CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS

ARTICLE I
NAME

Section 1.1. The name of this organization shall be the East Tennessee Vocal Association.

ARTICLE II
PURPOSE

Section 2.1. This organization shall be constituted as a non-profit, educational association.

Section 2.2. The purpose of this organization shall be to advance the cause of music education in general and vocal music in particular in public and private schools.

ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP

Section 3.1. Active membership shall be open to all persons engaged in the teaching and/or supervision of vocal music in the schools of East Tennessee. An active member is entitled to all privileges of the Association, including the right to vote and hold office.

Section 3.2. Associate membership shall be given to any person desiring to support this organization upon payment of the prescribed Associate membership dues. Associate members’ participation and privileges in organization activities shall be limited to the J. B. Lyle Choral Festival.

Section 3.3. Any individual who has rendered distinctive service in the field of vocal music may be awarded Honorary Life membership by unanimous vote of those present at any General meeting. Privileges of honorary life membership shall be the same as those of active membership, but an honorary life member may not vote or hold office unless they choose to maintain active membership. Otherwise there shall be no dues for honorary life membership.

Section 3.4. Retired membership shall be open to ETVA members attaining retirement status, and desiring to maintain membership in ETVA by payment of reduced annual dues. Privileges accorded retired members shall be limited to assisting the Association in carrying out its stated purpose.

ARTICLE IV
DUES

Section 4.1. East Tennessee Vocal Association dues shall be the current prescribed amount as indicated on the Association website and must be paid to the ETVA Executive Secretary-Treasurer by the membership renewal deadline posted on the Association website. Dues not paid by the deadline date, shall be subject to the current prescribed late fee. New members who do not join by the renewal deadline shall be given a thirty-day grace period (one time only) before being assessed a late fee. Active Members must also hold membership in TMEA and MENC to participate in ETVA activities. MENC and TMEA dues are paid directly to MENC.

ARTICLE V
AFFILIATION

Section 5.1. This organization shall be affiliated with the Tennessee Music Educators Association and the Music Educators National Conference.

ARTICLE VI
OFFICERS AND GOVERNMENT

Section 6.1. Officers of the Association shall be the President, Vice President, President-Elect, Vice President of Middle Schools, Vice President-Elect of Middle Schools, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, Webmaster, three Area Representatives (Upper, Middle, and Lower), three Middle School Area Representatives (Upper, Middle, and Lower), College Representative, three Area Representatives-Elect, and three Middle School Area Representatives-elect.

Section 6.2. The Executive Board shall be the President, Vice President, President-Elect, Vice President of Middle Schools, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, and Webmaster (ex officio).

Section 6.3. The Board of Directors, which shall act as a legislative body, shall be the Officers listed in Sections 1 and 2, and the All-East/All-State Auditions Chair, the All-East Chorus Chair, and the J. B. Lyle and Middle School Festival Chairs. The Area Representatives-Elect along with the Vice President-Elect of Middle Schools shall serve as ex-officio members.

ARTICLE VII
EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 7.1. The Executive Board shall:

1. Authorize expenditures.
2. Interpret the Constitution and its Bylaws and the rules and regulations passed by the Association and the Board of Directors.
3. Meet prior to the annual Board of Directors’ meeting with the date, time and place to be set by the President.
4. When necessary, hold special meetings that may be called by the President.
5. Rule and carry out expulsions during All-East, should the discipline committee recommend expulsion of a student.

ARTICLE VIII
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 8.1. The Board of Directors of the Association shall:

1. Meet annually in the Fall prior to the General Meetings if scheduling is possible. The President shall set the date, time and place.
2. When necessary, hold special meetings that may be called by the President.
3. Act as a legislative body and exercise such powers as may be necessary and advisable to properly conduct the business of the Association.

ARTICLE IX
ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND TERM OF OFFICE

Section 9.1. Election of officers of the Association shall be held during the Fall General Meeting in odd-numbered years.

Section 9.2. Each officer shall be elected for a term of two years. Officers shall be eligible to serve not more than two consecutive terms in the same office (four years) with the exception of the Executive Secretary-Treasurer.

Section 9.3. Officers elected during the Fall General Meeting shall take office the following July 1.

ARTICLE X
DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section 10.1 The President shall:

1. Preside at all meetings of the Association.
2. Be chairman of the Executive Board and the Board of Directors.
3. Administer the rules of the Association, appoint special committees and call special meetings of the Association or the Board of Directors as herein provided.
4. Represent the Association on the TMEA Council.
5. Make the initial contact with the guest conductors for the All-East SATB, Women’s, Men’s, Freshman, and Middle School Choruses.

Section 10.2 The Vice President shall:

1. Be the immediate past President of the association and shall be an active member of the Board.
2. Work closely with the President and various Chairs in the overall planning of the activities of the Association.
3. In the event the President-Elect cannot fulfill the term of office, the Vice President will be asked to serve the tenure.

Section 10.3 The President-Elect shall:

1. Be an active member of the Board.
2. Fill the unexpired term should the office of President become vacant for any reason.
3. Serve as Parliamentarian for the Association.
4. Perform the duties of the President during the latter’s absence or upon the request of the President.
5. Represent the Association on the TMEA Council.

Section 10.4 The Vice President of Middle Schools shall:

1. Represent the Middle School teachers on the Executive Board.
2. Schedule and/or coordinate all Association activities pertaining to the Middle Schools including the All-East Middle School Honors Chorus, Middle School Choral Festival, and any Middle School caucus during the ETVA general meetings.
3. Be a member of the Middle School Music List Committee who is responsible for maintaining and revising the ETVA Middle School Music List used in conjunction with the Middle School Festival.

Section 10.5 The Vice President-Elect of Middle Schools shall:

1. Work closely with the Vice-President of Middle Schools to learn the job responsibilities of that office.
2. Serve on the Board of Directors as an ex officio member.
3. In the event the Vice President of Middle Schools cannot fulfill their term of office, the Vice President-Elect of Middle Schools will be asked to serve the tenure.

Section 10.6 The Executive Secretary-Treasurer shall:

1. Meet the following qualifications:
   1. Be able to serve as secretary and bookkeeper.
   2. May or may not be a vocal teacher.
2. Be paid a salary as recommended by the executive board and approved by the membership in the annual budget report. This salary is for services rendered to ETVA. In addition to the salary, the Executive Secretary-Treasurer shall receive reimbursement for expenses and MENC membership with regard to the office of Executive Secretary-Treasurer.
3. Serve on the Executive Board and the Board of Directors.
4. Perform the following duties:
   1. Keep minutes of all ETVA Board Meetings and General Meetings and send copies of minutes to Board Members prior to Board Meetings.
   2. Provide clerical and other assistance as is needed to Chairs of auditions, choruses, and festivals.
   3. Compile a mailing list so that all teachers having paid dues receive all information concerning the Association.
   4. Prepare all materials concerning meetings, auditions, All-State, festivals, and Jr. High/Middle School activities. (The Chairs of these activities must have information in before the scheduled deadlines.)
   5. Collect and record membership dues for ETVA.
   6. Keep accurate financial records.
   7. Have copies of the financial statement for Board Members at Fall Board Meeting.
   8. Make a complete financial report at the end of the fiscal year and have it available for members at the Fall General Meeting.
   9. Be present at registration of ETVA activities. If this is impossible, make arrangments with the chairman for deposit of fees and payment of bills.
   10. Maintain an accurate current inventory of All-East Tennessee Vocal Association properties.

Section 10.7 The Webmaster shall:

1. Serve on the Executive Board and the Board of Directors as an ex officio member.
2. Be paid a salary as recommended by the executive board and approved by the membership in the annual budget report. This salary is for services rendered to ETVA.
3. Maintain the Association website.

Section 10.8 The Area Representatives shall:

1. Represent their respective areas’ interest on the Board of Directors.
2. Coordinate All-East area screenings.
3. Assist in the development of area Middle School and Senior High clinics and festivals.
4. Notify choral directors in their areas, especially new teachers, of the various activities and meetings of the Association.
5. Serve on a Student Discipline Committee for each ETVA activity.

Section 10.9 The Area Representatives-Elect shall:

1. Work closely with the respective Area Representatives to learn the job responsibilities of Area Representative.
2. Serve on the Board of Directors as ex officio members.
3. In the event the Representative is unable to complete their term, the Representative-Elect will move up to the office of Representative during the rest of the unexpired term and will remain during the next term in the same position.

Section 10.10 The Middle School Area Representatives shall:

1. Represent their respective areas’ interest on the Board of Directors.
2. Assist in the implementation of Association Middle School activities.
3. Notify Middle School teachers in their respective area, especially new teachers, of the various activities and meetings of the Association.

Section 10.11 The Middle School Area Representatives-Elect shall:

1. Work closely with the respective Middle School Representative to learn the job responsibilities.
2. Serve on the Board of Directors as ex officio members.
3. In the event a Representative is unable to complete their term, the respective Representative-Elect will assume the duties for the rest of the unexpired term and will remain during the next term in the same position.

Section 10.12 The College Representative shall:

1. Serve on the ETVA Board of Directors.
2. Contact all college members of ETVA prior to the ETVA fall Board Meeting to obtain any concerns and report those at the Board Meeting.
3. Caucus with the college members of ETVA each fall during the General Meeting of ETVA (this meeting could be held during the Area Caucuses) and make a report to the membership following the caucus.
4. Serve as chairman for the J.B. Lyle Senior High Choral Festival.
5. Appoint Area Site Chairs for the J. B. Lyle Senior High Choral Festival.
6. Obtain adjudicators for the J. B. Lyle Senior High Choral Festival.

ARTICLE XI
APPOINTMENT OF STANDING CHAIRS

Section 11.1 The President shall appoint standing chairs for a one-year term that can be renewable.

Section 11.2 The Standing Chairs shall be:

1. Auditions Chair
2. Auditions Site Chair
3. All-East Chair
4. All-East Site Chair
5. All-East SATB Chorus Chair
6. All-East Women’s Chorale Chair
7. All-East Men’s Chorus Chair
8. All-East Freshman Honors Chorus Chair
9. All-East Middle School Honors Chorus Chair

ARTICLE XII
FISCAL AND MEMBERSHIP YEAR

Section 12.1 The fiscal and membership year will begin on July 1 and end on the following June 30.

ARTICLE XIII
VOTING BY MAIL

Section 13.1 The Board of Directors may authorize voting by mail or email for the purpose of conducting Association elections, or for any other purpose for which a vote of the membership of the Association shall be required. Voting by mail or email shall be conducted in accordance with instructions of the Board of Directors and Executive Board, and provisions shall be made for members eligible to vote to receive their ballots and necessary supporting information in time to return their ballots before the date of the close of the voting. A closing date shall be printed on all ballots.

ARTICLE XIV
RULES OF ORDER

Section 14.1 Robert’s Rules of Order shall be the authority for all questions of procedure in General Meetings not covered by these this Constitution and Bylaws.

ARTICLE XV
DISPOSITION OF ASSETS IN CASE OF DISBANDMENT

Section 15.1 In the event of disbandment, properties and funds of the East Tennessee Vocal Association remaining after all financial obligations have been met shall be utilized only for the purpose of furtherance of choral music in east Tennessee and shall be dispensed by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE XVI
AMENDMENTS

Section 1. This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the active membership present and voting at the ETVA Fall General Meeting, or amendment may be made by an approving vote of two-thirds of the Active membership who cast ballots by mail in accordance with stipulations of the Bylaws, provided, however, that in any case a notice of each intended amendment is sent to each active member thirty days prior to voting.