About the Bach Society
:: CONSTITUTION OF THE BACH SOCIETY OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY::
Preamble | Name
| Purpose | Membership
| Meetings and Rehearsals | Officers
|
Elections, Appointments & Removal of Officers
| By-Laws | Amending the Constitution|
Ratifying the Constitution | Amendments
(important!)
PREAMBLE
We, the undergraduate students of Columbia University, establish this
Society under the authority of the present constitution in order to preserve
and advance the works of Johann Sebastian Bach and, more generally, the
music of the High Baroque and Classical Periods of Western Music at Columbia
University.
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ARTICLE I—NAME
Section 1. The name of this organization shall be “The Bach Society
of Columbia
University,” hereafter referred to as the “Bach Society.”
Section 2. The elected officers of the Bach Society shall constitute
the Executive Board of the Bach Society, hereafter referred to as the
“Executive Board.”
Section 3. This organization may also be referred to as the “Columbia
Bach Society.”
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ARTICLE II—PURPOSE
Section 1. The principal purpose of this organization shall be the preservation
and advancement of the works of Johann Sebastian Bach and the music of
the High Baroque and Classical Periods of Western Music through a series
of concerts at Columbia University by student musicians and other related
activities. Moreover, the Bach Society shall foster musical life among
students at Columbia University.
Section 2. The Executive Board of the Bach Society shall direct the activities
of the society through the selection of repertoire, preparation for concerts,
coordination of rehearsals, management of finances, and establishment
of relations with the Columbia University community.
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ARTICLE III—MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. At least two-thirds of the general membership of the Bach Society
must be comprised of full-time registered students of Columbia College
and the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science at Columbia
University.
Section 2. Membership in the Bach Society is open to all members of Columbia
University, in all divisions and schools, who have an interest in the
music of Johann Sebastian Bach, the High Baroque, and the Classical Periods.
Section 3. Membership in the performance ensembles of the Bach Society
shall be restricted to those musicians who have successfully passed an
audition.
Section 4. The responsibilities of membership in the Bach Society include
timely and punctual attendance at scheduled rehearsals, assistance at
concerts and other events sponsored by the Bach Society, and individual
preparation of repertoire prior to rehearsals.
Section 5. Membership in the Bach Society may be revoked by the President,
with a majority vote of the Executive Board, for reasons which include,
but are not limited to, unexcused absences from regular meetings of the
Bach Society, including concerts.
Section 6. Membership in the performance ensembles of the Bach Society
may be unilaterally revoked by the Music Director or President if a member
in such a performance ensemble is absent for more than three rehearsals
or is absent from a concert without prior notification.
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ARTICLE IV—MEETINGS AND REHEARSALS
Section 1. The President of the Bach Society shall hold the authority
to call general meetings.
Subsection A. General meetings of the Bach Society shall be held once
a month.
Subsection B. The Bach Society may meet more than once a month, only
by a majority vote of the Executive Board.
Subsection C. General meetings require the presence of one-half of the
Society membership.
Section 2. The Music Director of the Bach Society shall hold the authority
to schedule rehearsals of the performance ensembles of the Bach Society,
in consultation with the President.
Subsection A. The Music Director shall establish a regular weekly schedule
of rehearsals.
Subsection B. The Music Director may include extra rehearsals in the
schedule, at the Director’s discretion.
Section 3. Motions for the Bach Society may be introduced at general
meetings.
Subsection A. Motions may be introduced by any member of the Bach Society.
Motions must receive a second by another member of the Bach Society in
order for them to receive consideration by the general membership.
Subsection B. Passage of motions requires a simple majority vote of Bach
Society members present at the meeting. Abstentions from voting are not
permitted.
Subsection C. The President of the Bach Society shall act as the presiding
officer during meetings.
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ARTICLE V—OFFICERS
Section 1. The Executive Board of the Bach Society shall consist of
the following
officers: President, Vice-President, Treasurer, and Secretary.
Subsection A. The President of the Bach Society is the chief executive
officer of the Bach Society. The President shall be responsible for the
organization of concerts and events sponsored by the Bach Society, reservations
of venues for rehearsals and concerts, and acquisition of scores and parts.
The President shall act as the presiding officer at all general meetings
of the Bach Society. Moreover, the President shall act as the official
representative of the Bach Society to the Columbia University community.
Subsection B. The Vice-President of the Bach Society shall be responsible
for the public relations of the Society. The Vice-President shall make
all public announcements regarding concerts and events sponsored by the
Bach Society. In addition, in the President’s absence, the Vice-President
shall act as the presiding officer at general meetings of the Bach Society.
Subsection C. The Treasurer of the Bach Society shall be responsible
for all financial matters of the Society. The Treasurer, in consultation
with the President, shall construct an annual working budget for the Society.
The Treasurer shall be responsible for maintaining all financial records
and shall periodically present financial reports to the membership of
the Bach Society during general meetings.
Subsection D. The Secretary of the Bach Society shall record the minutes
of Bach Society meetings. The Secretary shall publish the minutes and
collect them in a journal, to be presented at the end of the year. The
Secretary is also responsible for all publications of the Bach Society,
including concert programs, program notes, and articles. The Secretary
must also maintain records and history of all motions introduced during
general meetings of the Society.
Subsection E. The Executive Board shall appoint a Music Director for
the
Bach Society.
Section 2. The Music Director of the Bach Society shall oversee all
performance activities of the performance ensembles of the Bach Society.
The
Music Director shall select the repertoire for the performance ensembles,
in consultation with the Executive Board, and conduct all rehearsals and
concerts of the Bach Society. The Music Director may, at his discretion,
appoint a designee to conduct the performance ensembles. The Music Director
may invite guest artists to perform with the Bach Society. The Music Director
has the sole power to organize the hierarchy of the performance ensembles
and the sole power to appoint administrative assistants from among members
of the performance ensembles.
Section 3. One term in office shall last for approximately one academic
year, beginning on May 15 and terminating on May 14 of the following year.
In the case of the first year of the Bach Society, the term in office
shall begin immediately at the close of the first general election after
the adoption of the present constitution and shall terminate on May 14.
Section 4. Each officer on the Executive Board of the Bach Society shall
have one vote. Only in cases of a tie on motions of the Executive Board,
the Music Director shall have the right to break the tie with a fifth
vote.
Section 5. The President and Treasurer must be a full-time, registered
student of either Columbia College or the Fu Foundation School of Engineering
and Applied Science.
Section 6. No single member of the Bach Society may simultaneously hold
the positions of President and Treasurer.
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ARTICLE VI—ELECTIONS, APPOINTMENTS, AND REMOVAL OF OFFICERS
Section 1. Elections for officers of the Bach Society must take place
on or after April 1 and before May 15. The exact date of the elections
shall be determined by a majority vote of the Executive Board.
Section 2. Any member of the Bach Society in good standing may be a candidate
for election to the Executive Board.
Section 3. Each member of the Bach Society shall have one vote in elections.
Section 4. The members of the Executive Board may be impeached and removed
by the general membership.
Subsection A. Impeachment motions against members of the Executive Board
may be raised only in cases where officers have deliberately and consciously
disregarded and ignored the responsibilities of the respective offices
outlined in Article V, Section 1 as well as other violations of rules
and regulations set forth by Columbia University.
Subsection B. Impeachment motions may be introduced by any member of
the Bach Society.
Subsection C. Impeachment motions must receive a second from another
member. Passage of impeachment motions requires a two-thirds majority
vote of the general membership.
Subsection D. Impeachment motions that have been passed must be presented
to the accused member of the Executive Board. Trials of impeachment motions
must be preceded by a prior two-week notification period, in which the
accused member of the Executive Board is informed of his impeachment.
Subsection E. Removal of the impeached officer requires a two thirds
majority vote of the general membership and a unanimous vote of the Executive
Board, except the accused member, in favor of removal.
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ARTICLE VII—BY-LAWS
Section 1. By-Laws for the governance and organization of the Bach Society
may be introduced by any member of the Bach Society in good standing at
a general meeting, in the form of a motion.
Section 2. By-Laws require a two-thirds majority vote for passage.
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ARTICLE VIII—AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
Section 1. Motions for amendments to the present constitution may be
introduced only by sitting members of the Executive Board during general
meetings.
Section 2. Motions for constitutional amendments may be seconded by any
member of the Society.
Section 3. Passage for constitutional amendments requires a two-thirds
majority vote of all members of the Bach Society in good standing, including
the unanimous vote of the sitting members of the Executive Board.
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ARTICLE IX—RATIFICATION OF THE CONSTITUTION
Section 1. The present constitution shall be ratified and adopted as
the governing rules of the Bach Society by a three-fourths majority vote
of all members present at the first organizational meeting of the Bach
Society.
Section 2. For purposes of ratification, participation and membership
in the first organizational meeting of the Bach Society shall be strictly
limited to undergraduate students of Columbia University.
Ratified December 1999
Voting to ratify (incomplete list):
Daniel Lee, Convenor and Chair
Ken Masur
Andrea Wang
Henry Wong
Shirley Mills
Robin Effron
Claire Temin
Maja Cerar
Jenny Ruzow
Daniel Beliavsky
Andy Schlaikjer
Chiung-Yin Chung
Victoria Sander
David de la Nuez
Morit Gaifman
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Amendments
Amendment 1: Strike Article III, Section 1: “At least two-thirds
of the general membership of the Bach Society must be comprised of full-time
registered students of Columbia College and the Fu Foundation School of
Engineering and Applied Science at Columbia University.”
(Passed by unanimous vote in general session on April 10, 2001)
Amendment 2: Strike Article V, Section 5: “The President and Treasurer
must be a full-time, registered student of either Columbia College or
the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science.”
(Passed by unanimous vote in general session on April 10, 2001)
Amendment 3: include in Article V, Section 2 the clause "The Music
Director shall be elected annually by a majority vote of the general membership.
The Music Director's term lasts for one year, beginning on May 15 and
terminating on May 14 of the following year." (It's understood that
"Music Director" includes both "Chorus Director" and
"Orchestra Director," even if they're different people some
years.)
(Passed with over 2/3 majority vote on March 16, 2003.)
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