Rocky Mountain Rugby Meeting Rules & Code of Conduct
General Rules
The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order Revised shall govern the Union’s meetings (including its committee meetings) in all instances when such rules are not inconsistent with these By-Laws.
All full member clubs have the right to attend any meeting of the union. Each full member has one vote at any Union meeting and shall be represented at any meeting by no more than two persons that must be registered to USAR for the club they represent.
For Executive Committee (“Ex-Co”) Meetings, any member recognized by the presiding officer may speak and participate; for the Annual General Meeting ("AGM"), only properly registered/designated club representatives and existing union Executive Board members may participate in voting and discussion.
For the purpose of these rules, members must be from clubs in good standing to individually be in good standing.
Registration and Recognition
In order to properly identify authorized club representatives, clubs should register their attendance or provide proxy rights to an attendee at any meeting that requests it. Rocky Mountain Rugby officials retain the right to deny recognition to individuals who are either not registered, given proxy rights, or otherwise widely known to officially represent the interests of the club (e.g. listed as a president of a club on the club's official website). Rocky Mountain Rugby officials shall make best efforts to be regularly updated as to who officially represents a club(s) throughout each year.
Each full member club shall be represented at any meeting by no more than two persons that must be registered to USAR for the club they represent.
Good Standing and Membership Status
A member shall lose its voting rights in the Union and become “not in good standing” as a result of its failure to meet its obligations to the Union, including its dues.
A demonstrated inability of a member club to conduct its business and deport itself in accordance with generally accepted principles and practices may be placed in this status by vote of the Executive Committee.
Decisions of the Executive Committee made under the bylaws concerning loss of “good standing” may be overturned at a Union meeting by a two-thirds majority of members. The club in question cannot vote on such matter.
Loss of Membership
A member shall lose membership in the Union for failure to pay dues and all levied fees, or for non-compliance with the RMR bylaws as determined by the Executive Committee.
Decisions of the Executive Committee made under the bylaws concerning loss of membership may be overturned at a Union meeting by a two-thirds majority of members. The club in question cannot vote on such matter.
Voting Rules
Each full member has one vote at any Union meeting and shall be represented at any meeting by no more than two persons that must be registered to USAR for the club they represent.
Votes shall be conducted by the operator of the meeting and presided over by the chair. In the event that a conflict of interest exists between the meeting operator and/or the individual presiding officer of the meeting, those conflicted shall temporarily vacate the meeting for any open (non-secret) vote on the issue in conflict.
Any conflicted individual must state their conflict of interest in advance of any material item, and will be allowed to discuss the item along with other members (provided the conflict is stated).
The most senior official (by title, then tenure) shall preside and operate any vote(s) if/when officers vacate a meeting. If all officials are temporarily vacated, those present may elect a temporary representative to preside over any/all scheduled votes until the official(s) returns. No non-scheduled or new votes may occur while someone has been asked to temporarily vacate a meeting. For the purpose of this rule, a 'scheduled vote' is one that is announced prior to an official temporarily vacating a meeting.
For the competitive election or vote for the removal of officers or other officials, candidates will be provided a short opportunity to campaign and shall temporarily vacate the meeting if an open (non-secret) vote is held on the matter. In the instance that a candidate holds club voting rights (via their position as a club officer, or the rights they hold by proxy), the candidate shall make the weight of their vote known to the official or temporary representative presiding over the vote prior to vacating and returning to the meeting.
Matters brought to vote shall pass by a simple majority of the votes cast unless specified otherwise.
An official is elected if he/she receives a simple majority of the votes cast by the eligible voting parties. If there are multiple candidates and no candidate receives a simple majority of the votes cast, the candidate receiving the fewest votes is eliminated and another vote is held. This process continues until a candidate receives a simple majority of the votes cast.
All ballots in official elections shall be secret unless this is waived by a simple majority of the members present.
Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) for Rocky Mountain Rugby shall be held once a year in January, February, May or June.
The AGM shall be operated by the union’s Vice-President, with the union’s President presiding.
The AGM will follow the agenda published for the event 30 days in advance of the meeting.
The Executive Committee may propose a slate of candidates for all or certain of the elected Officer positions (each, an “Office”), which slate shall be included in the notice of the Annual General Meeting.
Full members may nominate candidates for any Office by written notice to the Executive Committee no later than the 30 DAYS immediately before the subject Annual General Meeting and any such nominations shall be listed in the agenda published for the Annual General Meeting.
If there is no candidate for an Office, as reflected in the agenda for the Annual General Meeting, nominations for such Office may be made at the meeting.
Only members at the time that nominations first open are eligible to be nominated for office.
Executive Committee Meetings
Executive Committee Meetings shall be called as needed by the President or by any three other Officers.
Written notice of the purpose of the meeting, and an agenda shall be provided, at least seventy-two (72) hours before the meeting; provided, however, in the event of an emergency, only such notice is reasonable need be given. Meetings may be held in person, by telephone or video conference, or by other means permitted by advances in technology as are adopted as a standard business practice in the wider world, or any combination thereof.
In order to have a quorum, (i) the President or Vice President and (ii) at least four (4) other voting members must participate in the meeting (provided, however, if a meeting of the Executive Committee is duly noticed and less than a quorum is obtained, so long as the President or Vice President participated in the meeting, the Executive Committee members participating in the meeting may provisionally act, which actions shall become formal and effective acts of the Executive Committee when ratified in writing by a simple majority of the Executive Committee).
Special Meetings
A special meeting may be called at any time and for any purpose by the President, or by a simple majority of the Executive Committee, or by a written request to the Secretary of 10 full members. Each member shall receive notice of a special meeting and a statement of its purpose.
Quorum
At all meetings of the Union, one-half of the full members in good standing shall constitute a quorum.
Except as hereinafter provided, a quorum of members, present or represented by proxy, shall be required for the transaction of business at all general and special meetings of the Union.
A meeting at which a quorum is initially present may continue to transact business, notwithstanding the subsequent loss of a quorum, provided that any action taken is approved by full members present equal to a majority of a quorum.
At any time during a meeting, a simple majority of the members present and those represented by proxy, may pass a motion to adjourn.
Proxies
Any member may be represented by a proxy.
A person’s authority as a proxy is established by a written document signed by an officer of the club issuing the proxy.
The proxy is only valid for items on the agenda.
Any member attending a Union meeting may question the validity of a proxy.
A proxy is invalid if two-thirds of the members present at the meeting vote against it.
Proxies must be held by current members in good standing.
