Conductors Guild, Inc. Three-Year Plan ( )

Transcription

1 Conductors Guild, Inc. Three-Year Plan ( ) Area A. Member Services The Conductors Guild will continue to evaluate, improve, and expand the services offered to the membership. Goal I: Continually improve the quality of the Guild s publications. 1. The Publications Committee will assess the success of Podium Notes, the Journal of the Conductors Guild and the Conductor Opportunities Bulletin annually and make recommendations for change as needed. [Sept. report annually; also at Conference in Jan.] 2. State Membership Chairs, the Regional Chairs, program organizers (e.g., Workshop Chair, Annual Conference Chair), and other persons charged by the Board with leadership responsibilities will be expected to serve as contributors to Podium Notes. [Regional activities: Summer issue annually; State activities: Winter issue annually] 3. Podium Notes will publish reports about regional membership events as they occur. [ongoing] 4. The Guild will endeavor in its publications to address the specific needs of all types and sizes of conducted ensembles (youth, community, college, and professional orchestras; wind ensembles and bands; choral groups; ballet; musical theater; opera; etc.). [ongoing] 5. The Journal staff will investigate the feasibility and budgetary ramifications of preparing bound reprints of the collected Scores and Parts from past issues of the Journal or other Journal articles for which there is substantial demand. [April 2000] Goal II: Establish and improve the Guild s on-line resources, enabling members to exchange information, receive current information from the Guild office, and examine the holdings of the Guild Resource Center. 1. The Internet Committee shall maintain and continually improve the design and content of the Guild website. [ongoing] 2. The Internet Committee shall seek members to help run and administer the site, using materials and cost analysis provided by the Administrative Director. [Jan. 2000] 3. The Guild shall make its on-line resources known to the membership by all appropriate means, including, but not limited to, the use of regular Guild publications and address lists maintained by the Guild office. [Nov. 1999] 1

2 Goal III: Establish a Resource Center that will make available via mail, telephone, and the Internet relevant professional documents including errata lists, information about corrected sets of parts, unusual repertoire lists, holdings of libraries available for sharing, syllabus information for teachers of conducting, sample employee contracts, a new music clearing house, and other materials as generated. [April 1999 ff] 1. The Resource Center Committee shall work with the Board and the office to determine what information the Center should and can provide to the membership. [Sept. 1999] 2. The Resource Center Committee shall work with the office to determine where the Resource Center materials can appropriately be housed, how they will be accessed, upgraded, supplemented, and maintained, and how the Resource Center will be staffed. [April 2000] 3. The Resource Center Committee will announce information about the Center through Podium Notes and other appropriate Guild publications. [Jan. 2001] 4. The Resource Center Committee will seek volunteers to fulfill the various archival functions necessary to continually update and expand the Center. [Jan. 2001] Goal IV: Establish a regional membership structure to promote interaction with members and facilitate access to the Guild on a regional level. 1. The Board shall define seven U.S. regions of membership based on geography and membership demographics, in addition to the four previously defined non-u.s. regions. [Sept. 1998] 2. The Membership Committee shall select regional chairs for all eleven regions, who are not Board members, to facilitate regional organization, planning, and communication. [April 1999] 3. The Membership Committee shall select student representatives for all eleven regions, to assist regional Chairs, and facilitate regional organization, planning, and communication. [Sept. 1999] 4. Regional Chairs shall serve as liaisons to the Podium Notes editor to report on and publicize regional activities via special mailings, contact, and telephone trees. [Beginning Sept. 1999] 5. Regional chairs shall identify prominent conductors working within their region for the Membership Committee to contact, as part of a targeted membership recruitment campaign. [Jan. 2000] Goal V: Improve service, access, and opportunities for non-u.s. members of the Guild. 1. The Board shall identify and regularly review the needs of the non-u.s. membership by means of foreign-member surveys and solicited input, as deemed necessary or desirable. [Sept. 1999ff] 2

3 2. The Guild shall create educational and other programs outside of the United States to serve the current foreign membership and to increase foreign membership rolls. [Beginning March 1999] 3. The Membership Committee shall maintain its commitment to reach out to non-u.s. members. [April 2000ff] Area B. Educational Programs The Conductors Guild will continue to evaluate, improve, and expand the educational programs and professional interaction opportunities offered to the membership, and to address the specific needs of conductors of all types and sizes of conducted ensembles. Goal I: Continue to make the Annual Conference more accessible and appealing to membership. 1. The Conference Committee shall continually update the Conference Procedural Manual and Conference Files to hold all cumulative research about conferences that these may serve as resources to future Conference Committees. [Beginning April 1999, ongoing] A. The Conference Committee Chair shall work with the Administrative Director to maintain a filing system for all relevant conference materials, to be located in the Guild Office. [May 1999ff; updated each February] B. The Conference Committee Chair shall gather and develop reports from all committee members to be kept in conference files. [March 1 annually] C. Conference Committee members shall submit lists of all programming ideas, potential speakers, etc., related to a particular conference for the conference file. [April 1 annually] D. Following each Annual Conference, the Conference Committee shall consolidate and update pertinent information in the procedural manual. [March 1 annually] 2. The Conference Committee shall maintain its efforts to generate greater interest and attendance through more ambitious programs and highly respected speakers. A. Review conference programs and speakers annually, and propose new initiatives to create maximum interest for Guild membership. [April 1 annually] B. Maintain a list of major speakers in the Conference file, regularly requesting submission of names and contacts from Guild membership. [Beginning Jan. 2000] C. Approach potential major speakers by letter and personal contact eighteen months prior to a given Conference. [April annually for 18 months hence] 3

4 3. The Conference Committee shall endeavor to address all the diverse interests and professional needs of our membership. [Report in April annually] A. Review Conference content and format annually, and propose new initiatives to address the evolving professional needs of the membership. [April annually] B. Review Conference file annually for relevant topics requested by the membership in past years. [Feb. annually] C. Review Conference evaluations annually for suggestions for upcoming conference content and format. [Jan.-Feb. annually] D. Survey membership annually regarding new ideas for topics and suggestions for conference format. [Feb. annually for June report] 4. The Conference Committee shall review on a regular basis the time and location of the Annual Conference to ensure that attending the Conference is as convenient as possible for our members. A. Review Conference evaluations annually to help determine the best location and time for future conferences. [Jan. annually] B. Work with regional Chairs to find specific Conference locations and on-site coordinators two years in advance. [Feb. annually] 5. The Conference Committee shall work with the staff and optional publicity person and others to increase awareness of the Conference through more and varied publicity. A. Designate/recruit member(s) to work on publicity, or investigate the feasibility of hiring a publicist six months prior to the Conference. [June annually] B. Develop and/or annually refine a comprehensive plan for Conference publicity, including the possibility of notices to all members. [Sept. 1999] C. Create and disseminate press releases and other appropriate materials to local and national publications. [Sept.-Nov. annually] Goal II: Encourage and promote a minimum of one yearly regional meeting in each of the seven domestic regions, and encourage one annual meeting abroad. [April 1999 ff] 1. The Regional Meetings Committee shall work with the Board to prepare suggested guidelines for regional meetings, which should seek to offer a taste of the Annual Conference experience, and should bring Guild members together with local professionals, in an appropriate format. [April 1999] 4

5 2. The Regional Meetings Committee, the Board, Regional Chairs, and State Membership Chairs shall work with any interested volunteers to schedule regional meetings in tandem with conductor training workshops, seminars, and symposia, whenever feasible. [ongoing] Goal III: Improve and diversify the Guild s Conductor Training Workshops. 1. The Workshop Committee shall continually review and improve Conductor Training Workshops to best serve the Guild membership. [ongoing] 2. The Workshop Committee shall research, develop, and continually update lists of host institutions and master teachers to be used when planning workshops. [ongoing] 3. The Workshop Committee shall maintain its efforts to diversify the workshop experience by incorporating relevant sessions on repertoire analysis, rehearsal technique, conductor-player interaction, career development, body movement, and other relevant topics within the scheduled workshops. [ongoing] 4. The Workshop Committee shall continue its efforts to develop viable specialty workshops focusing on such topics as ballet conducting, opera conducting, wind ensemble conducting, and the like, to serve the membership s diverse needs. [ongoing] Goal IV: Continue and expand the mentoring program through which young conductors with minimal experience can obtain guidance from conductors with more experience. 1. Current Mentoring and Executive Committees shall review the progress and the success of the mentoring program. [April 1999] A. Establish and review criteria for selecting members of the Mentoring Committee and the contact guidelines of the mentoring program itself. [Sept. 1999] B. Maintain a list of eligible mentors from among the Board and Advisory Council. [Jan.2000, update annually] 2. Mentoring and Executive Committees shall work with the staff to create resource materials for mentors to assist them in answering common questions. A. Create sample resume and bio materials. [Sept. 1999] B. Create a list of most common graduate programs in conducting. [Sept. 1999] C. Create lists of library resources, textbooks, and scholarly references for inexperienced conductors. [Sept. 1999] 5

6 3. Mentoring and Executive Committees shall work with the Publications Coordinator to inform the membership of the availability of mentoring program in appropriate Guild publications. [ongoing] Area C. Image and Public Awareness The Guild will clarify and promote awareness of the mission and purposes of the Guild both within the membership and in the world. Goal I: Increase public awareness of the mission and purposes of the Guild. [April 1999] 1. The Public Awareness Committee shall create, review, and maintain a three-year advertising plan, including budget projections. [Sept. 1999] 2. The Guild office, working with the Public Awareness Committee, shall place advertisements that display and represent the Guild s mission and purpose in order to help further membership recruitment efforts. [ongoing] A. The staff shall identify appropriate high profile music periodicals for Guild advertisements, research the cost of such ads, and present this information to the Board and Public Awareness Committee for consideration. [ongoing; Report in Sept. annually] B. The staff shall place ads and articles within the guidelines of the advertising plan. [ongoing] 3. The Public Awareness Committee shall seek to place news reports and feature articles which represent the Guild s mission and purpose, and help further membership solicitation. A. The Committee and staff shall identify appropriate high profile music periodicals to which the Guild may submit articles. [Sept. 1999] B. The Committee and staff shall create or solicit appropriate articles from Guild membership that can be submitted to previously identified periodicals. [Jan. 2000] C. The Committee and staff shall research appropriate venues and pitch articles to appropriate publications. [April 2000] D. The Committee and staff shall submit appropriate articles to appropriate publications. [Sept. 2000ff] 4. The Public Awareness Committee shall invite non-members from schools, public and professional organizations to observe Guild activities such as workshops, seminars, regional meetings, and conferences. [April 2001] 6

7 A. The Public Awareness Committee shall research, identify, and list individuals and organizations who might appropriately be invited to observe Guild activities. [April 2000] B. The office shall distribute this list to all activity Committee Chairs (conference, workshop, seminars, etc.) [April 2000] C. Activity Committee heads shall seek volunteers from the membership to serve as liaison to outside invitees. [Sept. 2000] D. Assigned liaisons shall extend invitations to previously identified individuals and organizations to observe appropriate Guild events. [Jan. 2001] Goal II: Promote, clarify, and enhance the image of the Guild to its membership. [ongoing] 1. The Public Awareness Committee shall create a plan to help define, clarify, and promote Guild services and resources available to its membership. [August 1999] 2. The Public Awareness Committee shall review, update, and upgrade materials that define the Guild s goals and are available to the membership through the Guild s publications, Internet presence, and Resource Center. [Beginning Sept. 2000, report in Jan.] Goal III: Increase and broaden the membership through targeted recruitment efforts. 1. The Membership Committee shall assess Guild recruitment policies, standards, and materials. [Sept. 1999, report at Sept. meeting annually] A. The Membership Committee shall regularly review recruitment procedures and initiatives, and make appropriate recommendations for changes to the Board. [April 1999] B. The Membership Committee shall regularly review recruitment materials and recommend appropriate changes that reflect policy changes. [Sept. 1999] 2. The Membership Committee shall increase efforts in specific recruitment areas (i.e., major conductors, university conductors, youth orchestra conductors, etc.) [Beginning Sept. 2000] A. The Membership Committee shall review membership roster to identify areas needing upgraded efforts. [Jan. 2000] B. The Membership Committee shall develop focused recruitment plans for targeted areas. [April 2000] C. The Membership Committee and staff shall purchase and/or develop targeted area mailing lists and phone numbers. [June 2000] 7

8 D. The Membership Committee shall implement targeted recruitment campaign. [Sept. 2000] Goal IV: Serve as an advocate for promoting the highest standards in the art and profession of conducting. [April 1999ff] 1. Develop position papers on issues important to the Guild s advocacy mission. [Beg. April 2000] A. The Advocacy Committee, guided by Board input, shall identify and set Guild positions on issues of importance to the art and profession of conducting. [April 2000] B. The Advocacy Committee shall report to the Board any such positions, via position papers, for its approval. [April 2000] C. The Advocacy Committee shall meet annually to discuss new issues of importance, and review and revise old position papers, as necessary. [Sept. annually] 2. Guild positions shall be presented to membership. A. Position papers may be printed in appropriate Guild publications, and may be presented at various Guild functions for feedback, modification, and expansion. [Sept. annually, beginning Sept. 1999, for report at Jan. Conference] 3. Guild positions shall be lobbied to appropriate organizations. A. The Advocacy Committee shall develop a plan and technique for lobbying efforts. [Sept. 1999] B. The Advocacy Committee shall identify appropriate organizations requiring lobbying efforts and will lobby identified organizations as directed by the Board. [Jan. 2000] C. The Advocacy Committee shall assess efforts and report back to the Board. [Sept. 2000] Area D. Human Resources The Guild will evaluate, improve the effectiveness of, and investigate the budgetary feasibility of expanding the numbers of staff employees and endeavor to engage the help of volunteer members to serve the Guild in all capacities. Goal I: Strengthen Board effectiveness through increased communication, education, and development. [ongoing] 1. Periodically update committee descriptions, timelines, and plans. [Jan. annually] 8

9 2. Regularly assess effectiveness of Board through annual Board self-evaluation. [Sept. annually] 3. Update and expand Board member handbook, Board contact information, and Board committee descriptions and timelines as necessary. [April annually] 4. Encourage and improve on-line communication between individual Board members, and between Board members and Guild office. [ongoing] 5. Explore new formats for Board and Executive Committee meetings including the use of telecommunications and teleconferencing. [Jan. annually] Goal II: Under the guidance of the Executive Committee, strengthen staff effectiveness and resources to implement the Guild s goals. 1. Evaluate the current strengths and effectiveness of the Administrative Director bi-annually. [Jan. and June annually] 2. In conjunction with the Administrative Director, evaluate the current staff members who serve in the Guild office. [April annually] 3. Assess the interaction of staff with the Board to maximize and ensure a successful functioning of this relationship. [Sept. annually] 4. Regularly review and update job descriptions for all staff positions, including plans for staff expansion. [Jan. annually] Goal III: Involve Advisory Council members and other leaders in the profession in Guild activities. [Sept. 1999] 1. Executive Committee, after soliciting and considering Board input, shall determine needs of the Guild that could be met by individual members of the Advisory Council, and/or the Council as a whole. [Sept. 1999] 2. Review make-up and purpose of the Advisory Council and appointment procedures. [Jan. 2000] 3. Solicit involvement in Guild activities by non-member leaders in the profession beyond the context of service on the Advisory Council. [April 2000] Goal IV: Develop an effective non-board volunteer network from within the membership. [Sept. 1999] 1. Create a structure to organize volunteers. [Sept. 1999] 9

10 A. Using the membership renewal form, create and maintain a database of members and their individual volunteer interests. [April 1999] B. Create a plan to match and coordinate Guild needs with volunteer interests (utilizing both Board and non-board member interests). [Sept. 1999] C. Work with Administrative Director to publicize need for volunteers to perform specific duties through Podium Notes, and by other appropriate means. [Fall issue of Podium Notes annually] D. Involve volunteers in the planning, hosting, and production of regional meetings. [Sept. 1999] Goal V: Involve Student Members in Board Meetings [Sept. 1999] 1. Create a pilot program to involve student members from different regions of the country at Board meetings. [Sept. 1999] 2. Identify possible student representatives for the Board through a variety of recruitment efforts. [Report in April 1999] 3. Evaluate and revise programs as needed to enhance and maintain student member involvement in Board meetings. [April annually] Area E. Planning and Evaluation The Guild will monitor its direction and the success of its endeavors, and continually revise its future plans accordingly. Goal I: Schedule and hold an annual retreat that will include organizational review and the updating and/or extension of the three-year plan and other business, as necessary. [Sept. annually] 1. Evaluate, revise, and extend the current three-year plan as needed. [Sept. annually] 2. Regularly review the Guild s Mission statement. [Sept. annually] 3. Create a new three-year plan following evaluation and completion of the previous plan. [Sept. 2000] Goal II: Survey the opinions, concerns, and recommendations of the membership regarding the Guild s activities every three to five years, or as deemed necessary. [ongoing] 10

11 Area F. Financial Planning The Guild will take measures to ensure and increase the financial well-being of the organization, and seek additional ways to generate funds to ease the expense of participating in Guild activities for Board members and students. Goal I: Review financial soundness and fiscal responsibility of current operating budget. [Sept. annually] 1. Review financial planning vis-à-vis programs and services planned. [April annually] 2. Use information from review when planning future budgets. [Sept. annually] Goal II: Increase Endowment Fund to ensure the stability and growth of the Guild. 1. Develop and maintain a long-range plan to enhance endowment. [Sept. 1999] 2. Review success of endowment efforts, make revisions as needed. [Jan. 2000ff] Goal III: Create a long-range development plan to ensure the stability and growth of the Guild. [Sept. 1999] 1. Assess the success of current contribution drives of the Guild to entice contributions from members. [Sept. 1999] 2. Review success of ongoing grant support from foundations and businesses. [Jan. 2000] 3. Develop a new list of foundations, corporations, and businesses that might support Guild activities and seek their financial support. [Jan. 2000] 4. Encourage members to consider the Guild in their estate planning, Charitable Remainder Trusts, and other such fiscal instruments. [Sept. 2000ff] Goal IV: Develop a long-range plan for making available scholarship monies, travel grants, and other forms of financial assistance to attend Guild functions for members who demonstrate need. 1. Establish a fund to assist student members in attending the Annual Conference, and guidelines for the administration thereof. [Jan. 2001] 2. Establish a fund for workshop travel grants, and guidelines for the administration thereof. [Jan. 2002] 11

12 Goal V: Develop a long-range plan to reimburse Board members basic travel expenses in order to facilitate their attendance at Board meetings. [Jan. 2000] 1. Provide Board members with appropriate written corroboration of tax-deductible expense(s) related to attending Board meetings, as requested. [Feb. 1 annually] 2. Explore feasibility of tele-conferencing, video-linked meetings, etc., as practical and cost-effective alternatives to on-site gatherings for Board meetings. [April 2000] 3. Explore concept and feasibility of partial or full reimbursement for travel and/or hotel expenses to promote Board members attendance at regular meetings. [April 2001] revised and approved 1/10/99 timetable created 3/2/99 12