Natd Constitution

1. The Name

The association shall be known as The National Association for the Teaching of Drama, hereafter referred to as NATD.

2.Objects

The advancement of education of young people through drama (wherever the term is used in the constitution it will be deemed to include theatre arts).

In furtherance to this:

a. To encourage and promote the development of drama at all levels of education including teachers' education, both initial and in-service.
b. To provide a forum for the sharing and growth of knowledge, skills and understanding related to the development of drama in education.
c. To draw together and provide support for all those concerned with drama in education in all forms and all its levels.
d. To foster and promote the development of local and regional organisations of the association working for a, b and c above.
e. To act in a co-ordinating and supporting role in relation to all regional and local associations.

3. Membership

3.1. There should be three categories of membership: a. Individual b. Affiliated association c. Institution

3.2. In addition to the above, NATD will encourage the formation of local and regional associations of individual and institutional members of NATD. Associations in this category will be able to claim back from the national association 20% of the fees paid by their members.

3.3. NATD is affiliated with the Standing Conference of Young People's Theatre (SCYPT), members of SCYPT, therefore, have the right to attend all local and national events organised by NATD, at members' rates. No voting rights are Accorded by this affiliation.

3.4. Membership shall be conditional upon the payment of a fee which shall be reviewed when appropriate by the Executive committee and approved by a General Meeting of NATD Before implementation. In exceptional circumstances, the Executive Committee shall be empowered to reduce or waive subscriptions for members or prospective members resident overseas. Where this occurs, each case will be reconsidered after one year.
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4. Voting

4.1. a Individual members shall have the right to one vote at all General Meetings. b Affiliated associations shall have the right to one vote at all General Meetings. c Institutions shall have the right to one vote at all General Meetings. d As an alternative to the above, local or regional associations of individual and institutional members of NATD (as defined in 3.2) with ten or more members may opt to apply in writing to the Secretary for a block of ten votes at least fourteen days prior to a General Meeting of NATD, providing that a General Meeting of the said association has approved the decision to exercise the option. e Where an association, as described in 3.2, chooses to exercise its right to cast a block vote, the delegate responsible for casting the block vote on behalf of the association shall declare herself or himself to the Secretary prior to the meeting and thereafter any additional members of that association shall be ineligible to vote.

4.2. All business at General Meetings shall be transacted by those present and eligible to vote.

4.3. All business at Executive Meetings shall be transacted by a simple majority of Executive members present , except for amendment to the Constitution.

4.4. Amendments to the Constitution shall be passed by at least two thirds of the total votes cast at a General Meeting. Written notice of the proposed changes must be given to the Secretary at least Twenty-one days before The meeting at which the change is to be discussed. These proposed changes will be circulated to the membership not less than fourteen days before the meeting.

4.5. The Chair has the casting vote at all meetings.
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5. Quorum

5.1. The quorum at a General Meeting shall be those present and eligible to vote providing that the total votes cast is not less than 20% of the total membership as defined in 4.1a, b and c.

5.2 The quorum at an Executive Meeting shall be at least 50% of the elected members plus one
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6. Officers

6.1. The Committee: The following members of the Executive Committee shall be elected at an Annual General Meeting of NATD and shall be: Members of, and nominated by an affiliated association; an individual member nominated by three individual members, none of whom shall be the nominee; an individual member nominated by an affiliated association.

6.2. Officers: The Chair, who shall represent NATD and shall be responsible for the conduct of all General Meetings and Executive Meetings. The Vice-Chair, who shall assist the Chair and act in the absence of the Chair.A Secretary. A Membership Secretary. A TreasurerThe International Officer. A Conference Officer. A Publicity Officer. Plus not more than three other committee members, one of whom shall be the Chair of the Editorial Committee of the Journal for Drama in Education, as elected at their first meeting, within 28 days of the Annual General Meeting. Should any of the last three posts receive no nominations; the permitted number of other Committee members will increase accordingly.
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7. Powers of Committee

7.1. The Executive Committee shall be empowered to appoint such sub-committees as it shall deem necessary from time to time, provided that each sub-committee contains at least one member of the Executive Committee.

7.2. The Chair and the Secretary shall both be ex officio members of all sub-committees.

7.3. The executive committee shall be empowered to co-opt members in a non-voting capacity when necessary.

7.4. The Chair's decision shall be final in any dispute concerning the interpretation of the constitution.
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8. Meetings

8.1. NATD shall hold an AGM each year. At least one six weeks notice of this meeting to be given to each affiliated organisation and to individual members. Proposals and resolutions to be included in the agenda to be submitted to the Secretary not less than twenty-one days before such meeting unless decided otherwise by a majority of members present at the meeting in question. Proposals and resolutions received within the twenty-one days to be circulated to the membership, with the agenda, not less than fourteen days before such a meeting. Nominations for the Executive Committee are to be accepted up until the Commencement of the AGM.

8.2. Not more than fourteen months shall elapse between General meetings.

8.3. An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called at not less than one month's notice being given to the Secretary in writing by: a. at least three members of the Executive Committee who are eligible to vote at committee meetings. b. at least three affiliated associations with ten or more members, given that the decision so to do has been agreed at General Meetings of these associations. c. at least 12% of the total number of individual members eligible to vote.

8.4. There shall be a minimum of three executives meetings between Annual General Meetings
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9. Finance

9.1. The financial year shall be defined as the period between 1 April and 31 March.

9.2. The accounts of NATD will be kept by the Treasurer.

9.3. The audited accounts of NATD for the previous financial year shall be presented to the Annual General Meeting. The auditor shall not be a member of NATD.

9.4. All money held by the Treasurer shall be the property of NATD.

9.5. Any officer or appointee of NATD, shall be entitled to be re-imbursed for expenses incurred on or about the business of NATD, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee.
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10. Minutes

The Secretary shall keep, or cause to be kept, the minutes of the National Executive Committee. Executive Committee Minutes shall be available on request to all members. The work of the Executive Committee shall be reported to all members on a regular basis in the manner deemed most economical by the Executive Committee.
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11. The Journal for Drama in Education

NATD will promote a journal to be available to all members as part of their membership fee and to be sold as widely as possible to institutions and the general public. This journal, the Journal for Drama In Education, to be the responsibility of an Editorial Committee elected by a majority of members at an AGM or EGM. The committee will be elected for a period of twp years, at the end of which period they must resign and may stand for re-election. Prospective committee members will be expected to stand on the basis if a proposed editorial policy and projected costing for the group, or on an individual basis. At their first meeting, within 28 days of the AGM, the editorial Committee shall elect a Chair. In order to facilitate liaison between the Executive Committee and Journal Committee, the Journal committee shall, under normal circumstances, plan at least two of its meetings to coincide with those of the Executive Committee. These dates should be mutually agreed between the two committees. The Editorial Committee will have full editorial independence throughout its terms of office and will have power of co-option. The Editorial Committee will be expected to raise finance towards the cost of the publication (e.g. through advertising or sales). A financial statement will be presented to the AGM by the Treasurer. The AGM will be invited to approve the level of funding in respect of the Journal for Drama in Education, for the coming year.
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