Constitution of the Community Theatre Association of Michigan_Article I — Name
The name of this organization shall be the “COMMUNITY THEATRE ASSOCIATION OF MICHIGAN.”
Article II — Purpose
The purpose of this Association shall be to foster a closer relationship among its members, the community theatres of the State of Michigan; to encourage high standards of theatrical production; to stimulate interest in theatre in Michigan; to provide a means for exchange of ideas and information about theatrical production, acting, playwriting and theater arts; and to promote and provide education in the theatre arts.
Article III — Membership
Membership in this Association is open to all community theatre organizations, community theatre councils and to individuals in the State of Michigan. All past presidents of the Community Theatre Association of Michigan, in recognition of their services to the organization, shall be made life members and such award of life membership shall be made in the calendar year following their last year of tenure as president, subject to the approval of the Board. The Board of Directors may present honorary life memberships to other individuals it considers deserving of the honor.
Article IV — Board of Directors and Officers
The Board of Directors of this Association shall consist of nine (9) members, each elected for a three (3) year term, with three (3) members elected each year. The officers of this Association shall be at least a president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer. No members of the Board of Directors can hold office for more than two consecutive terms of three (3) years.
Article V — Annual Meeting
The Annual Meeting of this Association shall take place each Fall at a site determined by the Board of Directors and designated by the previous Annual meeting. Bylaws shall be drawn by a committee appointed by the president, and these Bylaws shall be ratified by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of member groups present, and shall be the governing rules of this organization so long as they are consistent with this Constitution.
Article VI — Bylaws
The Bylaws may be amended at any meeting of the Association by a majority vote of those member groups present and voting thereon; provided such proposed amendment has been submitted in writing to each member group at least one month prior to the meeting and provided that notice of such meeting shall include notice of the proposed amendment.
Article VII — Constitution
This Constitution may be [rescinded or] amended by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of those member groups present and voting at any annual meeting, provided that such proposed amendment has been submitted in writing to each member group at least one month prior to the annual meeting, and provided that notice of such meeting shall include notice of the proposed amendment.
Article VIII — Dissolution
In the event of dissolution, all assets real and personal, shall be distributed to such organizations as are qualified as tax exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or the corresponding provisions of a future United States Internal Revenue Law.
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Revised September, 2004
Bylaws of the Community Theatre Association of Michigan
Article I — Membership
Membership in this Association shall be open to such theatre organizations within the state of Michigan as conform to the following definition of community theatre: one which has a regular schedule of theatrical productions voluntarily participated in, and for the enjoyment of the membership and the general public. It is controlled by a Board of Directors duly elected by the membership and may or may not have a paid executive staff.
Original membership shall be granted to those qualified theatre organizations who shall be enrolled on or before July 1, 1951. Thereafter, the Board of Directors upon application, payment of dues and approval of qualifications shall grant membership.
Member theatres that shall fail to keep in force the membership qualifications in any fiscal year shall stand suspended from all activities until such qualifications are met.
Associate, non-voting membership shall be open to interested individuals upon payment of associate membership dues.
Community Theatre Council membership shall be open to interested Community Theatre Councils as approved by the Board of Directors.
Arts Council membership shall be open to any interested Arts Councils as approved by the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors may grant honorary life membership to individuals.
The Ooportunity for membership in the association or to participate in, or receive the benefits of, the Association’s programs, shall be without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, or sexual orientation.
Article II — Dues
The organization’s fiscal year shall start on January 1 and end the following December 31. The annual dues of member groups must be paid by the annual fall meeting in order for member groups to vote at the Annual Meeting. The delegates at an annual meeting or a special meeting called by the Board of Directors and published two months before the next Annual Meeting will establish any changes in the schedule of dues and charges.
Article III — Annual Meetings
A. The Annual Meeting of the Association shall be held in accordance with Article V
o f the Constitution.B. Other meetings may be held at the request of the Board of Directors, or upon request in writing of any six-member groups. The Board of Directors shall determine the place and time of such meeting.
C. Notice of all meetings of the Association shall be given in writing at least two weeks in advance of such meeting.
Article IV — VotingA. At all meetings of the Association, each member group shall be entitled to two delegates, each delegate present entitled to one vote on all propositions brought before such meeting.
B. At all meetings, a quorum shall be constituted by the presence of 12 or more member groups in good standing.
Article V — Officers
A. The officers designated in the Constitution shall be elected at the first properly called meeting of the Board of Directors following each Annual Meeting and shall be elected from within the Board of Directors and shall hold office for a term of one (1) year or until their successors are elected. The person being elected to the office of president must have served one full year of an elected term prior to being elected. An individual may serve as president for no more than three (3) consecutive years.
B. Duties:
1. The duties of the officers shall be those normally associated with the designation of such position.
2. The vice-president shall be on the committee planning any and all conventions and festivals and shall render to the Board of Directors an accurate accounting of all planning and expenditures of said convention.
3. The executive committee shall be composed of president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer. All actions of the executive committee are subject to approval of the entire Board of Directors at its next meeting.
C. The elected members of the Board of Directors may be reimbursed for some expenses.
Article VI — Board of Directors
A. The Board of Directors of this Association shall be constituted by those elected by the general membership at the Annual Meeting.
B. The Board of Directors shall have the power to:
Expand the Association’s membership.
Fill all vacancies in the Association’s officers.
Appoint special committees from time to time, as it deems necessary and expedient and define their duties.
Direct the expenditures of the funds of the Association.
Execute all actions and decisions taken by the membership at the Association’s Annual Meeting or special meetings.Remove a member of the Board due to failure to attend Board meetings, failure to show interest in the activities of the organization, or conduct that may injure the good name of the organization, disturb its well being, or hamper it in its work.
The Board shall then fill said vacancy and the newly appointed member of the Board shall serve with full voting privileges until the next Annual Meeting of the Association at which time a special election shall be held to fill that vacancy.
C. The Board of Directors shall meet not less than four times in each calendar year, in addition to the Convention Board meetings, at a location to be selected by the President. Additional meetings shall be held upon the call of the President, or at the request in writing of any six members of the Association, provided such request shall include the reason therefore.
D. Notice of all meetings of the Board of Directors shall be given in writing at least ten days before such meetings.
E. At all meetings of the Board of Directors, the presence of five (5) voting members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum.
F. In the event a theatre group resigns from membership in the Association or loses its membership for whatever reason and thus ceases to be a member of the Association and one of said theatre group’s members is a member of the Board of Directors of the Association, that member of the Board must join another member group within thirty (30) days) or be automatically dropped from membership on the Board of Directors and the vacancy thus created shall be filled by an appointment by the remaining members of the Board of Directors, said new member to serve with full voting privileges until the next Annual Meeting of the Association at which time a special election shall be held to fill the vacancy on the Board of Directors.
Article VII — Standing Committees
A. Nominating Committee: The Nominating Committee shall consist of three (3) members appointed by the Board of Directors, one of whom is an elected member of the Board. It shall be the duty of this committee to prepare a slate of candidates for the Board of Directors for the succeeding year selected from recommendations submitted by member groups or individuals.
B. Long Range Planning: The Long Range Planning Committee shall consist of at least four (4) members, the chairman being an elected member of the Board of Directors. (The Board shall appoint the chairman, who shall in turn appoint the remaining members.) It shall be the duty of the committee to recommend 1-5 year goals for the Association to review, to update those goals yearly, and to provide an annual report to the membership. The Board may meet as a committee-of-the-whole for this purpose.
Article VIII — Election Proceedings
The Annual election of the Board of Directors shall be conducted in the manner cited below:
The Nominating Committee shall present a slate of at least three (3) nominees but no more than five (5) nominees.
Nominations will be accepted from the floor.
Each delegate present shall be entitled to one vote for each vacancy.
Election to fill unexpired terms shall be voted separate from and after the election to fill the three-year terms.
Article IX — Parliamentary Procedure
At all meetings of the Association and/or the Board of Directors, parliamentary procedure shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order.
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Revised, September 2004