The NESFA Code
The NESFA Standing Rules
with Historical Annotations

Preface

The purpose of the NESFA Code (also called the Standing Rules) is to provide a convenient single compilation for reference to the following things:

If you find any errors or changes in fiats, or want a new fiat put in, contact a member of the Rules Committee.

There are also two appendices printed with the Code. Certain humorous motions that have been passed from time to time have been compiled into Appendix A for your amusement. Appendix B lists everyone who was ever elected to Office or confirmed in a position requiring approval by the Membership.

Most rules in the Code are followed by annotations in square brackets and italics [like this] giving their date of passage or other pertinent historical information. These annotations, along with any other text in square brackets, are not themselves part of the rules. [The historical annotations and other comments through 5/94 are by George Flynn, who takes sole responsibility for their accuracy. Thereafter they are by the Rules Committee.] The original edition of the NESFA Code was adopted in July 1971; it was a compilation of earlier rules, some passed by the Membership or the Executive Board, others based on "Tradition" or "Custom." Rules which first appeared in the 1971 Code are annotated as "7/71*". Fiats were first added to the Code in 1972.

The last printed edition of the NESFA Code was published in June 1992; updates were published in January 1993, June 1993, December 1993, and May 1994. An unpublished revision, including all rules passed by the Membership and Executive Board through the May 1994 business meeting plus a few more (to about August 1994), was added to the NESFA website in December 1998 and declared to be the official version. This document was last updated on 2015-08-05, incorporating modifications voted on by the membership and reported in Instant Message up through December 2014.

Section I: Officers and Committees

I. Officers and Committees

 

Section II: Finances, Treasury and Finance Committee

II. Finances, Treasury and Finance Committee

 

Section III: Meetings

III. Meetings
[See By-Laws: Article II (meetings).]

 

Section IV: Services

IV. Services

 

Section V: Miscellaneous

V. Miscellaneous

 

Appendix A: Humorous Motions

Appendix A

This appendix is a compilation of not altogether serious motions or fiats that have been passed throughout the history of NESFA, presented for the amusement of readers. Rather than converting them into the form of rules (as was done in previous editions of the NESFA Code), we have left them as they appeared in Instant Message, with enough context to indicate what was going on. Editing has been done only for clarity (e.g., to supply full names). Enjoy.

 

Appendix B: Lists of Positions and Honors Confirmed by the Membership

Appendix B

This is a listing of the people who have held Offices, positions, or honors for which election or confirmation by the NESFA Membership was (or has been) required. The original theory was that this listing would help Members to choose people deserving of future nominations; while this still has some validity, don't forget that there are many responsible positions not included in this list.

The Committees History page will now contain the list of past Officers and appointments. The old Appendix B is available, only until all of the data is transferred and will not be updated.


"Hugo Award", "Worldcon", and "NASFiC" are service marks of the World Science Fiction Society, an unincorporated literary association. "Boskone" is a service mark of the New England Science Fiction Association, Inc.
Comments about this web page: webmaster@nesfa.org; Questions about NESFA: info@nesfa.org.