US Chess Discussion

Welcome! This blog has no connection with the USCF. It's a blog where I provide chess fans with general information about US Chess as well as the USCF. It's also a site where everyone can productively discuss or ask questions about various USCF issues! Your contributions and comments are welcome! PLEASE KEEP IT CIVIL & RESPECT OTHERS! Enjoy! All posts that do not meet this guideline will be deleted -- WIN WITH GRACE, LOSE WITH DIGNITY!(TM) --- 2006 Susan Polgar©

Wednesday, January 31, 2007

My Candidate Statement for Chess Life


I have completed my Candidate Statement for Chess Life and sent it to the office yesterday. I will publish my statement right here tomorrow after the deadline.
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2 Comments:

  • At Wednesday, January 31, 2007 11:47:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Ms. Polgar, how do you feel about people like David Quinn and Hal Bogner defending someone like Mr. Sloan who published stuff like how to rape a woman and bragging about his sexual misconduct with young people?

    I find it totally disgusting and the morals or Mr. Bogner and Mr. Quinn should be questioned. Some people have called for a mass boycott of events, tournaments or chess related business from people like this. Do you agree with this sentiment?

    I believe that people like Mr. Bogner and Quinn should be held accountable for their questionable positions.

    Thanks for addressing the issue.

     
  • At Wednesday, January 31, 2007 9:53:00 PM, Blogger Jack Le Moine said…

    Here’s a summary of some of my thoughts about USCF finances.

    1) Cost vs. Benefits. People are making lots of demands for accounting reporting. Do we need all of them? Ought we try to please everybody? No. We ought to prepare ourselves that under a Polgar regime, we won’t be satisfied, either. Leaders have to look to what is possible and practical, not what is perfect.

    2) Accruing memberships. This seems to be the biggest hangup right now. I imagine that setting up such a system up must be really a task. I do wonder if maintaining such a system after its been set up will be so much trouble.

    3) Summary vs. Detailed information. My clients have me prepare summary information for release to members. For what it's worth, that's been my experience over the years. If general members want detailed information, they must get it through specific requests of management.

    4) Cash vs. Accrual: important - yes. Both kinds of accounting reports have their uses. For example, building costs on the cash basis are mortgage payments; depreciation + interest on the accrual basis.

    5) Building Depreciation: Some of the USCF commentators say that the HQ building is not depreciating at all. The latest word is that removing depreciation expense would transform the deficit into a surplus. We really do need a meeting of the minds on this issue.

    6) Internal Control Reviews: There’s a call for more of this. I don’t see the need. We already have ICR as part of our audits. These are already bought and paid for. This ICR covers finance but not other stuff. If we have any additional reviews by volunteers, they need to come to the HQ and familiarize themselves with USCF procedures, first. See Point #1 above.

    7) Board Management/Communication with the Auditors: While the President's desire for member input is laudable, the Board really does need to talk to the auditors and get their input, too. The Audit Entrance Conference and the Exit Conference ought to have Board participation. (By speaker phone or some other remote-conferencing, if in-person attendance is inconvenient.) In addition, I would like the Board to schedule it's meetings so that when everything is done, the auditors can directly present the Year End Financials to them and the Board can ask questions. These are the independent, disinterested professionals with no political ax to grind. I fear that much of the controversies that bedevils the USCF so much is due to bad Board management of the audits, It bothers me that I seem to be the only one hammering on this.

    8) Statement of Functional Expenses: This would a real valuable tool. Peachtree could generate this information very easily by using the Job Cost portion of the program. The Board needs to decide which functions are important and direct the accountant to track costs by that. The accountant can generate a list of USCF functions but it will be just more controversy if the Board does not take ownership of that.

    Item 2 may already be accomplished during the current administration. I hope that the next administration seriously take a look at items 7 and 8.

     

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