Constitution & ByLaws

ARTICLE I - Name

The name of the Organization shall be the Broward County Music Teachers Association.

ARTICLE II - Objective

The objective of the Association shall be:

    To advance the interest of music and musicians.

    To raise the standard of music teaching.

    To promote true music culture by the exchange of ideas.

    To cultivate fraternal relations among the members of the music teaching profession, and

    To pledge its members to live up to the Code of Ethics.

ARTICLE III - Membership

(Music Teachers National Association Constitution requires state membership before local affiliation).

Section 1.  Membership shall consist of 3 classifications.

A.  HONORARY - Honorary Membership shall be conferred upon a person chosen for outstanding service to BCMTA upon recommendation of the Executive Board.

B.  ACTIVE - Which shall include any person who is, or has been, a professional teacher of piano, organ, voice, or any orchestral instrument, classical guitar, concert accordion, music education, harmony, theory, music history, music appreciation, or related subjects, shall have a Baccalaureate degree with major emphasis in music, or the equivalent.  Such membership shall provide for privileges of participation in the activities of the Association, the right to vote, to hold office, and to apply for certification.

C.  PROVISIONAL - Shall be open to those who are actively engaged in teaching music but are unable to meet all requirements for membership in the Active Division.  They shall be given a three (3) year period in which to advance professionally to eligibility for Active membership.  Provisional members failing to meet all qualification requirements for Active membership within the three year period shall forfeit their Provisional membership in the Association.  A one year extension of Provisional membership may be applied for to FSMTA.  Application may be made for Active membership again when and if the applicant becomes eligible for it.  Provisional membership shall provide all Active membership privileges with the exception of the right to hold state and local office and apply for FSMTA certification.

Membership by Examination shall be open to any music teacher actively engaged in teaching who is unable to meet the requirements for membership in the Active Division by passing a Board-approved examination to be administered at the local level and by presenting four students at three or more levels of achievement to be passed at District Student Day Auditions.

Section 2. 

A. (1)  No music teacher shall be an active member of the Broward County Music Teachers Association without first becoming  a member of the Florida State Music Teachers Association and MTNA.

    (2)  Teachers who were members in good standing in this Association before January, 1974 are exempt from this membership qualification unless their membership is terminated for any reason.

B.  All membership applicants shall be endorsed by two (2) members in good standing, subject to the approval of the executive Board.

ARTICLE IV - Dues

Section 1.

A.  Dues for membership shall be Fifteen Dollars ($15.00) per year due in May.

B.  New members admitted after January 1st shall pay dues of Seven Dollars and Fifty Cents ($7.50) for the remainder of the year.

Section 2.

A.  Annual Dues for the ensuing year are due in May and become delinquent July 1st.

B.  Dues not received by July 1st shall have an added late payment assesssment of Ten Dollars ($10.00).  This assessment charge shall be paid to the local Treasurer.

C.  Members whose dues are delinquent shall forfeit the privilege of having their students participate in any BCMTA or FSMTA activities until dues and late fees have been paid in full.  

ARTICLE V - Officers and Their Duties

Section 1.

Officers shall be President, First Vice President, Second Vice President,  Third Vice President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, and three  Directors.  One Director shall be the immediate past president and the other two (2) Directors shall have Executive Board experience.

Section 2.

A.  The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association and of the Executive Board;  shall appoint Chairmen of all committees and be advisory member of each committee except the Nominating Committee;  shall make protem appointments to fill vacancies and shall create new departments as the need arises with approval of the Executive Board.

B.  The First Vice President shall be chairman of the Program Committee and shall assume all duties of the President in the absence of that officer, and perform such other duties as may be assigned by the President.

C.  The Second Vice President shall be chairman of the Membership Committee and shall assume all duties of the President in the absence of that officer and the First Vice President, and perform such other duties as may be assigned by the President.

D.  The Third Vice President shall be chairman of Student Day and assume the duties of the President in the absence of that officer and the First and Second Vice Presidents, and perform such other duties as may be assigned by the President.

E.  The Recording Secretary shall keep a record of the proceedings of the Association and the Executive Board, be present at all meetings, and provide copies of the minutes to each Executive Board member.

F.  The Corresponding Secretary shall attend to all correspondence pertaining to the activities of the Association.

G.  The Treasurer shall receive all money, issue membership receipts, make all disbursements, shall keep an account of all dues paid in, and make a reconciled, written monthly report to be presented to the Executive Board.  These records are to be periodically audited.

H.   Directors shall attend Board meetings and perform such duties

as the President may assign.

ARTICLE VI - Committees

Standing and Special Committees shall be appointed by the President as needed.  Reports of all Committee Chairmen shall be filed with the Secretary prior to the May Meeting.

ARTICLE VII - Election of Officers

Section 1.

During the first quarter, in odd years, the Executive Board shall choose a committee of three (3) members to nominate officers to serve for a two (2) year term.  Their report shall be presented at the April meeting, after which further nominations may be made from the floor.  Election shall be during the May meeting.  All activities are to be concluded before the installation of the new officers.

Section 2. 

The newly elected officers shall be installed at the June meeting in odd years and assume their respective duties immediately thereafter.

Section 3.

No member shall be eligible for the same office more than two (2) consecutive terms, with the exception of the Treasurer and the Vice-President of  Student Day.

ARTICLE VIII - Meetings

Section 1.

The Association shall have no fewer than eight (8) monthly activities each calendar year.  At least three (3) of these activities shall include a general business meeting open for the membership.

Section 2.

The Meetings of the Executive Board shall be called by the President.  There shall be no less than one (1) Executive Board meeting each quarter.

Section 3.

Guest privileges for an individual at the regular meetings will be unlimited for one full year to afford time for State affiliation.

ARTICLE IX - Quorum

Section 1.

Five members of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum.

Section 2.

Ten members of the association shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE X - Amendments

Section 1.

A by-law may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of active and provisional members present, providing the proposed amendments have been approved by the Executive Boards and have been submitted to the membership at a previous meeting of the Association by mail.

Section 2.

The President may appoint a parliamentarian to advise on matters of procedures at Executive Board and General Business meetings.

Section 3.

Roberts Rules of Order, Revised, shall be considered authority for all parliamentary procedure.