NCMEA Constitution and Bylaws

NCMEA Constitution

NCMEA Constitution PDF version

ARTICLE I – NAME AND RELATIONSHIPS

The name of the organization shall be the North Carolina Music Educators Association (NCMEA), a federated unit of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) and shall remain in a close relationship with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, NAfME, as well as other arts and educational organizations in accordance with its Bylaws.

ARTICLE II – MISSION AND FUNCTIONS

MISSION:  To advance music education by promoting the understanding and making of music by all.

The purpose for which the NCMEA is organized and operated is exclusively literary and educational, as defined in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and its regulations as they now exist or as they may hereafter be amended.

In furtherance thereof, NCMEA may hold conferences, symposia, and other meetings; publish journals, books, and other publications; seek and accept grants, gifts, and contracts for any of the said foregoing purposes; and exclusively for the public benefit, use, publish, and otherwise make available to the general public on a nondiscriminatory basis the results of its collection of information deriving from the foregoing activities. NCMEA may conduct any and all other activities in accordance with its Bylaws, which are designed to accomplish the foregoing mission.

ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP

Membership in NCMEA may be divided into such classifications for annual membership dues or for such other purposes as the Bylaws may prescribe or as the NCMEA Board of Directors may from time to time designate. The conditions, terms, privileges, rights, and duties of membership shall be stated or provided for in the Bylaws of NCMEA.

ARTICLE IV – GOVERNMENT

The Board of Directors shall be the legal representative of NCMEA and as such shall have, hold, and administer all the property, funds, and affairs of NCMEA. Provisions for the regulation of the internal affairs of NCMEA shall be provided for in the Bylaws of NCMEA.

ARTICLE V – ELECTIONS

The manner of the election or appointment of the members of the Board of Directors shall be provided for in the Bylaws of NCMEA.

ARTICLE VI – DISPOSITION OF ASSETS IN CASE OF DISSOLUTION

In the event of dissolution or termination of NCMEA, the Board of Directors shall, after the payment

ARTICLE VII – AMENDMENTS

The Constitution of NCMEA may be amended with the approval of two-thirds of the majority present at a regular meeting of NCMEA, or by a simple majority of the electronic/land mail.

Proposed amendments to the Constitution must be distributed from the Board of Directors to all members who are eligible to vote, at least thirty days in advance of the closing date designated by the Board of Directors.

Proposed: 6 Aug 16
Adopted: 8 Nov 16

NCMEA Bylaws

NCMEA Bylaws PDF Version
(Updated 3/26/2022)

ARTICLE I – MEMBERSHIP

Section 1.  Active Educator

  1. Eligibility. Active membership shall be open to any individual engaged in music education who is a member of NAfME.
  2. Privileges. Each active member shall have the right to vote and hold office. Only students taught by active members of NCMEA shall have the right to participate in activities operated under the jurisdiction of NCMEA.
  3. Services. Each active member shall have the right to receive a subscription to NCMEA periodicals and other communication services deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.

Section 2.  Collegiate Membership

  1. Eligibility. Collegiate Membership is offered as provided by the constitution of NAfME.
  2. Privileges. Collegiate members shall have the same privileges as active members except the right to vote or hold office in NCMEA. Only the elected Collegiate Chair will have the right to vote and hold office as a member of the NCMEA Board of Directors.
  3. Services. Each Collegiate member shall have the right to receive a subscription to NCMEA periodicals and other communication services deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.

Section 3.  Honorary Life Membership

  1. Eligibility. Honorary Life membership shall be conferred by the Board of Directors.
  2. Privileges. Honorary Life members shall have the same privileges as active members except the right to vote or hold office.
  3. Services. Each Honorary Life member shall have the right to receive a subscription to NCMEA periodicals and other communication services deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.

Section 4.  Retired Membership

  1. Eligibility. Retired membership may be granted to an individual who was formerly engaged in music education and who was a former active member of NAfME.
  2. Privileges. Each Retired member shall have the right to vote and hold office.
  3. Services. Each Retired member shall have the right to receive a subscription to NCMEA periodicals and other communication services deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.

Section 5.  Associate Membership

  1. Eligibility. Associate membership may be granted to any individual employed as an arts administrator but not actively engaged in the teaching of music.
  2. Privileges. Associate members shall have the same privileges as active members except the right to vote, hold office or participate in NCMEA student events.
  3. Services. Each Associate member shall have the right to receive a subscription to NCMEA periodicals and other communication services deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.

Section 6. Introductory Membership

  1. Eligibility. Introductory membership shall be open to persons in their first year of full-time teaching who have been Collegiate members during the preceding school year. The membership shall be limited to one membership year.
  2. Privileges. Introductory members shall have the same privileges as active members.
  3. Services. Each Introductory member shall have the right to receive a subscription to NCMEA periodicals and other communication services deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE II – DUES 

The NCMEA Board of Directors shall set the amount of annual NCMEA state dues for active membership. Changes in the amount of dues for active membership may not be enacted more frequently than once per year and may not exceed $3.00 per year. Any increase in excess of this amount shall be approved by a two-thirds vote of the NCMEA Board of Directors. The amount of dues for other categories of membership shall be based upon the active membership dues as follows, rounded off upward to the nearest dollar.

Section 1. Active Membership dues cover a period of one year beginning with the initial enrollment date.
Section 2. Retired Membership dues shall be 1/3 of Active Membership dues.
Section 3. Collegiate Membership dues are set by the Board of Directors but may not exceed 1/3 of Active Membership dues.
Section 4. Introductory Membership dues shall be 50% of Active Membership dues.

ARTICLE III – GOVERNMENT

Section 1. Authority. Authority for the management, policies, and actions of NCMEA is vested in the NCMEA Board of Directors. As presiding officer of NCMEA, the President is responsible for the leadership of NCMEA. The NCMEA Board of Directors and NCMEA individual members may make recommendations to the NCMEA Board regarding management, policies, and actions. NCMEA shall be governed by the NCMEA Constitution, Bylaws and Policies and Procedures. “Roberts Rules of Order Revised” shall be the parliamentary authority for NCMEA on matters not governed by “Cannon’s Concise Guide to Rules of Order” or the Constitution, Bylaws or Policies and Procedures of NCMEA.

Section 2. The Officers, elected by the general membership of NCMEA and serving a term of two years will be;

A. The President. The President shall preside at meetings of NCMEA, enforce due observance of the Constitution and Bylaws, Policies and Procedures; call meetings of NCMEA, Executive Committee, and Board of Directors; represent the NCMEA by attending state, division and national meetings as well as planning conferences to represent the NCMEA; and appoint committees not otherwise provided for in the Bylaws. The President serves as an ex-officio member of other standing committees. When immediate action is necessary, he/she shall be empowered to act with the concurrence of the Executive Committee.

B. The President-Elect. The President Elect shall perform all duties of the President in the event of the absence of the President. The President-Elect represents the NCMEA by attending state, division and national meetings as well as planning conferences to represent the NCMEA and, generally, to prepare to assume the office of President. The President-Elect shall advance automatically to the Presidency.

C. The Immediate Past President. The Immediate Past President shall serve as consultant to the President; He/She represents the NCMEA by attending state, division and national meetings as well as planning conferences to represent the NCMEA. The Immediate Past President will perform other duties as are assigned to the office by the President and/or the Board of Directors.

D. The Recording Secretary. The Recording Secretary shall record the minutes of all meetings, file permanent records with the Executive Director and the Historian, and act as secretary to the Board of Directors.

E. The Member-At-Large. Two Members-At-Large serve on the Board of Directors as representatives of the general membership of NCMEA.

Section 3. Officers elected by NCMEA district or section membership serving a term of two years shall be:

A. The Section Chair. The Section Chair is elected by the members of a section to be responsible for the orderly carrying out of the section activities and programs and to represent the interest of the section in the larger business of the Association.

B. The Section Delegate: The Band, Orchestra, and Jazz Section Delegate will be the opposite teaching assignment as the current Section Chair.  If the teaching assignment of the current Section Chair is High School, then the Delegate will be Middle School and vice-versa.

C. The District President. The District President is elected by the members of NCMEA working in a geographical district to represent the professional and regional ideas and problems of the district on the Board of Directors.

Section 4. Officers, appointed by and serving terms at the discretion of the President, will be:

A. The Editor. The Editor shall gather, edit, and coordinate the creation, publication and distribution of periodicals and other forms of regular communication and information about NCMEA.

B. The Historian. The Historian shall collect and maintain all information and materials of lasting value pertaining to the history of the North Carolina State Music Teacher Association (NCSMTA), North Carolina Music Educators Conference (NCMEC), and NCMEA.

C. The Music Industry Representative. The Music Industry Representative represents and relays concerns from music dealers and other In-Service Conference exhibitors to the NCMEA Board.

D. The Parliamentarian assists the President and members of the Board to conduct the business of the meetings of the Board in an orderly fashion and in accordance with the Constitution, Bylaws and the Policy and Procedures of NCMEA.

E. The Collegiate Chapter Advisor. The Collegiate Chapter Advisor is appointed to encourage and assist Collegiate members and chapters.

Section 5. Ex-Officio. A Representative from the State Department of Public Instruction. The A Representative from the State Department of Public Instruction is a member of the Board by virtue of his/her position as state arts education staff. The representative shall inform the membership about state-wide activities in the arts as well as other public educational concerns. Furthermore, he/she shall keep the membership informed as to North Carolina fiscal and legislative policies and procedures affecting the status of music education in North Carolina.

Section 6. The Board of Directors of NCMEA shall consist of the following, each having one vote: The President; the President-Elect; the Immediate Past President; the Recording Secretary; the duly elected Section Chairs of the Band, High School Choral, Middle School Choral, Collegiate, Elementary, Higher Education, Jazz, and Orchestra sections; the duly elected Delegates representing the Band, Jazz, and Orchestra sections: two Members-at-Large; and the District Presidents. In addition, the Board of Directors shall include these non-voting members: The Appointive Officers, Committee Chairs, Ex-Officio Officers, and at the discretion of the board, may include, as non-voting members, the Commission Chairs.

Further, The Board of Directors of NCMEA shall administer the business and educational affairs of the Association, have the responsibility for its general policies and program of activities, fill vacancies in offices by temporary appointments pending regular elections, and plan and develop effective means of promoting music education by working closely with the districts of NCMEA.

Section 7. The Executive Committee shall be responsible for the business management and control of the funds thereof, providing an NCMEA office, fix the time and place of annual meetings and cooperate with the President in planning the details of such meetings, represent and act for the Board of Directors in the intervals between meetings of that body, provide for an annual review of the financial statements by an outside accounting firm of the Association, conduct an annual review of the Executive Director, supervise all elections such that only active and retired members shall cast secret ballots, and be responsible to the Board of Directors for implementing the established policies of the NCMEA.

Section 8. Limitation of Responsibility of the Officers. The authority and responsibility for the management and for the maintenance of the good will and credit of NCMEA is vested in the Board of Directors, but it is expressly understood that neither the Board, nor any member thereof, nor any staff member, nor any member of NCMEA shall be required to accept personal financial responsibility for duly authorized bills or obligations, or for litigations that may develop from authorized activities of the organization carried on in good faith and in pursuit of the objectives, purposes, and activities prescribed or authorized by the Constitution, Bylaws or Policies and Procedures of NCMEA.

Section 9. Vacancies in the office of the President, President-Elect, Recording Secretary, or on the Executive Committee, shall be filled, upon the recommendation of the President or acting president, by and at the discretion of the Board of Directors until an election for the unexpired term is held at the next general meeting or by electronic/land mail if the next meeting is more than six months distant. If the President-Elect is unable to assume the office of President at the appointed time, a President shall be elected by the membership.

ARTICLE IV – ADMINISTRATION

Section 1. The Executive Director is an employee of NCMEA and is an ex-officio member of the Executive Board and the Board of Directors. Responsibilities are outlined in the Job Description of the NCMEA Policies and Procedures. Duties, compensation and continued employment shall be determined by the Board of Directors, upon annual review.

ARTICLE V – ELECTIONS

Section 1. The President, the President-Elect, the Recording Secretary and both Members-at-Large shall be elected by electronic ballot the 2 weeks prior to the close of voting during Conference in odd-numbered years. Installation shall be held in conjunction with the annual Conference.

Section 2. The Nominating Committee composed of not less than five members, one of which is the chair, shall be appointed by the Board of Directors no later than the Winter Board Meeting in odd-numbered years. The Nominating Committee shall present the proposed slate of officers at the Spring Board Meeting for approval. The Chair is responsible for presenting information to the Editor for publication to provide for a timely election. The Nominating Committee will serve as the election committee to supervise the election and to tabulate ballots.

Section 3. Additional nominations may be made by any member of the NCMEA by submitting the nomination in writing to the Executive Director 30 days prior to the onset of voting. Signatures of twenty or more active members must accompany the nomination.

Section 4. Section Chairs shall be elected in even-numbered years at the annual Conference.

Section 5. District Presidents shall be elected by their respective district members in odd-numbered years.

Section 6. Terms of Office.  Elected Officers serve a two-year term. Appointed Officers serve at the pleasure of the President.

Section 7. Reelection of Officers. Elected Officers and Chairs may not succeed themselves but may be returned to office after a period of two years.

Section 8. An electronic/land mail ballot may be conducted at the discretion of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE VI – QUORUM AND VOTING

Section 1. A quorum shall consist of twenty percent of the active members registered for any general meeting of NCMEA.

Section 2. The President may poll the membership by electronic/land mail vote. Official action may result from a simple majority of the vote returned.

ARTICLE VII – MEETINGS

Section 1. NCMEA shall meet annually as determined by the Board of Directors.

Section 2. The Executive Committee shall meet prior to the Board of Directors meetings in Winter, Spring, and Fall meetings and upon the call of the President or upon the joint request of not less than three members of that committee. A quorum of five members of the Executive Committee shall be required for the transaction of business.

Section 3. The Board of Directors shall meet at Winter, Spring and Fall meetings, the annual Conference, and upon the call of the President or upon the joint request of not less than five members of the Board. A quorum of not less than ten members shall be required for the transaction of business.

ARTICLE VIII – COMMITTEES and COMMISSIONS

Section 1. The NCMEA Board of Directors shall have the authority to form, appoint members to, and dissolve Standing Committees, Ad-Hoc Committees, Commissions and other Committees or groups for the purpose of providing advice or action on issues defined by the President, Executive Board or Board of Directors. Additional members to the committees listed below may be appointed by the President with the approval of the Board of Directors.

Section 2. Standing Committees:

A. The Finance Committee shall consist of the Past President as Chair, the Executive Director, two Section Chairs appointed by the President, and both Members-at-Large.

B. The Publications Committee shall consist of the Editor as Chair, two Section Chairs and two District Presidents appointed by the President.

C. The Advocacy Committee shall consist of an appointed chair, the President, Past-President, President-Elect, Music Industry Representative, and others as needed.

D. The Constitution Committee shall consist of a Past President as chair, the President-Elect, the Parliamentarian, and two District Presidents, appointed by the President.

E. The Membership Committee shall consist of the President-Elect as Chair, all the District Presidents, and such other members as the President shall appoint.

ARTICLE IX – AMENDMENTS AND BYLAWS

Section 1. The Bylaws of NCMEA may be amended with the approval of two-thirds of the majority present at a regular meeting of the NCMEA, or by a simple majority of the electronic/land mail vote.

Section 2. Proposed amendments to the Bylaws must be submitted to all active members at least thirty days in advance of the closing date designated by the Board of Directors.

Proposed: 26 Mar 22
Adopted: 26 Mar 22