UUA Board of Trustees Agendas, Minutes and Special Announcements
In addition to viewing the agendas, minutes, and reports of officers of the board as well as unofficial reports of meetings, you can find statistical information and task force reports at this site.
If you wish more detailed information about the work of the Board of Trustees, we encourage you to contact your district trustee, a trustee-at-large, or an officer of the board.
Letter from White Bear Unitarian Universalist Church regarding Phoenix 2010 General Assembly
Dear Gini and Peter, and members of the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA),
Thank you. For responding swiftly, boldly, faithfully and thoughtfully, with open minds and open hearts, we thank you. We wholeheartedly applaud the decision of the UUA Board of Trustees to present to the Minneapolis General Assembly (GA) a business resolution directing the GA Planning Committee to recommend an alternate location for the 2012 Assembly. Read more (PDF).
May 10, 2010
UUA Board of Trustees Proposes Boycotting Arizona for 2012 GA
Given the recent enactment of anti-immigrant legislation in Arizona, the UUA Board of Trustees called a meeting on Thursday, May 6, to discuss General Assembly 2012, previously scheduled to be held in Phoenix. The meeting was held by conference call, and included the Board, President Morales, some senior staff, and many other interested and engaged Unitarian Universalists, including several from Arizona.
Moderator Gini Courter framed the beginning of the meeting around questions of basic information. We learned of the cost of moving GA away from Phoenix (possibly as high as $617K) given our commitments to hotels there. We were advised that additional costs, tangible and otherwise, might be assumed as a consequence of breaking our word with convention hosts. We heard about the organizations already cancelling conferences in Arizona, and the calls of those and other advocacy groups for boycott and unity. We also listened to voices asking us to remain in Phoenix, to provide encouragement there for the local struggles.
By the end of the meeting, we concluded that a values-first decision would make meeting in a location where Unitarian Universalists would be potentially subject to hostile, dangerous, and undignified treatment intolerable. By the same token, our solidarity with those standing on the side of love within the state requires that pulling the GA from Phoenix represent a deeper, not lesser, engagement with the vitally important witness against such hateful legislation.
In terms of process, the Board desired both to make a clear statement of our position, as well as encourage broad participation in this decision making at General Assembly. As a result, the resolution below will be presented to General Assembly 2010.
Business Resolution on Phoenix General Assembly 2012
"Whereas the state of Arizona has recently enacted a law—SB 1070—that runs counter to our first principle, affirming the worth and dignity of every person,
Whereas the Association stands in solidarity with allies using a widespread economic boycott of Arizona as leverage for Love against this hateful legislation;
Be it resolved: we will not meet in a state of fear.
Accordingly, the Assembly hereby:
- Directs the UUA General Assembly Planning Committee to recommend to the Board of Trustees an alternate location for General Assembly 2012 at a location outside the state of Arizona;
- Pledges to generate from Member Congregations the amount sufficient to cancel arrangements in Phoenix for GA 2012;
- Pledges further to generate an equal or greater amount to fund ongoing efforts to Stand on the Side of Love in Arizona.
- Pledges to renew and redouble our efforts to become a multicultural, anti racist Association; to live as a people standing faithfully in opposition to systemic racism in our congregations, local communities, and in our own lives.
In addition the Board voted to hold an upcoming Board meeting in Arizona.
December 2009
Read information concerning a General Assembly 2009 Responsive Resolution on Power, Privilege and Oppression (PDF) (a letter to Unitarian Universalist Association congregational leaders from the Secretary of the Association).
For more information contact administration @ uua.org.
Last updated on Tuesday, June 29, 2010.
