Eastside Chapter

Constitution and Bylaws
eastside chapter
washington state music teachers’ association

articles of constitution

Article I -- Name

The name of this organization is Eastside Chapter, Washington State Music Teachers' Association, hereinafter designated as "Eastside - WSMTA". WSMTA is affiliated with the Music Teachers' National Association, Inc., "MTNA".

Article II -- Object

Section 1. -- The object of Eastside - WSMTA is the advancement of musical knowledge, education and musical culture in the community.

Section 2. -- Activities of Eastside - WSMTA are aimed at the promotion of the art of music and the advancement of musical knowledge by providing educational opportunities which further the appreciation of music throughout the area.

Section 3. -- Eastside - WSMTA is not organized for profit and no part of the net earnings inures to the benefit of any private individual.

Section 4. -- In the event of the dissolution of this organization, any funds remaining in the treasury after the payment of any outstanding debts shall be contributed to a non-profit organization which qualifies under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service.

Article III -- Membership

Section 1. -- The membership of this chapter shall consist of persons residing in King County and its environs. Membership classifications are: Active, Senior, Affiliate, Associate, Dual, Student, Emeritus, and Honorary.

Section 2. -- All members of WSMTA local chapters shall be members of WSMTA. All WSMTA members shall be members of the Music Teachers' National Association, Inc., MTNA.

Article IV -- Executive Board

Section 1. -- The officers of this Chapter shall consist of: President, President-Elect, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, and Treasurer. The manner of election, authority, and duties of each officer are defined in the Bylaws of Eastside - WSMTA.

Section 2. -- The officers of the Chapter, together with the Auditions Chairman, Education Chairman, Opus Editor, Publicity Chairman, and the Past President shall constitute the Executive Board.

Section 3. -- The Executive Board is responsible for all funds, transacts all general business, recommends annual membership dues, establishes the general policies of the Chapter, and carries out such other duties as prescribed by the Bylaws.

Article V -- Amendments

This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of the membership present and voting at a regular business meeting. The proposed amendment shall have been approved by the Executive Board and published in the monthly bulletin preceding this meeting.

Article VI -- Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of this Chapter shall be from July 1 to June 30.

Bylaws

Article I -- Membership

Section 1. -- Active Membership

a. Active Membership is open to all individuals professionally engaged in any field of musical activity in the State of Washington, upon application and payment of requisite fees.

b. Active membership conveys the privileges of participation in the activities of the Association, the right to attend meetings, to vote, to hold office and to enter students in Association programs.

c. A Credential of Certification for Private Teachers of Music shall be granted by the WSMTA Education Board to Active members who have fulfilled WSMTA certification requirements. This credential is required of any teacher whose students request credit in Applied Music in any public or private high schools within the State of Washington.

d. Active members who are not certified shall maintain as a goal WSMTA and National Certification. Applications for State certification may be obtained from the Chapter Certifications Chairman. Applications for National Certification may be requested from the WSMTA Certification Chairman.

e. Active members of other state Associations of MTNA shall be granted reciprocity upon application and payment of fees. If members are certified in another state, their credentials shall be forwarded to the WSMTA Certification Chairman for evaluation.

Section 2. -- Senior Membership

a. Senior Membership is available to Active Members in good standing who have attained the age of sixty-five (65) years who have been active state members for a minimum of five (5) successive years immediately preceding application for special billing. Seniors will be assessed one half of the State, National, and Local Chapter dues.

b. Senior Membership conveys all rights and privileges of Active Membership.

Section 3. -- Dual Membership

a. Dual Membership is available to a husband and wife when one qualifies as an Active member. The Active member shall pay full National, State, and Local dues; the spouse shall pay full National dues and one half of the regular State and Local chapter dues.

b. Dual membership conveys all rights and privileges of Active membership except the couple shall receive one subscription to the "American Music Teacher", the "Clarion", and the "Opus".

Section 4. -- Member-at-Large

(This section does not pertain to local chapters)

Section 5. -- Student Membership

a. Student Membership is open to any music student from high school (ninth grade) through the age of twenty-six (26) currently involved in regular music study in the state of Washington.

b. Student Membership conveys all rights and privileges of Active Membership except the right to vote and to hold office.

Section 6. -- State Honorary Life Membership

a. State Honorary Life Membership may be recommended by the Executive Board and granted by the membership to any member of the Association in good standing for a minimum of twenty (20) years, who has attained recognized professional stature and who has rendered outstanding service to the Association at the state executive level through the contribution of constructive effort and ideas. An appropriate scroll shall be presented to any recipient of Honorary Life Membership. National dues shall be paid by the Association and State dues waived.

b. State Honorary Life Membership conveys all rights and privileges of Active Membership.

Section 7. -- Emeritus Membership

a. Emeritus Membership may be granted by a local chapter to members who are no longer actively engaged in the profession. Emeritus members shall pay national dues only.

b. Emeritus Membership conveys all rights and privileges of Active Membership.

Section 8. -- Associate Membership

a. Associate Membership shall be open to all persons not professionally engaged in any field of musical activity, but now wish to support the program of the Association, and shall pay National and State dues.

Section 9. -- Affiliate Membership

a. Active members may become Affiliate Members of other local chapters upon application and payment of the other local chapter dues.

Section 10. -- Application for Membership

a. Names presented for membership must be sponsored by two members.

b. Each application shall be required to fill out an application for the Washington State Music Teachers' Association as well as one for the Eastside - WSMTA. The applicant must submit a college transcript, a personal reference, or a written character reference. All applications must be accompanied by a check covering National, State, and Chapter dues.

c. Qualifications of each applicant will be examined by the Executive Board prior to the General Membership Meeting. The qualifications shall be published in the Opus. (If no letter of opposition is forwarded, the applicant becomes a member at the next monthly meeting.) The Opus Editor will print applicants' names in the Opus, followed by a summary of professional preparation and experience.

d. An applicant who has been denied membership by a local chapter may submit the application to the State Executive Secretary for review by the State Executive Board.

Article II -- Dues

Section 1. – The membership year shall be from July 1 to June 30.

Section 2. – Annual dues for membership shall include National Association dues, WSMTA dues, and local chapter dues as assessed by each chapter.

Section 3. – Affiliate members pay chapter dues only.

Section 4. – Chapter, State, and National dues shall become payable upon receipt of statement from National in May and shall be delinquent after June 30, after which date membership will be dropped. To reinstate membership, the dropped member must submit a new application.

Section 5. – A member relinquishes all privileges of Active Membership until dues and current obligations to Eastside – WSMTA are paid for the current membership year.

Section 6. – Dues of new members joining after May 1 shall be applied to the following membership year.

Section 7. – Payment of required dues includes membership in MTNA, WSMTA, Eastside – WSMTA, and an annual subscription to “The American Music Teacher”, “Clarion”, and “opus”.

Section 8. – Any changes in annual chapter dues shall be recommended by the Executive Board, published in the “Opus:, presented at the following general meeting, and voted upon and approved by a majority of the membership voting at that meeting.

Article III – Meetings

This Chapter shall hold regular meetings every month except December, June, July, and August. A meeting may be cancelled by a majority vote of members or at the discretion of the Board.

Article IV -- Officers

Section 1. -- Elections

a. A Nominating Committee, appointed in January, shall consist of two members appointed by the Executive Board and one member selected by the membership. This committee shall present to the membership at the February meeting, the name of one candidate for each office. Opportunity shall be given at that time for further nominations from the floor.

b. Officers shall be elected by ballot at the March general meeting. A simple majority shall elect. The newly elected officers shall be installed at the May meeting. Each officer shall be elected for a two-year term. No officer or other Board member shall serve longer than two consecutive years in one position, except the Treasurer, who may serve a maximum of four consecutive years.

c. The office of President shall be filled only by a person who has served a minimum of one year on the Board.

d. Terms of office shall begin immediately following installation at the May General Meeting.

Section 2. -- Resignations

a. In the event an officer resigns within the first four months of his/her term of office, a special election will be held with nominations from the floor. Election will be by ballot at a general meeting and a simple majority shall elect.

b. It shall be the duty of the Executive Board to fill, for the remainder of the fiscal year, the office of any resigning officer or Board member who has served five months or longer.

c. If any officer or board member shall fail to perform his/her duties, the Executive Board shall appoint a new officer or Board Member to complete the term of office.

Section 3. -- Duties of Officers

a.1 The President shall preside over all general and executive board meetings and shall appoint all committees and chairmen except the Nominating Committee.  (See Yearbook for current committee chairmen.  Others may be appointed as the need arises).  The President will be responsible to oversee and support the committee chairs, events and activities of Eastside Chapter, according to the current job description approved by the executive board.

a.2 The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees and as such is permitted, but not required, to act as a member of the committee according to Robert's Rules of Order.

b. The President Elect: shall work alongside the President in appointing, supporting and overseeing the committee chairs, chapter events and activities, according to the current job description approved by the executive board.  In the absence of the President, the President-Elect shall perform the duties of the President. 

c. The Vice-President: shall serve as membership chair, a member of the nominating committee, and help support and oversee the chairs of some events, according to the current job description approved by the executive board. The Vice President shall keep an updated membership list.

c. The Recording Secretary shall take the minutes of all business meetings and Executive Board meetings and shall read them at the meetings. A copy shall be sent to the President immediately following the meetings.

d. The Corresponding Secretary shall send "Thank You" notes, "Get Well" cards, and other communications as requested by the President. He/she shall read pertinent correspondence at Board and General Membership meetings.

e. The Treasurer shall receive all dues and pay all bills as directed by the Executive Board.  At each meeting he/she will give a current financial report, and file copies of the report with the President and the Recording Secretary.  The Treasurer will also prepare the books for audit no later than June first of each year.  They are to be audited by a committee made up of the President, one Board member, and a member nominated by the General Membership.  At the discretion of the Board, an accountant may be hired to do the audit.

Article V -- Executive Board

The duties of the Executive Board, a quorum of which shall consist of six members, shall be:

a. Perform duties of the office.

b. Attend all meetings of the Executive Board unless excused by the President.

c. Formulate policies of the Chapter, subject to acceptance by the membership.

d. Transact routine business matters of the Chapter.

e. Take action when emergency arises.

f Fill vacancies occurring in offices other than the office of the President.

g. Hold at least ten meetings during the fiscal year.

h. Appoint two members to the Nominating Committee.

Article VI -- Indebtedness and Expenditures

No officer or member shall create financial or legal obligations upon the chapter without specific approval of the Executive Board. No officer shall transfer money between accounts without the approval of the Executive Board.

Article VII -- Quorum

The quorum for business meetings of the Chapter shall consist of twenty-five percent (25%) of the membership in good standing.

Article VIII – Amendments

The bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting at a regular business meeting. The proposed amendment shall have been approved by the Executive Board and published in the monthly bulletin preceding the meeting.

Article IX – Procedures

Robert’s Rules of Order (Revised) shall govern all business meetings of the Chapter.