MMEA CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS REVISION

MMEA CONSTITUTION REVISION

1/22/88

Approved January 1989

Proposed changes for 2008

Article i – Name and Purpose

Section 1 – Name. The name of this organization shall be the Mississippi Music Educators Association. It is incorporated as a non-profit organization.

Section 2 – Purpose. The purpose of this organization is to promote excellence in music teaching and learning in schools and communities in the state of Mississippi. The Association shall endeavor to establish throughout the state a broad, diversified program of activities for the development of comprehensive music education.

Section 3 – Affiliation. The association shall be the federated state association of the Mississippi Educators National Conference.

Section 4 – Relationships. The MMEA shall maintain a cooperative attitude with all agencies supporting local music programs, music educators, music education and other arts endeavors.

Article II – Membership and Dues

Section 1 – Active Membership. Any person actively engaged in music education in the Mississippi public and private schools, in churches and community organizations statewide, may become an active member of this Association upon payment of the prescribed annual dues, which shall be current MENC and state dues on a yearly basis. Active membership gives one the right to vote and hold office, provides for admission to meetings and conferences upon compliance with registration requirements, and allows access to a national support system.

Section 2 – Collegiate Membership. Collegiate membership is open to music students who are enrolled in a college or university with a collegiate chapter. Students may not be employed full time as teachers. Collegiate members have the same privileges as active members except the right to vote and hold elective office.

Section 3 –Introductory Membership. This classification of membership shall be open to students upon graduation from the college or university where they have been an active collegiate chapter member in a year prior to graduation, and who are entering their first year of full-time music teaching or related music education field.

Section 4 – Retired Membership. Retired Membership is open to music educators who have retired from their professional responsibilities and who have been a member of MENC prior to their retirement. Annual dues shall be current with state and national MENC retired dues.

Section 5 – Life Membership. Life Membership is equivalent to an active membership. A single payment of 30 times the current year’s national MENC dues is made. The member never pays membership dues again.

Section 6 –– Remittance of Dues. Dues should be paid to the headquarters of MENC, which shall remit MMEA dues to the State Treasurer. Dues may also be sent to the State Treasurer, who will send them to the MENC headquarters. Collegiate members will pay their MENC dues to the headquarters of MENC and their MMEA dues to the State Collegiate Chapter Advisor.

Section 7 - The decision of the Board of Representatives is final with regard to eligibility for all types of membership.

Article III – Government

Section 1 – The representative power of this Association shall be vested in the Executive Officers, the Board of Representatives and the members.

Section 2 – The Executive Officers shall consist of the President, the President-Elect, the Secretary, the Treasurer and the Immediate Past President, who will also act as Parliamentarian.

Section 3 – Terms of Office. The President, President-Elect, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected for a two-year term of office. Immediately succeeding his/her term as President-Elect, the incumbent shall become President. The Secretary and the Treasurer may be re-elected for more than one term of office.

Section 4 – The Board of Representatives shall consist of: (a) the State Executive Officers designated in Section 2 above, (b) the President, President-Elect, and Past President of each division, (c) Early Childhood Representative, (d) General Music and MIOSM Chair, (e) Collegiate Advisor Chair, (f) State Collegiate Chapters Advisor, (g) Publications Editor. Advisory members to the Board will include the Mississippi Department of Education Visual and Performing Arts Specialist, Honor Choir Chairs, the Conference Treasurer, Teacher Education, Member-at-Large (ACDA President), Webmaster, Arts Education and Government Relations, Coalition and Retired Representative, Research Representative, Choral Camp Chair and Mentor Supervisor.

Section 5 – Committees. The President shall appoint other chairpersons and committees as deemed necessary.

Section 6 – The parliamentary principles set forth in Robert’s Rules of Order, newly revised, shall govern in all areas not covered by the Constitution and By-Laws.

Section 7 – A Quorum of the Board of Representatives shall consist of not fewer than half of the voting members of the Board.

Article IV – Meetings

Section 1 – One or more general meetings of the entire association shall be held each year.

Section 2 – Each active member shall be entitled to one vote in the transactions of business referred to the membership.

Section 3 – Meetings of the Board of Representatives shall be called at the discretion of the President.

Section 4 – Division meetings shall be called at the discretion of the Division President.

Article V – Amendments

Section 1 – This Constitution and By-Laws may be amended by a majority of the membership voting after being passed by the Board of Representatives, and with due notice of such proposed amendment being given in the MISSISSIPPI MUSIC EDUCATOR in at least one issue prior to the voting.

Section 2 – Voting on amendments shall be by ballots, giving each active member an opportunity to cast a ballot.

Article VI – Dissolution

Section 1 – This Association shall not be dissolved without the written consent of nine-tenths of its active members. Upon dissolution, the Board of Representatives shall, after payment of all liabilities, dispose of all assets exclusively for the purposes of, and in a similar manner as other eleemosynary (charitable) organizations which are exempt from income tax. No members or groups of members of the organization shall benefit there from.

Section 2 – Vacancies caused by death, removal resignation, or other causes, shall be filled by the Board of Representatives for the remainder of the un-expired term.

Article III – Duties of Executive Officers

Section 1 – The Board of Representatives shall have general powers of administration of the affairs of the Association with authority to enact legislation except as contrary tot eh Constitution or as herein expressly prohibited.

Section 2 – The duties of the President shall be those customarily devolving upon a chief executive.

Section 3 – The President-Elect shall be charged specifically, in addition to the usual duties of his/her office, with the responsibility of maintaining and enlisting membership, and for representing the President as the need may arise.

Section 4 – The Secretary shall keep records of the minutes and records of the Association other than financial, the State Journal record, and a special book containing the official Constitution and By-Laws. When an amendment is made, the Secretary shall immediately enter such change in the official copy of the Constitution and By-Laws.

Section 5 – The Editor shall keep all journal records.

Section 6 – The Treasurer shall receive, distribute and disburse all funds other than revenues from special division activities.

Section 7 – The Past President shall attend all official meetings of the officers and the Board of Representatives and shall function as the parliamentarian of the Association.

Article IV – Divisional Activities

Section 1 – Organization. For the purpose of organizing and administering the activities of the Association, the divisions shall be the Choral, College, Elementary, Junior High Choral and Collegiate Chapters.

Section 2 – Participation. All participants in Division and/or general meetings and activities must be current members of MMEA/MENC unless they are participating as special invited guests of the Association.

Article V – Limitation of Responsibility of Elected Officers

The responsibility and authority for the management and maintenance of the good will and credit of the MMEA is vested in the Board of Representatives, but it is expressly understood that neither the board, nor any member thereof shall be required to accept financial responsibilities for daily authorized bills or obligations, or for suits or litigations which may develop from authorized activities of the organization caused in good faith and in present of the objectives, purposes, and activities prescribed or authorized by the Constitution and By-Laws of the MMEA.

MMEA CONSTITUTION BY-LAWS REVISION

1/22/88

Approved January 1989

Proposed changes for 2008

Article I – Distribution of Funds

Section 1 – Funds will be allocated at the discretion of the Executive Officers and the Board of Representatives.

Section 2 – At the appropriate time, the Mississippi Music Educators Association will receive from the MENC Treasurer the designated amount for each Active member and for each Active Collegiate Chapter member.

Section 3 – At the appropriate time, the State Collegiate Chapter Advisor will pay to the treasurer the designated amount for each Active Collegiate chapter member.

Section 4 – The Board of Directors will employ a certified outside person to conduct periodic audits of the financial activities of the organization. The state organization is subject to government regulations and must make a yearly report. Reports are submitted to the treasurer by the Division Presidents and Conference Treasurer for use in this report.

Article II – Election of Executive Officers

Section 1 – Eligibility. Candidates must be active members of the Association, with no less than two years of active membership in MENC. Nominees for any office in the Association must be current or former members of the Board of Representatives of the Association.

Section 2 – Nominations. The President shall appoint a Nominating Committee from the Board of Representatives by September 30^th of the year immediately preceding the ballot distribution. The committee will have equal representation from each active division. The committee shall propose a list which shall contain the names of one or more candidates for each office. The Nominating Committee shall have secured the consent of each nominee to serve if elected. Petitions for nominations from the general membership will be accepted by the Nominating Committee prior to December 1^st.

Section 3 – Election of Executive Officers. Election of executive officers shall be by mail ballot or by vote of the general assembly at the State Convention. The voting procedure will be determined by the Executive Board.

Section 4 – A simple plurality of the votes cast shall be sufficient for election.

Section 5 – New officers shall assume their offices at the July Board Meeting following their election to office.

Section 6 – Vacancies caused by death, removal, resignation or other causes shall be filled by the Board of Representatives for the remainder of the unexpired term.

Article III – Duties of Executive Officers

Section 1 – The Board of Representatives shall have general powers of administration of the affairs of the Association with authority to enact legislation except as contrary to the Constitution or as herein expressly prohibited.

Section 2 – The duties of the President shall be those customarily devolving upon a chief executive.

Section 3 – The President-Elect shall be charged specifically, in addition to the usual duties of his/her office, with responsibility for maintaining and enlisting membership, and for representing the President as the need may arise.

Section 4 – The Secretary shall keep records of the Association other than financial, the record of the Historian, the State Journal record, and a special book containing the Constitution and By-Laws. When an amendment is made, the secretary shall immediately enter such change in the official copy of the Constitution and By-Laws.

Section 5 – The Treasurer shall receive, distribute and disburse all funds other than revenues from special division activities.

Section 6 – The Past President shall attend all official meetings of the officers and the Board of Representatives and shall function as the Parliamentarian of the Association and Chair the Nominating Committee. He/she shall have equal voting rights with the other officers. This position is chiefly advisory in nature, based on past experience in all matters of official business.

Article IV – Divisional Activities

Section 1 – Organization. For the purpose of organizing and administering the activities of the Association, the divisions shall be the Elementary, Junior High School, High School, Collegiate and Collegiate Chapters.

Article V – Limitation of Responsibility of Elected Officers

The responsibility and authority for the management and maintenance of the good will and credit of the MMEA is vested in the Board of Representatives, but it expressly understood that neither the board, nor any member thereof shall be required to accept financial responsibilities for daily authorized bills or obligations, or for suits or litigations which may develop form authorized activities of the organization caused in good faith and in present of the objectives, purposes and the activities prescribed or authorized by the Constitution and By-Laws of the MMEA.