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Docent & Associates
Handbook |
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BY-LAWS
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ARTICLE I NAME
The name of this organization shall be the Docent Guild and Associates of the Michigan Historical Museum, hereinafter referred to as the Docent Guild.
ARTICLE II PURPOSE
The purpose of this organization is to provide support for the Michigan Historical Museum through docent and other volunteer service.
ARTICLE III MEMBERSHIP
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| Section 1. | Members shall pay annual membership dues as the Board of Directors may establish and/or volunteer a minimum number of hours as the Board of Directors determine. |
| Section 2. | Membership Classification |
| A. | Docent: A Docent is a teaching guide. |
| 1. | Docent Candidate: A Docent Candidate is a prospective docent in training. A docent candidate who successfully completes the required training will be recommended by the membership committee to the Docent Guild Board of Directors for certification. |
| 2. | Active Docent: An Active Docent is an actively participating certified member of the Docent Guild. Docents are required to follow the guidelines, policies and procedures established by the Docent Guild Board of Directors. |
| 3. | Inactive Docent: An Inactive Docent is a docent who has requested from the Board of Directors inactive status for a period of time. The docent will be excused from volunteer service but is to remain a member of the Docent Guild. |
| B. | Volunteer Associate: A Volunteer Associate is an individual who provides volunteer service to the Michigan Historical Museum other than as a Docent. |
| C. | Life Member: An individual who has served a minimum of 200 hours as an active docent, and no longer desires to be active, may become a Life Member of the Docent Guild by applying to the Docent Guild Board with a one-time fee set by the Board of Directors.
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ARTICLE IV BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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| Section 1. | The governing body of the Docent Guild shall be the Board of Directors. |
| Section 2. | The voting membership of the Board shall include: |
| a. | Elected officers |
| b. | Immediate past President |
| c. | Chairpersons of standing committees |
| Section 3. | The Director of the Michigan Historical Museum or his/her designate shall be a non-voting member. |
| Section 4. | A simple majority shall constitute a quorum of the Board. |
| Section 5. | The Board of Directors shall meet every month from September through June or as determined by the Board.
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ARTICLE V OFFICERS
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| Section 1. | The officers of this organization shall be: President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. |
| Section 2. | The officers shall be nominated from persons who are in good standing as members of the Docent Guild. The President and Vice President shall have served a minimum of one year as a member of the Board of Directors. |
| Section 3. | Election of Officers: The nominating committee shall present to the membership by mail, a slate of officers prior to the June business meeting. Additional nominees from the floor shall be allowed, provided the prior consent of each nominee has been obtained. The officers shall be elected by a majority of the members present at the June business meeting. |
| Section 4. | Term of Office: The term of office shall be one year beginning July 1st. No officer shall hold the same office more than two consecutive terms. Any vacancy shall be filled by the Docent Guild Board and such appointee shall serve until the next election of officers.
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ARTICLE VI DUTIES OF OFFICERS
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| Section 1. | President: The President shall be the Chairperson of the Board and shall be the principal executive officer of the Docent Guild. The President shall appoint chairpersons of all standing committees and shall be an ex-officio member of all standing committees, and may establish additional committees as needed. Additionally, the President shall make such necessary special appointments to the Executive Committee to fill vacancies, if the position of Board Secretary or Treasurer is vacant, and if there are no qualified candidates for those positions as set forth in other sections of these By-Laws. These appointees shall be titled Acting Treasurer or Acting Secretary. An acting Treasurer or Acting Secretary shall serve a one-year term with the consent of the Board and the later approval of the population at the June business meeting. An acting Secretary or Treasurer appointee may serve no more than two consecutive one-year terms. |
| Section 2. | Vice President: The Vice President shall act as the President in the absence of the President and shall assist the President as required. The Vice President shall attend meetings of the Docent Recognition Committee, and shall report to the President on matters of Docent recognition. |
| Section 3. | Secretary: The Secretary shall keep accurate records of all meetings of the Board and general membership. The Secretary shall also conduct all general correspondence as required by the Board. |
| Section 4. | Treasurer: The Treasurer shall be responsible for all financial records in accordance with the Board directions. The Treasurer shall be a member of the budget committee of the Docent Guild.
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ARTICLE VII MEETINGS
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| Section 1. | The annual meeting of the Docent Guild shall be held June 1st or as soon thereafter as shall be determined by the Board of Directors, held upon ten days prior notice of the members of the corporation. |
| Section 2. | Membership meetings shall be held no less than two times a year.
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ARTICLE VIII STANDING COMMITTEES
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| Section 1. | The standing committees shall be: Recruitment and Interview, Public Relations, Membership\Office Manager, Education, Day Chair, In House Communications, Archives, Special Events, By-Laws, Educational Development and Outreach, Docent Recognition, and other such special committees as may be established. |
| Section 2. | The President-elect shall appoint chairpersons of standing committees prior to assuming office. Chairpersons shall appoint members of their committees from the membership, except the Day Chair Committee, which is composed of the twelve Day Chairs. |
| Section 3. | The duties of the standing committees shall be: |
| 1. | Recruitment/Interview Committee shall recruit and interview all applicants for membership and determine suitability for entry into the program. |
| 2. | Public Relations Committee shall publicize all docent activities including notices for recruitment. |
| 3. | Membership Committee Maintain membership records, volunteer hours and Life Memberships to determine status of volunteers eligible for annual recognition and the Museum Store discounts. Prepares a monthly report of hours served in each category. At the end of the fiscal year, prepares an annual report of total hours volunteered by each Docent. |
| 4. | The Education Committee, in collaboration with the museum staff, shall provide continuing education programs, help develop educational materials, and assist the museum staff with the initial education of Docent candidates. |
| 5. | Day Chair Committee shall direct the activities of the day chairs. Day chairs are the primary communication link between the Docent Guild Board, the Museum staff, and docents. The committee shall meet quarterly throughout the fiscal year. If necessary, additional meetings shall be scheduled through the fiscal year. The committee should meet to (1) discuss the agenda of past Board meetings and (2) discuss any matter the committee would like their Chairperson to bring up at next Board meeting. |
| 6. | Hospitality Committee shall arrange social functions and educational trips. |
| 7. | The In House Communications Committee, in collaboration with staff, shall publish and distribute the Docenteer and administer the website of the Guild. The duties of the Webmaster of the Docent Guild’s web site shall be assigned to the Newsletter Committee in those instances where the President determines that the Newsletter Committee has sufficient technical acumen to make such a merger effective. The News Letter Committee shall then be known as the In House Communications Committee. The Webmaster is responsible for designing, maintaining, and updating the website of the Guild. The Docenteer shall be posted on the website, and shall be distributed to each Guild member by mail or electronically. |
| 8. | The Archives Committee shall maintain the archival records of the Guild. All standing committee Chairpersons shall prepare an annual report of the activities of their respective Committees. This report is due when the duties for the fiscal year are completed, but shall be submitted not later than each August 31. |
| 9. | Special Events Committee shall plan and execute the annual docent trip and any other Special Events as directed by the Board of Directors. |
| 10. | By-Laws Committee shall review and update By-Laws and docents handbook. The membership of this committee shall consist of the active Past Presidents. The Chairperson of the By-Laws Committee shall be the immediate past President. |
| 11. | The Educational and Outreach Committee shall define pilot outreach programs, which will expand and enrich the student’s museum experience, and the committee will assist the staff in these programs. |
| 12. | The Docent Recognition Committee shall research and consider the many aspects of docent recognition and shall make recommendations, and implement approved procedures to effectively maintain and enhance docent recognition.
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ARTICLE IX BUDGET COMMITTEE
The Budget Committee shall consist of the treasurer and three members of the Guild appointed by the President.
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ARTICLE X NOMINATING COMMITTEE
The Nominating Committee shall consist of three members appointed by the President in January.
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ARTICLE XI AMENDMENTS
The bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present provided any proposed amendment has first been submitted in writing to the membership.
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ARTICLE XII PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The organization shall be governed by Roberts' Rules of Order, Revised.
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ARTICLE XIII DISSOLUTION
Upon dissolution of the corporation, all funds and property belonging to the corporation, as well as books and records of the corporation, shall be donated and turned over to the Michigan Historical Museum or its successor, or to the Bureau of History.
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