American Guild of Organists LEADERSHIP TRAINING AND ORIENTATION DOCUMENTS [Prepared for use in Boston, Massachusetts on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 in combination with meetings of the 2012-2014 outgoing AGO National Council and the 2014-2016 incoming AGO National Council] Table of Contents National Council and Committees AGO Mission Statement ..................................................................................................................5 Bylaws..............................................................................................................................................6 National Operating Procedures ......................................................................................................13 Responsibilities of Elected and Appointed Officials .....................................................................39 Timeline Regional Councillors ......................................................................................................64 Directory of Officials .....................................................................................................................69 Regional Officers and District Conveners .....................................................................................97 Chapter Deans ..............................................................................................................................105 Most Recent Audit .......................................................................................................................133 Most Recent Monthly Financials .................................................................................................160 Certification Rules .......................................................................................................................168 Competition Rules .......................................................................................................................172 AGO January Jubilee Handbook .................................................................................................194 Webex meeting tool (Tutorial & System Requirements) ............................................................204 AGO Acronyms list .....................................................................................................................212 National Council and Committees Resources on AGO website ..................................................213 Membership Membership Trends .....................................................................................................................214 Code of Ethics and Professional Standards .................................................................................217 Discipline .....................................................................................................................................219 Dues Structure ..............................................................................................................................222 ONCARD (June TAO article) .....................................................................................................223 Membership Resources on AGO Website ...................................................................................227 Fundraising All Funds ......................................................................................................................................233 New Organist Named Scholarship Funds ....................................................................................234 Clarence Dickinson Society .........................................................................................................240 Staff AGO HQ Staff: Flowchart ...........................................................................................................242 AGO HQ Staff: Getting the information you need ......................................................................243 5 AGO MISSION STATEMENT Adopted by the National Council July 2, 2012 in Nashville, Tenn. The mission of the American Guild of Organists is to enrich lives through organ and choral music. To achieve this, we: ● encourage excellence in the performance of organ and choral music; ● inspire, educate, and offer certification for organists and choral conductors; ● provide networking, fellowship, and mutual support; ● nurture future generations of organists; ● promote the organ in its historic and evolving roles; and ● engage wider audiences with organ and choral music. 6 NATIONAL BYLAWS Adopted April 13, 1896, and as amended through July 2, 2012, in Nashville, Tenn. and approved by a majority vote of the Members on December 1, 2012; and as amended (Article IV, Section 12) October 5, 2013 in Boston, Mass. ARTICLE I (a) General Members. General Members shall NAME AND ORGANIZATION consist of organists and choral conductors and other individuals who support the purposes of the Guild who Section 1. The name of this nonprofit educational shall (I) be approved by a Chapter; (II) be elected to corporation is AMERICAN GUILD OF ORGANISTS. membership by the National Council; and (III) have paid The corporation shall hereinafter in these Bylaws be the dues and fees set by the National Council. referred to as the "Guild." As long they maintain their standing as Section 2. The Headquarters office of the Guild shall be in Members of the Guild, General Members shall be eligible New York, New York. The Guild shall be subdivided into to (I) take the Guild examinations for certification; (II) be Regions, Districts and Chapters, as herein defined. nominated for election to Chapter, Regional, and National Office, and to the National Council; (III) serve on National ARTICLE II Committees; (IV) vote in Chapter, Regional, and National MISSION STATEMENT elections; and (V) receive the official journal of the Guild. (b) Independent Members. Independent Section 1. The mission of the American Guild of Organists Members shall consist of organists and choral conductors is to enrich lives through organ and choral music. To and other individuals who support the purposes of the Guild achieve this, we: who shall (I) be elected to membership by the National - encourage excellence in the performance of organ Council without a chapter affiliation; and (II) have paid the and choral music dues and fees set by the National Council. - inspire , educate, and offer certification for As long as they maintain their standing as organists and choral conductors Members of the Guild, Independent Members shall be - provide networking, fellowship, and mutual eligible to (I) take the Guild examinations for certification; support (II) be nominated for election to Regional and National - nurture future generations of organists Office; (III) serve on National Committees; (IV) vote in - promote the organ in its historic and evolving roles Regional and National elections; and (V) receive the - engage wider audiences with organ and choral official journal of the Guild. music For purposes of utilizing the Guild's Grievance Procedures (Procedures for Dealing with Complaints about Section 2. Nothing in these Bylaws shall be read, and none Termination) and the Discipline, Independent Members of the Guild's activities pursuant to these Bylaws shall be shall be considered members of the Chapter which is undertaken or executed, in a manner inconsistent with this nearest to their primary residence. "Nearest" shall be mission statement. defined as the residence of the closest Chapter Dean at the time an incident occurred that gave rise to the use of the ARTICLE III Grievance Procedures or the Discipline. CLASSES OF MEMBERSHIP (c) Certificated Members. Certificated Members shall consist of those General Members and Independent Section 1. The membership of the Guild shall be divided Members in good standing who have passed appropriate into two classes: Voting Members and Non-Voting examinations and have been granted appropriate certificates Members. All individuals shall be eligible for membership as designated by the National Council. Choir Masters, and participation in the American Guild of Organists. The Associates, and Fellows shall be known as the Academic Guild (its Headquarters, Regions, Districts and Chapters) Membership. The levels of certification are: shall not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, 1. Service Playing. Holders of the Service age, religious affiliation, gender, marital status, sexual Playing Certificate have passed a test designed to orientation, disability or medical condition (including, but demonstrate basic competence in organ playing in the not limited to, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). setting of religious services. Holders of the Service Playing Certificate shall be entitled to affix to their names the letters VOTING MEMBERS SPC. 2. Colleague. Colleague Certification is awarded Section 2. The Voting Members shall consist of General to those General Members and Independent Members who Members, Independent Members and Certificated have passed an examination designed to demonstrate Members. competence in organ playing and musical knowledge and ability at a level preliminary to that required of Academic 1 7 Membership. Holders of the Colleague Certificate shall be (c) Organizational Affiliate Members shall known as Colleagues and shall be entitled to affix to their consist of individuals who (I) are members of other names the letters CAGO. organizations which, by action of the National Council, are 3. Choir Master. Those General Members and affiliated