Constitution and Bylaws
Constitution of Nashville Area Music Teachers Association
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ARTICLE I: NAME
The name of this organization shall be THE NASHVILLE AREA MUSIC TEACHERS ASSOCIATION.
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ARTICLE II: PURPOSES
The purposes of this Association shall be to provide programs and activities of interest to private music teachers, college, university, and conservatory music teachers, and others interested in the music teaching profession; to encourage high professional standards of music teaching; and to enhance public awareness of the value of music in the educational curriculum at all levels.
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ARTICLE III: POLICY
Section l. This Association is affiliated with Tennessee Music Teachers Association and Music Teachers National Association.
Section 2. It shall be the policy of this Association to cooperate with other musical organizations for the greater possibility of furthering the purposes stated in Article II of this Constitution.
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ARTICLE IV: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Active Membership shall be open to all individuals professionally engaged in any field of musical activity. Members shall be entitled to participate in all Association activities and programs, to vote and to hold office.
Section 2. Student membership shall be open to all full time college music students. Student members shall be entitled to attend programs of the Association upon payment of dues, but shall not have the right to vote, hold office, or to apply for national certification. They may enter students in TMTA local and state auditions, but they may not enter students in MTNA competitions.
Section 3. Honorary Life Membership may be conferred by the Association upon individuals who have given distinguished service to NAMTA or to the art of music. Honorary Life members shall not have the right to vote or hold office unless they also qualify for Active Membership.
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ARTICLE V: OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE BOARD
Section 1. The elected officers shall consist of the President, President-Elect, Vice-President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary-Historian, and Treasurer. The term of office shall be two years. No person shall serve more than two succeeding terms in the same office.
Section 2. The President-Elect, Recording Secretary, and Treasurer shall be elected in odd years. The Corresponding Secretary and Vice-President shall be elected in even years.
Section 3. Should an office become vacant for any reason, the President shall call an election to fill the remainder of the term of office.
Section 4. Should the office of the President become vacant, the President-Elect, who serves in the absence of the President, shall call an election to fill the remainder of the president’s term.
Section 5. The elected officers plus the immediate past president and the chairs of standing committees shall constitute the Executive Board.
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ARTICLE VI: COMMITTEES
The president shall appoint such standing and ad hoc committees and chairs as may be required by the By-Laws, or as he or she may deem beneficial to the Association. The President shall be a member ex officio of all committees except the nominating committee.
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ARTICLE VII: MEETINGS
Section 1. Meetings of the Association shall be held at least bimonthly except June, July, and August, at a time and place designated by the Executive Board.
Section 2. There shall be at least three meetings of the Executive Board during the year at a time and place designated by the President.
Section 3. A quorum for the transaction of business shall consist of ten active members, including the President or President-Elect and four other members of the Executive Board. In case of any emergency, the President may transact business by telephone.
Section 4. Roberts’ Rules of Order, Revised shall be the general guide for parliamentary procedure for the Association.
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ARTICLE VIII: TRANSACTION OF BUSINESS BY MAIL
Transaction of business by mail may be conducted by the President. Such business must have the approval of four of the Executive Board members prior to its submission to the total membership. Each item of business submitted by the President must be approved by a simple majority (51%) of the active members voting by mail to become an official act of the Association, on the condition that ten of the ballots of members entitled to vote have been returned.
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ARTICLE IX: AMENDMENTS
Section 1. This Constitution may be amended upon the recommendation of the Executive Board by a two-thirds vote of the active membership present and voting at a regular business meeting, provided a notice of such intended amendment has been given to each member at least thirty days prior to voting.
Section 2. Upon recommendation of the Executive Board, this Constitution may be amended by a mail ballot. Approval by a two-thirds vote shall constitute amendment, on the condition that ten of the ballots have been returned. The ballot and proposed amendments must be submitted to the members thirty days in advance of the required return date which should be clearly stated on the ballot.
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Bylaws
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ARTICLE I: ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Election of officers shall be held at the last business meeting of the Association for the year, following announcement of the slate by the nominating committee at the previous meeting or by notices mailed to all members at least thirty days in advance of the business meeting.
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ARTICLE II: DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section 1. President: the President shall preside at all meetings of the Association and Executive Board except in case of disability; appoint committee chairmen except as designated in Article III of these By-Laws, represent the Association on the TMTA Executive Board, and in general guide the work of the Association in the duties ordinarily invested in the office of President.
Section 2. President-Elect: the President-Elect shall serve as chair of the Membership and Nominating committees, and shall assume the duties of President in the event of disability or absence of the President.
Section 3. Vice-President: the Vice-President shall serve as chair of the Program committee.
Section 4. Recording Secretary: the Recording Secretary shall keep the minutes of the Association and the Executive Board; keep a record of attendance; and maintain the files of the Association.
Section 5. Corresponding Secretary-Historian: the Corresponding Secretary-Historian shall take care of correspondence as directed by the President and serve as Historian by maintaining a scrapbook for the activities of the Association.
Section 6. Treasurer: the Treasurer shall receive and disburse the funds of the Association, make a financial report at each regular business meeting, and keep a current list of Active members.
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ARTICLE III: STANDING COMMITTEES
Section 1. Chairs of standing committees are appointed by the President and are voting members of the Executive Board. The standing committees are: Program, Membership, Auditions, Theory Registrar, Young Artist Achievement Awards, Pianorama, Website Coordinator, Certification, Accreditation, Directory, Student Honor’s Recitals, Student Membership, Teacher of the Year, Fall Fest, MTNA Foundation, and TMTA Endowment Fund. NOTE: the Vice-President serves as chair of the Program committee and the President-Elect serves as chair of the Membership committee.
Section 2. Nominating Committee: the President-Elect shall serve as the chair of the Nominating committee with two other Active members. This committee shall prepare a slate of officers to be presented at a general meeting or in writing at least thirty days prior to the final meeting for election.
Section 3. Ad Hoc committees may be appointed by the President for a specified length of time.
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ARTICLE IV: MEMBERSHIP DUES
Section 1. All dues shall be paid to MTNA, which will send state and local dues to the state and local Treasurers. Annual dues are as follows:
(a) Active membership: annual dues in the local Association shall be $25.00; state dues are $30.00; national dues are $68.00 or $51.00 for members who are 70 years of age or older.
(b) Collegiate membership: annual dues for Collegiate membership in the local Association shall be $5.00; state dues are $2.00; national dues are $16.00.
Section 2. Annual dues for all categories of membership shall be due on the first day of the membership year, July 1, after which date members are not in good standing nor entitled to any of the privileges of membership until dues are paid for the current membership year.
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ARTICLE V: FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year shall begin on July 1 and end June 30.
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ARTICLE VI: AMENDMENTS
Section 1. These By-Laws may be amended upon the recommendation of the Executive Board by a two-thirds vote of the active membership present and voting at a regular business meeting, provided a notice of such intended amendment has been given to each member at least thirty days prior to voting.
Section 2. Upon recommendation of the Executive Board, these By-Laws may be amended by a mail ballot. Approval by a two-thirds vote shall constitute amendment, on the condition that ten of the ballots have been returned. The ballot and proposed amendments must be submitted to the members thirty days in advance of the required return date which should be clearly stated on the ballot.