DRAFT REVISION
LAST CHANGE March 20, 2011
Approved 2010
Bylaws outline an organization's
structure. For example, it may describe an office or department.
The details of what that office or department does are left to descriptions
written in the Policies & Procedures Manual.
ARTICLE I
INCEPTION
Section 1 Name
Northwest Indiana Excellence in Theatre Foundation, Inc. (official
date of incorporation 20 July 1992).
Section 2 Overview
The Foundation shall view productions of member theatres throughout
its season, which is defined as 12 months, starting in September and
ending in August. Viewing Members shall recommend nominations in award
categories from those productions, and as a group shall select a slate of
finalists and a winner in each category.
Section 3 Purpose - NEW!
The mission of the NIETF is to stimulate excellence in theatre arts in NWI through innovative marketing, partnership resourcing, member recognition, and community development.
ARTICLE II MEMBERSHIP
1. 6 officers
(President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, Play Nominations
Secretary, and Musicals Nominations Secretary),
2. 3 Committee Chairpersons (Outreach, Development, and Marketing and
Public Relations),
3. 2 At-Large members,
4. 1 member appointed by the President with the advice and consent of
the other members of the Board,
5. 4 members, each selected by a member theatre on an annually rotating
basis.
3 to 6 of the members of the elected (members not selected by the theatres)
Board shall be viewing members.
1. A maximum of 18 viewers
of plays
2. A maximum of 18 viewers of musicals
3. Viewers in one category may be elected to the other category.
Section 2.
Selection of Members
Board and Viewing Members are selected and evaluated on criteria
explained in the Policies and Procedures manual hereafter referred to
as the P&P manual.
Section 3. Election of Board Members
A. Nominations
process
Specified in the P&P manual
B. Election Process
At the last Board meeting of the calendar year, the current Board,
Viewing Members, and one representative from each member theatre shall
elect eleven Board of Directors, including the officers, for the upcoming
calendar year. Theatres are not required to send a representative. Each
theatre representative, Viewing member, or Board member shall have one
vote, any individual having only one vote. The Directors shall serve
terms of one year. A member nominated to serve as President or Vice
President shall have completed one (1) full season as a Foundation
Board member.
A. Nominations process
Specified in the P&P manual
B. Election process
The Foundation Board will ask the member theatres, prior to the
July Board meeting, to send one representative to the August elections
for viewers. Theatres are not required to send a representative. Each
theatre representative and each Board member shall have one vote in
the election. Each individual shall have only one vote. All other aspects
of the viewer selection process shall remain the same as specified in
the P&P manual.
Section 5
Selection of Committee Members
Specified in the P&P manual
Section 6 Resignation of Members
Specified in the P&P manual
Section 7 Replacement of Elected Board Members
Specified in the P&P manual
ARTICLE III
DUTIES OF FOUNDATION MEMBERS
Section 1
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors shall be responsible for governing the Foundation.
They shall hold at least six meetings a year. Failure of Board members
to meet those responsibilities and obligations as defined in the bylaws
and the P&P manual will result in actions as specified in the P&P
manual.
Section 2 Officers
A. President
It is the duty of the President to conduct regular Board meetings, to
encourage group involvement, and to perform all other responsibilities
deemed appropriate by the Board.
B. Vice-President
It is the duty of the Vice-President to chair the Ceremony Committee,
to conduct meetings in the absence of the President, to provide advice
and support to the President, and to perform all other responsibilities
deemed appropriate by the Board.
C. Recording Secretary
It is the duty of the Recording Secretary to record and distribute minutes
of the meetings, handle all Foundation correspondence, and to perform
all other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the Board.
D. Treasurer
It is the duty of the Treasurer
to handle the collection and disbursement of Foundation funds, prepare
an annual report at the end of each fiscal year, and to perform all
other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the Board.
E. Play Nominations Secretary
It is the duty of the Play Nominations Secretary to record, track, and
tally all Viewer nominations for plays. This person shall co-chair the
viewing member meetings and perform all other responsibilities deemed
appropriate by the Board.
F. Musical Nominations Secretary
It is the duty of the Musical
Nominations Secretary to record, track, and tally all Viewer nominations
for musicals. This person shall co-chair the viewing member meetings
and perform all other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the Board.
Section 3
Committee Chairpersons
The three chairpersons as described in Article II, section 1, subsection
A, item 2 of these bylaws will administer the duties and responsibilities
deemed appropriate by the board.
The chairpersons have the authority to appoint and remove members of
their committee.
Section 4 Viewers
A. Each Member must
view a minimum percentage of eligible shows each season. The Board,
on a seasonal basis, shall establish this percentage. Failure to meet
the minimum Viewing percentages of eligible shows, as established by
the Board, shall result in the forfeiture of the Viewing Member's right
to vote on preliminary and/or final nominees
B. Each Member shall notify the Nominations Secretaries of his/her category
nominations for the shows viewed.
C. One mandatory meeting shall occur in September for award balloting.
Section 5
Committee Members
Each member shall perform any duties associated with their committee
assigned by the chairperson.
Section 6 Code of Ethics
A. The purpose of the Code
of Ethics of the Northwest Indiana Excellence in Theatre Foundation
(NIETF) is to serve as a guide to ethical conduct for members. NIETF
members include the Board of Directors, Viewing members, committee members,
and member theatres, all of whom are referred to as NIETF members.
B. NIETF members' responsibilities to the theatre community include
the following:
1. To conduct all activities
with honesty, integrity, respect, fairness, and good faith,
2. To respect the laws,
3. To disallow the exploitation of professional relationships for personal
gain,
4. To use this Code to further the interests of Theatre and not for
selfish reasons,
5. To refrain from participating in any activity that demeans the credibility
and dignity of Theatre,
6. To avoid practicing or facilitating discrimination and prevent discriminatory
organizational practices,
7. To be truthful in all forms of activities and avoid disseminating
information that is false, misleading, or deceptive,
8. To refrain from using authority or information to intentionally affect
NIETF or any member thereof in an adverse way,
9. To participate in activities that benefit and enhance the quality
of community theatre life.
1. working to create a
working environment conducive to ethical performer conduct and behavior,
2. working to ensure a working environment that is free from harassment,
sexual and otherwise, coercion of any kind, especially to perform illegal
or unethical acts, and discrimination on the basis of race, creed, ethnic
background, sex, age, or disability.
ARTICLE IV
THEATRE AND SHOW AWARDS
A. The Theatre is based in
Lake County , Porter County , or LaPorte County , Indiana .
B. The Theatre is an organized company whose prime purpose is
to produce community theatre.
C. The Theatre has completed two (2) consecutive seasons within
the last two (2) years. If a member Theatre does not produce a show
under eligible viewing criteria for two (2) consecutive seasons, it
will become ineligible until it once again completes two (2) consecutive
seasons according to the requirements set forth above.
D. The Theatre pays an annual membership fee.
E. The Theatre remains dark the evening of the Gala that occurs during
their membership year.
A. The Show's performance
dates were publicized at least one month prior to auditions.
B. The Show was cast through publicized open auditions for all roles.
C. The Show had no paid actors or actresses.
D. Any show which opens in one season and closes in the next season
will be eligible for nominations in the season in which the majority
of performances are scheduled. If an equal number of performances occur
in each season, the show will be eligible in the season in which it opened.
A. Best Principal Actor: Musical
B. Best Principal Actress: Musical
C. Best Principal Actor: Play
D. Best Principal Actress: Play
E. Best Featured Actor: Musical
F. Best Featured Actress: Musical
G. Best Featured Actor: Play
H. Best Featured Actress: Play
I. Best Musical
J. Best Play
K. Best Director: Musical
L. Best Director: Play
M. Best Vocal Direction
N. Best Musical/Orchestral Direction
O. Best Set Design: Musical
P. Best Set Design: Play
Q. Best Lighting Design: Musical
R. Best Lighting Design: Play
S. Best Costume Design: Musical
T. Best Costume Design: Play
U. Best Choreography
V. Outstanding Achievement
W. Best Cameo
X. Viewers' Choice
Y. Project C.A.S.T.
ARTICLE V
AWARDS PROCEDURES
Section 1 Eligibility for
Nomination
Any individual or organization shall be nominated in a category
when they have been nominated by a number of Viewers, the number to
be determined at the beginning of each viewing season, who viewed that
production. (Please see the P&P manual for details) A percentage
of that number, also to be determined at the beginning of the viewing
season, must have no involvement in the production. Involvement is defined
as anyone listed in the production's program or any officer in the theatre
company. Special Thanks, Special Appreciation, and other such listings
in the program are excluded from this definition. Viewers' Choice
nominations shall require two nominations from any viewers.
Section 2 Nominations and Voting
At the conclusion of each season, the viewers shall select finalists
from the pool of nominated shows of that season.
1. The secretaries distribute
the initial ballots to each viewer; that is, all musical viewers receive
the same musical ballot and all play viewers receive the same play ballot.
2. Each viewer votes for up to five (5) nominees with a ranking from
'n' to one for each category with 'n' being the number of nominees that
the viewer votes for in a category.
1. The secretaries
sum votes for each nominee and select the top five nominees in each
category or all nominees if the category has five or less nominees.
2. If the secretaries cannot select the top five nominees
because of a tie, the secretaries select the tied nominees and include
them on the ballot.
1. The secretaries
distribute the final ballots to each eligible viewer; that is, each
viewer receives a custom ballot listing only nominees of shows that
the viewer has viewed.
2. Each viewer votes with a ranking from 'n' to one with
'n' nominees in each category or for the total nominees in a category.
If a viewer has a category with fewer nominees because they did not
view a show, the ranking is adjusted accordingly.
1. The designated
independent consultant sums the votes for each nominee and designates
the nominee in a category with the highest sum as the winner for that
category.
2. If the consultant cannot designate a winner because of a tie,
the consultant requests from the NIETF president the initial tallies
for the category containing the tie. If the tie still cannot be
broken, the consultant designates multiple winners.
Section 3 Awards Presentation
The winners in each category shall be announced and awards presented
at an annual ceremony in the autumn of each year.
ARTICLE VI
MEETINGS
The Board shall hold a minimum of 6 meetings each calendar year
one of which shall be open to all interested members of the theatre
community.
ARTICLE VII CHANGES OR AMENDMENTS TO BYLAWS
Any change or amendment to the Bylaws must receive a two-thirds
(2/3)-majority vote of Board Members in attendance at the meeting, including
but not limited to the agreement of two (2) Officers. Any change
or amendment proposed at one Board meeting must be voted on at the next
regularly scheduled Board meeting prior to being adopted as part of
the Bylaws.
