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National/Continental Leadership Opportunities

Note: The dates and details listed here apply to the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). The processes, policies, and deadlines in the Canadian Unitarian Council (CUC) may differ. We are working on developing a similar resource for the CUC and will add those details as we get them.

There are three ways to volunteer for service to the UUA at the national level:

Run for the UUA Board of Trustees from your local district.
Run for Youth Trustee or for a Trustee-at-Large position, or a position on another elected committee. You can seek a nomination from the UUA Nominating Committee, or run by petition. Applications for nomination are due in August of every even-numbered year and nominations are made in October. Elections are held at the following General Assembly. Those who wish to run by petition must file by February 1 of the odd-numbered year (when General Assembly will be held). Details on how to run by petition are in the UUA bylaws and on the UUA website.
Apply for an appointment to a UUA committee by the UUA Board of Trustees through their Committee on Committees. Applications are due by August 20 of every odd-numbered year, appointments made in the following October, and take effect in January. The Committee on Committees is also responsible for filling vacancies which occur during the year, so you can send information to the committee at any time for future consideration.

UUA Board of Trustees (BOT)

(has a youth member and a youth observer)

Description: The major governing body of the UUA. The UUA is governed by a Board of Trustees consisting of District Trustees selected by the various districts and at-large trustees, elected by delegates to the annual General Assembly (GA). An elected moderator presides at the GA and at meetings of the Board of Trustees. There are two positions reserved for youth; a voting Youth Trustee At-Large who serves a two-year term and is selected through the normal Nominating Committee process, and a Youth Observer who is elected by General Assembly Youth Caucus for a one-year term, and who participates in BOT meetings but may not vote. See the Board of Trustees website for further information.

Qualifications of Trustees: Each elected trustee shall be a member of a member congregation. An elected trustee representing a district shall reside in that district and shall be a member of a member congregation located in the district. A trustee who ceases to meet these qualifications shall be disqualified and the office declared vacant. The youth trustee at large shall be an individual aged 14 to 20 inclusive years at the time of election. Not more than one trustee shall be a member of the same member congregation. If a trustee becomes a member of a member congregation in which another trustee is already a member, such trustee shall be disqualified and the office declared vacant.

Contact: Contact the Youth Office at youth @ uua.org or (617) 948-4350 to be put in contact with the current Youth Trustee and Youth Observer.

Youth may run for the Youth Trustee position, but there is no specific age requirement for any of the regular at-large positions, nor is there any national age requirement for District Trustees. In other words, you can run for the UUA BOT as Youth Trustee/Observer, or you can run for an At-Large position, or you can run for office in your District to become your district’s Trustee.

Committee on Committees (CoC) and
Nominating Committee (Nom Com)

(a former Young Religious Unitarian Univeraslists (YRUU) Steering Committee member now serves on the Nom Com)

Description: The Committee on Committees is made up of members from the UUA Board of Trustees, and appoints people to certain committees. See a list of Board-appointed committees.

Description: The Nominating Committee (sometimes referred to as the “Nom Com”) is an elected group of UUs that are not UUA employees or board members. The Nom Com recruits and selects nominees for all positions (except President and Moderator) which are elected by General Assembly. In general, the Nom Com fills positions, committees or commissions that require more independence from the UUA administration and Board of Trustees. See a list of Nom Com nominated committees.

Nom Com members are expected to recruit throughout the year. Meetings are held at General Assembly each year. The committee also meets for three days at another location in the fall.

Total members = 9 (6 year terms); one-term limit

The committee seeks nominees who have demonstrated competence, leadership qualities, and devotion to Unitarian Universalism. Throughout the nomination and selection process, Nom Com members strive to balance such demographic factors as gender, ethnicity, cultural competency, age, geography, clergy or lay with the interests, needs and objectives of the Association as a whole.

The Nom Com has explicitly made a commitment to having youth and young adult participation on both it and other elected committees of the UUA! If you’re seeking nomination to a UUA Committee, it is wise to look at who will be going off the committee you’re looking to join, and who is remaining. In your application, in addition to the basic qualifications needed to do a good job in the position you seek, tell the Nominating Committee how you would help to balance or diversify the committee in terms of ethnicity or cultural competency, geographical representation, age, sexual orientation, gender, physical ableness, theological outlook, or life experience.

Resource: A full description and links, including application forms, are on the UUA website.

Contact: nominating @ uua.org.

Commission on Appraisal (CoA)

(currently has no youth)

Description: The Commission is charged to "review any function or activity of the Association which in its judgment will benefit from an independent review and report its conclusions to a regular General Assembly." The Commission meets four times a year--once at General Assembly, and three working meetings held in Boston and other locations throughout the United States. “During most of our meetings, we hold open hearings to which we invite local UUs so we can hear as many of the different voices of our movement as possible. Grounded in the living tradition of our free faith, yet charged with acting independently, the Commission on Appraisal’s mission is to provoke deep reflection, energizing and revitalizing Unitarian Universalism.” The Commission’s investigations continue throughout the year and may include hearings. It may operate at times almost like a mini-think tank in its broad consideration of issues. The Work of the Commission is vigorous and year-round, involving much research, writing, and consulting work, and requires people with good conceptual and analytical skills.

The Commission is composed of nine elected members, plus the UUA President ex oficio. Three members are elected in odd numbered years to serve a single six year term.

Total members = 9 (elected for 6-year terms); 1 term limit.

Resource: Commission on Appraisal website.

Contact: coa @ uua.org. Contact the Youth Office to be put in contact with past or present youth or young adult members of the Commission.

Commission on Social Witness

(a recent former Youth Council member serves on this Commission)

Description: The mission of the CSW is to help Unitarian Universalists put our Principles and Purposes into action, and to assist congregations and the Association express concern for social justice by:

Facilitating articulation of Study/Action Issues suggested by congregations and districts, and selected by the Congregational Directives for General Assembly Action poll and the General Assembly;
Helping educate UUs about issues addressed and the potential for social change inherent in Study/Action Issues, in cooperation with the UUA’s Department of Faith in Action and UU social action committees in congregations and districts;
Reflecting to the General Assembly the careful consideration of Study/Action Issues by the congregations and districts by preparing revisions and draft Statements of Conscience;
Reporting Study/Action Issues and Statements of Conscience referred or passed by the General Assembly to local congregations and districts, and,
Facilitating the development and consideration of General Assembly Actions of Immediate Witness.

Total Members: Five members, three elected by GA and two appointed by the BOT.

District Youth Social Action Coordinators and other youth who are really into Social Justice work would be ideal for this Commission!

Resource: Commission on Social Witness website.

Contact: socialwitness @ uua.org.

GA Planning Committee

(currently has no youth; a former Youth Office staff member serves on this committee)

Description:

The Planning Committee selects the theme for each General Assembly, reviews the site, and sets the daily schedule. The committee determines which organizations affiliated with the UUA may present program material. In addition, the committee oversees the annual Ware Lecture, Opening Events, music, ambiance, and evening activities. The UUA Board, based on recommendations by the Planning Committee, selects sites four to five years in advance.
This committee works with the General Assembly Administrator to determine overall General Assembly schedule, propose future sites, prepare the agenda and coordinate programming. During GA, the committee oversees programming and business sessions.
Members should have an ability to deal well with people and work collaboratively under stress. Experience with coordinating major events and programs is a great plus. Planning Committee work is practically year-round. There are four meetings, three of which are four days each, in September, February, and April, all at GA sites. In June, members are committed to 8 days at GA.
Total members = 10 (8 elected for 4-year terms, 2 appointed for 2-year terms); permitted 2 consecutive terms.

Are you creative, have great ideas about how GA should look be run, what music you will be hearing, what signs will be directing you? This is the place for you!

Resource: General Assembly Planning Committee website.

Contact: gaoffice @ uua.org.

For more information contact youth @ uua.org.