CONNECTICUT STATE MUSIC TEACHERS ASSOCIATION, INC.
affiliated with MUSIC TEACHERS NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, INC.
Constitution – Revised 1997, Amended 2005, Amended 2011
ARTICLE I – Name
The name of the organization is Connecticut State Music Teachers Association, Inc.
ARTICLE II – Purpose
Section 1. This Association is organized exclusively for educational purposes, including (but not limited to) the advancement of musical knowledge and education through discussion, investigation and publication, maintaining and encouraging high standards of teaching and performance.
Section 2. It is the policy of this Association to cooperate with all worthy musical organizations and in particular to develop close cooperation with the Music Teachers National Association, with which this organization is affiliated.
Section 3. The Connecticut State Music Teachers Association is not organized for profit and no part of its net earnings may inure to the benefit of any private individual.
ARTICLE III – Membership
Section 1. Membership classifications in the Association are Active, Patron, Honorary and Student.
Section 2. Membership privileges are prescribed by the Bylaws of the Association.
Section 3. Membership in the Association may be terminated by the member or revoked by the Association as prescribed in the Bylaws.
ARTICLE IV – Affiliated Local Chapters
Section 1. Any city, town or district music teachers association in Connecticut may become and remain affiliated with CSMTA by fulfilling the requirements of membership as stated in the Constitution and Bylaws.
Section 2. The CSMTA Executive Board may suspend or terminate any affiliated association at any time for justifiable cause as prescribed in the Bylaws.
ARTICLE V – Officers
Section 1. The officers of the Association shall be a President, President-Elect, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer.
Section 2. In the event an office becomes vacant within the term of office, the Executive Board shall have the power to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term.
Section 3. In the event an officer fails to perform said duties as prescribed in the Bylaws, the officer may be removed from the post by a majority vote of the Executive Board members present in a regular meeting.
ARTICLE VI – Executive Board
Section 1. The Executive Board shall consist of the officers, the Immediate Past President, Chapter Presidents, and the Chairpersons of Standing Committees. Standing Committees shall include Archives, Certification, College Faculty, Commissions and Awards, Community Outreach, Competitions, Finance, Foundation, Independent Music Teachers Forum, Local Chapters, Membership, Newsletter and Theory-Composition. Each member of the Executive Board shall have the right to vote.
Section 2. The CSMTA Board shall make recommendations to the Executive Committee regarding policy and membership concerns.
Section 3. Seven members of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Section 4. When necessary, the Executive Committee may submit items of business by mail to the full membership of the CSMTA Board requesting a vote by mail ballot. The contents and results of such mail ballots shall be reported to the Secretary, approved and incorporated in the minutes of the next meeting of the CSMTA Board.
ARTICLE VII – Executive Committee
Section 1. The Executive Committee shall consist of the officers of CSMTA and the Immediate Past President.
Section 2. The Executive Committee shall determine policies of the Association in consultation with the CSMTA Board and within the limits of the Constitution and Bylaws. The Committee shall have the discretion in the disbursement of all funds of the Association, and may be empowered to take whatever action may become necessary on behalf of the Association between scheduled Board Meetings.
Section 3. In order to transact business, a quorum of four voting members of the Executive Committee, at least one of them being the President or President-Elect, must be present.
ARTICLE VIII – Meetings
Section 1. The Annual Business Meeting of the Association shall be held at the time of the Annual Convention or at a special membership meeting. Notice of such meetings shall appear in the official Association publication at least thirty (30) days prior to the meeting date. At this meeting, the President shall permit the general membership to bring forward items for consideration.
Section 2. Fifteen active members of the current membership entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any annual or special membership meeting.
Section 3. The Annual Convention of the Association shall be held at such time and place as shall be decided upon by the Executive Committee.
Section 4. There shall be a minimum of three (3) CSMTA Executive Board meetings per year, one of which shall be within thirty (30) days following the Annual Meeting. Regularly scheduled or special meetings of the Board may be called by the President.
Section 5. Special meetings of the Executive Committee may be called by the President or upon the request of no fewer than four members of the Executive Committee.
Section 6. The President may appoint a parliamentarian to provide opinion during various meetings.
Section 7. Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern this Association in all cases to which its regulations are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Association.
ARTICLE IX – Amendments
Section 1. This Constitution may be amended upon the recommendation of the Executive Board by a two-thirds affirmative vote of active members present at the Annual Business Meeting of the Association, provided written notice of the amendments to be considered is sent to each current member thirty (30) days prior to the voting. The notice shall state the amendments to be considered.
Section 2. Upon the recommendation of the Executive Board, this Constitution may be amended by a mail ballot, in which case a two-thirds affirmative vote shall be sufficient to approve the amendment. The ballot and proposed amendments must be submitted to members of CSMTA at least thirty (30) days in advance of the required return date, which must be clearly stated on the ballot.
ARTICLE X – Publication of Constitution and Bylaws
The CSMTA Constitution and Bylaws shall be printed and distributed to the membership annually.
ARTICLE XI – Dissolution
In the event of the dissolution of this Association, any funds remaining in the treasury after the payment of outstanding debts will be contributed to another organization which is tax exempt under Section 501 (c) (3), to be agreed upon by the then existing Executive Board.
BYLAWS – REVISED 1997, AMENDED 2005
ARTICLE I – Membership
Section 1. Active Membership shall be open to all individuals professionally engaged in any field of music education, providing this person joins a Local Chapter and meets one of the following state membership requirements: (a) Graduation with a degree or diploma in music from an accredited institute of higher learning. (b) Faculty member of a recognized school, college, university or conservatory. (c) Three years teaching experience. Active membership provides the privilege of voting, holding office and participating in all activities of the Association. MTNA strongly encourages its members to adopt the Code of Ethics as their personal model of professional conduct.
Section 2. Student Membership shall be open to all full-time college students currently involved in music study, who are also members of an affiliated association. Student members shall be entitled to attend programs of the Association upon payment of the registration fee and to receive the official Association publication, but shall not have the right to vote, hold office, apply for national certification or enter students into MTNA competitions. CSMTA also offers State and Local membership to students in grades 7 through 12. These students may attend all state and local programs but may not enter students in any competitions or recitals, or vote or hold office in the CSMTA State or Local organizations.
Section 3. Patron Membership shall be open to all individuals and businesses who wish to support the programs of the Association. Such membership provides the privilege of participating in the activities of the Association, but does not include the right to vote or hold office.
Section 4. Honorary Life Membership may be awarded to those who have been outstanding in their contributions to the field of music, or who have contributed in great measure to the activities and success of the Association. Such membership carries the privilege of attending meetings, but not the right to vote, hold office, or serve as a committee chairperson. Honorary Members shall not be assessed dues. Honorary Members qualifying for Active Membership shall have the rights and privileges of such membership.
ARTICLE II – Revocation of Membership
Section 1. No person who has been convicted of a crime involving sexual or other abuse of a person shall be a member of CSMTA. Any accusation that a member of CSMTA has been convicted of a crime involving sexual or other abuse of a person shall be reported to the President of CSMTA, who shall immediately report the accusation to the President of MTNA, who shall appoint a three-person committee to ascertain the validity of a conviction. If the committee substantiates that a person has been convicted of a crime involving sexual or other abuse of a person, the President of MTNA shall immediately terminate the membership and the certification of that person. Any action authorized by the MTNA President in this resolution may be appealed to the Board of Directors of MTNA.
Section 2. Any membership terminated under this section shall be reinstated upon the filing with the President of a certified copy of the judgment reversing the conviction.
ARTICLE III – Fiscal Year
The fiscal year shall commence on July 1 and shall end on June 30.
ARTICLE IV – Membership Year
Section 1. The membership year for all membership categories except that of student membership shall coincide with the fiscal year, July 1 to June 30. The student membership year shall be October 1 to September 30.
Section 2. Annual dues for all categories of membership shall be due on the first day of the membership year, after which date members are not in good standing nor entitled to any of the privileges of membership until dues are paid for the current membership year.
Section 3. Annual dues shall be set by the Executive Board and published in the official Association publication.
Section 4. Members sixty-five years of age who have been Active Members for a minimum of five years will be assessed half the regular dues.
Section 5. Annual dues shall be prorated by half January 1 to June 30.
ARTICLE V – Election of Officers
Section 1. A Nominating Committee shall be formed by nominations from members of the Executive Board in even years, preceding the election. The committee shall include the Past President and three other association members. Each shall have given his/her consent. The committee elects its own Chair. The Committee prepares a slate of candidates for the CSMTA officers and the slate shall appear in the official Association publication a minimum of thirty (30) days before the date of the Annual Meeting of CSMTA and not more than ninety (90) days prior.
Section 2. The Active Members of CSMTA present at the Annual Meeting shall elect by a majority vote the officers of the Association. Nominations from the floor shall be accepted, and each office shall be voted on separately. In the event of only one nominee for each office, the President may recommend election by general consent at the Annual Meeting.
Section 3. Each officer shall be elected for a term of two years. No officer may succeed himself/herself except the Treasurer, who may serve more than one term.
Section 4. No officer may hold a national, division or state office concurrently except the Immediate Past President.
Section 5. The President-Elect, upon completion of his or her term of office, shall become the President of the Association. Should the elected President-Elect be unable to assume the Presidency, the President shall be elected, for that term only, in the same manner as that of the other officers.
Section 6. The terms of office shall begin following the Annual Meeting of the Association in odd-numbered years.
ARTICLE VI – Duties of Officers
Section 1. The President shall be the principal officer of the Association and shall preside at all meetings of the Association and shall call and preside at meetings of the Executive Board and the Executive Committee. The President, upon election, shall appoint chairmen of Standing Committees subject to the approval of the Executive Committee. The President shall appoint, subject to the approval of the Executive Board, ad hoc committees as needed and shall perform all other duties implied by the title. The President shall be a member, ex officio, of all committees except the Nominating Committee.
Section 2. The President-Elect assumes all the duties of the President in the absence of that officer; performs such other duties as may be designated by the President and the Executive Board; and is State Convention Chairman. The President-Elect, upon completion of his/her term, shall become President of the Association. The officer shall perform such other duties relating to the office as prescribed by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Association.
Section 3. The Vice-President shall assist in the organization of new Chapters, preside in the absence of the President and President-Elect and perform such other duties as may be designated by the President. The officer shall perform such other duties relating to the office as prescribed by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Association.
Section 4. The Secretary shall record the minutes of all meetings of the Association, Executive Board and Executive Committee, and sees that the minutes are in legal form and properly preserved. The officer shall perform such other duties relating to the office as prescribed by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Association.
Section 5. The Treasurer shall be responsible for overseeing, in cooperation with the President, all financial affairs of the Association. He/she shall be responsible for the preparation of a report at Executive Board Meetings, a written annual report presented at the Annual Meeting and chairing the Finance Committee. The Treasurer shall keep accurate records of all financial transactions and submit all records for audit when directed to do so by the Executive Board. The officer shall perform such other duties relating to the office as prescribed by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Association.
ARTICLE VII – Affiliated Local Chapters
Section 1. Any city, town or district music teachers’ association may petition to the Executive Board for affiliation in CSMTA by providing evidence that the following requirements have been fulfilled:
- That two copies of the Local Chapter governing documents (Constitution, Bylaws, Articles of Incorporation) have been filed with the Secretary and that they are consistent with those of CSMTA.
- That it guarantees on the basis of submitted membership rosters that one hundred percent (100%) of its members who meet the requirements of MTNA Active Membership, and one hundred percent (100%) of its Student members, who meet the requirements of MTNA Student Membership, are members in good standing of MTNA.
- That its fiscal and membership year coincide with that of CSMTA.
Section 2. Upon determining that a petitioning local music teachers association has fulfilled the requirements of Section 1, CSMTA Executive Board shall approve the petition.
Section 3. In referring to its affiliation, each Local Chapter shall use the phrase “Affiliated with the Connecticut State Music Teachers Association.” This specified phrase shall be included in the Constitution of all affiliated local Chapters.
Section 4. Annual renewal of a Local Chapter shall be made without reconsideration by the Executive Board provided (a) that the affiliate has not formally notified CSMTA that it wishes to discontinue affiliation, (b) that all changes in the Constitution and Bylaws of the affiliated Local Chapter have been filed with CSMTA and are consistent with the Constitution and Bylaws of CSMTA and have been approved, (c) that all provisions of Sections 1 and 4 of the Article continue to be fulfilled, (d) that the affiliated chapter carries out the various programs of CSMTA meeting the needs of its members, and (e) that the affiliated chapter conducts all programs and activities in a professional manner.
Section 5. If provisions named in section 4 are not fulfilled by the Local Chapter, the Executive Board may place on probation, suspend or terminate the Chapter at any time.
Section 6. In the event of the dissolution of any Local Chapter, any funds remaining in the treasury, after the payment of outstanding debts, will be distributed equally to the other remaining local chapters of the Association.
ARTICLE VIII – Duties of Committees
Section 1. Archives. The Archivist shall preserve all publicity and other pertinent articles in a book suitable for exhibition at meetings, conferences and conventions. The Chair is appointed by the President for a term of two years.
Section 2. Certification. The Certification Board shall examine and determine the qualifications of each applicant for state certification and for renewal of certification. Members must be Nationally Certified teachers and may not serve more than two terms consecutively. The Chair and committee members are appointed by the president.
Section 3. College Faculty. The Chair shall be responsible for bringing the concerns of state-wide college faculty to the attention of CSMTA members. The Chair is appointed by the President for a term of two years.
Section 4. Commissions and Awards. The committee shall, upon request of the Executive Board, commission a work by a composer, preferably with some Connecticut affiliation such as birth, residence or professional association. The commission shall comply with Music Teachers National Association’s regulations so as to receive matching funds. The commissioned work shall be performed at the state convention or state festival (with permission from MTNA). The Chair is appointed by the President for a term of two years.
Section 5. Community Outreach. The Chair shall identify and publicize advocacy activities, initiate collaborative activities with colleague associations and share strategies with other states. The Chair is appointed by the President for a term of two years.
Section 6. Competitions. The Chair, appointed by the President for a term of two years, shall oversee the State Competitions and the MTNA Competitions. The committee shall include chairs for each MTNA Competition and the state competitions, appointed by the Executive Committee.
Section 7. Finance. The Committee shall consist of the President, the Treasurer and the President-Elect. The Treasurer serves as chair of this committee. The Finance Committee shall submit an annual budget to the Executive Board for approval at the May meeting.
Section 8. Foundation. The Chair, appointed by the President for a term of two years, shall receive information from National and Division Chairs and report to the CSMTA members in Newsletter reports.
Section 9. Independent Music Teachers Forum. The Committee shall maintain liaison with division and national committees and shall report to CSMTA members. The Chair is appointed by the President for a term of two years. The Chair may appoint additional members to serve on the committee subject to the approval of the Executive Committee.
Section 10. Local Chapters. The Chair is appointed by the President for a term of two years. The Chair shall receive correspondence from MTNA Division and National Committees and shall report to the CSMTA members in the Association’s Newsletters.
Section 11. Membership. The Chair is appointed by the President for a term of two years. The Chair may appoint additional committee members, subject to Executive Committee approval. The committee shall be responsible for maintaining a current membership record, preparing the Membership Directory for annual distribution in the fall of each year, working on membership recruitment and retention and submitting reports to the Newsletter Editor for each issue. The Membership Chair maintains contact with each local chapter Membership Chair.
Section 12. Newsletter. The Editor shall prepare a minimum of three Newsletters each year and be responsible for all matters pertaining to its composition. The Editor is appointed by the President for a term of two years.
Section 13. Theory-Composition. The committee shall encourage creative work from elementary through college level. The committee oversees the Musicianship Achievement Program. The Chair, appointed by the President for a term of two years, may appoint additional committee members, subject to Executive Committee approval.
ARTICLE IX – Amendments.
Section 1. These Bylaws may be amended upon the recommendation of the Executive Board by a two-thirds affirmative vote of Active Members present at a meeting of the Association. Written notice of the proposed amendment(s) must be submitted to the CSMTA membership thirty (30) days in advance of the meeting. The notice shall state the amendments to be considered.
Section 2. Upon the recommendation of the Executive Board, these Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote by a mail ballot to the members of the Association. The ballot and proposed amendment(s) must be submitted to the membership at least thirty (30) days in advance of the required return date. The date for the returned ballot must be clearly stated on the ballot.
AMENDMENTS – February 2005:
1. Amendment to the Constitution
Article V – Officers, Section 1, is hereby amended to read as follows:
The officers of the Association shall be a President (or Co-Presidents), President-Elect, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer.
2. Amendment to Bylaws
Article VI – Duties of Officers, Section 1, is hereby amended to read as follows:
The President shall be the principal officer of the Association and shall preside at all meetings of the Association and shall call and preside at meetings of the Executive Board and the Executive Committee. The President, upon election, shall appoint chairmen of Standing Committees subject to the approval of the Executive Committee. The President shall appoint, subject to the approval of the Executive Board, ad hoc committees as needed and shall perform all other duties implied by the title. The President shall be a member, ex officio, of all committees except the Nominating Committee. Co-Presidents, if so elected, may perform individually any duty of the President.
AMENDMENTS – October 2011:
3. Amendment to the Constitution:
ARTICLE VIII – Meetings, Section 4, is hereby amended to read as follows:
There shall be a minimum of three (3) CSMTA Executive Board meetings per year. Regularly-scheduled or special meetings of the Board may be called by the President.
Revised SA/LH/5 18 97,6 28 97
Reformatted LH 97/98/00
Reformatted KT 2010