Maine Music Teachers Association
Bylaws
ARTICLE I – MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. MaineMTA strongly encourages its members to adopt the MTNA Code of Ethics as their personal model of professional conduct.
Section 2. Active Membership shall be open to all individuals professionally engaged in any field of music activity. Those persons holding Active Membership shall be entitled to participate in all Association activities and programs, to vote, hold office, and receive the official Association publications. Husband-wife dual members pay one and a half times the current state dues, but individually are entitled to the privileges of active membership. Senior members (age 70 and older) are entitled to all the privileges of active members, but pay half the current state dues.
Section 3. Student Membership shall be open to all full-time college students currently involved in music study. Student members shall be entitled to attend programs of the Association upon payment of the registration fee and to receive the official Association publications, but shall not have the right to vote, hold office, or enter students into MTNA or MaineMTA competitions.
Section 4. Honorary Membership shall be conferred by the membership upon recommendation of the Executive Board upon those who have rendered outstanding service to the organization, students, and profession in the state. Honorary members shall have all rights and privileges of an active member without paying state dues.
Section 5. Patron Membership shall be open to all individuals and businesses who give $500 or more to support the programs of the Association. Patron members shall be entitled to attend programs of the Association, and to receive the official Association publications, but shall not have the right to vote or hold office.
ARTICLE II – REVOCATION OF MEMBERSHIP
No person who has been convicted of a crime involving the sexual or other abuse of a person shall be a member of the MaineMTA. Any accusation that a member of the MaineMTA has been convicted of a crime involving sexual or other abuse of a person shall be reported to the President of the MaineMTA, who shall immediately report the accusation to the President of the 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 the 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 the MTNA.
Any membership terminated under this section shall be reinstated upon the filing with the MTNA 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. However, in order to be listed in the annual MaineMTA Directory and receive the biannual newsletter, renewals of annual dues must be paid by September 1.
ARTICLE V – ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Section 1. A Nominating Committee shall be created no later than three months before the election of officers in even-numbered years to nominate MaineMTA officers. This committee shall consist of the Immediate Past President who will serve as chair and who will select three Active Members of the Association who are not officers of the Association.
The nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of not more than two (2) candidates for each office. This slate shall appear in an issue of the official Association publication at least sixty (60) days before the date of the annual meeting of the Association.
Section 2. The Active Members of the MaineMTA shall elect by a majority vote the officers of the Association. Nominations from the floor shall be allowed, provided the nominee is eligible for lection and has consented to be a candidate. This consent must be given in writing or given in person at the meeting. Election by the members must be by secret ballot; each office shall be voted on separately. In the event of only one nominee for an office the President may recommend election by general consent. The election shall take place at the annual session of the members in even-numbered years.
Section 3. The President-Elect, upon completion of his or her term of office, shall become 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 4. Each officer shall be elected for a term of two years. No officer may serve more than two consecutive terms.
Section 5. The term of office commences upon adjournment of the annual session of the Association in even-numbered years.
Section 6. No officer may hold a national, division, or state office concurrently except the Immediate Past President.
Section 7. A vacancy in any office, except that of President, shall be filled by the President in consultation and with the approval of the Executive Board. A President-Elect selected in this manner cannot assume the office of President without being elected to that office.
ARTICLE VI – DUTIES OF MAINEMTA OFFICERS
Section 1. The President shall be the principal elective officer of the Association and shall preside at meetings of the Association and the Executive board. He or she shall appoint all standing and ad hoc committees. The President shall serve as a member ex officio of all committees except the Nominating committee. He or she shall perform such other duties applicable to the office as prescribed by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Association.
Section 2. The President-Elect shall assume all duties of the President in the absence of that officer. He or she shall make all arrangements for the state level of the annual MTNA competitions. The President-Elect shall also perform such other duties applicable to the office as prescribed by the parliamentary authority adopted by the association.
Section 3. The Vice President for Membership shall preside in the absence of the President and President-Elect, shall coordinate all activity relating to recruitment, retention and development of members, and perform such other duties applicable to the office as prescribed by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Association.
Section 4. The Vice President for Programs shall preside in the absence of the President, President-Elect, and the Vice President for Membership, shall be responsible for planning a biennial fall conference, secure the featured artists and speakers, serve as host to the convention artists, and perform such other duties relating to the convention 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 or she shall be responsible for the preparation of periodic reports to the Executive Board, a written annual report to the entire membership, and perform such other duties applicable to the office as prescribed by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Association.
Section 6. The Secretary shall record the minutes of all meetings of the Executive Board and the Association, shall distribute copies of minutes in legal form to all members of the Executive Board, and perform such other duties applicable to the office as prescribed by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Association.
ARTICLE VII – AFFILIATED LOCAL ASSOCIATIONS
Section 1. Any city, town, or district music teachers association may petition to the Executive Board for affiliation in MaineMTA by providing evidence that the following requirements have been fulfilled:
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That two (2) copies of the Local Association governing document(s) (e.g., Constitution, Bylaws) have been filed with the Secretary and that they are consistent with those of MaineMTA.
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That it guarantees on the basis of submitted membership rosters that one hundred percent (100%) of its members who meet the requirements of MTNA and MaineMTA Active Membership and one hundred percent (100%) of its student members who meet the requirements of MTNA and MaineMTA Student Membership are members in good standing of MTNA and MaineMTA.
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That its fiscal and membership year coincide with that of MaineMTA.
Section 2. Upon determining that a petitioning local music teachers association has fulfilled the requirement of Section One (1) of the Article, MaineMTA shall approve the petition.
Section 3. In referring to its affiliation, each Local Association shall use the phrase “Affiliated with the Maine Music Teachers Association”. This specified phrase shall be included in the constitutions of all affiliated Local Associations.
Section 4. Annual renewal of a Local Association shall be made without reconsideration by MaineMTA provided:
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That the affiliated has not formally notified MaineMTA that it wishes to discontinue affiliation.
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That all changes in the Constitution and Bylaws of the affiliated Local Association have been filed with MaineMTA, that they are consistent with the Constitution and Bylaws of MaineMTA, and have been approved by MaineMTA.
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That all provisions of Sections One (1) and Four (4) of this Article continue to be fulfilled.
Section 5. A non-member may attend one local association meeting per year for two consecutive years. After these two meetings, the non-member is not eligible to attend any local association meeting or event without becoming a member of MTNA and MaineMTA. At no time may a non-member teacher present any students at a local association meeting or event.
ARTICLE VIII – STANDING COMMITTEES
The President, subject to the Approval of the Executive Board, shall appoint such committees and chairpersons as may be required or be deemed beneficial to the Association. All chairpersons are appointed to serve a term of two years. No chairperson may serve more than three consecutive terms.
ARTICLE IX – AMENDMENTS
Section 1. These Bylaws may be emended upon the recommendation of the Executive Board by a majority vote of the Executive Board. Written notice of the proposed amendment(s) must be submitted to the Executive Board at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the meeting.
Section 2. After any amendment to the constitution or bylaws of the state association, an amended copy must be filed with MTNA who checks to see if it is harmonious with the MTNA constitution and bylaws.
Revised July 2024