Item # 25B - New Business - Women's Chess In Canada

[Bob Armstrong]

As everyone knows, Daxin ( Anna ) Jin, has now volunteered to fill the vacant Women's Coordinator post. She has already been in attendance at this meeting.

Since she is new to the CFC, and this area ( though her daughter, Jiaxin ( Dora ) Liu, is a well-known junior ), this thread is to enable governors to advise Anna of their perspective on Women's Chess in Canada, and any suggestions they might have for her on starting out in her new position. We would be pleased if Anna could share any intial thoughts she has on taking on this task, and her perspective on it.

[Stuart Brammall]

Experience has shown that the parents of promising young players tend to be the most active and ambitious volunteers around.
I certainly wish Anna all the best and will gladly support any projects she wishs to undertake.

[Valer Eugen Demian]

All the best to Anna!

[Bob Armstrong]

When the position of Women's Coordinator was vacant, and there were some inquiries from potential volunteers, Bob G asked that I prepare a handout to give propective Women's Coordinators to give them an idea of what was involved in the position. I believe Daxin received a copy before she applied for the position.

Here is what I developed, which still seems sound:

CFC Women’s Coordinator

The position is set out in the CFC Handbook on the CFC Website in Section 2, Bylaw 2, Section 18 ( as now updated by motions at the July, 2010 AGM ) –

S. 18 OFFICERS

The Officers of the Federation shall be

the members of the Board of Directors;
the Masters Representative;
the Women’s Coordinator;
the Rating Auditor;
the Tournament Coordinator
the Public Relations Coordinator
the Executive Director; and
any other general Officer who may be elected at the annual meeting of the Assembly or appointed as an Officer from the Assembly by the Board of Directors between the annual meeting at the Assembly. Upon the vacation from office of any officer between the annual meeting the President may fill the vacancy for the rest of the term by way of appointment.

So this position is what is known as a non-executive officer position. This officer reports directly to the President, unless the responsibility to oversee the work of the coordinator is assigned to some other Executive member. The appointment lasts until the next AGM in July 2011, when the position becomes vacant again, and the holder can apply for re-appointment if desired ( but this is still considered an open competition for the position ). There is no formal expense account for this position, as there isn’t for any of the CFC officer positions. Should the officer feel that re-imbursement is warranted for any expense associated with the position, s/he would have to get prior Treasurer authorization. Also there is nothing in the CFC budget allocating any funds specifically to women’s chess. Any proposed projects involving expenditure of funds would require prior Treasurer approval.
When a non-governor is appointed by the President to hold such position, the officer will then become as well a CFC Governor-at-large, with all the rights of a governor – to have access to the Governors’ Discussion Board, to be able to dialogue with other governors on CFC matters ( the board is confidential ), to bring motions and second them, to vote on motions, etc..
There is no role description for this position in the CFC Handbook. In its absence, the following might describe some of the responsibilities/ duties of the Women’s Coordinator:

1. to promote women’s chess in Canada and advocate within the CFC on behalf of women’s chess issues;
2. to assist the Youth Coordinator in any of his/her activities involving junior girls;
3. to work with the Tournament Coordinator on the development of bids for the Canadian Women’s Closed, and to promote this tournament to women across Canada;
4. to work with the Public Relations Coordinator on the promotion to the general public, and the mainstream media, of women’s chess, women’s tournaments in Canada, and international women’s chess issues.
5. to work with the FIDE Representative on the participation of the Canadian Women’s Champion in the Women’s World Championship.
6. to work with Provincial Women’s Coordinators on provincial women’s championships.
7. to try to develop more women volunteers in the CFC.
8. to work with chess clubs across Canada on the promotion of club membership to Canadian women chess players.
9. to consult with elite women chess players across Canada for input on what they consider major women’s chess issues in Canada.

Consideration should be given to the bringing of a motion to add to Bylaw 3 , Duties of Officers, a new Section 8D dealing with “ Women’s Coordinator “, so that a job description would be set out in the Handbook, as there is for many of the other executive and non-executive officer positions

Bob

[Daxin Jin]

Hello Everyone,

I am Anna, sorry take so long to answer your questions. I am younger player's mom who try to develop Women chess in Canada. I speak Chinese, Russian and English. Most of Women chess players are living in Toronto. I got the news from Michael Barron The Toronto Women's chess championship 2010 will start soon. I already contacted with some girl players' parents, I still wait our Olympic women team come back and talk with them. I think the first step develop Toronto women chess tournament. I will talk with Yuanling for her girls' chess club ( our future women chess team) this week. For coming Christmas I would like to organize a party for Women, girls chess players in Toronto so I could see all of them and cooperate with them. Hope everyone could give me suggestion. Thanks a lot!