Governance

As an incorporated non-profit 501(c)(3), NYRC is operated by volunteers that adhere to our by-laws, adopted in 1986. The organization is operated by a set of officers that manage day-to-day affairs and a board of directors that manage long-term affairs.

Elections for officers and directors are held annually, and all club members are encouraged to attend so they can vote on new classes of officers, directors, and by-laws changes.

Below is a description of what by-laws are and each of the elected positions in the club.

Note that the club is always looking for club members looking to help, even if they aren't an elected position; if you're interested in helping out, email president@newyorkrugby.com.

By-laws
By-laws are the rules of a corporation, established by the board of directors during the process of starting a corporation. When NYRC incorporated in 1986, it accepted by a vote of the members a set of by-laws that dictated its ongoing governance. They contain voting procedures, the size of the board and mandatory positions and procedures for the continued operation of the club. NYRC's current by-laws can be found here.

Directors
NYRC has 13 elected directors responsible for the ongoing progress of the club. Directors have three-year terms, so there are three classes of four directors each. Directors ultimately have the most power for operating the club, and by consensus can remove officers and vote to change various procedures and positions in the club.

Directors in NYRC generally sit on committees which oversee club-wide operations, such as permits, performance development, finances, sponsorship, governance, and more.

Directors should expect to attend 4-5 board meetings a year and actively participate in a committee which works on routine club-wide operation or longer-term club projects.

Officers
Officers are in charge of day-to-day operations of the club. Officers have one-year terms, and assist the directors with their projects.

All officers are expected to attend 4-5 board meetings a year, assist the directors with their projects (as appropriate to the officer's role), and otherwise execute their role in routine operation of the club.

-- President
The president is the general executive for club operations and is charged with executing the direction set forth by the directors. The president generally coordinates the other officers and directors for day-to-day operations and larger projects.

-- Treasurer
The treasurer is the guardian and executor of club finances. The treasurer is charged with providing summaries of club finances to the board and membership, and making sure spending is disbursed correctly and taxes are filed.

-- Secretary
The secretary ensures the club operates according to its legal obligations and maintains the organization's relationship with the government. This entails maintaining proper records of meetings and operations, communicating to the membership, and ensuring compliance with the by-laws.

-- Vice Presidents
There is a Vice President (VP) for each of the following club programs: Gentlemen's Team ("Old Boys"), High School Boys and Girls Teams, Men's Team, Women's Team. Each VP closely operates their respective program and is supervised by the president.

Some additional info on specific positions:

-- -- High School VP
The HS VP administers the HS program. NYRC runs the HS program to serve boys and girls in the community by providing an opportunity to play rugby after school. The VP is responsible for the following tasks, which they may perform directly or arrange to delegate:

Writing and executing the program budget
Hiring and managing coaches and staff
Communicating with players and parents
Scheduling games and player development
Working to secure funding for the program via grant writing
Liaising with local rugby organizations and USA rugby

-- -- Men's/Women's VP
The VP is responsible for the following tasks, which they may perform directly or arrange to delegate:

Writing and executing the program budget
Player recruiting and retention
Match and player logistics
Managing coaching and staff
Orchestrating social and fundraising events
Managing apparel