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I've been waiting for someone to ask. Since nobody has I'll do it.
!. Why is it the OCA needs 4 vice-presidents?
2. What will they all do?
3. Do the OCA by-laws or constitution allow that many?
Question #2 looks pretty legitimate. However what I find more worrysome is that: "Nothing really majorly new today, despite the fact that it took nearly 6 hours!" (C. Mallon). If true, and there is little doubt that it is, something is structurally wrong here. Six hours to come up with nothing new ? This is undoubtedly a terrible turn off for those attending (or considering attending) those meetings. Not that this is a special OCA characteristic.
Most if not all chess organisations general assembly in Canada work this way. People come forward to accept executive positions on an individual basis. What is wrong with that ? It means that the executives thus formed have no program or no plan to propose. And these people have no idea if they share common ideas or if they will be able to work together to achieve them. This almost inevitably leads to endless and fruitless AGMs that few people have the patience to attend and to ineffective executives made of people who most of the time have no clue about what they want to do or what they will be able to achieve.
The OCA changed the rules a couple of months ago to allow each league to elect a VP, thus ensuring they are each represented on the Exec.
Which should pretty much answer all 3 questions :)
I see. So the duties of the vice presidents is now to represent their league.
Normally a vice president would fill in if the president is unable or unwilling to do the duties. To which one of the four would the task fall, or is that now for the past president?
Question #2 looks pretty legitimate. However what I find more worrysome is that: "Nothing really majorly new today, despite the fact that it took nearly 6 hours!" (C. Mallon). If true, and there is little doubt that it is, something is structurally wrong here. Six hours to come up with nothing new ? This is undoubtedly a terrible turn off for those attending (or considering attending) those meetings. Not that this is a special OCA characteristic.
Maybe there will be minutes from the meeting for people to read.
I have some interest in the OCA. I once served as secretary of the OCA. That was in the early 70's. One year. I used to type out the frequent letters to the governors and mail them.
You make a good point, Jean. It very fair to ask what they propose to do for the next year.
I didn't say nothing happened for six hours, just that there wasn't much that was new.
Stick that many chess players in a room for that long and there are bound to be disagreements. Plus every one of them (one exception maybe?) wanted to be heard about this or that.
It was much more pleasant and productive than the two previous AGMs anyway, which were basically bitch sessions.
The OCA doesn't have a formal position of Past President. Barry wrote the constitution, maybe he thought he was President for Life? :p
Anyway, that would still be one of the duties for the VP, it would be up to the president to assign one (if he's going away for whatever reason) or they could decide amongst themselves in any other case.
There is a small committee that is going over the OCA Constitution and will be suggesting some changes, and they'll be taking a close look at the executive job descriptions.
I stand corrected. In this case people apparently have come forward as a team with a clear program on which they can be evaluated at the end of their mandate which is very healthy. This I think should become mandatory for all major chess organizations in Canada, and especially for the CFC.
Well, if chess is like other organizations I have been involved in the answer to the question "what does a VP do" the answer is, "generally very little". I have been a VP so I know.
In organizations with one VP the purpose of the position is to fill in when the President can't do the job. In organizations with several VPs the purpose is generally to help make sure the Executive can get a quorum.
Last edited by Ed Seedhouse; Sunday, 16th May, 2010, 11:25 PM.
Congratulations to those elected - it was nice to see Michael run a slate of candidates, with a short platform statement. They should mesh well with the regional V-P's. Looking forward to an active OCA year.
Would be nice if a CFC Presidential candidate would now come forward, with a slate of candidates, and platform, so they could be questioned a bit on their platform before the AGM. Anyone out their ready to declare yet??
I suggested that the CFC AGM be 3 days instead of 2, so that there would be time to discuss new business. I thought things could actually be accomplished at the AGM, if there was enough time set aside, instead of rushing through the usual 2 day affair. But 2 members of the Executive said no use trying, nothing important gets done there anyway.
I'd love to run for CFC President, but don't have time this year to do any volunteer work. If I were running for President, however, my platform would be:
1. "Thank you very much for past service" and a swift kick in the rear as they head out the door to most current Governors. Especially ones who are inactive. I would not allow someone to be recognized as a Governor until they sign a pledge to volunteer 10 hours/month at the National level. They would also have to provide their photo and biography for the CFC's web site.
2. Clean up CFC web site. It has to look normal to potential sponsors. It's a disgrace right now: list of Champions and Olympians out of date; Governors MIA; ugly front page.
3. Audit. If you want major donations, you have to meet the donors' standards. This one's mandatory in the giving community.
4. Mobilize for Publicity and Sponsorship. Need a V-P of Publicity and Fundraising. More likely, need a team for each. That's why Governors have to put in volunteer time. Olympians and World reps (Junior, Youth, etc.) have to introduce themselves to their MPs/MLAs/Councillors - get known in the community. A campaign for donations: members have to contribute - we need to show we support our own.
5. Increase membership numbers at a stroke: deal with CMA. Who's going to sponsor a membership organization with 2,000 members? No one. Yet how many kids play chess across Canada? 10s of thousands! Who would sponsor that? Lots! Who's got those kids? CMA. So, work out a deal with CMA to register those kids and include them in the CFC's efforts to get sponsors.
I have to say that I disagree with the Executive members who said nothing gets done at CFC AGM's. A number of years ago, the Grassroots' Campaign forced the governors by motion to discuss the radical restructuring to the CFC by bringing the motion to the AGM. The next year the Governors implemented practically all the Grassroots' Campaign restructuring platform.
And numbers of motions get decided.
This year, I think there may be 8-10 motions to be decided at the outgoing Governors' AGM. And the incoming governors get a chance to set out possible projects for the coming year.
The AGM Modernization Subcommittee is still trying to find a " Trial AGM Coordinator " among the governors, and if we can get our Mallon Model AGM tested, we might still be able to make the Toronto AGM interactive for non-present governors across the country ( no guarantees on this that we'll get it in by this year, but we're still trying ).
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