Forum members are eligible to enter students in all FMTA and FMTEF events as long as they keep their membership in active status. All Forum members must clear announcements through the board at the 9:30 AM meeting.
College faculty, retired members, and associate members do not factor into the quorum requirement for voting purposes. Junior members may be transferred to active membership status pending a review of their Forum participation and a vote by the membership.
All Forum members who enroll their students in Student Affiliate (SA) activities are required to follow TMTA procedures. Questions about Student Affiliate activities should be addressed to the local chairman.
Young children and babies should not attend Forum performances, per standard concert protocol. Teachers should follow the Guidelines for Teachers, Chairs, and Volunteers at Forum Events.
Active members must attend five meetings in a single fiscal year. To be excused from this requirement, a member must submit a written notice explaining the reason for the absence, which must include one of the following:
For the first two reasons, the notice must be issued by the educational institution being attended or the employer.
All teachers registering students in an event are required to work at that event. Teachers who are unable to fulfill their work requirement for any reason must provide advance notice to the chair ahead of the event, and pay one of the following applicable fees: $150 with at least one week’s notice, or $175 with less than one week’s notice or no notice. Teachers who are unable to work due to an emergency must notify the chair immediately, the fee may be waived with the approval of the chair and the president.
All Forum members must either hold a chairmanship or office position in Forum Association, or work at two of the following events during the ongoing academic year: Fall Theory, Spring Theory, Forum Auditions, and Young Artist Competition. The membership work requirement is considered completed if a member enters all the events listed above.
Each Forum member shall pay an annual membership fee of $40.00, due by May 31 for the coming fiscal year. This fee will be billed through MTNA. Forum members whose students hold primary SA membership with another association will be assessed a local SA fee of $5.00.
Teachers who are not members of Forum will pay a teacher fee of $100 per event for the privilege of entering one or more students in each FMTA and FMTEF event. In addition, each student of the non-Forum member will pay double the entry fee for each event entered.
The president shall have their TMTA convention expenses reimbursed, not to exceed $500 for a convention outside of the greater Houston area and $300 for a local convention. Each ensemble director shall have the same reimbursement. Delegates shall have their TMTA convention expenses reimbursed, not to exceed $300 for a convention outside of the greater Houston area and $150 for a local convention.
The fiscal year of the association is June 1 through May 31. The treasurer shall file the IRS Form 990-N by August 31, the third month following the end of the fiscal year. Copies made on home copiers are reimbursed at $0.10/side. No member will incur a single expense of more than $50 unless it is directly related to their activity, without a vote by the membership.
Judges are paid $50 per hour with a two-hour minimum. Mileage shall be reimbursed at $0.50 per mile. Forum will pay airfare or mileage, whichever is less. Judging fees for ensemble are only payable when the convention is in Houston and students have to be eliminated so that enrollment is not exceeded. Judges should not be used in more than one activity during the fiscal year.
Credit should be given to coaches and other teachers who have assisted in the training of a student. Students may not be judged by anyone who has coached them.