Nashville Area Music Teachers Association: Charter

NAMTA: Charter

The Nashville Area Music Teachers Association (NAMTA) is a local chapter of the TMTA (Tennessee Music Teachers Association), and that in turn is a state chapter of the MTNA (Music Teachers National Association). NAMTA was organized in 1980 by a group of Nashville area music teachers and Richard Shadinger, professor at Belmont University was elected as the first president. Other officers elected that first year were Sarah Nicholas, president-elect; Elizabeth Cormier, vise president; Marcia Hughs, recording secretary; Dianne Barbee, corresponding secretary, and Jill Peak, treasurer

On June 14, 1980 the Executive Board of TMTA gave official approval of NAMTA.

Constitution

Article I: Name. The name of this organization shall be THE NASHVILLE AREA MUSIC TEACHERS ASSOCIATION.

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.

Article III: Policy. Section 1. 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.

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 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.

Article V. Officers and Executive Board. Section 1. The elected officers shall consist of the President, President-Elect, Vise-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 Vise-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 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.

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.

Article VII. Meetings. Section 1. Meetings of the Association shall be shall be held at least bimonthly except in 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 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.

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.

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 in the ballot.