Visitors
included, Jim Warren, Frank Niro & Don Schultz. Joel Berez, representing
Games Parlor. Steve Shutt and Pat
Hoekstra representing the
Scholastic
Council.
EB01-65 (Redman) Page 8 Motion to adopt the agenda.
Passed
7-0
EB01-66
(Redman) Page
8 The Board thanks Glenn Petersen for
his many years of service to the United States Chess Federation, his many years
of service to New Jersey chess and to chess in general.
EB01-67 (Smith) Page 60-61 Move
to overturn the ruling of the chair that no further discussion of the motion EB01-69
would be allowed in open session.
Passed 4-3
For: McCrary, Smith, Ippolito, Warren
Against: Barry, Redman, Pechac
(Note:
Correct procedure would have been to vote on this motion after EB01-69).
EB01-68 (Warren) Page 61 Move that the Executive Director, with
Games Parlor, shall design a specific enhanced service program, including
tournament, with the goal of establishing revenue streams for presentation to
the Executive Board at the April meeting.
Passed
6-0-1 Pechac abstaining
EB01-69 (Board) Page 61-62 The Board approves in principle the contract
negotiated by the Executive Director and Games Parlor and authorizes the
Executive Director to finalize the contract along the lines explained to the
Board.
Passed 5-2
For:
Warren, Pechac, Barry, Redman, Ippolito
Against:
McCrary, Smith
Note:
(Motion EB01- 69 should have been voted on in open session before the vote was
taken on this motion of appealing the ruling of the chair EB01-67)
Comments
of Board members for their reasons for voting or not voting for motion EB01-69.
I
feel that at this point we have a substantial cost investment in Games Parlor.
At this point we have inadequate return. I hope that will change. I do support
the concept tremendously, but I do disagree with the idea of a contract of the
length specified given the many questions about developing revenue sources for
this agreement.”
“I
think that the two-year period is normal, quite usual, for contracts of this
nature.
The
reasoning for my vote is that we are on course with an established relationship
and this contract simply formalizes and reinforces our commitment to what we
are doing.”
“The
contract with Games Parlor providing this Online play option to USCF members is
a fundamental strategic goal of this Board. The intent has always been to
enhance the value of the membership without raising the cost. The implications
of this course have been discussed and explained.”
Informational
comment by DeFeis “ There is a termination clause
in the contract that if there is a material breach that cannot be resolved and
for other reasons the USCF can end the agreement at any time.”
Informational
comment by Barry “Games Parlor, at their
expense, has set up for the USCF a dedicated Online site that would have cost
the USCF approximately a quarter of a million dollars to develop.”
EB01-70 (Redman) Page
150-164 Motion: The Board
endorses the books and equipment strategic plan circulated by the Executive
Director regarding the reduction in the number of our book and product
offerings and asks him to continue to implement changes along these lines and
report to the Board as to progress at the April board meeting.
Passed: 4-2-1
For: Barry, Redman, Pechac, Warren
Against:
Smith, McCrary
Abstaining:
Ippolito
EB01-71 (Redman) Page 246 Move to reconsider motion number EB
01-37.
Passed 7-0
“(EB01-37) For calendar year
2001, an activity bonus of two points per game played in tournaments of three
rounds or more will be added to the regular ratings of players rated under
2000.”
EB01-72 (McCrary) Page 252
Motion to substitute Proposal #1 in place of Proposal #3 of compromise offered
by Dr.Glickman and Rating Committee restricting activity points.
For: Smith, McCrary,
Ippolito,
Against: Redman, Barry,
Pechac,
Abstaining: Warren
EB01-73 (Redman, Barry) Page 253
Board accepts recommendation #3 from Dr. Glickman and the Ratings Committee to
restrict activity points to a maximum of 20 points per player in calendar 2001,
as well as other provisions in his January 18, 2001 memo to the Board.
*Note
this motion was subsequently rescinded by objections procedure.
EB01-74 (McCrary) Page255 Motion to rescind EBO1-37 original bonus
points proposal.
Passed 7-0
EB01-75 (Smith) Page 256 Bob
Smith moves for adoption
of scholastic committee
policy for participation in the World Youth.
EB01-76 (Smith) Page 262 Move
that the Executive Director immediately institute a program to improve the
rating of events, including Scholastic, by policies and actions that may
include billing organizers for USCF dues for unknown or non-member players.
Passed 6 in favor, 1 abstaining Pechac
Executive Board
Minutes
Saturday, January
21,2001
Motions from Closed Session
EB01-77 (McCrary) Page 373 Rule 54 of
tournament directors certification regulations found on page 218 of the 4th
Edition of the US Chess Federation’s “Official Rules of Chess” is amended by
replacing words "is typically demonstrated by" with the words
"may be demonstrated
by, but is not limited to."
Previous Executive Board
motions pertaining to Rule 54 are rescinded.
EB01-78 (Redman) Page 374 Motion to approve the committee list
circulated with the following additions and amendments.
Chair, Prof Alan
Sherman-Vice-Chair, Seneca Nowland, Leteff Street, Guy Hoffman, Nate Fewel, Brian
Brzezinski, Michael Aigner, Jim Della Selva, Enrique Rios, Anthony Rozenvasser,
Arlen Walker.
Publications Committee add Herman Chiu
Membership Growth Committee add Angelo DePalma
Bylaws Committee omit Dan Burg who refused
election to the committee.
EB01-79 (Ippolito) Page 375
Tim Redman to visit New Windsor office in May to convey board appreciation to
staff for their contributions to USCF.
Passed 7-0
Open Session Motions
EB01-80 (Redman) Page 391
Board directs staff to implement the modular-stepped improvement recommended by
the USCF Computer/Internet Committee, with the first step being the development
of detailed technical specs, estimated schedule and costs and to begin
soliciting competitive proposals.
EB01-81 (Redman) Page 411,412,
420 The Board authorizes the creation of a second USCF 501C3 organization
to support and enhance the cultural prestige of U.S. Chess. Frank Niro is asked
to prepare the application and Bob Smith will act as the Board advisor.
EB01-82 (Warren) Page 458 The
Executive Board approves request of Grandmaster Goldin to be listed as U.S.
player.
EB01-83 (Ippolito) Page 480
Executive Board approve(s) National Scholastic Handbook.
Note: (s) correction by
secretary of motion submitted and recorded.
EB01-84 (DeFeis) Page 503 In order to allow for freedom of expression,
maintain confidentiality of strategic USCF political activities and protect USCF
from any legal actions resulting from these activities, USCF shall make its
membership mailing labels available for purchase by members, without requiring
the submission of mailing content, so long as the label purchaser signs the
following declaration:
“I,---name----hereby
indemnify and hold harmless the USCF from any and all claims resulting from my
usage of the USCF membership mailing labels, I am purchasing. These labels
shall be used for lawful purposes. Additionally, I will defend USCF against such
claims and pay the cost of any USCF litigation expenses associated with such
claims.”
EB01-85 (Ippolito) Page 526
Motion In order to provide Delegates a more professional and efficient annual meeting,
recommend the following:
EB01-86 (Redman) Page 527
Board appoints a committee of the President, Secretary, Parliamentarian and Joe
Ippolito to improve the efficiency and productivity of Delegates' meeting.
EB01-87 (McCrary) Page 532 In
accordance with the provisions of the USCF Bylaws, Article V, Section 5, the
Executive Board affirms the election tie breaks as presented on the list
distributed to the Board at this meeting.
EB01-88 (Barry) Page 550
The Executive Board requests the Board liaison to the LMA committee to transmit
their disapproval of the language used by a committee member on Rec Games Chess
Politics.
EB01-89 (Redman) Page 573 The
Executive Board requests that the Executive Director help Shane Samole in
presentations to elicit corporate support for the Chess Museum honoring Sid
Samole.
(DeFeis) Move that Arthur Bisguier be appointed as the USCF representative on the Samford Fellowship Selection Committee for the year 2001.
(DeFeis
) Move that
the USCF sanctions a China-US Chess Summit series of tournaments, to be
organized by the Seattle Chess Foundation over the next four years, with the
option for an additional four years, in accordance with details outlined in the
formal proposal.
(Board) The Executive Board moves
to rescind its decision to adopt
proposal #3 from the Ratings Committee.
(Board) Motion: With the goal of "re-inflating" the rating
system and encouraging player activity, the following policy is adopted: The
revised rating system, including the new formulas for rating provisional
players, varying K, multiple passes, and bonus/feedback, will remain in effect.
In addition, the criteria for players being eligible for bonus points will now
extend to events with as few as 3 games. Due to rating system statistical
limitations, the bonus point calculation for 3-game events will be performed as
though players were competing in an event with 4 games.
Finally,
for a two-year period, starting with the next rating run and continuing through
the 2002 annual rating, the threshold for bonus points will change from 16 x
the square-root of the number of games (minimum of 3 games) to 10 x the square
root of the number of games.
The effect of this change should
approximately re-inflate the ratings to where they were in 1996 when floors
were changed. The impact of changing the multiplier on the threshold from
16 to 10 would on average, taking the example of an 1800 player, augment the
chances of that player qualifying for bonus points from 6% to 17%.
This proposal also applies to quick chess ratings, which are already massively
deflated relative to standard ratings.
Minutes respectfully
submitted by Doris L. Barry, Secretary.