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BYLAWS OF THE PIANO TEACHERS’ FORUM OF GRAND RAPIDS 

Section 2.            Associate membership is open to all persons not professionally engaged in piano teaching but who wish to support the programs of the Forum.  Such membership provides admission to all Educational Programs and Informational Business Meetings of the Forum, but does not include the right to vote or hold office. 

Section 3.            Senior membership is open to any person who has reached the age of seventy (70) and has been a member of the Forum for ten (10) successive years.  Such members shall have all the privileges of either Active or Associate membership, depending on their teaching status.

Section 4.            All Active, Associate, and Senior members who have paid their dues by July 1, shall be listed in the Piano Teachers’ Forum Directory.

Section 5.            Annual dues for Active and Associate members shall be proposed by the Executive Committee and voted on by the membership.  Annual Forum dues for Senior members shall be reduced by half.  All dues shall be paid for the following season in accordance with the billing procedures of MTNA.

  
 ARTICLE V            OFFICERS 

Section 1.            PRESIDENT
The President shall preside at all Informational Business Meetings, as well as meetings of the Executive Committee and Administrative Board, appoint chairmen of all standing committees, appoint all special committees and chairmen as needed, and shall perform all other duties implied by this title.  The President may be a member ex-officio of all standing and special committees, with the exception of the Nominating Committee.

Section 2.            FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT

In the absence of the President, the First Vice-President shall preside and perform all other duties pertaining to the office of the President, and shall also serve as Program Chairman, arranging all Educational Programs with the approval and cooperation of the Administrative Board. 

Section 3.            SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT

In the absence of both the President and the First Vice-President, the Second Vice-President shall preside and perform all other duties pertaining to the office of the President.  The Second Vice-President shall also serve as Membership Chairman, preparing a membership roster for each meeting throughout the year, and shall also work closely with the Chairman of the Membership Coffee to encourage the growth of Forum membership.

Section 4.            FIRST TREASURER

The First Treasurer shall receive all dues any other funds which may be collected, attend to all disbursements authorized by the Forum, keep a full account of the finances of the organization, and shall submit a written statement to the President and Recording Secretary at each meeting and a full written report for the year at the May joint Administrative Board meeting.

Section 5.            SECOND TREASURER

The Second Treasurer shall assist the First Treasurer at all Forum meetings and shall Chair the Telephone/Email Committee.

Section 6.            RECORDING SECRETARY

The Recording Secretary shall keep a record of all Informational Business Meetings as well as meetings of the Executive Committee and Administrative Board.

Section 7.            EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The Executive Committee shall consist of the elected Officers whose term shall be for two (2) years.  They shall hold meetings upon the call of the President, have the power to fill any vacancies occurring on the Committee, and shall conduct the business of the organization.

Section 8.            ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD

The Administrative Board shall consist of the Officers, Immediate Past President, and all Committee/Service Chairmen.  Additional Past Presidents may attend Administrative Board meetings in an advisory capacity upon invitation of the President. 

ARTICLE VI            MEETINGS

Section 1.            Educational Programs shall be held monthly from October through May.   

Section 2.            Informational Business Meetings for the general membership shall accompany each monthly program from October through May except for the month of the Annual Workshop.  Announcements may be made, all necessary Reports may be given, and voting and/or elections may take place at such meetings. 

Section 4.            The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the Forum in all cases in which they are applicable.

Section 5.            The President shall appoint a Parliamentarian to provide parliamentary opinion during the deliberations of the Executive Committee, Administrative Board and Informational Business Meetings.

Section 6.            In the absence of a Parliamentarian, the President and First Vice President shall provide parliamentary opinion during the deliberations of the Administrative Board, the Executive Committee, and Informational Business Meetings.

ARTICLE VII            QUORUM 

Section 1.            Members present at a business meeting shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at general meetings.

Section 2.            Four (4) members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at meetings of the Committee.

Section 3.            Ten (10) members of the Administrative Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at meetings of the Board.

ARTICLE VIII            ELECTIONS 

Section 1.            A Nominating Committee shall consist of two members from the Administrative Board and three from the general membership appointed by the President.  The Chairman of the Nominating Committee shall also be appointed by the President.

Section 2.            The Nominating Committee shall submit names for the offices of President and First Vice-President for a two-year term at the February meeting of even-numbered years, and shall submit names for the offices of Second Vice-President, Recording Secretary, First Treasurer, and Second Treasurer for a two-year term at the February meeting of odd-numbered years.  Nominations may be made from the floor at any time prior to the elections.  No name shall be placed in nomination without the consent of the nominee.

Section 3.            With the exception of the President and First Vice-President, officers may be allowed to serve consecutive terms upon approval of the Executive Committee and the majority vote of membership in attendance and voting on the date of the election(s).  Vacancies in office will be filled by appointment of the President subject to the approval of the Administrative Board.  However, if the vacancy occurs while the Nominating Committee is in session, the Nominating Committee shall offer the name of the candidate for the unexpired term of the vacancy.

Section 4.            The elections shall be held at the March meeting, a majority vote of membership in attendance and voting on the date of the election(s) being necessary to elect.  Elections shall be by ballot, except when the number of nominees does not exceed the number to be elected, in which case the election may be by unanimous consent, or by oral vote.

Section 5.            Officers shall be installed at the last meeting of the season.

ARTICLE IX            COMMITTEES/SERVICES 

Section 1.            Committee and Member/Student Services Chairmen shall be appointed by the President upon his or her election, and committees will be formed to conduct the business of the Forum.

Section 2.            All Committees and Member/Student Services shall be listed and described in detail in the Member Guidebook.

Section 3.            The chairman of each committee shall form his or her own committee.

Section 4.            Rules and regulations, if any, set up by any committee/service shall be approved by the Executive Committee, and shall be adhered to by all the membership.  Such rules shall be listed in the Member Guidebook.

ARTICLE X            AMENDMENTS 

Section 1.            Bylaws, upon recommendation of the Executive Committee, may be revised/amended by a majority vote of all members present and voting at any Informational Business Meeting, the proposed amendment(s) having been submitted to the members at least four (4) weeks in advance.

Section 2.            The Bylaws may also be revised/amended by a majority vote of the membership via mail ballot.  The ballot and proposed amendment(s) are to be submitted to the members at least four (4) weeks in advance of the required return date.  The date for the return of the completed ballots is to be not less than four (4) weeks after they are mailed, and such date must be clearly stated on the ballot.

Respectfully submitted,

Bylaw Committee Members:

Stephanie Burr

Joy Holtrop

Marilyn Slenk, Chair

Michele Wells

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1.         The objective of the Forum is to provide piano teachers with a positive environment in which they may experience professional and musical growth, and to offer students a wide variety of performance opportunities.  We strive to encourage interaction among teachers which will inspire them to teach with greater knowledge and enthusiasm and will challenge them to hold themselves and their students to a higher standard of musical excellence. 

2.         Luncheon or breakfast reservations should be made on or before 10am of the Monday preceding the meeting date.  The telephone/email committee shall contact members for reservations.  Standing reservations may be made.

3.         Each member shall be responsible for the payment of his/her luncheon reservation if it is canceled after Monday, 10am.

4.         Coffee Hour shall begin at 9:00 am, the Educational Program shall begin promptly at 9:30, and the Informational Business Meeting shall begin promptly at 11:00 with the exception of the Workshop and Winners Recital.

5.          One program a year may be designated as a “Members’ Program”.  This program shall be presented by one or more members of the Piano Teachers’ Forum.

6.            Luncheons may be attended by members, prospective members, invited guests, and speakers.  The business meeting may be attended by members and  prospective members.

7.            Any non-member may attend no more than one (1) meeting (excluding workshops) within a one-year period.  Guest’s luncheon reservation must be made by a member.

8.            The Annual Workshop is open to any interested persons at the designated fee.  Students are invited to attend at a reduced fee.     

9.            Annual Forum dues are thirty-five dollars ($35.00) and are payable in accordance with the billing procedures of MTNA.  Forum dues are not refundable.

10.            Subscriptions to Clavier and Keyboard Companion may be ordered through the Forum at a reduced rate.

11.            Members shall sign the Attendance Roster at every meeting they attend.

12.            Teachers are required to fill out all enrollment forms of student-related events sponsored by the Piano Teachers’ Forum.  These would include the Sonata-Sonatina Festival, Forum Scholarship Competition, Forum Student Recitals, S.A.T., Ensemble Festival, and Awards Competition.  Forms not filled out by the enrolling teacher will be returned to the teacher.

13.          Any teacher entering students in any Piano Forum event should submit a single check covering all his/her students’ enrollment fees for the event.  This check, payable to Piano Teachers’ Forum of Grand Rapids, should be clipped to the students’ enrollment forms.  Neither cash nor student checks will be accepted.

14.           A member shall be considered in good standing when he or she has paid membership dues in full and abides by the code of ethics laid out by MMTA.

15.            Committee Chairmen may be given an honorarium each year for their services, as determined by the Executive Committee.     

16.            Standing Rules shall be reviewed by the Executive Committee as needed, and proposed revisions submitted to the Administrative Board for approval. 

17.            A survey shall be conducted annually to evaluate each presentation/program and any other topics necessary.

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