System
Each Division shall have the opportunity to host the Southeast Section qualifying events in turn. The
Schedule for the rotation is as follows:
2003 Gold Coast Florida
2004 Virginia
2005 Gateway Florida (swapped with Alabama)
2006 Alabama (swapped with Gateway Florida)
2007 Tennessee
2008 South Carolina
2009 Central Florida
2010 North Carolina
2011 Georgia
2012 Gold Coast Florida and continue

Divisions may pass to the next host division in the rotation by a vote of that Division’s Executive
Committee and with the approval of the Southeast Section’s Executive Committee.

ARTICLE IX BYLAWS OF THE USFA
The Bylaws of the USFA, including all rules and policies, shall take precedence over those of the
Southeast Section. When changes occur to the national bylaws, they shall be incorporated as part of the Southeast Section’s bylaws, with the Section Secretary publishing the changes in the next general
membership mailing of the Section.

ARTICLE X AMENDMENTS
These bylaws for the Southeast Section may be amended or deleted at any scheduled meeting of the
membership of the Southeast Section. Any amendment receiving simple majority vote shall pass subject to the approval of the Executive Board of the USFA.

ARTICLE XI EFFECTIVE DATE
Amendments to these bylaws shall take effect on August 1 next after their adoption. Copies of
amendments shall be included in the next general mailing of the Section.