CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE I - Name
Section 1. The name of this organization shall be Delaware State Music Teachers Association, Inc., (hereinafter referred to as DSMTA or the Association).
ARTICLE II - Incorporation
Section 1. The Association shall be incorporated for educational purposes as a non-stock, non-profit corporation under the provisions of Section 501 (C) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provisions of any future Internal Revenue Service Law).
ARTICLE III - Affiliation
Section 1. In order to insure the benefits of the Music Teachers National Association, Inc. (MTNA), to its members, DSMTA shall be affiliated with MTNA.
ARTICLE IV - Purpose
Section 1. To encourage general musical growth on the part of teachers, students, and the community.
Section 2. To provide opportunities for an interchange of ideas among music teachers of the state, as well as other states in divisional and national meetings.
Section 3. To improve and maintain at a high level the standards of music teaching in the state of Delaware.
Section 4. To conduct activities in order to encourage and support appreciation of music within the community.
ARTICLE V - Membership
Section 1. Membership classifications in the Association shall be: Individual, Senior, Student, Patron, and Honorary Life. Individual and Senior members shall hereinafter be designated "active" members.
Section 2. Membership privileges and dues are prescribed by the Bylaws of the Association.
ARTICLE VI - Officers
Section 1. The officers shall be the president, the president-elect, the immediate past president, several vice presidents, the secretary, and the treasurer.
Section 2. The Board of Directors (hereinafter referred to as the Board) shall consist of the officers as listed in Section 1, plus the presidents (or their representatives) of any Local Associations affiliated with DSMTA.
Section 3. Procedures for election of officers are specified in the Bylaws.
Section 4. Each officer is elected for a two-year term and, with the exception of the treasurer, may not serve more than two consecutive terms.
Section 5. If a vacancy occurs in the office of president-elect, the president, with the nominating committee, shall choose a replacement who shall then be approved by a majority of the general membership voting at a meeting or by mail-in ballot. Vacancies in any other office shall be filled by presidential appointment, subject to approval by the Board.
Section 6. In the event that both the president and the president-elect become incapacitated, the vice-president for professional activities shall temporarily assume the duties of the president.
ARTICLE VII - Meetings
Section 1. Meetings and conventions of the Association shall be held at such time and place as decided upon by the Board. Election of officers shall be held biennially.
Section 2. Special meetings of the Association may be called by the President with the approval of a majority of the Board , or upon a signed petition of one-third of the active members.
Section 3. Meetings of the Board shall be held at least four times a year; times and locations are to be left to the discretion of the president. An agenda of a scheduled Board meeting shall be mailed to each Board member at least ten days before the meeting.
Section 4. Special meetings of the Board may be called by the president or by the joint request of no less than three members of the Board. Minutes of such meetings shall be incorporated in the minutes of the Board.
Section 5. When special meetings are impractical, the president may submit items of business by mail or telephone to the Board. The contents of the proposals and the vote of each Board member shall be reported to the secretary and incorporated in the minutes of the next Board meeting.
Section 6. The rules contained in the current edition of Roberts' Rules of Order shall govern the Association in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the Bylaws of the Association or any special rules of order the Association may adopt.
ARTICLE VIII - Quorum
Section 1. A quorum of the Association shall consist of twelve active members, or ten percent of the membership, whichever is less, of whom at least two are officers.
Section 2. Five members of the Board shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE IX - Fiscal Year
Section l. The fiscal year shall be the same as the membership year: beginning July 1 and ending June 30.
ARTICLE X - Compliance with Internal Revenue Code
Section 1. No part of the funds of DSMTA shall benefit or be distributed to its members or any other persons, except as payment for services rendered or as payments or distributions to further the purposes of the Association.
Section 2. No substantial part of the activities of the Association shall be the promotion of propaganda, or other attempts to influence legislation, and the Association shall not participate in, or intervene in any political campaign in behalf of any candidate for public office.
Section 3. As a non-profit organization, DSMTA shall not carry on any activities which are not permitted by the Internal Revenue Code.
ARTICLE XI - Amendments
Section l. This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the active members present at a meeting, or voting by mail-in ballot, provided a notice of such intended amendment be sent to each active member at least two weeks prior to voting. The results shall be incorporated in the minutes, and mail-in ballots shall be retained by the secretary.
ARTICLE XII - Provision for Dissolution of the Association
Section 1. In the event of the dissolution of the Association, the Board of Directors shall, after paying all just debts of the Association, dispose of all of the assets of the Association exclusively for the purposes of the Association in such manner, or to such organizations operated exclusively for educational or charitable purposes and at the time qualifying as exempt organizations under Section 501 (C) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law), as the Board of Directors shall determine.
Section 2. Any assets not so disposed of as in Section 1, shall be disposed of by the Court of Common Pleas of the county in which the principal office of the Association is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.