| RMille9601 2005-01-15, 12:46 am |
| Posted by here by Russell Miller
INSIDE THE USCF:
CRISIS IN CONFIDENCE? OR TEMPEST IN A TEAPOT?
By John Larkins
CHESS VOICE 1976
(reprinted in NORTHWEST CHESS August 1976)
In the middle of August in Fairfax, Virginia, at the US Open, the US Chess
federation will hold. its annual meeting. During thp meeting delegates will
choose among candidates for two important Policy Board posltionsi USCF
Treasurer, and. Policy Board Member-at-Large.
This year the election is no popularity contest. The several candidates
represent greatly di-
vergent points of view, as their campaign literature makes abundantly clear.
What Is the Current State of the USCF?
"We are in greater debt now than at any timein our history" says Arnold Denker,
candidate for Member-at-Large. "Do you wonder that I am baffled to find the
man who guided our fortunes during this debacle still at the helm? ... The
central issue of this election (is) 'HOW MUCH LONGER CAN WE
SURVIVE WITH THIS KIND OP MANAGEMENT?"'
Fred Cramer, candidate for Treasurer, and probably the man most responsible for
starting this whole debate, agrees: "The quality of our business management is
THE major issue of this campaign-, properly so, long overdue. ... On finance,
the XD (Executive Director) has hypnotized the Policy Board, into doing
nothing."
Cramer formed his own Finance Commitee and issued a lengthy document detailing
the financial problems caused by
putting the money received by the USCF for Life memberships into the checking
account and
not investing it in a reserve able to pay for the services due such members for
the rest of their
lives.
Nothing But Silence
At first there was nothing but silence from the USCF staff. Policy Board,
Finance Committee, and Accountant. Now, the better part of a year later, the
Finance Committee has admitted to an estimated liability somewhere in the
neighborhood of $500,000 to $800.000, But so far the only action taken is a
vote by the Policy Committee to include
this sum in a footnote to the financial report. (Translation! it will not be
listed under liabil-
ities. Why? If it were; the USCF might show a negative net worth!)
Excellent Administration
On the other hand, George S. Cunningham, another candidate for Treasurer,
writes; "I am sorry that some candidates have made Ed Edmundson an issue in
this election. ... Personally, I have admired the excellent administration of
Federation affairs when I credit to Edumdson."
Harold J. Winston, a candidate for Treasurer, take middle positions. Winston
has
nothing to say about whether there is or isn't a financial crisis but he does
ask for "more
financial information available well in advance of the annual meeting
(since)...Full financial disclosure will keep up trust in USCF no matter how
difficult
the times may be."
Peacor agrees that more complete and timely
financial information is needed. And he admits that how to handle Life
Memberships "remains a major policy question and problem for the Federation."
But he sees no need for major changes: "The first step of problem solution,
recognizing the problem,
is already under way, and corrective programs and
plans are being discussed and implemented."
How Did We Get in this Fickle?
Is the USCF really in trouble? Or is this just a case of malcontents blowing
:;•"-'' steam? Is there a true crisis of confidence in Federation
leadership? Or is it all a
tempest in a teapot? Some of the financial issues are quite complicated and
reasonable men could well take opposite views of them. But other things are
quite clear.
For many years the USCF was a small, slow-growing organization. Then, in 1969,
came the great Fischer boom and in three years the membership tripled! At the
time It seemed to make sense for the Federation to take on some unusual
expenses: computerization, new headquarters, new programs. But just as these
policies were going into effect, Fischer dropped out of chess, and the
membership started to decline sharply—cutting off the supply
of funds to pay for them.
On top of this, apparently no one had thought through the need to reserve money
to pay for services owed to Life Members or how the problem becomes
considerably more pressing when there are wide fluctuations in membership.
A Change in_the Power Structure
There were organizational problems as well, The small full-time staff had to
decentralize its authority and take into account the increasing deinand of some
of the more active members for a voice
in the affairs of the Federation, The result was a change in the power
structure—taking authority away from the previously all-powerful Executive
Director and allocating it to-an elected committee, the Policy Board.
Anecdotal evidence, and reading between the lines of the Policy Board
Newsletters, suggests that the transition has not gone smoothly. The
Executive Director still has his hand on the tiller and is in no hurry to let
go. One sign of
this is the difficulty the Policy Board is having in getting from him enough
information to have a full picture of the Federation's current status.
Crisis in confidence? Or tempest In a teapot?
The coming elections hinge on this issue.
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