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	The League of Rapier Academies Charter Original Charter by Don Orlando Sforza, Captain (6/97) Revised Charter by Lord Malcolm Bowman, Captain (11/03) Revised 2004 I. Purpose To promote the study, service, and skill in period fencing by recreating a structure for contemporary Academies of Defense, and by the recognition of the individual contributions of its members in all aspects of period fencing through ranking in the style of the London Masters of Defense. (The word 'period' refers to the era ending in AD1600, adhering to the SCA mandate.) The League of Rapier Academies (henceforth, The League) shall also act as a registry for local independent Rapier Guilds, Schools and/or Companies. All such groups will adhere to this overall League charter. An individual need not be a part of any independent guild to participate in The League. The League is a means by which members of the East Kingdom Fencing Community may hold recognition by their peers, and to promote positive relations both inside the rapier community, and with the Kingdom as a whole. Membership in the League is a voluntary choice on the part of individuals throughout the entirety of the East Kingdom. II. The Officers There are two officers within The League, the Superior and the Registrar. These officers will hold their position for a maximum term of two years. The Chancellor of The League The Chancellor shall be in charge of representing The League in the Society, overseeing all League activity, mailing or e mailing and tabulating any polling the may be required. The Chancellor will lead, or at least be made aware of, any meeting held by any independent local group, or The League as a whole. The Chancellor will provide general guidance and leadership for The League. The Registrar The Registrar shall be in charge of keeping records on The League members, and to ensure that all petitions and complaints are properly filed. The Registrar will also be responsible for recording the rosters, ranks, and regalia of local independent rapier companies, guilds, and schools. In addition, the Registrar shall make available a list of all members, and the ranks that they hold. The Registrar will also moderate the electronic mailing list of The League. Deputy Registrar The Deputy Registrar will assist the Registrar as he or she sees fit. In general, the Registrar acts as Deputy to the Chancellor, and usually will become the next Chancellor when the term of office expires. As such, a Deputy Registrar is necessary to help ensure that the chain of command not be broken. It is not guaranteed that the Registrar will advance to Chancellor, nor that a Deputy Registrar advance to Registrar. Mundane and other considerations may affect these. But it is necessary there be an infrastructure in place, to maintain the cohesion of The League. Regional Deputies The Chancellor may appoint Regional Deputies, usually Regional Registrars, to be the contact point for that area. It is recognized that the East Kingdom is too big, and that if the Chancellor lives mundanely in Delaware, he or she may not ever make it up to an event, practice, or so-forth, in Canada, and vice-versa. To help make certain that ALL League members in the Kingdom are given a voice, the Chancellor may see fit to do this. It is recognized that vacancies in any such offices may occur, or be superfluous (if, for example, the official Officers of The League live in one region, there is no need for regional representation). Special Advisory Committees With the increased use of electronic mediums, there is no longer a need for a set Advisory Committee. However, should there be a regional problem, a Special Advisory Committee may be formed to perform any necessary investigations, and advise the officers of The League. Any such committee must have no less than one Free-Scholar, one Provost, and one Captain. III. The Ranks The League consists of four ranks, based on the London Masters of Defense. These ranks are signified by a colored cord worn on the left shoulder. They are, in order, as follows: Scholar (Black Cord) Requirements: Ø Must be an authorized fencer in the East Kingdom of the SCA. Ø Act honorable both on and off the lists. Ø Make an attempt to dress in a period fashion. Ø Should own at least some of their own fencing arms and armor. Free-Scholar (Green Cord) Requirements: Ø Should be actively participating in The League a minimum recommended period of 6 months. Ø Must be authorized in at least 3 out of 6 weapons forms. Ø Dress in a period fashion. Ø Act honorable both on and off the lists. Provost (Blue Cord) Requirements: Ø Must meet all the requirements of the previous ranks. Ø Should have been an active Free-Scholar a minimum recommended period of 9 months. Ø Must be qualified in five of six weapons forms. Ø Should be involved in aspects of teaching period fencing, or service to the Kingdom at large. Ø Should be a warranted fencing Marshall, or MIT of the East Kingdom. Captain (Gold Cord) Requirements: Ø Must meet all the requirements of the previous ranks. Ø Should have been an active Provost a minimum recommended period of 12 months. Ø Must be authorized in all 6 weapons forms. Ø Must be a warranted fencing Marshall of the East Kingdom. Ø Must be involved in teaching the arte of defense. Ø Must be doing research, or other service to the arte of defense. Ø Should have organized and run fencing tournaments, and/or prize fights. The above requirements are, as noted, the recommended minimums for each rank within the League. Meeting said requirements is not automatic grounds for advancement from one rank to another. Further discussion of means to advancement follows below. Individual Academies, Guilds, etc. within the League may add regalia (a pin, a baldric, a favor of some sort) but shall not alter these rank guidelines in any way (requirements, cord coloration, etc.) We may be from different individual groups within The League, but we all share common rank insignia. IV. Advancement of Rank Any active participant in The League is eligible for advancement in Rank. This happens when the requisite number of higher ranked participants agree to advance the rank of an individual fencer. Advancement in the League is not a guaranteed thing, and the meeting of minimum requirements alone is not grounds for advancement. Advancement will occur as a result of skill and service recognized by our peers, as is the spirit of this League. Once an individual is recognized as having exceeded the standards in place for the next rank above their current rank, promotion to the next rank may be done in the following manner: Ø To advance from Scholar to Free-Scholar, a minimum of three Free-Scholars or higher must agree to advance the individual. Ø To advance from Free-Scholar to Provost, a minimum of three Provosts or higher must agree to advance the individual. Ø To advance from Provost to Captain, a minimum of three Captains must agree to advance the individual. It is highly encouraged that more than the minimum number of higher ranked cords agree to the promotion of any individual. The time between rank promotions is a recommended period - but is not a hard and fast rule. However, it is strongly advised that more than the minimum required to advance an individual should agree to do so. This system should be about advancement based upon the assessment of skills and service among one's peers…NOT about an individual actively seeking rank and position. We should be working together to recognize those deserving of advancement, and do our best to see to it that no one is overlooked along the way. Ranks cannot be skipped. Therefore, a Scholar cannot be advanced to Provost, and so on. There may be Special Circumstances, which are discussed later, however It is recommended that one of the higher ranked participants be from an outside group, but is not necessary, as it is recognized that some participants of The League are from outlying local groups, and may encounter difficulties in attending events. Advancement can be done at any time, though it is preferred that it be done in some sort of formal setting, like during any meeting of The League, or at any tournament where League members are participating. The Officers of The League must be made aware of any individuals advanced in rank. Rank Challenges/Fighting the Prize A member of The League has the right, if they feel they have been overlooked, or more than the requisite time has passed, to challenge for advancement, and fight a prize as such. There are, however, strict guidelines for this. Sponsors: All Challengers must have a Sponsoring League member of greater rank than the challenger. It will be the responsibility of the challengers' sponsor to make sure that he/she has met all of the requirements of the next rank that they will be challenging for. Most importantly, the Sponsor should feel personally that this person is ready to advance, and that they are not just sponsoring because someone asked. Examine this person and ask, "Is this a person who I would like to have in the league as a "X" cord?" As a Sponsor to a Challenger you should be able to sight and answer for the questions that will determine the challengers advancement. I.e. what has he or she done for service, how do they conduct themselves on and off the field, have they exceeded they met or exceeded the minimum requirements to advance, etc. The Challenges: Free-Scholar (Green Cord): The Challenger must have completed all of the requirements for the cord as listed in the League Charter. As the Challenger will be "Fighting" for advancement in the League, the following "tournament" requirements will be met. ¢ The Challengers' Sponsor will act as Marshal (or Moderator) for all bouts to be fought. ¢ The Challenger will fight a MINIMUM of three Opponents of equal or greater Rank in the League (not counting his or her sponsor). ¢ All fights will be three passes per opponent, and all higher cords participating in the prize fight should watch all the combats, to evaluate the Challenger. The Challenger need not necessarily win a majority of his or her passes, but should show skill in multiple weapons forms, as well as courtesy, honor, and chivalry in the list. ¢ All participants facing the challenger should confer with the sponsor, go over the skills of the combatant, and decide if advancement should occur. Provost (Blue Cord): The Challenger must have completed all of the requirements for the cord as listed in the existing League Charter. As the Challenger will be "Fighting" for advancement in the League, the following "tournament" requirements will be met. ¢ The Challengers Sponsor will act as Marshal (or Moderator) for all bouts to be fought. ¢ The Challenger will fight a MINIMUM of five Opponents of equal or greater Rank in the League. ¢ All fights will be three passes per opponent, and all higher cords participating in the prize fight should watch all the combats, to evaluate the Challenger. The Challenger need not necessarily win a majority of his or her passes, but should show skill in multiple weapons forms, as well as courtesy, honor, and chivalry in the list. ¢ All participants facing the challenger should confer with the sponsor, go over the skills of the combatant, and decide if advancement should occur. If possible, all challenges should be fought with as much pageantry and spectacle as possible. More than just a means to advancement, this should be treated as a showcase of skills in the arte of defense. A skillful fencer need not show skill by simply winning in the list, but by honor, chivalry, and a clear enjoyment of the arte. Advancement might not happen on the day of a challenge, and if advancement is being denied, the sponsor should explain to the challenger the reason, and how he or she can improve to advance in the future. Captain (Gold cord) will be exempt from challenges. Apart from a Rank Challenge for advancement, a prize fight may be fought, as a demonstration of the skills of the newly advanced individual. This combat should, however, follow the same guidelines listed above. After that, the fight should be thrown open to all challengers, no matter rank, or participation in The League. Any participant in the League who is to be advanced may choose to fight a prize fight before receipt of the next rank, if they so desire. The Rank Challenge is NOT a necessary part of advancement. It is another option in addition to the traditional method. Special Circumstances It is possible that a long-time participant in the Arte of Defense in the East Kingdom, or recently come to the EK, may wish to join The League. It is recognized that it may be unfair to admit this person to our ranks as a Scholar. Therefore, under the following circumstances, a person can be admitted to The League as a Free-Scholar or Provost. Admittance to The League as a Free-Scholar ¢ The fencer must have been active in the SCA rapier community a minimum of 3 years. ¢ The fencer must meet and exceed all requirements of a Free-Scholar as listed above. ¢ Any Free-Scholars in the same Region as this fencer should be polled by The Registrar, as to whether or not they accept this fencer as an equal. Admittance to The League as a Provost ¢ The fencer must have been active in the SCA rapier community a minimum of 5 years. ¢ The fencer must meet and exceed all requirements of the Provost as listed above. ¢ Any Provosts in the same Region as this fencer should be polled by The Registrar, as to whether or not they accept this fencer as an equal. It is not possible, even under these special circumstances, to be admitted to The League as a Captain. The only exception to this, however, is that any Gold Cord from the original incarnation of The Cording System wishing to return to active membership may do so…but must be able to show proof that they WERE a Gold Cord before. V. Independent Guilds, Schools, or Companies This is the League of Rapier Academies, plural. The League therefore encourages the creation of local Guilds, Schools, or Companies. These may consist of a local practice group, or a regional group participating as such. Guilds, Schools, or Companies must work within the framework of The League as a whole, and will be lead by a Monitor/Commander. Monitors/Commanders Academy Monitors/Commanders may be established for each local participating guild, company, or school of fence. The Monitor/Commander may be of any rank above Scholar, and needs to have an interest on the part of local members of The League to form an independent group. Duties of the Monitor/Commander include teaching, observation, and proposing advancement of local participants, should any be worthy of advancement of rank. The Monitor/Commander must contact the requisite number of ranked members to make this happen. The Monitor/Commander must report any local activities to the officers of The League. VI. Disciplinary Actions This section should be unnecessary. There should never be a need for Disciplinary Actions. As participants within The League, we must all aspire to be the best, most upstanding representatives of the fencing community within The Kingdom. One individual wearing a cord that performs a dishonorable or unchivalrous act gives the entire League a black eye. It is expected that all participants in The League are aware of this, and will always act accordingly. Remember, participation in The League is completely voluntary. Any disputes that occur should be handled on a local, individual level. Therefore, if any individual witnesses any inappropriate act by a League member, they should point it out, and discuss it privately so it can be corrected. Anyone wearing a cord to signify rank within The League that does not consistently act in a chivalrous and honorable manner, on and off the lists, who has ignored prior counsel, will be formally warned by at least two other participants within The League of equal and higher rank. The Officers of The League must be notified of the occurrence, and made aware of details, and what actions should be taken. Should there be another unchivalrous or dishonorable act by the aforementioned individual, following the previous formal warning, at least two other participants within The League of equal or higher rank may ask for the removal of the cord. A Special Advisory Committee should be called for, to determine whether removal from The League is only temporary, or permanent. The following are the available disciplinary actions (from least to most severe). All such actions must not be undertaken without the knowledge and consent of the Chancellor and Registrar of The League. Ø No Action Ø Verbal Reprimand Ø Written Reprimand Ø Probation Ø Suspension Ø Expulsion Probation, Suspension, or Expulsion will not be undertaken without a special advisory committee, to ensure fairness. This committee will consist of at least 2 cords of equal or higher rank to the offender, or in the case of Captains may result in the polling of all active Captains in The League. This section of the charter, it is hoped, can be generally disregarded, as the point of The League is the advancement of all that is good with the Arte of Defense, and its practitioners. VII. League Charter Amendments A meeting of The League will occur at least bi-annually, at King's and Queen's Rapier Champions, and at Pennsic War. At that time, proposals to amend the charter may be produced, and voted upon by those present. Proposals for amendments to the Charter can be made at any meeting, can be made upon the electronic mailing list, within a local guild/school/company, or at any official SCA practice or event. Proposals must be brought to the attention of the officers of The League, and must be posted to the mailing list. Unless a formal vote is called upon for a proposal, by the officers, no action will be taken. In addition to any voting that takes place during the bi-annual meetings, or in any other format previously mentioned, a formal vote will be called for by The Registrar, both electronically on the mailing list, and from any Monitors/Commanders polling their local participants, as will occur for any proposed amendments to The Charter. Should a formal vote occur, at least two-thirds of those voting most be affirmative to make an amendment in the Charter. All such votes will be tabulated by The Registrar, and the results made public via the mailing list. Any amendment passed will go into effect one month after the official tabulation of the vote is reported by The Registrar. Any changes to be made to the charter must be checked by the officers in order to make certain said proposal(s) is not in conflict with the policies of the East Kingdom, or SCA as a whole. VIII. League Communications The East Kingdom is a terribly large expanse of land, and it is difficult, if not impossible, to easily meet the needs of all within its territory. This of course applies to the participants in The League as well. It is essential, therefore, that we maintain open and frequent communications, and in this day and age the most convenient means is through the internet. The League maintains a mailing list on Yahoogroups, called ek-cording. Subscription to this list is highly recommended. To do so, go to: ek-cording-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Any and all, even non-League members and non-fencing supporters, are encouraged to be on this list. To help with communications further, the Chancellor and Registrar will make their contact information available to all.
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