ARTICLE I. NAME
The name of the organization will be the Southern California Viola Society, and it will function independently as a branch/chapter of the American Viola Society.
ARTICLE II. OBJECT
The object of the Southern California Viola Society shall be to promote, study, and further the research of the viola and its repertoire.
ARTICLE III. GEOGRAPHICAL BOUNDARIES
The geographic area encompassed by the Southern California Viola Society shall
Be from the Mexican border to the Central Coast, including U.S. Postal Zip Codes
90000 through 93500.
ARTICLE IV. RESPONSIBILITIES OF CHAPTER TO AMERICAN VIOLA SOCIETY
Section 1. Members
i. The Southern California Viola Society, as a condition of charter, shall always, maintain a minimum of ten members in good standing.
ii. The chapter may accept for membership only:(1) Members in good standing of the American Viola Society, or
(2) Persons applying concurrently for membership in the Southern California Viola Society and the American Viola Society.Section 2. Membership
i. Membership in the Southern California Viola Society shall be open to any individual interested in furthering the purposes of the Society.
ii. The membership categories of the Southern California Viola Society shall parallel those of the American Viola Society and consist of regular members, student members, emeritus members, and honorary members.
A. Regular members shall be persons who are interested in promoting the objects of the Southern California Viola Society as set forth in Article II. They shall be eligible to hold offices in the Society and shall pay full dues.
Student members who join the Southern California Viola Society shall be students in residence in any accredited educational institution. Their rights and responsibilities shall be the same as those of regular members except that: (1) they shall be eligible for student membership for a period no longer than six years; (2) they shall pay annual dues as set forth in Article V, and shall retain all rights and privileges of regular members.
Emeritus members shall be persons who have been regular members for at least eight years, who have passed their 65th birthday, and who choose to be classified as emeritus members. Emeritus members shall pay dues as set forth in Article V, Section 2, and shall retain all rights and privileges of regular members.
Honorary members of the chapter shall be long-standing members of the Southern California Viola Society, who have made outstanding contributions furthering the stated objectives of the Society. They shall be exempt from paying dues and shall have all the privileges of regular members. They shall be elected by a two-thirds majority of the Board of Directors.
Section 3. The Southern California Viola Society and its members agree to hold (1) a meeting of its Board of Directors, and (2) a general membership meeting at least once a year.
Section 4. The chapter Treasurer shall file semiannual financial reports with the Treasurer of the American Viola Society within 20 days of the conclusion of the period. Said reports shall consist of a balance sheet and profit and loss statements.
Section 5. The chapter president shall report annually in writing to the Secretary of the American Viola Society about its meetings, activities, etc.
Section 6. (Per capita membership grants were eliminated by the AVS in June 2002.)
Section 7. Publication
A. The Southern California Viola Society shall include the statement “Chapter of the American Viola Society” on all official documents, including letterhead.
B. The Secretary of the American Viola Society shall appear on the mailing list of the Southern California Viola Society to ensure receipt of all official publications.
C. The Executive Board of the American Viola Society reserves the right to audit publications and require discontinuance of materials they believe to be contrary to the goals, ideals, and professionalism of the American Viola Society.
ARTICLE V. DUES (This article is subject to pending revisions by the American Viola Society in June 2004.)
Section 1. The rate of annual chapter dues for each class of membership shall be fixed by the Southern California Viola Society's Board of Directors.
Section 2. Annual dues of emeritus members shall be approximately one-half of regular members.
Section 3. Annual dues shall be due and payable according to the guidelines set by the American Viola Society (this section is pending amendment of AVS by-laws in June 2004.) Any person may rejoin the Southern California Viola Society at any time without penalty by payment of current dues.
ARTICLE VI.
The Board of the Southern California Viola Society shall consist of the following: President, President-Elect (Vice-President), Immediate Past President, Secretary, Treasurer, and a minimum of two (2) Board Members-at-Large.
ARTICLE VII. DUTIES OF THE BOARD
Section 1. The President shall (1) plan regular meetings and organize programs for those meetings, (2) appoint committees, and (3) perform such duties as shall assist the organization to achieve its goals.
Section 2. The President-Elect (Vice President) shall (1) organize a membership drive within the geographical area of the chapter, (2) assist the President in all required functions, and (3) perform in the place of the President when necessary.
Section 3. The duties of the Past President shall be to advise the President and President-Elect.
Section 4. The Secretary shall record minutes of all board meetings, and shall conduct the correspondence as needed.
Section 5. The duties of the Treasurer shall include all responsibilities as are commonly required and understood as a function of the office.
Section 6. Board members-at-large shall attend at least one board meeting per year and shall be available for consultation and advice.
ARTICLE VIII. ELECTIVE TERMS
Section 1. Each officer shall serve for two (2) years except as set forth in Sections 4 and 5.
Section 2. Officers shall assume office on July 1.
Section 3. Board members-at-large will be appointed by the President with the majority consent of the elected members of the board.
Section 4. In the event of a vacancy of any office other than President, the President, with a majority consent of the Southern California Viola Society Board, shall appoint an active member in good standing to complete the unexpired term of the last incumbent. In the event of vacancy of the President, the President-Elect (Vice President) shall complete the unexpired term.
Section 5. Upon starting up the Southern California Viola Society, the initial election shall be for: President (1-year term), President-Elect (1-year term), Secretary and Treasurer (2-year terms) in order to comply with continuity requirements of the American Viola Society Bylaws. Subsequent elections shall be arranged to maintain staggered terms.
ARTICLE IX. ELECTIONS
Section 1. The nominating committee shall consist of the President-Elect as chairperson, Past President, and Secretary. They will submit a slate of candidates by March 1 preceding each election.
Section 2. Brief biographies of all candidates shall be included with the ballot.
Section 3. All ballots shall provide space for write-in candidates.
Section 4. The Secretary will mail ballots to the entire Southern California Viola Society membership by April 1. The ballots are to be returned to the Secretary within thirty (30) days after they were mailed to the membership and counted. The report of the count, with the ballots, will be presented at a May of June meeting of the Board of Directors. The Secretary will notify the new officers of their election and advise the membership in the next area newsletter.
Section 5. Elections shall be by written ballot.
Section 6. Ballots shall be counted by a committee of at least three members, appointed by the President, with the approval of the Board.
ARTICLE X. FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year of the Southern California Viola Society shall be the calendar year.
ARTICLE XI. AMENDMENTS
These bylaws may be amended upon recommendation of the Southern California Viola Society Board of Directors, the Executive Board of the American Viola Society, and with approval by a majority of the ballots returned from the voting membership of the Southern California Viola Society.
ARTICLE XII. PROCEDURE
Roberts Rules of Order, Revised shall govern in cases not provided for in these bylaws.