Association of Towson Composers
Constitution and By-laws
Constitution
Preamble:
The Association of Towson Composers has been established to focus
the concerns of the music composition students at Towson University. The
Association will serve as a collective voice in affairs that concern all
student composers.
Article I -- Name:
Association of Towson Composers. (Henceforth referred to as ATC)
Article II -- Membership:
The ATC is a collective body made up of all students enrolled
and working toward degrees in composition through the music department
at Towson University. Membership is also open to any student pursuing a
degree in music at Towson University who has demonstrated support of the
composition program at Towson University. Activities such as performing
on the Composers Concert, attending the Composers Concert, and reading
a student composition are considered a visible demonstration of a student's
support of the composition department. The ATC has no size limit,
and membership is automatic upon acceptance into the composition degree
program of the music department. Students who are pursuing a degree in
music may be invited to join by an officer after they have demonstrated
support of the composition program.
An official faculty sponsor shall oversee all actions of the ATC. This
position will be filled, by consent, by a member of the composition faculty
during the first week of each Fall semester.
Article III -- Officers:
The executive Committee of officers within the organization shall
be made up of the following offices:
President
Vice-President/Treasurer
Secretary
Article IV -- Executive Committee Elections:
The executive committee, consisting of three ATC officers,
shall be elected by popular vote. The election of the Executive Committee
will be in the first two weeks of the Fall semester. The election will
select the five members of the Executive Committee, but will not specify
offices.
The members of the elected Executive Committee shall decide among themselves
who shall fill each office. This will occur following the Fall election.
The entire membership of the ATC is eligible to vote.
There shall be open nominations for these positions beginning two
weeks prior to this election.
Term of office shall be one year, re-election is possible with no limit
on terms of service.
Replacement of offices left vacant by the permanent departure of one
or more Executive Committee members shall be filled by open nominations
and popular vote within one month of the day the office becomes vacant.
Article V -- Meetings:
There shall be regularly scheduled meetings of the Executive Committee.
The time for those meetings shall be set at the beginning of each semester
with the consent of all committee members.
Special meetings of the Executive Committee may be called at any time
by consent of the Executive Committee members; all Executive Committee
members are required to attend meetings.
There shall be at least one meeting per semester of the entire membership
of the ATC.
Article VI -- Amendments:
Amendments require a unanimous vote of the Executive Committee and
approval of the official faculty sponsor.
Article VII -- Ratification:
Ratification of the amendments will not be deemed necessary for official
adoption into the body of the constitution.
BY-LAWS
1. Members rights and duties:
Membership in the ATC is automatic for students pursuing a degree
in music composition from Towson University.
Students pursuing a degree in music from the music department of Towson
University may be invited to be members by an officer after demonstrating
support for the Towson University composition department.
2. Fees and dues:
There shall be no fees or dues.
3. Selection of officers:
Officers of the Executive Committee shall be elected according to the
conditions set forth in Article IV of the constitution.
Details of the election process:
-
Nominations will be called for from the ATC members.
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Nominations will be given to the faculty sponsor via campus mail.
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The faculty sponsor will present all nominations to the ATC who
will then print a ballot with all nominations and a labeled space for write-in
votes.
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All ballots will be given to the faculty sponsor via campus mail.
-
The faculty sponsor will count ballots in secret.
-
The results of the election shall be posted no later than three days following
the official ballot counting.
During the first meeting of the Executive Committee following each
election, the members of the Executive Committee shall decide who among
them will fill the offices of President, Vice-president/Treasurer/ and
Secretary.
4. Duties of officers:
President
Sets agenda for meetings, runs meetings, calls special meetings, coordinates
with the faculty sponsor.
Vice-President/Treasurer
Fulfills duties of the president in absence of president; administers
all finances distributed through the ATC. The faculty sponsor must
approve all financial activity.
Secretary
Takes notes during all meetings of the Executive Committee and ATC
membership; types and distributes minutes of meetings to committee
officers and faculty sponsor and posts minutes on composition bulletin
board.