Prairie Star District-UUA Annual ConferenceApril 9, 2011

TopicsWhat is the Mid-America Region?The Future of DistrictsRegionalism in Mid-America RegionKey Issues for the Prairie Star DistrictNext StepsYour Turn

Questions & AnswersConcerns & Hopes

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PresentersKathy Burek, President, Prairie Star DistrictAmy Taylor, President, Heartland District

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What is the Mid-America Region?Heartland District

54 member congregations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio

7,500 UUsCentral Midwest District

80 member congregations in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri and Wisconsin

13,000 UUsPrairie Star District

59 member congregations in Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin

9,300 UUs04/12/23 Clip Art © Steve Bridenbaugh 4

Current Status of Districts19 Districts with governance role in addition to

UUA Trustees19 Boards, some Policy Governance, some not19 Dues structures and financial arrangements

with UUA19 Budget and accounting systems19 Personnel systems19 IT systems19 Staff groups with duplicate responsibilitiesSome separate corporations, some notHistorically, little communication among boards

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Governance DefinedGovernance

Ensures the organization meets desired outcomes

Avoids unacceptable situationsDefine expectationsGrants powerVerifies performance

From John Carver, developer of Policy Governance©

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Governance ChallengesDo we need 19 governance entities in

addition to our UUA Trustees?Variations in mission and goals among districts

and from UUA ENDS dilutes our effortsIs there a better use of the volunteer time

currently spent on district governance?Board meetings for 19 districts Budget development, audits for 19 districtsMonitoring for 19 districts

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Service ChallengesCo-employed staff report to both UUA supervisors

and their district boardsDifference between UUA and district ENDS, goals,

and mission can lead to strains for staffCompensation, performance reviews vary by districtGeographic and numerical size of districts varies

greatlyEndowments and other resources vary greatly

Pres. Peter Morales is accountable to UUA TrusteesDoes not fully control district staffCreates accountability problems

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Benefits of DistrictsGoverning boards are closer to the member

congregationsStaff have developed close relationships with

congregational leadersProgramming can reflect local culture and

needsEasier to make connections among lay

leaders at district meetings

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Why the Urgency?UUA membership has declined past several

yearsRelatively static since mergerNot keeping pace with US population growthAt risk of dwindling away

Growing numbers of nontraditional religious attitudesAtheists, agnostics, “spiritual but not religious”What is keeping these people from joining UU

congregations?

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Recent Actions-UUA LevelUUA Trustees found co-employment to be in

violation of their Policy on equitable treatment of staff

UUA Director of Congregational Life has proposed ending co-employment and suspending financial treaties

Each district board is wrestling with these questions

UUA Board considering Downsizing to smaller number of TrusteesElected at-large by GA delegates

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Recent Actions-District PresidentsAt request of UUA President Peter Morales

Established Task Force to Examine equity in district funding Devise a simpler, fairer system

One possibility is to eliminate district dues in favor of “One Ask”

At request of UUA Board of TrusteesSelected a representative for a Task Force on

linkage

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Who Needs Districts?If:

District Boards don’t set Policy District Boards don’t employ staffDistrict Delegates don’t elect UUA TrusteesDistrict dues are merged with UUA dues

Do we need Districts as autonomous governance entities?

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Recent Actions-District LevelShared staffing at Northeast Region and

Central East Regional Group“Orlando Platform” in South Region

Suspend district ENDS and recognize UUA Board as sole Policy-making body

Transition from co-employment to covenantal relationship among district board, UUA, and staff

Vision of district boards as “council of elders” to promote lateral relationships and accountability

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Mid-America RegionEach district board has adopted a “Statement

of Regional Collaboration”All three statements commit to

Collaboration among district boards to advance our liberal faith

Exploring future role for district or regional board

Adopt UUA ENDs as district ENDs

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Variations in StatementsCentral Midwest will end co-employment in

favor of UUA assuming supervision Heartland will explore ending co-employmentPSD will begin with the covenant, and then

decide on whether to end co-employment

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Key Issues for the PSDPSD Board will be researching these

questions: Is there an appropriate governance role at the

district level?Should there be a regional governance board?What about Camp UniStar?Do we need to remain incorporated?

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Next StepsMid-America District Presidents will

Continue to be in conversation with one anotherContinue to participate in one another’s board

meetingsAttend each other’s district meetings this monthBegin planning together for new roles for district

and regional boardsKeep congregational leaders informed about

developmentsMid-America district boards beginning

conversation about all-boards meeting in the fall

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OpportunitiesOnce-in-a-Lifetime change to change how our

UUA serves its member congregationsUnleash volunteers now engaged in

governance toAssist staff in serving congregationsMentor congregational leadersFoster cooperation among congregationsWhatever else we can imagine

We need your help to create a new future

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Your Turn!What questions about the changes can we

answer?What concerns do you have about these

changes?What are your hopes for the future?

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