Virginia Docent Exchange

Bylaws

Virginia Docent Exchange Bylaws

  1. Name
    1. The name of this organization shall be: Virginia Docent Exchange.
  2. Purpose
    1. The purpose of the Virginia Docent Exchange is to bring together docents from art museums and/or art centers in Virginia to exchange ideas, methods, and training practices with fellow docents.
    2. Objectives of the Virginia Docent Exchange are as follows:
      1. To strengthen interpretational skills, to keep current with new approaches to education in the gallery and classroom, and to strengthen leadership skills.
      2. To encourage involvement in docent activities and opportunities inherent in the in the docent exchange and to promote professionalism of docents in general.
      3. To enhance communication among Virginia’s art museums and art centers.
  3. Membership
    1. Membership is open to docent groups of art museums and/or art centers in Virginia.
    2. Additional membership limits may be determined by the Exchange Steering Committee.
    3. Docent groups from art museums and/or art centers desiring membership in the Exchange must make written application to the Exchange Steering Committee.
    4. All Virginia Docent Exchange member institutions must present and/or participate in the workshops of the Exchange
    5. All Virginia Docent Exchange member institutions must host or co-host the Virginia Docent Exchange on a rotating basis. The Virginia Docent Exchange will maintain the following membership levels:
      1. Hosting Member Museum – Level 1 ($150 biannually)
        • must present and/or participate in the workshops of the Exchange
        • must host or co-host the Virginia Docent Exchange on a rotating basis
        • must be represented on the steering committee by 2 voting members
        • will receive member discount for docents attending the Exchange
      2. Associate Member Museum – Level 2 ($150 biannually)
        • may propose workshops for presentation at the Exchange
        • will receive member discount for docents attending the Exchange
      3. Conference Attendee / Non Member
        • may attend the Virginia Docent Exchange
        • may not propose workshops for presentation at the Exchange
        • will not receive the member discount when attending the Exchange
  4. Exchanges
    1. Exchanges shall be held every two years. Exceptions may be determined by the Exchange Steering Committee.
    2. Selection of workshops should cover a full spectrum of interests with the main objective being to increase the effectiveness of the docent through the continuous learning process and interaction of ideas of docent and staff from the various member institutions.
    3. Members attending the National Docent Symposium shall be encouraged to share new techniques and knowledge with fellow docents.
    4. Host museums may make final decisions for attendance of additional participants at their own discretion based on logistics involved.
  5. Dues and Fees
    1. Dues for each member museums shall be $150 biennially. Dues are payable in full by October 1 of the year previous to the exchange.
    2. Docents from non-members will pay a surcharge to attend the Exchange on a space available basis.
  6. Governing Board
    1. Each member museum shall have two (2) voting representatives, at least one of whom is a docent, to the governing steering committee and they shall serve for a period of two years.
    2. The Chairman of the Board shall be a representative member of the host institution and shall serve a two-year term. This selection shall be confirmed at the first meeting of the Board to be held at the discretion of the host museum after the member museums and/or art centers have selected their docent representatives to the Virginia Docent Exchange for the two year planning period previous to the Exchange.
    3. A secretary and a treasurer shall be selected from the representative members of the host museum and shall serve a two-year term. This selection shall be confirmed at the first meeting of the Board to be held at the discretion of the host museum after the member museums and/or art centers have selected their docent representatives to the Virginia Docent Exchange for the two year planning period previous to the Exchange.
    4. The Staff Educator of the host museum may be an ex officio member of the board during the two year planning period previous to the Exchange.
  7. Amendments
    1. The By-Laws may be amended by the steering committee (e.g. the voting representatives of the member institutions).