Governing Rules - 2007/2008
I. Name
The name of the organization shall be the Massachusetts Judges Association. The abbreviation MJA and in any other documents will be understood to take the place of the full name of the organization. A year in MJA runs from January 1 to December 31.
II. Mission Statement
The Mission of MJA shall be to promote the ongoing education and development of qualified adjudicators for pageantry arts as well as the development and betterment of competing marching and musical units, their instructors and their members.
III. Goals
As a service association, MJA will communicate with organizations that govern the drum corps, band and winter color guard and percussion activities in order to educate MJA judges in the proper philosophies and techniques used in those various activities. MJA makes a continual commitment to education through clinics and the discussion of appropriate information to all of its members. MJA also encourages its membership to assume leadership roles in the training and education of all pageantry arts activities.
IV. Membership Specifications
A. The minimum age for membership is eighteen (18). In order to be
a certified working judge, however, a member must be at least
twenty-one years of age, and may not be a marching member of a
competitive unit.
B. A person becomes a member of MJA by paying his/her dues between
January 1 and February 1. Membership is renewed by the annual
payment of dues in the same time frame.
C. Membership is subject to approval of the Executive Board.
Membership will be denied at any time of the year for significant
cause by a 2/3 majority of the Executive Board.
D. To attain certification and a position on the MJA judge lists for any
season or caption, a member must:
- pay their dues.
- complete all formal training as outlined in the Education And
Training guidelines.
- pass a minimum of two (2) acceptable field trials.
- participate in any required symposiums.
- attempt to attend other clinics and meetings.
E. To retain certification and position on the MJA Judge lists for any
season or caption a member must have: Paid his /her dues. Judged at
least one show in any carded caption within two years. Done one
Field Trial in any Carded Caption if affiliations or other circumstances
prevent his/her judging that caption. Submit oral and written
explanations to the President and Executive Board if any of
the above cannot be accomplished due to extenuating
circumstances.
F. The responsibility for quality judging rests with the individual member
with assistance from the association. MJA does not usually hire
judges for contests: therefore, there is an understanding that is it
primarily the units and coordinators who must be satisfied as to the
quality of judging. MJA will always encourage a fair distribution of
work, however, hiring judges for contests is not part of its
responsibility.
G. MJA welcomes judges and non-judges who are members of other
associations.
H. If a former MJA member returns after the passage of two or more
years, the Executive Board will discuss which certifications for
judging are still appropriate.
I. Members of MJA need not become certified judges. All members,
however are asked to contribute to the betterment of MJA by at least
attending the annual reorganization meeting, usually held in January.
V. Government
A. Roberts Rules of Order shall be the governing rules for MJA when a
question of order arises. Any member may ask for the formal use of
Roberts’ Rules at any time.
B. Final authority rests with the General Membership. After the
reorganization meeting, the Executive Board acts on behalf of the
General Membership. (In order to request a full meeting of the
general membership, a letter signed by ten (10) members in good
standing must be presented to the Executive Board. The Executive
Board will then call a special meeting of the Association within
sixty (60) days.
C. The officers of MJA will be President, Vice President, Secretary-
Treasurer and three (3) at large Executive Board Members.
D. The President, Vice-President Secretary-treasurer and two (2)
members of the Executive Board will be elected in the odd numbered
years and one (1) member of the Executive Board shall be elected in
the even numbered years. Vacancies may create the need for
special elections, which may be held by mail.
E. The President will appoint an Education Coordinator who serve on the
Executive board.
F. By-Laws are to be reviewed and open for recommendations in the
odd-numbered years. A call for review and recommendation will be
sent to all current members 60 days prior to the annual meeting. All
recommendations should be forwarded to the Executive Board no later
than 30 days prior to the annual meeting.
VI. Responsibilities of the Governing Officers
A. The President shall :
1. preside over all meetings
2. appoint caption chairpersons (liaisons)
3. appoint any subcommittees
4. receive and keep records as necessary
5. call Executive Board Meetings every two months
6. generally enforce the governing rules of the association
7. keep officers and members current
8. call for nominees for the annual elections
9. run any elections or special elections
10. maintain a current roster of members
11. deliver current rosters to the local associations
12. present receipts for any disbursement of funds
B. The Vice-President shall:
1. Perform the duties of the President in his/her absence
2. Assist the President in any duties listed above
3. Replace the President, if that office becomes vacant and hold a
new election at the next general body meeting for the President
and Vice-President if necessary.
4. Present receipts for any disbursement of funds
C. The Secretary-Treasurer shall:
1. Maintain receipts for any disbursements
2. Maintain the checking account of MJA
3. Maintain any minutes of General Body Meetings
4. Maintain Minutes of Executive Board Meetings
5. Have co-responsibility of signing MJA checks
6. Submit financial reports at meetings
D. Responsibilities of the Executive Board:
1. The Executive Board Shall :
a. Approve all Appointments
b. Meet every two months during the MJA year
c. Approve disbursement of funds
d. Have authority to withhold membership
e. Approve all lists of Judges of MJA
f. Oversee application of the Governing Rules
g. Submit proposals for approval
h. Hear any member, in person, for any reason
i. Review Recaps during appropriate seasons
J. Review judge lists in all captions.
k. Address problems within a caption as needed.
2. The Education Coordinator shall:
a. Develop the education plan each year to be approved by
the Executive Board.
b. Execute the education plan as approved.
VII: Nominations and Elections
A. The first Order of Business at the Annual General Body Meeting will
be the nominations for any office indicated above in Part V.
Government.
B. Nominations can either be submitted prior to the meeting or from the
floor of the meeting. Elections are to be held by secret ballot or by
other processes of Roberts Rules. Each position will be filled in a
separate election. Elections will be decided by majority vote.
Members not present may stand for election only if a letter of intent
and agreement has been submitted prior to the meeting. Nominations
from the floor of a member not present are not allowed otherwise.
C. No person shall hold more than one elected office.
D. The President shall appoint a committee to tally the ballots.
E. The election of the President shall be conducted by a member of the
Executive Board whose position does not expire at the meeting.
VIII. Order of Business for the Annual Meeting
A. Call to Order
B. Secretary – Treasurer Report
C. Business of the Previous Year
D. Election of Officers
E. New Business
F. General Discussion for the good of MJA
G. Adjournment
IX. Meetings
A. There is one scheduled Annual Meeting in January
B. Other General Meetings may be called as needed
C. The Executive Board shall meet at least every two months during
the MJA year
D. To conduct official elections and business at the Annual General Body
Meeting, there must be a quorum, defined as at least one-third of
the previous year’s membership
E. To conduct official Executive Board meetings there must be a
quorum, defined to be at least two officers and two other elected
members of the Executive Board.
F. Clinics, educational seminars, dance, theater and other such
presentations may be scheduled during the year. There must be at
least two weeks prior notification to allow for attendance. Such
meetings are not considered mandatory, unless dates are discussed
at the General Body Meeting and the membership is informed of the
content of the mandatory nature of the meeting.
G. Absence from the above mandatory meetings carries the
responsibility to the member to obtain and use pertinent information
received and distributed.
X. Protests
A. Protests are to be handled by the Executive Board, who will work
with and be assisted by the President or his/her designee. A full
report of any protest must be delivered in either written or oral form
at the next scheduled Executive Board Meeting.
B. Any protest must be resolved within two weeks of its receipt by the
Executive Board. A protest must be accompanied, when submitted, by
documentation and the cassette tape of the judge under protest.
The Executive Board or the President must request such
documentation. At the end of the two week period, either
the Executive Board or the President will inform all parties of his/her
resolution. This response must be in writing.
C. A Protest without documentation will not be considered official in
MJA. Requests for information or discussions with any Executive
Board member which are informal do not require a response, though it
may be delivered in either oral or written form if the liaison chooses.
XI. Fees
A. The dues of MJA are $35.00 annually, thought this figure may be
adjusted upon recommendation of the President to the Executive
Board at the Annual General Body Meeting in January.
B. The dues of the officers and the Executive Board and the Education
Coordinator will be waived for the current year(s) of service.