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 Texas Choral Directors Association



Constitution and Bylaws

ARTICLE I Name

The name of this organization shall be the Texas Choral Directors Association; an Affiliated State Association of the American Choral Directors Association; henceforth referred to in this constitution as the TCDA.

ARTICLE II Purpose

The purpose of the TCDA shall be to secure and to maintain statewide cooperation within the choral directing profession in order:

A. To achieve the highest standards of education through the medium of choral music.
B. To improve the professional status of choral directors.
C. To promote cultural, intellectual, material, social, and civic interests within the profession.
D. To create statewide good will, good fellowship, and fraternal spirit.
E. To advise and counsel with the Texas Education Agency and the Texas Music Educators Association on matters of educational and professional interests.
F. To promote annually a state-wide new music reading clinic which includes workshops for elementary teachers, church musicians, and school choral directors.
G. To foster and promote membership in and activities of the American Choral Directors Association.

ARTICLE III Membership

Membership in the TCDA shall be classified as follows:

A. TCDA-ACDA Active Membership: Any person who is actively engaged as a teacher, director, consultant, or supervisor of choral music, who desires to partake of and enhance the purpose of the TCDA, who pays the prescribed dues, and who after proper application procedures is accepted as an Active Member in the American Choral Directors Association, may become a full active member.
B. TCDA Active Membership: Any person who is actively engaged as a teacher, director, consultant, or supervisor of choral music, who desires to partake of or enhance the purposes of the TCDA, who pays the prescribed dues may become a TCDA Active Member.
C. TCDA Student Membership: Any student who is actively enrolled in a choral music program at an accredited junior college, college, or university, who desires to partake of or enhance the purposes of the TCDA, and who pays the prescribed dues may become a Student Member.
D. TCDA Associate Membership: Any person who is retired and /or interested in the objectives of the TCDA is eligible for Associate Membership. Privileges accorded the Associate Member shall be the same as those for the Active Member, except for voting and the right to hold office in the TCDA. Transfer of an Associate Member to Active may be made upon compliance with requirements and procedures for Active Membership. Any person who pays the prescribed dues after proper application procedures may become an Associate Member.
E. TCDA Retired Membership: Any person who is retired from the teaching, directing, consulting, or supervising of choral music, who desires to partake of or enhance the purposes of the TCDA, and who pays the prescribed dues may become a TCDA Retired Member.
F. TCDA Sustaining Membership: Any institution of faith or learning, any commercial concern whose products pertain to choral music activities, shall become a Sustaining Member of the TCDA upon payment of the prescribed dues.
G. TCDA Life Membership: Any Active Member who has served a term as the president of the TCDA will be extended the privilege of Life Membership in the TCDA. Past presidents of the TCDA will have their TCDA membership dues and registration fees waived.
H. TCDA Honorary Membership: Any person whom the TCDA wishes to honor, or whose counsel is desired, or who has retired from active directing for any reason, and who by his deeds and actions evidences a profound and sympathetic interest in the welfare of the TCDA, may become a non-voting Honorary Member upon recommendation of the TCDA Board of Directors.
I. Privileges of voting and serving as an officer are accorded to TCDA-ACDA Active, TCDA Active, and TCDA Life Members only.

ARTICLE IV Organization

A. This organization shall be constituted as a non-profit, educational organization.
B. The fundamental authority and responsibility of the TCDA shall reside in the corporate active membership and shall be exercised by the free expression and vote of each individual member, by representative legislative powers vested in the Board of Directors, and by the executive powers delegated to the officers.
C. Neither the Board of Directors, nor any member thereof, nor any appointed officer or representative of the TCDA, nor any member shall be required to accept financial responsibility for duly authorized activities of the TCDA carried on in good faith and in pursuit of the purposes and activities prescribed or authorized by the Constitution.

ARTICLE V Dues and Fees

A. TCDA Active Membership -- $50.00 per yea.r
B. TCDA Student Membership -- $20.00 per year.
C. TCDA Associate Membership -- $50.00 per year.
D. TCDA Retired Membership -- $25.00 per year.
E. TCDA Sustaining Membership for Exhibitor and/or Advertiser -- $60.00 per year. Non-Exhibitor/Advertiser -- $60.00 per year.
F. Registration fee for the annual new music reading clinic-convention shall be set by the TCDA Board of Directors.
G. The annual period for which payment of the membership dues shall be applied shall be June 1 - May 31.

ARTICLE VI Officers

Officers of the TCDA shall be: President, President-Elect, High School Division Vice-President, Middle School/Junior High Division Vice-President, Elementary Division Vice-President, Church Vice-President, College/Community Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, Immediate Past President, and Executive Director, ex officio.

ARTICLE VII Nominations and Election to Office

A. Nomination Procedures:
1. The nominating committee will present a slate of nominees to the general membership at the business meeting of the annual new music reading clinic-convention one year prior to the election to office.
2. Nominations from the floor will be accepted at that meeting and/or at the TCDA meeting scheduled during the Texas Music Educators Association Convention after which the nominations will be closed.
3. Nominations will be opened from the floor on election day only if there is only one candidate for office.
4. Subject to completion of the appropriate terms, the nominees for office will be selected from their respective area of emphasis as follows:
President-Elect – Membership at Large
High School Division Vice-President – High School 
Middle School/Junior High Division Vice-President — Middle School/Junior High
Elementary Division Vice-President – Elementary 
Church Division Vice-President – Church
College/Community Vice-President – Community and/or College
Secretary-Treasurer – Membership at Large
B. Election Procedures:
1. The election to office shall be a majority vote by ballot of the voting membership present at the annual new music reading clinic each year or by absentee vote as prescribed by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE VIII Term of Office

A. Officers will be elected for the following terms of office:
1. President, High School Division Vice-President, College/community Vice-President, and Middle School/Junior High Division Vice-President, during odd numbered years for two-year terms.
2. Church Division Vice-President, Elementary Division Vice-President, and Secretary-Treasurer during even numbered years for two-year terms.
3. President-Elect during even numbered years for a one-year term. At the end of this special one-year term, President-Elect shall serve the regular two-year term as President. The President-Elect may also hold any other position on the Board of Directors.
B. No officer, after completing a two-year term of office, may be re-elected to the same office in the following term.
C. The President, at the end of his term of office, if he is not elected to another office, will be retained on the Board of Directors as a voting member for a two-year term.
D. Any officer, while holding an office, may be appointed to another office which may be open at the time, in which case his successor will be appointed for the balance of the original term only.
E. A vacancy in the office of President shall be filled by the Immediate Past President for the remainder of the term.
F. Vacancies which occur in an office of the TCDA shall be filled through appointment by the President. The appointment shall be for the duration of the unexpired term.

ARTICLE IX Duties of Officers

A. The duties of the President shall be: to preside at all meetings of the TCDA; to appoint a Ways and Means Committee and its chairman; to appoint special committees and their chairmen; to serve as an ex officio member of the special committees; to call special meetings of the TCDA; to transact necessary business of the TCDA between general meetings; to be responsible for the general welfare of the TCDA; to serve as chairman of the Board of Directors; to call and preside over meetings of the Board of Directors; to appoint a member to fill any vacant office occurring during the President's term of office; and to serve as the Texas President in the Assembly of State Chairmen and Presidents of the American Choral Directors Association.
B. The duties of the High School Division Vice-President shall be: to preside at general TCDA meetings of the Board of Directors in the absence of the President; to host the annual new music reading clinic-convention sessions and secure guest conductor(s) as prescribed by the Board of Directors; to serve as a member of the Board of Directors; to provide written progress reports of the duties of this office as requested by the President; and to implement directives specified by the President.
C. The duties of the Middle School/Junior High Division Vice-President shall be: to host the Middle School/Junior High sessions of the annual new music reading clinic-convention; to secure clinician(s) and establish workshop(s) as prescribed by the Board of Directors; to serve as Parliamentarian; to appoint a Hospitality Committee and its chairman, and to serve as an ex officio member of that committee; to serve as a member of the Board of Directors; to provide written progress reports of the duties of this office as requested by the President; and to implement directives specified by the President. 
D. The duties of the Elementary Division Vice-President shall be: to host the elementary sessions of the annual new music reading clinic-convention; to secure clinician(s) and establish workshop(s) for the elementary division as prescribed by the Board of Directors; to serve as liaison between the TCDA and the elementary division of the TMEA and other state and church elementary music organizations; to serve as member of the Board of Directors; to provide written progress reports of the duties of this office as requested by the President; and to implement directives specified by the President.
E. The duties of the Church Division Vice-President shall be: to host and/or direct the church division of the annual new music reading clinic-convention; to secure clinician(s) as prescribed by the Board of Directors; to serve as a member of the Board of Directors; to provide written progress reports of the duties of this office as requested by the President; and to implement directives specified by the President. 
F. The duties of the College/Community Division Vice-President shall be: to host and/or direct the College/Community division of the annual new music reading clinic-convention; to secure clinician(s) as prescribed by the Board of Directors; to serve as a member of the Board of Directors; to provide written progress reports of the duties of this office as requested by the President; and to implement directives specified by the President.
G. The duties of the Secretary/Treasurer shall be: to keep accurate records of all proceedings of general meetings; to collect dues; to keep accurate records of all receipts and expenditures to be audited at the annual new music reading clinic-convention; to file a financial report at the TCDA annual meeting; to serve as Chairman of Registration for the annual new music reading clinic-convention; to serve as a member of the Board of Directors; to provide written progress reports of the duties of this office as requested by the President; and to implement directives specified by the President.
H. The duties of the Immediate Past President shall be: to serve as liaison between the TCDA and the Texas Education Agency, the Texas Music Educators Association, and other state, church, music education, and choral organizations; to serve as a member of the Board of Directors and to provide written progress reports of the duties of this office as requested by the President; and to implement directives specified by the President.
I. The duties of the President-Elect shall be to perform tasks and serve on committees as assigned by the President, and to serve as a member of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE X Board of Directors

The TCDA Board of Directors shall consist of the President, High School Division Vice-President, Middle School/Junior High Division Vice-President, Elementary Division Vice-President, Church Division Vice-President, College/community Division Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer, Immediate Past President, and the Executive Director, and, in even numbered years, the President-Elect. Duties of the Board of Directors will be as follows:
A. Make plans for carrying out the ideals and the purposes of the TCDA.
B. Provide for the general good and welfare of the membership at large.
C. Transact such business as is referred to it by the TCDA in general session.
D. Establish a contractual agreement with the Executive Director.