VIRGINIA ELEMENTARY MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION BYLAWS

Section 1 -Membership and Functions

The Virginia Elementary Music Educators Association (VEMEA) is the Elementary Music Section of the Virginia Music Educators Association (VMEA), which is a federated state unit of MENC: The National Association for Music Education. Membership is available to all VMEA members engaged in teaching or supervising elementary music.

VEMEA sponsors the annual All-Virginia Elementary Chorus and all rules, regulations, and funding are directly associated with VEMEA. Students of non-members are not prohibited from participating in VMEA/VEMEA sponsored events. However, their directors will be assessed a non-member participation fee.

Section 2 - Executive Authority

The executive authority for the administration of the affairs of the Section shall be vested in the President. All actions of the President not specifically authorized by the Constitution and Bylaws shall be subject to the approval of the membership.

Section 3 - Officers and Responsibilities

1. The President is elected by secret ballot (normally at the VMEA In-Service Conference) and serves a two-year term as President-Elect, a two-year term as President, and a two-year term as Vice-President – a total of six years. During the presidential term, the President is a member of the VMEA Executive Board. The President serves as chairman for all VEMEA meetings, assists with planning and supervision of All-Virginia Elementary Chorus activities, and prepares and directs all information and sessions related to the VMEA In-Service Conference.
   
   
2. The President-Elect, elected by secret ballot, acts as chairman of VEMEA meetings in the absence of the President, assists the president with All-Virginia Elementary Chorus activities and the VMEA In-Service Conference and administers the VEMEA Professional Development Grant program. It is expected that the President-Elect shall, during the two years prior to assuming the presidency, observe and confer with the President so as to ensure a smooth transition of leadership and continuity within the Association.
   
   
3. The Vice-President serves as a consultant to and assists the President and other officers in all VEMEA activities and, in the absence of the President and President-Elect, acts as chairman of VEMEA meetings.
   
   
4. The Secretary/Treasurer, appointed by the President, records and reports the proceedings of all VEMEA meetings and prepares minutes of the meetings for publication in VMEA Notes. The Secretary/Treasurer also records all financial activities and presents a financial report of the membership at each business meeting. The Secretary/Treasurer remits any payments due for VEMEA activities.

Section 4 - VMEA District Elementary Representatives

District Elementary Representatives are elected every two years, in the odd year. The responsibilities of the Representatives are as follows:

1. Serve as a communication link between the VEMEA membership and the VEMEA officers / VMEA Executive Board.
2. Attend the fall Executive Board/Council of Review meeting and other meetings called by the VEMEA President.
3. Serve as an advocacy resource for elementary music education.
4. Facilitate elementary-specific district-wide events.
5. Provide yearly reports and evaluations of elementary activities for both students and teachers in each district.
6. Maintain a list of all elementary music teachers in each district (to be provided by music supervisors/contacts in local school divisions).
7. Serve as room chairs and/or presider at the annual In-Service Conference.

VMEA provides an allotment for District Elementary Representatives annually for assistance in administrative expenses. Representatives submit expense vouchers to the VMEA Treasurer for reimbursement from this allotment. The VMEA Executive Board shall determine the amount of the allotment.

Section 6 – Terms of Office

The President and President-Elect shall be elected for a period of two (2) years and will take office July 1 of the even-numbered years. The Secretary/Treasurer shall be appointed by the President. District Elementary Representatives shall be so elected as to take office on July 1 of odd-numbered years.

Section 6 – Election of Officers

The election of VEMEA officers shall be conducted in accordance with the procedures set forth in VMEA Bylaw IV, Section 1.

Section 7 – Vacancies

If the President should be unable to fulfill the specified terms of office, the President-Elect shall assume the unexpired portion of the term of the President. If the unexpired portion of the term is more than one year, the President-Elect shall serve the unexpired portion only and shall not then succeed to a full term of two years as President. If the unexpired portion of the term is less than one year, the President-Elect shall serve the unexpired portion of the term and shall then succeed to a full term of two years as President.

If the President-Elect should be unable to fulfill the specified term of office, whether by reason of succession to the presidency or for any other reason, a special election shall-be held to fill the vacancy in the office of President-Elect.

If the Vice-President should be unable to fulfill the specified term of office, the President shall select a former President to fill the unexpired portion of the term.

Section 8 – Reelection of Officers

The President, Vice-President, and President-Elect may not be reelected to office for succeeding terms. The Secretary/Treasurer may, at the President’s discretion, be reappointed to successive terms. A person may be reelected to the office President-Elect only after the specified terms of President and Vice-President have expired.

Section 9 – Income

Monies for the carrying on of the normal year-to-year activities of the Section shall be received from an allotment made annually by the Executive Board of VMEA. Funds in excess of expenditures from the All-Virginia Elementary Chorus shall remain in the VEMEA treasury. Disposition of other surplus funds and deficits shall be in accord with the stipulations of the VMEA Constitution and Bylaws and in accord with such instructions as may be given by the VMEA Executive Board.

Section 10 - Amending Bylaws

The bylaws of this organization may be amended in the same manner as that prescribed for amending the Constitution.

Section 11 – Fiscal, Administrative, and Membership Year

The fiscal, administrative, membership year shall conform to that of MENC: The National Association for Music Education: July 1 – June 30, or such period as may be determined by the VMEA Executive Board.

Section 12 – Rules of Order

Robert’s Rules of Order (revised) shall govern all business meetings.