Policies & ByLaws
By-Laws of the
Utah Symphony Guild
Approved Amendment
September 4, 2019
Article I – Name
This organization shall be known as The Utah Symphony Guild.
Article II – Purpose
Because we believe that great music can elevate the human spirit, the purpose of the Guild is to foster, promote, and facilitate the operation of Utah Symphony financially, socially, and educationally. The Utah Symphony Guild shall be an unincorporated nonprofit organization, operating under the ultimate control and direction of the Utah Symphony | Utah Opera (USUO) Board of Trustees, in accordance with the Amended and Restated by-laws of USUO.
Article III – Officers and Board
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee of the Guild shall consist of its Officers, namely its President and seven (7) Vice Presidents, one of whom shall be the Executive Vice President / President Elect, the others being a Membership Vice President, a Social Vice President, a Development Vice President, an Education Vice President, a Youth Guild Vice President, and a Gift Shop Vice President. In addition to these Officers, the Committee shall also include a Recording Secretary, a Corresponding Secretary, a Treasurer, a Publicity Director, a Parliamentarian, and the Immediate Past-President. The Staff Liaison shall be an Associate Member of this Committee. Other persons with special responsibilities may be associated with this Committee pending Committee approval. Associate Members have no voting rights.
Governing Board
In addition to the members of the Executive Committee, the Board may include an Assistant Treasurer, an Assistant Recording Secretary, and an Assistant Corresponding Secretary. The Historian and Orchestra Liaison shall also be members of this Board, as shall Chairs of committees appointed by the President or the Vice Presidents to accomplish special tasks.
Article IV – Duties and Eligibilities of Officers and Board Members
Executive Committee
The duties of the Executive Committee shall be to meet on call by the President to carry out the duties designated in these by-laws and to set general policies for the operation of the Utah Symphony Guild. At the second meeting of a new administrative year, this Committee shall adopt a budget for the new year. Further, each Executive Committee member shall maintain records of activities and recommendations of their committees to aid their successors, and shall submit a written report to the President prior to the closing meeting of the Guild. One copy of each report shall be placed in the Guild’s permanent file.
Governing Board
The duties of the Governing Board will be to meet, on call by the President, at least four (4) times per year to approve general policies for the Utah Symphony Guild and the activities thereof. Membership in the Guild is required of anyone holding office in the Guild.
President
The duties of the President shall be to preside at all meetings of the Guild, its Governing Board and its Executive Committee, to have general supervision of the direction and business of the Guild, and to appoint such ad hoc committees as shall be deemed necessary. The President is also responsible for the organization’s Newsletter, Website, Data Base Specialist, Publicity, Historian, Member of Note, and Orchestra Liaison. The President is an ex officio member of the USUO Board. At the end of the President’s term in office, the President serves as Immediate Past President on the Guild Executive Committee. The President shall have signature rights on the general Guild Bank Account.
Immediate Past President
The Immediate Past President serves the Executive Committee and the Governing Board in an advisory capacity. In addition, it is the duty of the Immediate Past President to assemble and chair a Nominating Committee, whose composition is subject to approval by the Executive Committee, and to ensure that a slate of candidates can be presented to the Executive Committee at its March meeting. Traditionally, the Immediate Past President has also been responsible for planning a Spring Orchestra Appreciation luncheon.
Vice Presidents
There shall be seven (7) Vice Presidents as follows: Executive, Membership, Social, Development, Education, Youth Guild, and Gift Shop. Each Vice President may appoint such committees and committee chairs as are deemed necessary to carry on those activities of the Guild for which each is responsible. These appointments are subject to approval by the President and the Executive Committee.
Executive Vice President / President Elect
The duties of the Executive Vice President shall be to assist the President in all matters pertaining to the function of the Guild, and to preside at all meetings in the absence of the President including USUO Board meetings the President is unable to attend as an ex officio member. In order to hold this office, the Executive Vice President shall have served for at least one (1) year as a member of the Guild Executive Committee or as a committee chair of the Governing Board.
In addition, the Executive Vice President shall work with the Membership Vice President to contact all new Guild members to welcome them to the Guild and acquaint them with the Guild’s committees. The Executive Vice President shall also give Committee Chairs those names of new members interested in being involved in each Committee.
Membership Vice President
The duties of the Membership Vice President shall be to have general supervision over Membership committees which include, but are not limited to, the following: the annual Membership Event, Mailings, and Director. The Membership Vice President shall work closely with the Executive Vice President to inform new members of the Guild’s committees and encourage their participation.
Social Vice President
The duties of the Social Vice President shall be to have general supervision over committees which include, but are not limited to, the following: Finishing Touches, Luncheons and Symposia, Hostesses, Table Decorations, Invitations and Printed Programs.
Development Vice President
The duties of the Development Vice President shall be to have general supervision of all fundraisers as decided by the President and the Executive Committee. The Development Vice President may appoint a chair or co-chair to serve on each fundraising committee.
The Development Vice President shall meet annually with the incoming President, Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Staff Liaison to set goals for each fundraiser. The Development Vice President will provide a report to the Executive Board following each fundraiser. At the conclusion of the year, the Development Vice President shall meet again with the President, Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Staff Liaison to evaluate the fundraisers conducted during the present year.
Education Vice President
The duties of the Education Vice President shall be to have general supervision over committees which include, but are not limited to the following: Fifth Grade Docent Program, Music Outreach Program, Tour Guides, Women’s Legislative Council, and Salt Lake Council of Women.
Youth Guild Vice President
The duties of the Youth Guild Vice President shall be to have general supervision over the activities of the Youth Guild.
Gift Shop Vice President
The Gift Shop Vice President shall be responsible for overall guidance and supervision of the Symphony Guild Gift Shop, ensuring that the Gift Shop is adequately staffed and managed efficiently so as to maximize profits for the support of Utah Symphony. The Symphony Guild Gift Shop Coordinators shall be appointed by and serve under the Gift Shop Vice President. The Coordinators must hold membership in the Guild. The Coordinators’ duties shall include sign-up and training of volunteers, control of inventory, and preparation of a monthly financial statement for the Gift Shop Vice President who will then provide the financial statement to the Executive Committee.
Recording Secretary
The duties of the Recording Secretary shall be to keep a record of all minutes of the meetings of the Guild, of the Governing Board, and of the Executive Committee. The Recording Secretary shall send a copy of the minutes of each meeting to the President within ten (10) days of such meeting.
Corresponding Secretary
The duties of the Corresponding Secretary shall be to handle all correspondence of the Guild, as directed by the President. This includes sending notification of meetings to all persons involved. The Corresponding Secretary shall have supervision over the Guild Telephone Committee.
Treasurer
The duties of the Treasurer shall be to keep a complete record of all funds collected and disbursed by the Utah Symphony Guild, and to make a written report of these transactions monthly at each Executive Committee and Board meeting. The Treasurer is to give copies of this monthly report to the President, Executive Vice President, Recording Secretary, Immediate Past President and the Chief Financial Officer of USUO. The Treasurer shall also keep a running record of the amounts given to USUO from all Guild sources throughout the year, noting these amounts on each monthly report. August 31 of each fiscal year, the Guild books are closed, and a year-end financial statement shall be prepared, to include all financial information, Bank Statements, and Deposit Receipts, from September 1 of the previous year to August 31. This will coincide with the fiscal year of USUO. All financial records of the Guild shall be audited yearly by the Chief Financial Officer of USUO.
Publicity Director
The duties of the Publicity Director include, but are not limited to, supervising the editing, layout, and production of the Guild’s media and program publicity.
Parliamentarian
It shall be the duty of the Parliamentarian to become familiar with the by-laws of the Utah Symphony Guild and to attend Executive Committee and Governing Board meetings. It shall also be the Parliamentarian’s responsibility to be a member of the Nominating Committee and to assemble an up-to-date list each year of those members who are eligible to be nominated to hold office in the Guild.
Committee Chairs
All Chairs will present plans for proposed activities to their corresponding Vice President who will, in turn, present these plans to the Executive Committee for approval.
Article V – Membership and Dues
Guild Membership
Membership dues shall be determined by the Executive Committee. Members shall have all the rights and privileges of full membership in the Utah Symphony Guild and may be called on to assist in any of the activities of the Guild.
Youth Guild Membership
Membership in the Utah Symphony Youth Guild shall be open to families with young persons 8-18 years of age. Dues for membership in the Youth Guild are recommended by the Youth Guild Committee and approved by the Guild Executive Committee.
Article VI – Elections
The term of office for each member of the Executive Committee shall be two (2) years. Annual elections will be held to replace those members of the Executive Committee whose terms of office have expired. In the event that a vacancy occurs in the Presidency, the Executive Vice President shall become President to fill that term of office and will, in the following year, be eligible to fill a full term as President. If the board member has filled an unexpired term, the board member will be eligible to fill her/his own term of office in that position. Board members may be elected or appointed to another office on the Executive Committee.
Nominating Committee
At least three (3) months prior to the year’s final Spring meeting of the Guild, a Nominating Committee shall be assembled by the Immediate Past President. This Committee, whose composition is subject to approval by the Executive Committee, shall be chaired by the Immediate Past President, and shall consist of at least seven (7) voting persons, four (4) of whom shall have served on the Guild Executive Committee, one being the sitting Executive Vice President. The sitting President and the Parliamentarian shall be members ex officio, without voting rights. It shall be the duty of this committee to prepare a full slate of candidates for the vacated Executive Committee positions, to announce the candidates to the Executive Committee at its March meeting, and to present this slate to the membership at the general meeting or in the Newsletter preceding the year’s final meeting of the Guild. If nominations are made from the floor, the nominees must have given prior written consent to such nominations. The election takes place during the final general meeting.
Vacancy
Should a vacancy arise on the Executive Committee, with the exception of the President, a temporary nominating committee is assembled consisting of two (2) Past Presidents and the sitting President. The replacement candidate chosen by the committee is elected to office by a majority vote in the Executive Committee.
Article VII – Youth Guild Committee
The Youth Guild Committee exists under, and shall be governed by, the by-laws of the Utah Symphony Guild. Its purposes are the same, namely to promote Utah Symphony educationally, financially, and socially. Youth Guild membership benefits include, but are not limited to, tickets to selected concerts, admittance to selected rehearsals, master classes, service projects, performance opportunities, competition, and association with the Utah Symphony members. Membership is open to Families, regardless of whether or not they play an instrument, Parents and guardians may be eligible for discount tickets to accompany their children to the aforementioned concerts and all adult members are encouraged to serve as advisors and volunteers for the various activities. Committee chairs shall be appointed by the Youth Guild Vice President as necessary for the operation of the Youth Guild. It is incumbent upon the Secretary/Treasurer of the Youth Guild to present written minutes and financial summaries at each organizational meeting. The financial records of the Youth Guild shall be submitted to the Chief Financial Officer of USUO at the end of each fiscal year for an informal audit.
Article VIII – Amendment of By-Laws
These by-laws may be amended at any regular meeting of the Board by a majority vote of those present, provided written notice of such amendment has been given two weeks in advance. In accordance with Section 7.2 of the Amended and Restated By-laws of Utah Symphony | Utah Opera, revisions to these by-laws shall be submitted to the USUO Board of Trustees for approval prior to adoption. The General Membership shall be informed of such amendments at the closing meeting, or through the Newsletter.
Amended: December 11, 1997
Amended: March 15, 2001
Amended: October 11, 2001
Amended: October 29, 2008
Amended: May 5, 2010
Amended: May 23, 2013
Amended: March 21, 2017
Amended: May 22, 2018
Amended: September 4, 2019