SITE UNDER CONSTRUCTION.......COME BACK SOON!
June 27, 2008
Dear General Membership,
Greetings to all loyal (former IAJE) Michigan members. I am finally able to provide you with an update from my last newsletter, which talked about the bankruptcy of the former IAJE national organization. As a matter of record, IAJE --the International Association for Jazz Education-- ceased to exist on Friday, April 19, 2008, when it declared Chapter 7 bankruptcy and closed its doors, went out of business. Details and causes of the bankruptcy have not been disclosed.
More important to the Michigan Chapter and its members, this bankruptcy does not
directly affect us as a former IAJE state unit chapter. Our organization remains intact,
is solvent and committed to maintaining our unwavering mission: to extend
visibility for jazz education and awareness in Michigan.
In an emergency meeting held in mid-June, our Executive Board voted to maintain our independent
status and to remain committed to all current projects, which include
the Detroit International Jazz Festival,
a strong partnership with MSBOA throughout the state of Michigan,
efforts to enlarge our presence at the Michigan Music Conference held in Grand Rapids each January,
and our continued commitment to our performing MIAJE Reading Band.
A first step in our transition process was to rename our organization. The Executive Board approved,
"Michigan Association for Jazz Education", and to apply for non-profit organizational status.
The board also voted to maintain all of our current commitments with monies
from the treasury, to maintain the performing MIAJE Reading Band under the
direction of vice-president Bob Nixon, and to publish general minutes of
all Executive Board and General Membership Meetings on our website,
just like before. New MIAJE site content will appear here soon.
Bookmark our new URL: http://www.miaje.org.
For the immediate future, we intend to maintain our independent status as an organization,
but we hold open our options at a later date to affiliate with a
national organization if it is in the best
interest of our membership.
On an informational note, former ranking members of the former IAJE international organization recently announced creation of a new society called the Jazz Education Network (JEN).
The first JEN president is Mary Jo Papich, a former president-elect of IAJE,
and the vice-president is Lou Fischer, the former U.S. Representative of IAJE.
In addition, two noted Michigan jazz educators are involved -- Ellen Rowe (University of Michigan)
and Chuck Iwanusa (C.S. Mott Community College).
Other high-ranking and active national members of the former IAJE across the
country are involved in JEN. We will all watch closely to see how this organization advances.
As an independent organization, MIAJE aims to keep all options open.
We maintain our independent status for now, but will hold open consideration,
upon Executive Board approval, to affiliate with a national organization in the future
if it is in the best interest of our membership.
On the behalf of the Executive Board, I thank each and every one of you for your generous support
of our organization and for jazz education and awareness in Michigan.
We ideal goal is that we maintain your support through these transitional times.
Contact me at any time should you have a comment, news, feedback,
or perhaps wish to become personally involved in promoting jazz education in our state.
Thank you!
Regards,
Danny Jordan
President, MIAJE
Coordinator of Jazz
Director of Jazz Ensembles
Oakland University
Rochester, MI
d2jordan@oakland.edu
Dear General Membership,
Greetings to all loyal (former IAJE) Michigan members. I am finally able to provide you with an update from my last newsletter, which talked about the bankruptcy of the former IAJE national organization. As a matter of record, IAJE --the International Association for Jazz Education-- ceased to exist on Friday, April 19, 2008, when it declared Chapter 7 bankruptcy and closed its doors, went out of business. Details and causes of the bankruptcy have not been disclosed.
More important to the Michigan Chapter and its members, this bankruptcy does not
directly affect us as a former IAJE state unit chapter. Our organization remains intact,
is solvent and committed to maintaining our unwavering mission: to extend
visibility for jazz education and awareness in Michigan.
In an emergency meeting held in mid-June, our Executive Board voted to maintain our independent
status and to remain committed to all current projects, which include
the Detroit International Jazz Festival,
a strong partnership with MSBOA throughout the state of Michigan,
efforts to enlarge our presence at the Michigan Music Conference held in Grand Rapids each January,
and our continued commitment to our performing MIAJE Reading Band.
A first step in our transition process was to rename our organization. The Executive Board approved,
"Michigan Association for Jazz Education", and to apply for non-profit organizational status.
The board also voted to maintain all of our current commitments with monies
from the treasury, to maintain the performing MIAJE Reading Band under the
direction of vice-president Bob Nixon, and to publish general minutes of
all Executive Board and General Membership Meetings on our website,
just like before. New MIAJE site content will appear here soon.
Bookmark our new URL: http://www.miaje.org.
For the immediate future, we intend to maintain our independent status as an organization,
but we hold open our options at a later date to affiliate with a
national organization if it is in the best
interest of our membership.
On an informational note, former ranking members of the former IAJE international organization recently announced creation of a new society called the Jazz Education Network (JEN).
The first JEN president is Mary Jo Papich, a former president-elect of IAJE,
and the vice-president is Lou Fischer, the former U.S. Representative of IAJE.
In addition, two noted Michigan jazz educators are involved -- Ellen Rowe (University of Michigan)
and Chuck Iwanusa (C.S. Mott Community College).
Other high-ranking and active national members of the former IAJE across the
country are involved in JEN. We will all watch closely to see how this organization advances.
As an independent organization, MIAJE aims to keep all options open.
We maintain our independent status for now, but will hold open consideration,
upon Executive Board approval, to affiliate with a national organization in the future
if it is in the best interest of our membership.
On the behalf of the Executive Board, I thank each and every one of you for your generous support
of our organization and for jazz education and awareness in Michigan.
We ideal goal is that we maintain your support through these transitional times.
Contact me at any time should you have a comment, news, feedback,
or perhaps wish to become personally involved in promoting jazz education in our state.
Thank you!
Regards,
Danny Jordan
President, MIAJE
Coordinator of Jazz
Director of Jazz Ensembles
Oakland University
Rochester, MI
d2jordan@oakland.edu
