HC ACDA Constitution

HC ACDA Constitution

March 14, 2005

Article I: Name

The Name of this organization shall be the Houghton College Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association, hereinafter known as HC ACDA.

Article II: Affiliations:

This student chapter of the American Choral Directors Association is an integral part of the National American Choral Directors Association, and shall be governed by the professional and financial policies laid down in the National Constitution of the American Choral Directors Association. Its official insignia shall be that of the National American Choral Directors Association.

Article III: Purpose

Section 1: National Goals

The purposes of this organization shall be those as set forth in the National Constitution of the American Choral Directors association, and are stated as follows:

To foster and promote choral singing which will provide artistic and spirited experiences for the participants
To foster and promote the finest types of choral music and make these experiences possible
To foster and encourage rehearsal procedures conducive to attaining the highest level possible in musicianship and artistic performance
To foster and promote the organization and development of choral groups of all types in schools, colleges, and churches
To foster and promote the organization and development of choral societies in cities and communities.
To foster and promote the intelligent understanding of choral music as an important medium of artistic expression
To foster and promote significant research in the field of choral music
To foster and promote composition of superior quality in both music and text for all choral combinations
To cooperate with all organizations dedicated to the development of musical culture in America
To disseminate professional news and information about choral music

Section 2: Local Goals

The HC ACDA will improve campus life by engaging in any of the following activities:

Sponsoring trips to see and hear excellent choral music
Holding seminars to allow Houghton Students to work with exceptional choral directors
Promote the exchange of information that will benefit Houghton Students in their professional life.

Article IV: Membership

Section 1: Qualifications

Any student of HoughtonCollege is eligible to join the HC ACDA chapter.

Section 2: Financial Obligations

Payment of the dues to join the American Choral Directors Association is required in order to join the Houghton College Chapter. Dues are set by the national office. Payment is expected before membership is granted, unless other arrangements are approved by the cabinet. Membership in the local chapter will be valid until the end of the academic year during which payment is received, or until the date membership is terminated by the national office, whichever is later.The chapter may not apply for institutional funds to cover the cost of membership dues.

Article V: Officers

Section 1: Positions and duties

a.President

The president shall represent the HC ACDA chapter to outside organizations and shall be responsible for representing the HC ACDA chapter to the college administration, faculty, and any other agency. The president shall preside at all meetings of the organization or cabinet.

b. Vice President

The vice president shall fulfill the duties if the president becomes unable to fulfill his/her duties. The vice president shall also assist the president with his/her duties as the president requests (in the event that the president has other obligations that would prevent him/her from temporarily completing all the duties because of a recital or other commitment).

c. Secretary

The secretary will be responsible for all written communication on behalf of the organization. The secretary will maintain a copy of the membership roster (with the assistance of the treasurer and membership chairperson.) The secretary (or his/her delegate) will keep minutes of the meetings on file. The secretary is also responsible, with the assistance of the other cabinet members, for completing the annual report and submitting it to the Youth and Student Activities National Chair of the American Choral Directors Association, and any other forms or paperwork as required to maintain status as an official ACDA Student Chapter.

d. Treasurer

The treasurer will be responsible for the financial dealings of the organization. The treasurer will be responsible for ensuring that membership dues are properly deposited and a check is issued to the national office within the appropriate deadlines. The treasurer is also responsible for keeping the membership chairperson and secretary apprised of the payment or non-payment of dues to facilitate accurate membership records.

e. Membership Chairperson

The membership chairperson will be responsible for all issues related to joining the organization. This will include recruitment, collection of dues and membership forms, obligations to the national office regarding submission of paperwork and dues to the national office, and the final responsibility to maintain an accurate roll of the membership of the HC ACDA chapter.

Section 2: Elections

a. Process and timeframe:

Elections must be completed according to the Election Policy established by the Student Programs Office. These elections will be to elect the officers for the following academic year. The elections process will comprise a 3 week process:

Week 1: Nominating committee meets and prepares a slate of nominees. This slate will be distributed to the membership via e-mail. During the following week, any member may make additional nominations by e-mailing the chair of the nominating committee. It is acceptable to nominate oneself.

Week 2: At least one week after the slate of nominees from the nominating committee was e-mailed, the chair of the nominating committee will e-mail the membership a revised e-mail that includes any new nominees submitted by the membership. The e-mailing of this slate of nominees will indicate the nominations are closed. This e-mail will announce the date, time, and location of the general meeting for the purpose of conducting elections. A copy of the ballot will be distributed with this e-mail

Week 3: At least one full week after the final slate of nominees is e-mailed, a general membership meeting will be called. At this meeting, members may submit their completed ballots to the membership chair. If it is not possible for a member to attend this meeting, they may submit their ballot to the Nominating Committee Chair in person at any time before this meeting. (The Nominating Committee Chair will not open the ballot until the general membership meeting, but must record that the ballot has been received to prevent re-voting. A simple membership list with a place for signatures is suggested.) After all ballots have been collected, the nominating committee chair and at least one other member not up for elections will tally the votes and announce the results. A plurality of the votes cast is required to win. In the event of a tie, the advisor will cast the deciding vote.

Section 3: Vacancy

a. President:

In the event of a vacancy in the presidency, the vice president will assume the duties of the president and the position of vice president will be filled as below.

b. All other officers:

In the event of a vacancy in any position other than the president, the cabinet, with the approval of the advisor, will appoint a successor. That successor will complete the remainder of the vacated term.

Section 4: Removal of officers

In the event it becomes necessary to remove an officer, the following procedure will be followed:

Any member will submit a petition with the signatures of at least 2/3rds of the membership of the club. This petition must state the reason for the request. This petition will be submitted to the president. In the event the president is the officer to be removed, the petition will be submitted to the vice president
An open cabinet meeting will be called and announced to the entire membership by the president (or vice president if the officer to be removed is the president) within 1 week of the submission of the petition. Any member may attend this meeting to be heard on this matter. Following the close of all discussion, all the officers except the officer in question, plus the advisor or his/her designee, willdiscuss the matter in executive session and vote on whether to remove the officer in question. Each cabinet member except the officer in question will receive one vote. The advisor will have two votes. A 2/3rds majority vote is required to remove the officer.
If the officer is removed, their position will be filled as outlined in Article V, Section 3.

Section 5: Eligibility

Any member in good standing on the date the nominating committee issues its original slate of officers is eligible to vote.
Any member in good standing on the date the nominating committee issues its original slate of officers and who can make a good faith commitment to return for the following academic year is eligible to be nominated.

Article VI: Meetings:

Section 1: General Membership Meetings

There will be at least two general membership meetings held each year:

The opening meeting, held within the first 3 weeks of the academic year, where new members are introduced to the cabinet and other business is handled as needed. Advanced notice of at least 1 week should be given via e-mail, and this meeting should be announced in choirs and choral conducting classes.
The meeting as described under Article V, Section 2, held in the spring semester of the academic year for the purpose of electing new officers.

Section 2: Cabinet Meetings

There will be cabinet meetings called as deemed fit by the cabinet. Normally, each meeting will conclude with the scheduling of the next meeting. The first cabinet meeting will be scheduled at the discretion of the president.

Section 3: Special Meetings

The president can call a special meeting of the cabinet as needed. Advanced notice of about one week should be given via e-mail
The advisor can call a special meeting of either the cabinet or the general membership. Advanced notice of about one week should be given via e-mail
The cabinet can call a special meeting of the general membership. Advanced notice of about one week should be given via e-mail.

Section 4: Quorum

A quorum of the general membership shall consist of a simple majority of members (50% + 1.)
A quorum of the cabinet shall consist of at least 4 of the six cabinet members (5 student members plus the advisor or his designee.)
In the event of a cabinet meeting to consider the removal of an officer, a quorum shall consist of all cabinet members except the officer in question.

Article VII:Committees

Section 1: Standing Committees:

There will be two standing committees of this organization:

The Nominating Committee. This committee will be chaired by the president or, if the president is up for re-election, another cabinet member not up for re-election. In the event that all cabinet members are up for re-election, the advisor will appoint a senior (or graduate student at the end of their program) member to chair the Nomination Committee. This committee will consist of all cabinet members, the advisor, and two members at large: one appointed by the cabinet and one appointed by the advisor. This committee’s duties are to return a full slate of at least one nominee who has accepted the nomination for each officer position as outlined in Article V
The Membership Committee. This committee will be chaired by the Membership Chairperson, and will consist of at least the Secretary and Treasurer. Other cabinet members may participate as needed. The duties of this committee are to recruit members, collect dues and membership forms, and maintain the membership rolls of this organization

Section 2: Ad hoc committees:

Other committees may be formed by the president, the advisor, or a majority vote of the cabinet as deemed necessary. Any member in good standing may serve on these committees.

Article VIII: Amendments:

This constitution may be amended or changed as is necessary for the functioning of the club. The process for amending this constitution is as follows:

Any member in good standing may request an amendment. This request is submitted to the president in writing, or via e-mail.
At the next cabinet meeting, the cabinet will consider the amendment and create an official proposal of the amendment. This must be approved by the advisor and a majority vote of the cabinet.
The official proposal will be e-mailed to the membership of the club.
Within one week, members may respond via e-mail with their vote, either to amend the constitution or to leave the constitution unchanged. If at least 2/3rds of those responding vote to approve the change, the amendment becomes part of the official constitution and the amendment is reported to the Student Government Association. If the amendment fails to pass, it may be considered at a later time.

Article IX: Special Membership Clause

For the purposes of beginning this chapter at HoughtonCollege, students may be accepted as members for the 2004-2005 school year by expressing their interest in participation to the membership chairperson via e-mail at any time leading up to the start of elections. These members would not become part of the national organization and would not be charged dues. However, any members accepted by expressing interest may vote in the elections held at the close of the Spring 2005 semester. Any member admitted by expressing interest and wishing to run for office in this election must make a good faith promise to join the HC ACDA beginning in September of 2005.

This clause will cease to function at the beginning of the 2005-2006 academic year and will be removed from the constitution at that time.

Written and prepared by Josh Stamp. Reviewed by COSO on March 3, 2005. Reviewed and approved by the Senate on March 8, 2005.

Kevin Thompson

Vice President, SGA

2004-2005