Contents

Article I - Purpose
Article II - Membership
Article III - Leadership Guild Responsibilities
Article IV - Special Interest Groups & Committees
Article V - Code of Conduct & Operational Procedures
Article VI - Property
Article VII - Amendments, Dispute Resolution, & Voting Procedures
Article VIII - Events & Activities




ARTICLE I - PURPOSE

The Hampton Roads Rebellion (referred to as the "fan club", or "the club" for purposes of this document) was established on September 30, 2006.  This fan club is a non-profit organization formed for the express purpose of bringing together enthusiasts of the Star Wars universe created by George Lucas and giving them a collective identity within which to gather and participate in the Star Wars inspired activities, and celebrate the Star Wars legacy.  This club is in no way officially associated with George Lucas or Lucasfilm, Limited.



ARTICLE II - MEMBERSHIP

Section A  - Equality Statement
The Hampton Roads Rebellion is an inclusive, equal-opportunity fan club and will not tolerate discrimination based on gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or political beliefs.  Participation in "Star Wars" Forums, Events and/or Activities are strictly voluntary.

Section B - Becoming an Official Member
In order to become an official member of the Hampton Roads Rebellion, an individual must attend three meetings.  If said individual is under 13 years of age, a parent or guardian over the age of 18 must attend one meeting with the individual.

Section C - Privileges of Official Membership
By becoming an official member, the individual gains the following privileges:

They have a voice in organizing activities and events.
They have the ability to vote on issues that will shape the future growth of the club.
They have the opportunity of running for and holding an elected position on the Leadership Guild if they meet the requirements to do so.
They have the ability to propose amendments and revisions to the Hampton Roads Rebellion Club Charter.

Section D - Minors Policy
Members must be at least 16 years of age to participate in club activities.  Any member under the age of 18 must have a parent or guardian sign a waiver before handling any power tools or prop equipment (e.g. dremel, jigsaw, vaccumform table, fiberglass, and other hazardous electrical equipment).

Section E - Guests
Spouses, significant others and children of the official members are welcome to attend events and activities.  The inviting member is solely responsible for the supervision of their guest(s).  We also welcome new people interested in joining the fan club.  All the individuals listed in this paragraph are considered Guests and are still expected to act in a  respectful manner and follow our code of conduct (See ARTICLE V) for the duration of their visit.  Guests do not have the privileges that official members have (see ARTCILE II, Section C), so they are asked to be respectful if they are present during the official club business and decision-making.

Section F - Other Star Wars and Sci-Fi Groups
The ....Hampton.... Roads Rebellion welcomes visitors from other regional Star Wars Groups and Sci-Fi clubs who wish to visit with us.  Any obligations or liabilities that may affect them during the course of their visit are their own responsibility as an individual and they may not hold the Hampton Roads Rebellion as a whole accountable.  Members of other Star Wars and Sci-Fi Groups will be considered Guests of the fan club as defined in ARTICLE II, Section E.

Section G - Costuming and Prop-Building Policies
Though members are encouraged to have costumes, which should be constructed from safe, quality materials, it's not required in order to be a part of the Hampton Roads Rebellion.  Because costuming as well as prop-building are personal, subjective pursuits, there will be no criteria or significant barriers to membership entry of any kind from the fan club or any special interest group or committee (See Article IV) on which to judge others.  Members should remind themselves that everyone is equal, and no one is above another in their level of creativity and artistic expression.

Section H - Becoming an Online Forum User
Visitors can create an online account to access the forum areas of the website by providing the required information:  firstname, lastname, username, valid email address, and password.  Creation of the account can also be performed by the Webmaster, who will subsequently inform the user of his or her account.  In order to create a legitimate online account with the Rebelllion, a user must satisfy one of two conditions:

(1)  A Rebellion member, active or inactive, must vouch for that person, who wishes to create an account, by informing a Leadership Guild member within 30 days.

(2)  The user must attend at least one meeting or an unofficial gathering within 30 days.



ARTICLE III - THE LEADERSHIP GUILD

The Leadership Guild shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer (see Section B on elections).  The affairs of the fan club will be managed by this Leadership Guild, which shall meet as needed.  The meeting will be held on such date, at such hour and in such place, as designated by the general consensus of the Leadership Guild as a whole.

Section A - Leadership Guild Duties
The duties of the Leadership Guild members of the Hampton Roads Rebellion will consist of the following:

President

Create meeting agendas.
Conduct monthly meetings on important club matters.
Take the lead and/or delegate responsibilities on official marketing projects and special event organizing.
Liaison with community about the fan club's activities.
Act as Historian and Webmaster if Secretary is unable to perform such duties.
Possibly serve as moderator in the online forum.
Preside over disciplinary, hearing, voting, and other due process proceedings.

Vice-President

Assist in creating meeting agenda.
In the absence of the President, conduct monthly meetings on important club matters.
Assist in official marketing projects and special event organizing.
Liaison with community about the fan club activities.
Record all votes at meetings on any issue.
Act as Historian and Webmaster if Secretary is unable to perform such duties.
Possibly Serve as moderator in the online forum.
Preside over disciplinary, hearing, voting, and other due process proceedings.

Secretary

Assist in creating meeting agenda.
Keep and post minutes for official meetings.
Keep member contact information up-to-date.
Distribute cards/e-cards for special occasions.
Handle written correspondence with outside agencies or groups as needed.
Keep official records of any and all disciplinary actions made upon members.
Act as Historian, whose responsibilities include documenting special events and occasions and archiving photo and digital pictures.
Perform Webmaster responsibilities if the Webmaster is unable to perform such duties.
Possibly serve as moderator in the online forum.
Preside over disciplinary, hearing, voting, and other due process proceedings.

Treasurer

Careful collection and calculation of donated revenue.
Track expenses.
Disclose the club's financial status.
Preside over disciplinary, hearing, voting, and other due process proceedings.
Perform Webmaster responsibilities if the Webmaster or Secretary is unable to perform such duties.



Section B - Election of Leadership Guild Members
All Leadership Guild members with the exception of the Treasurer (see Section C) must be voted into office for 1-year terms.  Elections for all Leadership Guild positions (see ARTICLE III, Section A) will be held once per year.  Nominations for any position can be made by any official member of the Hampton Roads Rebellion during the month of January.  The only four requirements are:

(1)  The nominee must be an official member of the Hampton Roads Rebellion (see ARTICLE II, Section B).
(2a)  The nominee must have attended at least three "Official" meetings during the previous calendar year.
(2b)  If elected, the member must attend at least three "Official" meetings" during the year.
(3)  The nominee must agree to make his or her email address available to all members of the Hampton Roads Rebellion.
(4)  The nominee must agree also to make his or her phone number available to other Leadership Guild members and the parents or guardians of members who are minors.

Any nominee may choose to decline a nomination if they wish to.  If no nominations are made for a particular position by Midnight EST on January 31st, the individuals holding these positions will maintain their posts unless they choose to decline re-nomination in which case they should make their intentions known during the nomination period.  Voting will be held in February and each nominated member must win by simple majority vote.

It should be noted that a Leadership Guild member may choose to resign at any time and other current Leadership Guild Members will fill in until a replacement can be found, through an election if necessary.

Section C - Treasurer By Appointment
The Leadership Guild shall appoint through its majority vote a Treasurer who shall oversee all financial matters.  The responsibilities include the careful collection and calculation of donated revenue, the tracking of expenses, and periodic disclosure of the Hampton Roads Rebellion's financial status.  An active member has the right to see the financial records the Treasurer maintains at any time.

Section D - Removal of Leadership Guild Members
After careful consideration, to be exercised in a strictly confidential manner, active members may remove any Leadership Guild Member from his/her position through a vote of no confidence, whenever the best interests of the fan club would be served thereby.  There need not be a specific charge(s) against the person.  The final decision to remove a Leadership Guild member must be made by a 2/3 majority vote by all members present at the next meeting.



ARTICLE IV - SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS & COMMITTEES

The Hampton Roads Rebellion recognizes the need for members of common interest to gather.  These Special Interest Groups & Committees may be created anytime without the permission of the fan club or the Leadership Guild.  They need only to declare their existence at an appropriate time.  Significant barriers to entry to these groups and committees are not permitted.  The activities of these Special Interest Groups & Committees shall not undermine the status of any active member or otherwise serve to undermine in any way the Hampton Roads Rebellion charter or the fan club as a whole.

If a Special Interest Group or Committee violates this policy, any member may make a motion to the Leadership Guild to disallow their continued presence or reform its activities.  Leadership Guild may then make a decision (see ARTICLE VII, Section C) to vote or in cases of Conflicts of Interest (see ARTICLE VII, Section E), call for a non-biased 5-person panel to investigate the matter further, where a panel will present findings to the Member Body, and the outcome will be determined through simple majority vote.

Special Interest Group & Committee Leaders
These leaders are members that wish to hold special events (e.g. Saber practices, prop-building get-togethers, gaming parties, sports-related gatherings, and other non-official club events) and must be knowledgeable in their craft.

An assigned Special Interest Group Leader will liaison with the Leadership Guild on matters important to the Hampton Roads Rebellion as a whole.
Schedule and conduct meetings focusing on various aspects of the specific interest.
Submit minutes to Secretary for distribution if meetings or their outcomes have a significant impact on the Hampton Roads Rebellion as a whole.
Provide updates to Webmaster about specific interests so that he may keep the website up to date.



ARTICLE V - CODE OF CONDUCT

Section A - Mutual Respect
We all share a deep appreciation for all things Star Wars but many of us may not share the same views as well as views on non-Star Wars issues.  Please be courteous and respectful of the feelings of your fellow Star Wars friends, guests, and bystanders who may be in general area of our gatherings.  Attempt to keep profanity at a minimum.

Section B - Alcohol Policy
The responsible and moderate consumption of alcohol at "Official or Non-Official" events is encouraged.  Non-legal age members cannot drink alcohol at any time during these events.  Showing up to an "Official" event or gathering intoxicated is also unacceptable.  This is to protect the reputation of the group and safety of all group members.  Violators risk possible disciplinary action (see ARTICLE V, Section E).

Any member or guest who violates this policy during any official Hampton Roads Rebellion meeting or event shall be asked to leave the premises immediately.  Should an individual's state appear to be at the level of public intoxication, or if his or her behavior violates local, state, or federal law, either the event host or a Leadership Guild member must notify the proper authorities and, if it is possible and safe to do so, ask the perpetrator to remain on the premises until law enforcement officials arrive.  Further, any individual who violates this policy shall be banned from attending all Hampton Roads Rebellion sponsored functions, pending full investigation.  Although each violation of this policy will be investigated on a case by case basis, with all pertinent information being considered, judgment will be meted out in the most judicious way possible, up to and including permanent expulsion from membership and association with the ....Hampton..... Roads Rebellion as a whole.  Due process proceedings will be afforded to the accused (see ARTICLE V, Section E).

Section C - Forum Policy
It is the responsibility of an active member to try to post on the Hampton Roads Rebellion forums.  Members and non-Members who participate in online discussions on the fan club's website must abide by the rules and guidelines set forth by the moderators and administrators who maintain said forums.  Common sense and use of appropriate language should be the prevailing modus operandi for everyone.  Use good English language and possibly "emoticons" to clearly express your intent.  Bad behavior or its encouragement, which includes flaming, trolling, spamming, and posting profanity will not be tolerated.  Anyone found in violation of the Hampton Roads Rebellion policy on forum behavior will be reported and handled according to forum policy.

Section D - Sexual Harassment and Misconduct
The Hampton Roads Rebellion is dedicated to creating an environment of friendship and good will.  To this end, the fan club will not tolerate the practice of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment by its members.  Members who engage in such conduct will be subject to disciplinary action, including expulsion from the fan club.  This policy applies to all Hampton Roads Rebellion members.  It applies not only to unwelcome conduct that violates state and federal laws concerning sexual harassment, but also to inappropriate conduct of a sexual nature.

Section E - Due Process & Disciplinary Action
In the event an incident of an unethical or inappropriate nature occurs during an "official" Hampton Roads event or unofficial gathering or forum posting or any other interaction, the member(s) shall be dealt with in the following manner in a 3 step judicial process:

(1)  Formal Charges

(a)  The charges will be formally brought before the Leadership Guild for discussion before being presented to the member body as a whole.  This will be done with the intent to seek a solution to the dispute without having to call a vote among the member body.  The individual bringing forth the information and the person it involves shall be present for this discussion.  If the Leadership Guild determines that formal remedies (see "(3) Types of Remedies") may be required, then a Hearing must be called among official members.  (b)  In the event a member of the Leadership Guild is involved in the dispute, in order to reach an impartial decision, a Hearing among the entire member body will automatically be invoked.

(2)  Hearing Among the Member Body and Deliberation by 5-Person Panel

If a solution cannot be attained through option (1a), then a Hearing will be called among the member body as a whole where the charges will be laid down to all present official members present at the meeting.  The Hearing will determine the type and gravity of the offense (see "(3) Types of Violations").  During the Hearing, both sides of the conflict will be heard and will have an opportunity to respond, and witnesses and evidence submitted and recorded.  This process must run for at least one week after the Hearing is called, after which time the President or Vice-President has the right to close the proceedings at any time.  Once the Hearing is closed, the Member Body renders judgment (guilty or not guilty) through majority vote.  (In cases where a major offense is determined, see remedy below).  If guilty, the President or Vice-President is required to assemble a randomly selected 5-person panel of active members to vote on punishment ("Formal censure" and/or "Probation" for minor offenses).  Punishment will be determined on a case-by-case basis, depending on the severity of the offense.  Once a determination is made in this manner, the decision will be considered the will of the Hampton Roads Rebellion as a whole and is final.

(3)  Definition of Types of Violations and Remedies
A minor offense, which may include, but is not limited to, verbal assaults, inappropriate online forum language, alcoholic incidents, intentional property damage, and any other misconduct that violates the spirit of Article II Section G and Article V Section A through D, brings formal censure and/or probation, to which the charged member must (a) respond with a public apology and restitution of goods or services if these are involved as well.  (b) failing this remedy or in addition to this remedy, the member is placed on a 1-month probation, during which time he or she is not allowed to participate in club activities or forum posting. (c)  If after probation, the accused refuses to comply with the Leadership Guild's Member Panel directive, then the Leadership Guild votes on the expulsion of the member by majority vote.  If a member of the Leadership Guild is the non-complaint guilty party, the entire member body will vote on the expulsion of the member by majority vote.  In cases of a major offense, which may include, but is not limited to, stealing, embezzlement, physical threats, sexual misconduct, habitual pattern of minor offenses, and other serious felony-like behavior, the Member Body may move directly to a vote for expulsion.




ARTICLE VI - PROPERTY

Certain items shall be considered property of the Hampton Roads Rebellion as a whole and shall not be owned by individual members.

Section A - Domain Name and Website
The domain name shall be considered the property of the Fan Club as a whole and not that of any one individual.  All fees involved in maintaining said website will be made from the Hampton Roads Rebellion coffers.  Documentation of all fees involved will be turned over to the Treasurer.  The Webmaster shall be considered the caretaker of the domain name and website for the period of time in which they hold that position and shall relinquish all access and control at such time as they no longer hold that position.

Section B - Treasury General Fund
Members are encouraged (but not required) to donate what they can to the Fan Club Treasury to help pay expenses.  Donations will be made to the Treasurer and should be considered non-refundable.  The Treasurer, with the supervision of the Secretary, is responsible for keeping accurate records of all transactions made (be they deposits or withdrawals) concerning the club Treasury.  All funds contained within the fan club Treasury are considered property of the Hampton Roads Rebellion as a whole and not that of any one individual.  Beyond the usage of Treasury funds to maintain the website all other usages must be agreed upon by the membership of the club as a whole.  Any member of the fan club may ask to see the records for the Treasury at any time and the Treasurer or Secretary must produce them in a reasonable amount of time so that they may be viewed.  The appointed Treasurer shall be considered the caretaker of the Treasury records and funds for the period of time in which they hold that position and shall relinquish all records and funds at which time they no longer hold that position.

All events will be paid for by the Hampton Roads Rebellion as a whole.  All members will contribute equal amounts to cover the cost of travel, room-and-board, and admission to events if necessary.  All members are responsible for their own food and personal items.  Likewise, when taking part in any prop/costume event, all members are responsible for their own materials.



ARTICLE VII - AMENDMENTS, DISPUTE RESOLUTION, AND VOTING PROCEDURES

Section A - Charter Amendments
Any article of this charter may be amended or repealed at a later date.  Any official member of the Hampton Roads Rebellion can propose an amendment to the Leadership Guild.  In order to do so, they must submit the proposal in writing to each Leadership Guild Member no less than ten days before the next official meeting.  All Leadership Guild Member will then discuss the proposal and determine whether or not it should be brought to the membership body as a whole.  In the event that it is brought to the membership body for resolution, it will be posted to the Hampton Roads Rebellion forums at least one week prior to the meeting.  Official Members present at the meeting will vote.  The outcome must be determined by 3/4 majority vote.

Section B - Voting Guidelines
As the need arises, a voting proceeding may be needed to resolve various issues concerning the Hampton Roads Rebellion.  These will be organized by the President or Vice-President and all official members present at the meeting will vote.  The outcome will be determined by a simple majority vote.

Section C - Emergency Decision Making Policy
In the event that a decision should be made immediately, the Leadership Guild will gather and vote and the outcome will be determined by a simple majority.  This emergency power must not include any measure that circumvents any provision in Article V Section E.

Section D - Breaking A Tied Vote
In the event of a tied vote within the member body, a randomly selected active member will cast a second vote to break the tie.  In the event of a tied vote within the Leadership Guild, the vote will be put forth to the entire Hampton Roads Rebellion where simple majority vote will determine the outcome.

Section E - Conflicts of Interests
In the event that an active member, Special Interest Group, or Committee determines a "conflict of interest" of any kind, either prior to, during, or after a disciplinary or voting  proceeding, the matter can be brought forth to the entire member body for determination and resolution.



ARTICLE VIII - EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

Section A - Distinction between Official and Unofficial
All activities and events will be considered "official" if posted on the Hampton Roads Rebellion site under Official Events or Club Endorsed Events.  Otherwise, events will be considered 'Get Togethers"and will not be counted towards official memberships or meetings.

Section B - Monthly Group Meetings
A general group meeting will be held at least once per month if practical.  All Hampton Roads Rebellion members are encouraged to attend, as well as potential new members.

Section C - Special Interest Group & Committee Meetings
Special Interest group or Committee Leaders will attempt to organize these gatherings so as to not come into conflict with official Hampton Roads Rebellion meetings or other Special Interest group Meetings and to set up a standardized schedule.

Section D - Special Events and Activities
From time to time, activities such as cookouts, movie viewings, campouts, charity work and other activities will be organized.  These can be either "Official" or "Unofficial", as determined by the person organizing the event or activity.  The organizer should make every effort to solidify plans for these events as soon possible so that those wishing to attend will be able to make appropriate arrangements (at least one week to ten days before it is planned to happen is suggested) and give a reasonable amount of warning in advance if the event or activity will be cancelled (at least 24 hours).

Last Updated ( Thursday, 26 October 2006 )