Advisory Board

Article I: Name
This organization will be known as The Texas State University Friends of Fine Arts & Communication, “Friends” hereafter.  Its principal place of business will be San Marcos and the surrounding communities in Texas.

Article II:  Mission
Our mission is to raise funds for student scholarships while providing special benefits and privileges to a community of fine arts and communication supporters.

Article III: Goals
Increase scholarship awards for the Texas State University College of Fine Arts & Communication programs.
Assist “where possible” in recruiting talented students and faculty to the College of Fine Arts & Communication.
Increase awareness of the College of Fine Arts & Communication.
Increase attendance at Fine Arts & Communication events.
Cooperate with other area organizations in the promotion of the College of Fine Arts & Communication.
Serve as an advisory board to the Dean and the College leadership team.

Article IV: Membership

Section 1: Annual membership will be from September 1 through August 31 of the following year.

Section 2: Membership fees are the foundation of the organization. The annual membership fee is $100 beginning September 1, 2014. Contributions over $100 may be designated to any department or school within the College, Dean’s Excellence Fund, or the Friends’ endowment. All other gifts over $100 that are not specifically designated will become part of the Friends account to be used at the discretion of the Advisory Board. The following annual membership categories will be designated, with benefits noted for each level.

Friends Membership Level
Diamond Friend – $10,000     (100 tickets per membership year)
Emerald Friend – $5,000     (40   tickets per membership year)
Platinum Friend – $1,000     (16   tickets per membership year)
Gold Friend – $500.00     (12   tickets per membership year)
Silver Friend – $250.00     (8     tickets per membership year)
Bronze Friend – $100.00     (4     tickets per membership year)
Retired Faculty/Staff Friend     (2     Season tickets)  

Friends Benefits and Privileges to All Members    
Email updates and the “Dean’s Showcase” brochure and Friends Notes.
Honored at Annual Donor Appreciation event.
Preferred seating at special events.
Recognized in all performance programs, advertisements, and website.
Guided tours of new Performing Arts Center.
Opportunities to visit classes within the College of Fine Arts and Communication.
Benefits only available at the Silver Friend level and above:
Invitations to “Wine and Hors D’oeuvres Pre-Show Events” (for select theatre/recital events), art gallery openings, Piersol Lecture Series, and educational seminars
Invitations to “Front and Center” events including attending open rehearsals and post-production “Meet and Greet” with performers and directors/conductors.
Opportunities to join Friends on annual trips.
Opportunities to attend Green Room “VIP Wine and Cheese Receptions” during intermissions.  

Benefits open to all Friend’s level and above:
One-time opportunity to participate in the “Take-a-Seat” campaign that enables members to name a seat in the new Performing Arts Center in perpetuity

Section 3:  Membership is open to businesses, individuals, and families, without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation or creed.  It is recognized per household/business, rather than on an individual basis.

Section 4:  Lifetime membership may be conferred on any person(s) for his/her outstanding support of the organization and the college.  Lifetime membership requires a vote of the full Advisory Board, upon the recommendation of the Executive Committee.  Advisory Board Directors may recommend persons for consideration to the Executive Committee.

Section 5:  Requirements to participate in any Friends travel include a minimum of a Friend  level membership and acknowledgement that within the pricing of all trips, a portion will go to the Endowment Fund.

Article V:  Board of Directors

Section 1: The Board will be composed of 15 members but not to exceed 18 members.  Each term is 3 years with a limit of 2 consecutive terms. Rotating number of Directors’ terms will expire each year so that no more than 5 Directors exit in a single year. New Board Directors will be recommended for election by the nominating committee or from the floor and presented to the full Board for approval at the May or June meeting.

Section 2:  The Board may appoint an individual to fill a partial term.  That individual may be nominated for a full 3-year term upon the expiration of his/her partial term. If the partial term is for less than 12 months, then this partial year does not count as one of the 2, 3-year term limit.

Section 3:  Board members may serve 2 consecutive 3-year terms or the equivalent of 6 years.  At the conclusion of the 2 terms, the Board member must roll off the Board for 1 full year before he/she may be considered for another full 3-year term.  Members may serve a maximum of 4 full 3-year terms in a lifetime. A member may only serve as president once in a 6-year period.

Section 4: The Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication will be a permanent voting member of the Board and the Assistant to the Dean-Outreach will serve as its administrative arm and liaison with the University.

Section 5: The Board will provide advice and consent concerning the entire operation of the Friends organization.  It will provide guidance for the discretionary spending of the Friends membership proceeds to the Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication.  The Board will determine the calendar of Friends events, and conduct an annual membership campaign.
Section 6:  The Board of Directors will also serve as the Advisory Board to the College of Fine Arts and Communication.

Section 7: Members of the Advisory Board must be members of the Friends and are encouraged to be members at the Silver level or above.  Any Board member who has not paid his/her annual dues by September 15 of each year will be automatically removed from the Board.  The only exception will be members who are on the University automatic payroll deduction system.

Article VI:  Ex-officio Directors
The College of Fine Arts and Communication Assistant to the Dean-Outreach, Events Coordinator, and President, as well as the Chairs/Directors of Art, Music, Theatre/Dance, Mass Communication/Journalism, and Communication Studies will be non-voting Ex-officio members of the Board.

Article VII:  Officers

Section 1:  Officers will be President, President-Elect, and Past President.  The President and President-Elect must be current Board members when elected and have remaining and unexpired term as a Board member to fulfill a 3-year officer commitment. Officers will be elected at the May or June meeting of each fiscal year.

Section 2:  Annual Appointed Committees: The Dinner Theatre Coordinator, Recording Secretary, Special Events Coordinator and the Publicity Coordinator are appointed annually by the President of the Board.  These coordinators are not required to hold current terms on the Board.  When the coordinators are not current Board members they are invited to all Board meetings in an ex-officio capacity.

Section 3: The President will preside over meetings of the Advisory Board, work with the
Assistant to the Dean-Outreach to establish the agenda and serve as the spokesperson for the organization.  The President-Elect will serve in the absence of the President.

Article VIII: Official Standing Committees

Section 1: The Executive Committee will consist of the 3 officers to include the President, President-Elect and the Past President, the Dean of the College of Fine Arts & Communication and the Assistant to the Dean-Outreach.

Section 2:  The Nominating Committee will be composed of a minimum of 3 Board members and chaired by the President-Elect.  The committee will present its slate of candidates at the May or June meeting for a vote by the Board.

Section 3: The Membership Committee will be responsible for promotional materials, developing an annual membership campaign, and making recommendations to the Board.

Section 4: The Special Events Committee will be responsible for selecting events for
sponsorship by the Friends and making recommendations to the Board for possible special events.

Section 5: The Travel Committee will be responsible for selecting travel destinations and submitting proposals to the organization for potential Friends trips.  The Assistant to the Dean-Outreach will oversee the Travel Committee and will provide the cost estimates to the committee when requested.

Section 6:  The President may appoint other standing committees as deemed necessary.

Article IX: Meetings
The Board will meet regularly, with all meetings open to the membership.  A special meeting may be called by the President or upon written request by 5 Board Directors.  If a recommendation is needed prior to a regularly scheduled Board meeting, the Executive Committee may elect to solicit input from Board members via email/telephone.  There will be a minimum of 6 meetings every year.

Article X: Fiscal Issues

Section 1: Attendance records will be recorded at all meetings. Any board member who accumulates 2 or more unexcused absences per fiscal year without a written approval from the president will be deemed to have resigned, and the board will begin the process of securing a replacement.

Section 2: Dues will be set by the Board for the different categories of membership.  All dues will be paid annually at a time determined by the Board.

Section 3: Funds raised, bequests and gifts received by the organization will be maintained in a fiscally responsible manner.

Section 4: The fiscal year will be from September 1 through August 31.

Section 5:  An annual financial statement will be reviewed and approved at the August meeting.

Section 6:  Proposed annual membership, campaign, and endowment goals will be reviewed and approved at the May or June meeting.

Article XI: Amendments
These by-laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of Board members present at any Board meeting provided that prior notice of a proposed by-law amendment has been presented to the Board at the previous meeting.

Article XII: Indemnification of Directors
Texas State University will indemnify a person serving on the governing Board of the Friends as provided in article 104.001 of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code.

Article XIII: Dissolution
In the event the Texas State Friends ceases operation, its assets will be transferred with appropriate restrictions to the general funds of the College of Fine Arts and Communication of Texas State University or its successor.

Updated 9/02/2014
Kevin D. Gilley, Assistant to the Dean-Outreach
Texas State University

 

_{Updated 09/18/14lm
Kevin D. Gilley, Assistant to the Dean - Outreach
Texas State University - College of Fine Arts & Communication}