Village Card Club (VCC) Standing Rules

General

1. Standing Rules changes may be made by Board approval at any time.
   
   
2. Only members of the VCC are eligible to play in the Swiss Team League.
   
   
3. The Treasurer has blanket approval to purchase Certificates of Deposit whenever funds are available.
   
   
4. Each Custodian and the Secretary of the Ouachita Center shall be given a check for $25.00 at Christmas in appreciation of services rendered.
   
   
5. A person called in to play may play free. (This is up to the director’s discretion)
   
   
6. The Sally Blevins Memorial Trophy, instituted in February, 1995, shall be presented yearly to the non-Life Master (having no more than 400 masterpoints as of January 1 of the year the trophy is to be awarded) who has earned the most masterpoints at the VCC in the previous calendar year. Only members of the VCC are eligible to receive this trophy.
   
   
7. All players are required to have a convention card on the table that matches that of his/her partner.
   
   
8. The 'ACBL Alert Procedure' and the 'ACBL Code of Active Ethics and Principle of Full Disclosure' represent the policy of the VCC regarding the issues covered.
   
   
9. A Psychic bid or "Psych" is a bid that deliberately and grossly misstates the bidder's high-card values or suit length. Psychs are done primarily to make it more difficult for the opponents to find their optimum contract. Psych bids are legal. The VCC Policy is that Psych bids may be made but once in a calendar day. In the VCC, Psychic calls against less experienced players (those of a strata lower than the person psyching) are prohibited.
   
   
10. Concern and/or dissatisfaction with the behavior or conduct of a Game Director must be communicated to the Club Manager as soon as possible following the game in question.
    
    
11. The VCC Appeals Policy, amended and restated February 17, 2006, is incorporated into the Standing Rules of the VCC and defines the process to be followed for all appeals of a Game Director’s rulings.
    
    
12. The VCC Zero Tolerance Policy, revised October 2007 and related Appendix, VCC Conduct Rights/Responsibilities/Examples dated November 2007 are incorporated into the Standing Rules of the VCC. They describe behavior at the table and in the playing area that is encouraged, behavior that will not be tolerated, the disciplinary authority of the Game Director, and the conduct and ethics complaint and appeals process.
    
    
13. The Conduct and Ethics Committee shall receive all written and oral allegations of ethics and/or conduct violations from a Game Director or any player. The Committee shall review all allegations and decide if further investigation is necessary. If so, the Committee will hear oral and written input from all affected parties and decide on the proper disciplinary penalty. The VCC Conduct and Ethics Committee Guidelines for VCC Members dated October 2007 is incorporated into the Standing Rules of the VCC.Any disciplinary action recommending suspension must be referred to the VCC Board of Directors for review and approval.
    
    
14. The Game Director shall approve all announcements to be made that are requested from VCC members and ensure that they be kept brief and to the point. In addition, Game Directors shall make requested announcements from any Board member concerning VCC business, or if requested, allow the President, Education Director, Game Manager or Player Director to make such announcements concerning special games, events, classes or other necessary information that needs to be communicated to the VCC members.
    
    
15. As a general rule, only items relating to the VCC shall be posted on the bulletin boards. All non-related items must be submitted to the Club Manager or President and they will decide if the notice is appropriate for posting. All Board Members, Officers and Committee Chairpersons are authorized to post such matters as they deem relevant to their function and available space will be made for such matters.
    
    
16. If 5 or more members of the VCC attain Life Master status during the year, they will be honored at the Life Master Party. Life Master Parties shall be subsidized by the VCC. The cost of gifts to Life Masters so honored shall be paid by the VCC. Members attending the party shall pay their own bridge fees. To encourage Rubber Bridge players to take a more active part in the VCC, the event shall be opened to all VCC members. The Social Committee will coordinate plans with the Board regarding cost restrictions. If fewer than 5 attain Life Master status during the year, they will be recognized at the Semi-Annual General Meeting in December.
    
    
17. The Semi-Annual Meeting and Christmas party shall be subsidized by the VCC which will provide the room and beverages. Members attending the parties shall pay their own bridge fees.
    
    
18. The Club Manager is in charge of lending any VCC equipment to any individual or groups who request to borrow equipment. A deposit, at the Club Manager's discretion, may be secured.
    
    
19. Each retiring officer shall deliver to his/her successor such information necessary for the continuity of programs and activities.
    
    
20. The Club Manager may suspend a player from participation in all VCC-sponsored events for up to three days pending charges of a serious violation of the Zero Tolerance Policy or ACBL Conduct and Ethics Guidelines.
    
    
21. Free play certificates will be given to those in the Mentoring Program and those graduating from the Club and Diamond Series. These certificates have the value of the regular entry fee and may be used for the regular entry or for an entry for Easybridge!
    
    
22. In general travelers are used in games for the enjoyment of the players and are not a means of keeping score. Travelers for enjoyment will not be used in any ACBL, District, or Unit sponsored event; however, when the sponsor of a Special Event provides travelers for a specific reason, as with World Wide Pairs, those travelers will be used. Travelers for enjoyment will be used at all Club Masterpoint and Club Championship games.
    
    
23. It shall be the practice of the VCC Board to treat the needs of each VCC
    employee in a fair and understanding manner and to maintain relationships
    based upon the highest ethical practices. It is also the obligation of the
    employee to make full use of his/her knowledge and skill in performing
    his/ her job to contribute to the general well being of the VCC. The Board
    will also grant equal opportunity to all qualified persons in all aspects of employment.
    
    If any employee feels he/she has a job related problem or has the perception of being treated unfairly or being abused which is outside the employee's control, the employee may submit these issues to the Club Manager in writing. If satisfactory resolution does not occur, he/she may appeal to the Board President in writing to be heard by the entire Board. The Board decision is final. Link to listing of VCC personnel.
    
    Effective July, 2009, all Village Card Club employees will be paid by direct deposit.
    
    The following titles identify employees of the VCC:
    
    Members of the Teaching Staff
    Club Manager
    Computer Manager
    Game Directors
    Clerks
    Game Coordinators
    
    The following job titles are not salaried and are not classified as employees:
    
    Members of the Board of Directors
    Any individual who declined payment for services rendered.
    
    
24. VCC Organization Chart
    
    
25. Resolutions on matters of immediate need may be moved, seconded, voted on and passed via e-mail, through the office (e-mail) of the President, with copies to the Secretary for recording. The resolutions (passed or failed) should then be incorporated into the following month’s minutes in the usual manner.
    
    
26. All requests to grant gifts to the VCC, not monetary in nature, will be presented to the Board of Directors for approval.
    
    Requests made to the VCC for Memorial games and Memorial games with awards will be presented to the Board of Directors for approval on a case by case basis. Any costs associated with the game and/or game and award should be fully funded for the life time of the game and /or game and award by outside donations separate from the VCC general funds. A "sunset provision" will be determined by the Board of Directors when the game and /or game and award is approved.
    
    An endowment fund will be created for monetary gifts with the understanding that the Board of Directors will use the monetary gifts as they see fit.
    
    
27. The use of the VCC Web site for personal use is prohibited.
    
    
28. Education Program With Regard to Teachers revised October 2009 is incorporated into the Standing Rules of the VCC.
    
    
29. Salary and Fee Schedule revised January 2010 is incorporated into the Standing Rules of the VCC.
    
    
30. Rubber Bridge/Better Bridgers revised April 2009 is incorporated into the Standing Rules of the VCC.
    
    
31. All members of Men's Duplicate Bridge are to be members of the VCC. Men's Duplicate Bridge will meet on Wednesday and Saturday mornings. All cards and game supplies will be provided by the VCC. The members will be included in all special parties (i.e. Christmas Party and Life Master Party).
    
    
32. Players of the month will be recognized based on those players who earned the most masterpoints at the VCC each month in the following categories:
    
    1. a player with more than 1000 masterpoints.
    2. a player with 300 - 1000 masterpoints.
    3. a player with 20 - 300 masterpoints.
    4. a player with 0 - 20 masterpoints.
    
    A player cannot win in more than one category. The Club Manager will provide the Player Development Director with the player names.

Revised: July 2010