DRAFT REVISION NOVEMBER 19, 2006
NORTHWEST INDIANA EXCELLENCE IN THEATRE FOUNDATION
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL
The
Policies & Procedures manual describes, in some
detail, the duties and responsibilities of the
organization and its officers, volunteers, and member
theatres. It
is especially useful if one or several officers were to
leave the organization and their duties were assumed by
someone unfamiliar with the office.
The P&P should be considered a guidebook for
new and potentially new participants. All descriptions in
this manual are linked to the appropriate article and
section of the Northwest Indiana Excellence in Theatre
Foundation Bylaws.
Article I Inception
Intentionally left blank
Article II Membership
Section
1. Description.
Members are defined as a current Board member, viewers, a
committee member, a viewed
theatre company, or a person who has paid the membership
fee to help support the
Foundation. Board
members, viewers, and viewed theatre companies are voting members.
Section 2. Selection
of Members.
A. Viewing members are considered and evaluated on three criteria:
Having
experience in more than one area of theatre (directing,
acting, set construction, set design, musical direction,
lighting, etc.) and having developed one area of
expertise.
Having experience in more than one theatre in the region.
Possessing
an admirable level of objectivity.
B. Board candidates are expected to agree to the following:
Must
be interested in Theatrical Arts.
Must
attend Board meetings.
Must
support Foundation financially.
Must
attend Gala and participate in its running.
Must
serve on at least one committee.
Must be able to fulfill the duties of the office.
Section 3. Election of Board Members.
A Nominations process for officers, committee chairmen, and at-large members.
Nominations
are accepted online or by
Nominations
are accepted until two weeks after the Gala.
Nominations
will be accepted from the floor if no nominees for a
position have Filed
before the deadline, but both the nominator and nominee
must be present at the election meeting.
Nominees
must meet qualifications as described in Section 2,
paragraph B above.
Nominees who wish to view or to continue viewing must make their preferences (musicals, plays, or both) known.
B. Election process: The officers, committee chairmen, and at-large members of the Board are elected at the last meeting of the calendar year by
The current Board; the viewing committee members; the member theatre representatives.
The four Board members representing member theatres are selected in whatever manner each theatre shall decide. The theatres serving on the Board shall be selected by lottery without replacement until the pool of theatres is deficient. When the pool is less than four the remaining theatres are automatically selected. To complete the selection the lottery begins anew. The lottery will occur at the Board elections meeting after the elections are concluded. The member theatres will have two weeks from the lottery to inform the Board President of their selection for the Board. If a member theatre chooses not to select a representative, there will be no replacement.
Section 4. Election of Viewing Members
A. Nomination process
1. Nominations are accepted online or by U. S. mail from the theatre community at large.
2.
Nominations are accepted until approximately one month
before the election, with
a possible extension of one week if, in the Board's
opinion, the viewing nominee list is too sparse.
3. Nominations
are not accepted from the floor the night of the election.
4.
Nominees may volunteer for viewing plays, musicals,
or both.
5. Nominee preference will yield to balance between number of viewers in each category.
B. Election process
1.
Viewers are elected by
a.
the current Board
b.
a representative from each member theatre company
if that company sends a representative.
2.
Election is held immediately prior to the August
Board meeting.
3.
If more than six Board members wish to view,
officers must defer to
a.
Play Nominations Secretary
b.
Musical Nominations Secretary
c.
President
d. Vice
President
e.
Secretary
f.
Treasurer
Resignations
are automatically accepted upon their receipt by the
appropriate officer of the Board.
1.
Call for nominations.
2.
Election of new Board member by simple majority of
voting members
A. The Board of Directors is responsible for the overall governance of the Foundation. This includes the following:
1.
Planning, attending, and running the annual Awards
ceremony, commonly called the Gala.
2.
Supervising the Viewing program.
3.
Supervising the printing and distribution of the
program inserts to the
4.
Maintaining a web site to publicize individual
member theatres' programs and the Foundation programs.
5. Encouraging cooperation among member theatres.
6.
Encouraging theatre attendance at the members'
venues among the general public.
7. Increasing the general public's awareness of all live theatre programs in the Northwest Indiana area.
B.
The Board shall hold at least six meetings a year,
one of which must be open to the general public.
The
President's duties include the following:
2.
Coordinate all Foundation programs.
3. Represent the Foundation with other groups.
4.
Any other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the Board
B.
Vice
President
The
Vice President's duties include the following:
2. Conduct Board meetings in the absence of the President.
3. Organize and conduct the election for viewers in August of each year.
4.
Organize and conduct the election for the Board at the
last Board meeting of the year.
5.
Any other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the
Board.
The
Recording Secretary's duties include the following:
2.
Handle and archive all Foundation correspondence.
3.
Distribute copies of minute of previous regular Board
meetings to
member
theatres after approval by Board.
4.
Any other responsibilities deemed appropriate by
the Board.
The
Treasurer's duties include the following:
1. Collect and disburse, in accordance with Board decisions, all Foundation funds.
2.
Prepare and present to the Board at the first regular
meeting after the end of the fiscal year (August 31) a
detailed profit and loss statement for NIETF for the
fiscal year just ended.
3.
Prepare and present to the Board at the first regular
meeting after the annual
awards Gala an event profit and loss comparison which will
provide ticket sales, expenses by line item, and net
profit/loss for at least
the last three years.
If all bills have not been received by the first
meeting, an updated comparison will be provided at the
subsequent
4.
File all required reports and other paperwork associated
with incorporation and tax exempt status of the Foundation
with the county, state, and Federal governments in a
timely manner. Archive
a copy of all such filings.
5.
Help maintain the web site and post office box by paying
the necessary fees in a timely manner.
6.
Any other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the
Board.
The Play Nominations Secretary's duties include the following:
1.
Record, track, and tally all viewer nominations for plays.
2.
Maintain a record of shows seen by each viewer on a
separate page of
3.
Contact theatres concerning questions about
categories of nominees and eligibility of shows.
4.
Co-chair any viewer member meetings.
5.
Prepare ballots for preliminary voting round at
September meeting.
6.
Conduct preliminary voting at September meeting.
7.
Tally preliminary vote and prepare and mail final ballot
and stamped preaddressed
envelope to viewers after September meeting.
8.Any
other responsibilities deemed appropriate by the Board.
F.
Musical Nominations Secretary
The
Musical Nominations Secretary's duties include the
following:
1.
Record, track, and tally all viewer nominations for
musicals.
2.
Maintain a record of shows seen by each viewer on a
separate page of
3.
Contact theatres concerning questions about
categories of nominees and eligibility of shows.
4.
Co-chair any viewer member meetings.
5. Prepare ballots for preliminary voting round at September meeting.
6.
Conduct preliminary voting at September meeting.
Tally
preliminary vote and prepare and mail final ballot and
stamped
preaddressed
envelope top viewers after September meeting.
8.
Any other responsibilities deemed appropriate by
the Board.
Section
3 Committee
Chairpersons
A.
Outreach
The
Outreach Chairperson's duties include the following:
1.
Administer Project C.A.S.T.
a.
write and post inquiries for projects from member
theatres.
b.
collect all project proposals.
c.
present proposals to the Board for a vote before
the Gala. A
2.
Administer the Outstanding Achievement Award.
a.
write and post invitations for nominations to
member theatres.
b.
collect nominations.
c.
present nominations to the Board for a vote before
the Gala. A
3.
Administer High School Grants
4.
Administer regranting.
5.
Contact theatres about meetings to which theatre
members are
6.
Administer the creation, printing, and distribution
of program inserts, advertising the upcoming shows and
auditions at member theatres, to member theatres as
needed. The
minimum printing
7.
Any other responsibilities deemed appropriate by
the Board
B
Development Chairperson
The
Development Chairperson's duties include the following:
1.
Administer grant writing.
2.
Solicit financial support for the Foundation
programs from local
3.
Administer collection of such support.
4.
Coordinate such activities with the Treasurer
whenever necessary.
5.
Contact theatres about annual dues.
6.
Any other responsibilities deemed appropriate by
the Board.
The
Marketing and Public Relations Chairperson's duties
include the
1.
Administer publicity releases for the Foundation.
2.
Devise strategies for publicizing the
Foundation's programs and the
3.
Any other responsibilities deemed appropriate by
the Board.
Nominations
for a show should be received within 72 hours of the
viewing. In all cases nominations shall not be accepted
more than two weeks after the show closes. Viewers may
appeal for acceptance to the Board.
1.
Questions about categories may be politely directed
to the appropriate
2.
Viewers must be aware that the opinions of viewers
are seen by the
Committee
members shall perform any duties assigned to them by the
chairperson that pertain to the duties of their particular
committee.
Two
seasons shall mean twenty-four months from the production
of the first show. Viewing
shall begin two months after the Board votes to accept the
theatre as a member.
1.
A show is defined as a scripted musical or play
intended as part of a member theatre's regular season.
2.
A show must have several performances scheduled for
different dates.
3.
Ineligible shows shall include, but not be limited
to
a.
Single performance fund-raisers
b.
Shows intended primarily to be acted or viewed by
children
c.
Educational workshops
d.
Staged readings for "works-in progress.
Unscripted revues (works written for performers
already cast).
B.
Open auditions means that all roles must be open to
auditioners. No
roles
A
- D. Principal
Actor or Actress: An actor or actress whose storyline is
the primary
Such
narrators take part in the action onstage.
E
- H. Featured
Actor or Actress: An
actor or actress whose storyline is secondary focus of the
show. This
person may only appear in several scenes.
N.
Orchestral Director: The
person who conducts the orchestra for a musical.
If
no Vocal Director is listed separately, this person may
also assume the
S
- T. Costume
Designer: The
person or persons who designs or coordinates the
costumes. Borrowed
costumes are considered designed.
If costumes are predominately (51%) rented,
costumes are ineligible for nominations.
1.
Nominations, with accompanying justification are
solicited from the
2.
Nominations may be made by email or the United
States Post Office.
3.
Nominations are submitted to the Board for a vote.
4.
A majority vote of sitting Board members is
necessary for the award to
be presented.
5.
Recipient is contacted so that a biography of the
individual or group may be inserted in the Gala program.
6.
Award is presented at the Gala.
W.
Cameo Actor or Actress:
An actor or actress who appears in only one scene
Y.
Project C.A.S.T.:
Award given by the Board to a member theatre to
help
1.
Proposals may be submitted by member theatres each
year
2.
Proposals may be submitted by email or the United
States Postal
3.
Proposals are submitted to the Board for a vote.
4.
A majority vote of sitting Board members is
necessary for the award to
5.
The award in the form of a check is presented to
the recipient theatre at the Gala.
Article
V Awards
Procedure
1.
If more than one person is cast for a particular
role, viewers will consider only the person who is
assigned the majority of the performances for nomination.
2.
If each person is given the same number of
performances, viewers may be required to see the show
several times.
3.
Second and subsequent viewing will only be for
nominating the multiple cast role.
4.
Viewing for additional performances will be
arranged by the appropriate viewing secretary.
1.
Ballots, listing in alphabetical order all
nominees, are distributed at the September viewers'
meeting.
2.
Voting is conducted after all questions about
correct categories for nominees (i.e. Principal or
Featured) are resolved by viewer vote.
3.
Secretaries have the option of resolving these
conflicts if all but a few viewers have nominated in one
category.
Intentionally
left blank
1.
Each viewer receives his /her ballot and a
preaddressed stamped envelope to mail the ballot to the
independent consultant.
2.
Viewers have approximately a week to vote and mail
their ballot.
3
.
Postmark must be on or before the deadline, the
deadline being
Intentionally
left blank
Article
VI Meetings