The mission of the Missoula Chapter of the Alliance Française is to promote the French language and Francophone culture in western Montana and beyond. This is accomplished through:
We are committed to advocating French language education for children and adults, and extending a welcome to French-speaking visitors.
The Missoula chapter is affiliated with the Federation of Alliances Françaises, Inc., in Washington, DC, to which we send yearly dues based on the size of our chapter and from which we receive programs.
Membership is open to all persons who pay annual dues. The dues structure is proposed by the officers and submitted for approval at the annual meeting. The fiscal year is September 1 to August 31.
The Executive Board consists of the following officers: president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and one member at large. Officers are elected each year at an annual meeting. The term limit for each office is three consecutive years.
President: Preside at annual meeting and any other business meetings deemed necessary by the board. Serve as the liaison with the Federation and coordinate the work of committees. Vice President: Assist the president as requested and perform the duties of the president in the president's absence. Secretary: Maintain membership records, notify the membership of events and meetings and take minutes at the annual meeting. Treasurer: Receive and deposit dues and other revenue, pay bills, and maintain complete and accurate records of all financial transactions. Member at Large: Attend Executive Board meetings and assist the officers as needed.
The Executive Board approves an annual budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Any expenditures not in the annual budget are approved in advance by a majority of the Executive Board. The Executive Board appoints committee chairs for the following standing committees, which are responsible for delegating responsibilities and ensuring all tasks are completed by those committees. The Executive Board appoints ad hoc committees as needed.
The Calendar and Program Committee meets in the spring when the list of programs offered by the Federation is available. This meeting is open to the general membership and is conducted concurrently with the annual meeting. The calendar of programs offered by the Federation and the dates for the Christmas and Bastille Day parties are completed by mid-July. By the beginning of the fiscal year, the committee schedules a minimum of eight total programs.
The Event Logistics Committee arranges transportation and housing for guest speakers, identifies program location and presentation equipment needs, and organizes program reception.
The Publicity Committee disseminates information to Alliance members, schools, and appropriate media.
The Nominating Committee presents a slate of officers at the annual meeting, at which time nominations from the floor are also solicited.
The Instruction Committee invites applications and selects teachers from Alliance members for classes affiliated with the Alliance, and works with those teachers to organize and promote French language classes in the community.
The French Camp Committee conducts a meeting at the beginning of each fiscal year to which all past camp personnel are invited in order to determine the feasibility of a camp for that fiscal year. If a camp is planned, the committee selects a director, advises on the camp program, and reports to the Executive Board at regular intervals.