THEATRE AND SOCIAL CHANGE ARTICLES OF OPERATION As Amended July 1996
ARTICLE I
NAME
The name of this interest group will be Theatre and Social Change.
ARTICLE II
PURPOSE
The purpose of the Theatre and Social Change interest group (TASC) is to:
1. Recognize the role that theatre with a conscious social perspective has played in the history of world theatre.
2. Promote the research and practice of theatre whose specific focus is the dynamic relationship between theatre and society, and especially cultural analysis and theatre practice and theory which sees itself as an agent for social criticism and/or change.
3. Serve as a focus point for studying those theatres that have created theatre-making processes that can serve as model processes for social change (e.g., collaborative approaches, audience choice, group membership).
4. Incorporate as part of the analysis and training process the discoveries made in cultures historically ignored by the west (e.g., the Third World) such as community animation and theatre for community action.
5. Provide a network through which those making and/or studying people's, political, and otherwise socially active theatre can share work, theory, and support.
ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP
Membership in the Theatre and Social Change interest group is open to anyone who is a member of the Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) and is interested in the approaches outlined in Article II or in related approaches.
ARTICLE IV
ORGANIZING COLLECTIVE
The leadership for the Theatre and Social
Change interest group will be provided by the Representative to the Forum, the
Conference Planner, the Newsletter Editor, the membership and Elections
Coordinator, and the Secretary/Treasurer, elected at the annual meeting or by
mail ballot. The Forum Representative and the Conference Planner serve two-year
terms, and are elected in alternating years normally one year (but at least
three months) before their terms begin. The remaining members of the Organizing
Collective serve one-year terms. To be eligible for office, a candidate must
be a member of athe and be able to participate fully in the organizing
collective's work. The latter includes having or obtaining electronic mail
access no later than one month after election to office
1. Representative to the Forum: The Representative to the Forum (or Forum
Representative) has responsibilities in three main areas:
1) Directing
and supervising TASC activities: scheduling and conducting the annual business
meeting and any other meetings of the Organizing Collective, keeping the group's
mailing list, updating the TASC Handbook, supervising any on-going projects, and
appointing local arrangements coordinators, delegates, and/or ad hoc committee
members, etc.;
2) Conferring with the conference planner: discussing
the merit of program proposals, shaping policies, suggesting changes, and so
forth;
3) Participating in the ATHE Forum: attending all ATHE Forum
meetings, representing TASC members' interests, providing reports of those
various meetings to TASC members, communicating with other ATHE bodies,
analyzing ATHE's and the Forum's structures, policies, and projects, proposing
changes as needed, serving on forum committees, etc. If for any reason the Forum
Representative cannot attend an ATHE Forum meeting, the Conference Planner or
the Forum Representative-Elect will normally serve as acting Forum
Representative.
2. Conference Planner: The Conference Planner is responsible for supervising the local arrangements coordinator (if any), soliciting program proposals, and coordinating the schedule of programs for the annual ATHE Conference. The Conference Planner will work closely with the Forum Representative, the other Organizing Collective members, and the local arrangements coordinator (if any), in assembling representative programs. If for any reason the Forum Representative cannot attend an ATHE Forum meeting or vacates the position, the Conference Planner will normally serve as acting Forum Representative (in the case of vacancy, until a new or interim Forum Representative can be elected).
3. Newsletter Editor: The Newsletter Editor is elected at the annual business meeting, but his or her term begins three months after that date. The Newsletter Editor is responsible for editing the TASC Newsletter, arranging for its printing and mailing, and aiding the incoming Newsletter Editor.
4. Membership and Elections Coordinator: The Membership and Elections Coordinator is responsible for updating the mailing list, collecting electronic mail addresses, sending such information to the appropriate officers or agents of ATHE and TASC, soliciting nominations and self-nominations for the next election of officers, and announcing the candidates.
5. Secretary/Treasurer: The Secretary/Treasurer serves as recording and correspondence secretary, treasurer, and as an assistant to the Conference Planner and other Organizing Collective members, as needed. In addition, the Secretary/Treasurer is responsible for maintaining TASC's records.
6. The Forum Representative may appoint former Forum Representatives, Conference Planners, and (with the Conference Planner's concurrence) other TASC members as advisory (non-voting) members of the organizing collective. The Forum Representative-Elect and the Conference Planner-Elect serve as advisory members ex officio.
Only the Secretary/Treasurer and Elections Coordinator positions may be served by the same person.
Under the primary direction of the Forum Representative and the Conference Planner, the Organizing Collective will establish goals, direction, and operating procedures for the Theatre and Social Change interest group. The Forum Representative and the Conference Planner together coordinate the work of the other Organizing Collective members, who will assist TASC's activities in ways that the members regard as beneficial to the effectiveness of the group.
ARTICLE V
VOTING
All members attending the annual meeting are eligible to vote on all issues presented to the membership. In the event of a tie, the Representative to the Forum may cast the deciding vote. The quorum and the Organizing Collective may submit controversial issues and the election of officers to the larger Membership through a ballot by mail.
ARTICLE VI
ANNUAL MEETING
The Annual Meeting will be held at the Annual ATHE Conference. The Organizing Collective will be responsible for developing the agenda for this meeting. Those attending will constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE VII
HANDBOOK
The Organizing Collective shall establish and maintain a Theater and Social Change interest group handbook. This handbook shall more fully describe the duties and procedures of the Organizing Collective and its members, record the history of the Theater and Social Change interest group, and provide any other information deemed of interest or value to TASC's members or officers.
ARTICLE VIII
AMENDMENTS
These Articles of Operation may be amended by a vote of the majority of the members attending the Annual Meeting.
ARTICLE IX
REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF OFFICERS
A member of the Organizing Collective may be removed from office if the Organizing Collective determines that the person in question cannot fulfill his or her office adequately. Removal of the Newsletter Editor, the Membership and Elections Coordinator, or the Secretary/Treasurer requires a two-thirds majority vote, and of the Conference Planner or the Forum Representative a unanimous vote, of the remaining members of the Organizing Collective. The Forum Representative or Conference Planner may also be removed from office at the annual meeting by a two-thirds vote of no confidence.
If for any reason there is a vacancy in the Newsletter Editor, Membership and Elections Coordinator, or Secretary/Treasurer positions, then the remaining members of the Organizing Collective may jointly appoint an ATHE member to serve in that capacity for the remainder of that term of office. If there is a vacancy in any other position, then the Forum Representative, the Conference Planner, the Forum Representative-Elect, or the Conference Planner-Elect (as the Organizing Collective deems appropriate) will act in that capacity until new or interim officers can be elected. Interim officers will complete the remainder of the term they fill.
ARTICLE X
REVIEW
These Articles of Operation must be reviewed annually by the Operating Collective and approved by the membership.
[Updated June 1997]