Ulster Chess Union AGM 2021

The AGM will be held on the 24th July at 8:00pm.

Venue: NICS,Maynard Sinclair Pavilion, Stormont, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3TA

Anyone wishing to stand for election to the Executive Board needs to submit their intention to stand and any position they wish to stand for by 12 noon on Saturday 10th July 2021. Similarly any motions to be presented at AGM for voting must also be submitted by 12 noon on Saturday 10th July 2021. In both cases, email Mark Newman mark.chris.newman@googlemail.com.

Numbers are restricted - so please email your intention to attend by Wedsday 21st July 10:00pm. Social distancing will be observed and masks warn.

We will allow members to attend via Zoom (video with audio). Please email your intention to attend by Wednesday 21st July 10:00pm. email Mark Newman mark.chris.newman@googlemail.com. Zoom details will be sent closer to the meeting. If there are technical probems with Zoom or your connection we will not be able to provide support. If the Zoom fails and we have a quorum in the attended meeting the meeting will continue. You will need to give your full name and address and at the meeting have your id verified via video.

** Only members of the UCU will be able to attend.

8:00pm Start

Agenda

1. Previous Minutes
a) Review, amend and accept minutes of previous AGM
b) Matters arising

2. President’s Annual Review

3. League Prize Ceremony

Team Classic League 2020

1st Bangor                        22.0/4

2nd Ballynafeigh                15.5/4

3rd Civil Service                04.5/4

Board Prizes

1.David Houston (Ballynafeigh)                    3/4

1.Michael Sheeran (Bangor)                           3/4

2.James O'Fee (Bangor)                                  2/3

3.Andrew Todd (Bangor)                               3/3

4.John O’Doherty (Ballynafeigh)                   1.5/3

5.Kyle Milligan (Ballynafeigh)                       1.5/3

Team Rapidplay League : Div 1:

1st Ballynafeigh             41.5/8

2nd Civil Service              40.0/8

3rd Titanic Knights         20.5/8

4th Bangor                       20.5/8

5th The All Stars             17.5/8

Div 1 Board prizes:

1. Tahmankar Mandar (Civil Service)                   6/7

2. Robert Lavery (Ballynafeigh)                            6.5/8

3. Chris Kelly            (Civil Service)                      5.5/6

4. John O’Doherty(Ballynafeigh)                          6/7

5. Kyle Milligan (Ballynafeigh)                              6/7

4. Financial Report - Hon. Treasurer

5. Administrators Reports

6. Proposed Resolutions: please email me in advance of the meeting any proposals.

a) ’17 k)  Executive Board meetings are open to UCU members as observers. To facilitate this, details of Executive Board meetings will be notified on the UCU website 7 days in advance of the arranged meeting or as soon as an emergency meeting is called if less than 7 days. Observers have no speaking rights at Executive Board meetings and cannot be asked for views by Executive Board members. Any disruptive behaviour by an observer will result in that observer being excluded from meetings until such time as he/she agrees to comply. Observers will be asked to absent themselves from an Executive Board meeting where confidential matters are to be discussed and those discussions will not take place until the Secretary confirms that all observers have left the meeting.

Proposed: Barney McGahan          Seconded: Adrian Dornford-Smith

b) 17 l) A member in good standing may apply for speaking rights at an Executive Board meeting. The request should be in writing (email is acceptable) to the Chairman 5 days in advance of the appropriate Executive Board meeting and it should identify the item(s) that the member wishes to speak on. The Chairman will consider the request and decide if speaking rights will be permitted. The Chairman’s decision is final.’

Proposed: Barney McGahan    Seconded: Adrian Dornford-Smith

c: UCU tournaments held online during 2020/2021 season (Ulster Masters/City of Belfast/Williamson etc.) are deemed ‘unofficial’ and winners of such tournaments are not to be inscribed on associated trophies.

Proposed Damien Lavery       Seconded Steve Scannell

d: Membership of any UCU Code of Conduct Committee to be restricted to those who have been UCU members continuously for the prior three years and have a UCU standard play over-the-board rating minimum of 1500.

Proposed Damien Lavery       Seconded Steve Scannell

e: The current UCU Constitution and Standing Orders to be made available at all times from the front page of the UCU website.

Proposed Damien Lavery       Seconded Steve Scannell

f: Minutes of all UCU board meetings to be circulated to all UCU members of good standing within one week of meeting’s end.

Proposed Damien Lavery       Seconded Steve Scannell

g. The UCU will not support, in any way, an event for which a UCU member in good standing has been refused or denied entry for which they meet all the entry criteria

Proposed Damien Cunningham   Seconded  David Houston

h. The official UCU website is the main conduit for any and all UCU events, and all UCU or UCU assisted events must be primarily advertised the UCU web pages

Proposed  Damien Cunningham    Seconded David Houston

i. That AGM should reject the findings of the UCU investigation into electronic cheating in UCU on-line events, and that these incidents should be investigated by a properly qualified and representative committee involving as many clubs as possible

Proposed Damien Cunningham   Seconded  David Houston

j.Proposal for National Master (NM) title to be awarded to players with a classic rating of 2000 or greater (either FIDE or UCU). In a similar fashion to the American system of awarding National Titles, the Ulster Chess Union will bestow the title of National Master (NM) on UCU members who have gained a classic rating of 2000 or greater, either through FIDE or the UCU rating system. Like the GM title, the NM title will be a lifetime recognition and will thus never expire even if a player’s rating drops below 2000.

7. Election of Board Members

Under the constitution, the Executive Board must be composed of at least 5 members including
the officers.
UCU Board Nominations : please email me in advance of the meeting any nominations. The posts are:

8. AOB