The meeting began at 1215 on 5/16/99 at Nigel Willis' conference room (thanks, Nigel!) in Alexandria, VA.

Officers present: President (Reyn Kinzey), VP (Eric Pittelkau), Secretary (David Chapman), Treasurer (Jamie Jisa), Director-at-Large (Nigel Willis). LAU Reps present: VRU (2): Kinzey, Kris Kabza. PRU (3): Pittelkau, Jisa, Tom Walsh. EPRU (3): Dana Bateman, Dawn White (sub for Elaine Recchiuti), Carl Ostermann). Absent LAU Reps: Carl Schmitt (VRU). Non-Voting Member present: Mark Koiwai (MARR). Guest at the meeting was A.J. Hagan (PSRFR President).

2/99 minutes approved as distributed/on-line.

Only one line item is overbudget so far: Internal Championships. However, this was because of a MARFU club hosting a national event (Princeton hosting a national championship) and is acceptable (a service to members).

After 7s is completed, we will be examining the $500 grant for national events.

Some discussion from the floor about various line items, but no problems.

Plate Round:

Reevaluation of Playoff system [including seedings, etc.]. Discussed, but no action taken; this is a committee issue, not a board issue.

Reviewed/discussed Steve Cohen's report of the MARFU College Championships and discussion/decision regarding his recommendations for actions against the clubs who failed to completely fulfill their obligations for playing matches at MARFU collegiate playoffs. It was decided that no action by MARFU would be taken against the offending clubs other than the Division I College Men's clubs; it was felt that since we had just decided that the Plate should not be held in certain circumstances, MARFU could not logically penalize clubs in those situations. However, the LAUs can assess their clubs with penalties for the difficulties they caused.

The EPRU has already taken aggressive action against clubs it deemed as transgressors for not showing. U. of Scranton (Div I) was fined $200 and will not be able to go to the playoffs within the EPRU structure, if they win their Division in the Fall. Similarly, Bucknell (Div II) was punished similarly.

The PRU will provide a report of actual action taken at the next MARFU meeting.

- Motion from Tom that MARFU supports the resolution, to be made at the next USA Rugby meeting, that the recognition requirement of the USA Rugby College Eligibility rules, that a college or university team be recognized by its college or university, should be amended to allow the USA Rugby Eligibility Committee to waive that requirement when the Territorial Union and the Local Area Union with jurisdiction over a college or university team certifies that recognition has been withheld for non-disciplinary reasons. [It was noted that Reyn and Tom would wordsmith the actual resolution, but the MARFU BOD would vote on the general concept.] Approved 7-4-2 on a roll call vote. For: Kinzey (2), Pittelkau (2), Jisa (2), Walsh. Against: Chapman, Bateman, Ostermann, White. Abstention: Willis, Kabza.

Pete Steinberg is stepping down from the MARFU U23 Women to concentrate on the USA Rugby U-23 Women. Jamie will conduct a search for a new coach.

No report was provided. David will contact Elaine.

A motion was made and approved for the Disciplinary Committee to look at our current procedures so that the timing is streamlined to allow appeals be heard and acted upon prior to the following weekend of play. Also, the secretary was instructed to ask the Disciplinary Committee to look at current USA policy and make sure we are actually following the guidelines (for match suspensions).

It was noted that the burden of proof is on the individual who is appealing the referee or committee decision.

Dana made the point that any policy developed must be at least as rigid as USA Rugby's.

Discussion of delays in processing, data problems, cards, etc. The usual stuff (and that's no editorial!). Dana and David are pursuing the problems.

Discussed MARFU Championship coverage of 5th, 6th, 7th, & 8th rounds and game coverage. There are resource and allocation issues with referees; MARR and the local referees are getting stretched too thin.

Mark stressed that the MARR be made aware of events on a timely basis. It was not noted if a problem existed.

The BOD clarified to the MARR that sin bins must be reported to the MARR and the local referees (as applicable).

The topic of assignment (or lack thereof) of touch judges at the MARFU Division II College Women's Championship. A general dialogue proceeded about referees and their desire to be at the perceived best events, as well as personal commitments. Reyn said that folks with complaints must provide Mark with input for him to analyze.

A. J. reiterated that there were not enough refs to meet MARFU requests, while at the same time filling regular, seasonal matches. Referee fees are disparate between the LAUs and MARFU; some referees can get better reimbursal from doing local matches than with MARFU; when this is coupled with oft times a seemingly better match, this leads to the plight we are seeing.

A.J. proposed that the MARR Director be directly elected. No action was taken on this, since the MARR is free to select its director; that person is put forward by the MARR for final approval by the MARFU President.

The Fall 1999 Division I, II-N and II-S schedules have been posted on-line. The Competitions Committee is working on a revised system for Fall 2000 to enhance competition.

Jason Maloni was waylaid by the change in venue, so David C mentioned what he knew. Philadelphia-Whitemarsh had to withdraw from doing a qualifier, so the 7s Committee determined that only 3 Qs would be held this summer. Additionally, Norfolk had been tentatively granted the 7s Championship.

Nigel will be talking with Anne Barry about the age-grade IRB grant at the HS Championship.

USA Rugby Nominations - David C will send in nominations for Eric and David C (Men's Clubs), Dawn (Collegiate), Nigel (High School/Youth) and Elaine (Women's Clubs).

Media has not contacted MARFU about the $1000 that they were providing to MARFU for hosting the Division II and III Men's Club Championships. Eric will check this out.

The next BOD session will be on September 26. The meeting was adjourned at 1600.