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WRITING A PROPOSAL

ENSURING YOUR MESSAGE IS DELIVERED APPROPRIATELY

Each year following the competitive season, the percussion, winds, and color guard communities are given a chance to submit proposals to their peers to modify, amend, or improve any aspect of the activity and/or circuit they think might need some attention. While anyone is welcome to submit a proposal, there are certainly some guidelines to which one should adhere to make sure your message is well received and understood by our community.

The first thing you should be aware of is that all proposals are published publicly and will bear the name of their author(s). You should take special care to be as professional as possible in your written submission.

The first field you’ll complete will be the Proposal field. Your proposal should be as concise as possible. In this area, be sure to clearly state your proposition, but revise it several times to make sure it’s as succinct as possible. This is the actual item for which the membership will be voting. In general, your proposal should be a sentence or two. Make sure not to include any elaboration, arguments in favor, or other support here: that’ll come in the next section.

The second area, Rationale, is where you will break down your thinking for the Board and membership. This area is where you should provide your reasoning, arguments in favor, evidence, responses to possible counterarguments, or any other support for which you think the Board and membership should be aware. While the first section was simply where you stated what you’d like to see changed, this is where you’ll state your case. Your rationale may be a single paragraph, or may require several to fully explain your thinking. Be as thorough as necessary, just avoid repetition.

The final section, Financial Impact, is where you’ll outline the fiscal implications of your proposal. For many, there may not be a cost associated with your amendment. In that case a simple “None” is appropriate. For many others, you’ll need to be much more detailed here. Please take the time to think through whatever financial ramifications may come about for MEPA, for participating ensembles, for individual participants or families, or for spectators. Well thought-out proposals include such details.

Lastly, if possible, you should make an attempt to be present at the Annual Membership meeting in the late Spring or early Summer. This meeting is open to the public, and the author is always the best possible representative for each proposal. If you’re unable to attend, you may want to talk to someone that will be in attendance that might be able to represent you and your thinking at the meeting.

Submit A Proposal

The Mid East Performance Association is a 501(c)(3) not for profit educational organization and is committed to a diverse workforce.

Available Positions: Updated Monday, May 17, 2022

Judge Administrator (Percussion Division)

The Mid East Performance Association is seeking qualified, enthusiastic, and team-oriented candidates for a full-time position beginning in June 2022 and will be remotely based at the candidate's home location. This position reports to the Circuit President, and Vice President of Percussion. Primary responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Assign judges for each show
--Source and contract judges in their respective areas to fill out the adjudication panels for the upcoming contest season.
--Confirm that contracted judges have received annual training through MEPA, WGI, or another indoor circuit.
--Communicate and cooperate with other circuits in sourcing and contracting judges for MEPA, or creating judge sharing opportunities between the circuits.
--Prior to contracting judges, ensure they meet acceptable standards of professional performance, and to the best of their knowledge, ensure that judges’ past performance meets professional standards of conduct as defined in WGI conduct policies. Ask about affiliations.
--Communicate with MEPA Director of Operations to provide judges’ contact information and any travel needs that are nonstandard or exceptional.

Classification Evaluation
--Gather feedback from the panel which placed a group above the classification threshold based on the MEPA Review Numbers chart.
--Assist the respective MEPA Vice President with evaluating proper classification when groups are required to be reviewed.

Educational Development
--Source and develop local talent prospects for new circuit judges.
--Provide annual training for judges as needed.
--Follow up and report on training issues resulting from a complaint concerning a judge’s performance at the direction of the MEPA Executive Board.

Compensation:$1500 per season, paid in two parts. Mileage to Meetings and Contests when not adjudicating. Judge Pay and Mileage when adjudicating.

Application Process: Applications accepted until June 1st, or until filled. Less than one minute to complete initial application. Interviews conducted in early June.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY