[Ravensfort] [Fwd: From the President]

Mon Jun 16 11:17:49 PDT 2003

Heilsa all...

Information follows:

Kief
"Better the Hammer than the nail..."

**********************
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Robert Osborne
> To: SCA Marshal Net
> Sent: Friday, June 13, 2003 10:11 PM
> Subject: [Fwd: From the President]
>
>
> My Lords and Ladies,
> The official word and explanation from Da Prez.  Note that she/I will
> answer questions but this is not open to debate.
> Read carefully and you have my thanks for attending to this issue.
> Robert
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Baron, Meg
> To: Toni Adkins-Riepl (E-mail) ; Robert Osborne (E-mail)
> Sent: Friday, June 13, 2003 2:52 PM
> Subject: From the President
>
>
> Hello Madame Seneschal and Mr. Marshal:
>
> As you know there has been some hoopla of late regarding waivers. I
> have
> written the attached letter to try to clear up some of the confusion
> that
> seems to be out there in the world.
>
> This will be going to the membership at large (via
> announcements at sca.org and
> the website) next week, but I wanted the Kingdom Seneschals and Earl
> Marshals to see it first so they are not blindsided in case they are
> bombarded with questions. Would you be so good as to forward this
> along to
> these respective lists?
>
> These officers should feel free to share this as they like; as I
> said, it's
> going Public soon. It may be published in newsletters if desired, as
> long as
> it is reproduced in full. I am more than happy to answer questions as
> needed.
>
> Many thanks,
>
> Meg
>
>
> Greetings to the officers and members of the SCA:
>
>
>
> It has come to my attention that there is a vast amount of
> misinformation around the Society concerning waivers and waiver
> policy. The purpose of my letter to you today is to do what I can to
> clear up these misconceptions. Please note that the following is the
> minimum required by the SCA Inc.; individual Kingdoms may impose more
> stringent requirements.
>
>
>
> I believe everyone is aware that individuals attending events must
> either present a membership card demonstrating proof that a signed
> waiver is on file at the SCA Member Services office (a "blue card",
> referred to as a "waiver card" in the SCA Governing Documents), or
> they must sign a waiver at the gate. I am fairly confident that this
> procedure is being followed at most if not all events. Bravo to all!
>
>
>
> WAIVERS AT FIGHTER PRACTICES
>
>
> Many people seem to be unaware that the waiver policy also applies at
> SCA fighter practices. Here is a quote from SCA Corporate Policies (a
> part of the Governing Documents of the SCA, which can be found online
> at www.sca.org or ordered from the Stock Clerk), section VI:
>
>
>
> A.                  Anyone attending any event sponsored by a branch
> of the SCA Inc. who is not able to present a valid SCA Inc. waiver
> card must execute a waiver as follows:
> 1.          All US Branches: must execute a waiver with the text
> adopted by the Board of Directors at each such event, practice or
> function
> 2.          All non-US Branches
> a.                    must execute a waiver with the text adopted by
> the Board of Directors at each such event, practice or function, OR
> b.                   must use a country-specific waiver that has been
> approved by the US Board of  Directors, OR
> c.                    must submit to the US Board of Directors a
> letter of legal opinion stating that the waiver requirement is not
> necessary in that particular country.
> B.                  The text of all waivers must be the language
> approved by the Board of Directors for waiver usage, subject to
> individual modern jurisdictional requirements. Such alternative texts
> must be approved by the Board of Directors prior to usage. Roster
> style waivers are acceptable providing that the full text of the
> waiver language is included.
> C.                  An event, for the purposes of this section only,
> is defined as any recreation function announced in either the branch,
> Kingdom, or Principality newsletter. Business meetings, demos, guild
> meetings, dance practices, or planning sessions are specifically
> excluded from these provisions. Combat or Fighter practices are not
> excluded and waivers must be collected from those actively
> participating in the combat related activities at such practices.
> Any function at which combat related activities will occur fall under
> the auspices of this waiver policy, regardless of what other
> activities may be occurring at the function. If there is a doubt
> about whether a specific function falls under this policy, the
> Kingdom Seneschal is directly empowered by the Board to make that
> determination and report same in their next regularly scheduled
> report.
>
>
>
> Please take special note of section C. All participants in
> combat-related activities must either present a valid
> membership-with-waiver card ("blue card") or sign a waiver at any
> SCA-sponsored activity, be it an event or a practice. No exceptions!!
>
>
>
> What constitutes an SCA-sponsored activity? If a practice is listed
> in the local, principality, or Kingdom newsletter, clearly that is an
> SCA-sponsored activity. This would also apply if the event is
> advertised through other commonly recognized means, such as the Shire
> email list, especially if the group is a small one and does not have
> a newsletter.
>
>
>
> If a household or individual decides to hold a practice in someone's
> back yard, and they do not advertise it through an SCA medium, then
> it is not an SCA-sponsored activity and the waiver policy above does
> not apply. Note also that, in such a case, the SCA's insurance does
> not cover that activity.
>
>
>
> WAIVERS FOR MINORS
>
>
> Minors who are members and have a blue card of their very own NEED
> NOT have a new waiver signed for them at every event (unless
> otherwise specified by Kingdom Law or policy). Their parent or
> guardian signed a waiver when they sent in their membership, and it
> is on file.  For combat participation by minors (for those Kingdoms
> which permit persons under age 18 to participate), some special rules
> apply, as stated in Corporate Policies section V.A.3:
>
>
>
> Prior to the training of a minor in any SCA combat-related activity,
> the parent or guardian of the minor must witness the activity,
> discuss it with a witnessing marshal, and execute a Waiver for the
> minor. The witnessing marshal must be explicitly authorized to
> perform this function by the Earl Marshal of the kingdom. The marshal
> who authorizes a minor person for any form of SCA combat-related
> activity must be the Kingdom Earl Marshal or the Principality
> Marshal. This need not be the same person as the witnessing marshal.
> Section V.A.4 is also important:
>
>
>
> Any minor involved in SCA combat-related activities at an event MUST
> have a parent or properly-executed Medical Authorization Form for
> Minors designating some adult person present at the event as able to
> authorize medical treatment for that minor in the case of any
> emergency.
>
> Note that a Medical Authorization form is not the same thing as a
> Waiver. Consult your Kingdom Seneschal for more information.
>
>
>
> WAIVER STORAGE
>
>
> Another question that has come up is that of what should be done with
> the waivers from events and fighter practices. This is also addressed
> in SCA Corporate Policies, section VI:
>
>
>
> E.  Each Kingdom shall have a single responsible officer ("Waiver
> Secretary") as a deputy to the Kingdom Seneschal to ensure that all
> required waivers, rosters, and sign-in sheets are collected and
> safely stored within a reasonable time after each event. The Waiver
> Secretary shall ensure that waivers for each event can be located and
> provided to the appropriate officials in the event a specific waiver
> is required.
>
>
>
> Each Kingdom shall store all original executed waivers, rosters, and
> sign-in sheets, or legally accepted facsimiles, in such a manner that
> a responsible party can easily retrieve any needed waiver.
>
>
>
> F.  Local groups need not maintain copies of these records. Kingdoms
> shall maintain the adult waivers for seven years and the minor
> waivers for 20 years.
>
> If you are unsure about waiver storage procedures in your Kingdom,
> please consult your Kingdom Seneschal.
>
>
>
> IN CONCLUSION
>
>
> Why do we have a waiver policy? The waivers serve to protect us all
> in the event of a lawsuit resulting from SCA activities. Contrary to
> popular belief, the waivers are NOT worthless - they have now stood
> up in Court, or stopped a potential lawsuit from getting as far as a
> Court, on several occasions. Legal advice has indicated that waivers
> are probably even more important at fighter practices than at events.
>
>
>
>
> Requiring waivers at fighter practices is not a new policy. It has
> been in effect for as long as there has been a waiver policy. It is
> very important that it be enforced at all levels, in all Kingdoms.
> (International groups - please consult with your Kingdom Seneschal to
> see whether waivers are required, or whether a variance has been
> granted in accordance with Corporate Policies VI.A.2., quoted above.)
> It is not difficult to do; it is currently being done in many areas,
> ranging from small Shire practices to enormous Kingdom practices.
>
>
>
> Seneschals and marshals - please ensure that this policy is enforced
> in your group! It is vitally important that these rules be followed.
>
>
>
> If you have questions concerning this policy, or need advice on
> implementation procedures, please consult your Kingdom Seneschal. I
> would also be happy to answer any questions.
>
>
>
> In service,
>
>
>
> Meg Baron
>
> President, SCA Inc.
>

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