Business & Social Witness at General Assembly 2011

A GA 2011 off-site trial provided an alternative way for congregational delegates to participate in the business of the Association. Off-site delegates watched live streaming video of Plenary Sessions, "virtually" queued up to speak, and voted with the "live" delegates. Bylaw amendments passed by on-site delegates this year will allow next year's off-site delegates' votes to be counted.

Delegates met at a mini-assembly to discuss proposed additions to 'Ethical Eating' Statement of Conscience at GA 2011. — Delegates met to discuss proposed changes to the draft Statement of Conscience on "Ethical Eating" during a Thursday mini-assembly. The General Assembly passed an amended Statement of Conscience during Friday morning's plenary session.

Minutes

Minutes from the 50th General Assembly (PDF, 30 pages), June 22-26, 2011, held in Charlotte, NC.

Plenaries and Mini-Assemblies

All business of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) General Assembly is conducted in Plenary sessions. Mini-Assemblies offered opportunities in small sessions for delegates to speak on issues, find out more about individual business items before a vote in plenary, and propose amendments to the business item.

Plenary I (Wednesday, June 22)
- New Congregations
- Rules of Procedure
- Youth Caucus and Young Adult Caucus Managers
- Right Relationships Team
Plenary II (Thursday, June 23)
- Business Agenda and Mini-Assembly Overview for GA 2011
Plenary III (Friday, June 24)
- Recognition of District Presidents
- Preliminary Credentials Report
- Breakthrough Congregation: Westside UU
- Remarks from President-Designate, Rissho Kosei-kai
- Debate/Vote on the Proposed Statement of Conscience: Ethical Eating
- 2011-2012 Budget Report
Plenary IV (Saturday, June 25)
- GA Planning Committee
- International Guests
- O. Eugene Pickett Award
- Report from Beacon Press
- Breakthrough Congregation: UU Congregation of Beaufort
- UU Women’s Federation Report
- UU United Nations Office Report
- UU Service Committee Report
- Distinguished Service Award
- Financial Advisor’s Report
- Election of Candidates
- Report of the UUA Board of Trustees
- Update: Gathered Here
- Debate/Vote on Proposed Amendment to Modify the Conditions for Appointment to the MFC (Passed)
- Debate/Vote on Proposed Amendment to Recognize the Southeast District (Passed)
- Votes to Admit or Not Admit Actions of Immediate Witness to the Agenda
Plenary V (Saturday, June 25)
- Recognition of Departed Donors
- Report of the Committee on Socially Responsible Investing
- Breakthrough Congregation: UU Church of Peoria
- UUA President’s Report
- Update on GA 2012 in Arizona
- Special Collection to Support Our Immigration Ministry
- Debate/Vote on Proposed Amendments to Reduce the Size of the UUA Board (Passed)
- Debate/Vote on Proposed Amendments to Change the Term for Persons Serving on the Nominating Committee (Passed)
Plenary VI (Sunday, June 26)
- Green Revolution in Religion Resolution
- Breakthrough Congregation: UU Congregation of Fairfax
- Debate/Vote on Proposed Amendments to Bylaw Article XV (Passed)
- Debate/Vote on Proposed Amendment Related to Member Congregations (Passed)
- Report of the Commission on Appraisal
- Debate/Vote on Actions of Immediate Witness
  1. Protest Representative Peter King’s Hearings on “Muslim Radicalization”
  2. Support Southern California Supermarket Workers’ Struggle for Decent Wages and Benefits
  3. Toward Ending the U.S. Military Engagement in Afghanistan (Failed)
  4. Oppose Citizens United—Support Free Speech for People
- Debate/Vote on Proposed Amendments to Replace “Advocacy and Witness staff” with “staff” (Passed)
- Debate/Vote on Proposed Amendments Related to the Religious Education Credentialing Committee (Passed)
Plenary VII (Sunday, June 26)
- Report of the Journey Toward Wholeness Transformation Committee
- Debate/Vote on Proposed Amendments Related to “Associate Ministerial Fellowship” (Passed)
- Debate/Vote on Proposed Amendment to Enable Off-site Participation (Passed)
- Debate/Vote on Proposed Bylaw and Rule Changes to Eliminate GA Actions of Immediate Witness (AIWs) (Failed)
- Debate/Vote on Proposed Bylaw and Rule Changes to Eliminate GA AIWs in 2012 and Reinstate them in 2013 (Passed)
- Moderator’s Report
- Recognizing the Volunteers and Staff
- Responsive Resolutions
  - Responsive Resolution (on engaging youth and young adults for GA 2012)
  - Responsive Resolution to the Report of the President (on LGBT equality)
  - Responsive Resolution Regarding Report of President Peter Morales (urging UUs to learn Spanish)
- Installation of Newly Elected Servants of the Association

Public Witness Event

Standing on the Side of Love with LGBT People Everywhere! (Video)

Social Justice Statements

All 2011 Social Justice Statements

Proposed Bylaw and Rule Amendments

Related to the Religious Education Credentialing Committee

Proposed amendments (PDF, 21 pages; see lines 142-264) related to the Religious Education Credentialing Committee: Bylaw Article IV, Section 4.8, Delegates; Article V, Section 5.11, Board of Review; Article VII, Section 7.13. Religious Education Credentialing Committee; and Article XII, Religious Education Credentialing, Sections 12.3, 12.4, 12.5, 12.6, and 12.9
Debate/Vote occurred during Plenary VI (Passed)
Report from UU World: Approved: Amendments Pertaining to RE Credentialing Committee

Related to “Associate Ministerial Fellowship”

Proposed amendments (PDF, 21 pages; see lines 417-435) related to “Associate Ministerial Fellowship”: Section 4.8 and Section C-10.9
Debate/Vote occurred during Plenary VII (Passed)
Report from UU World: Approved: Amendment to Update Ministerial Fellowship Committee Rules

Section 4.12, Replacing “Advocacy and Witness staff” with “staff”

Proposed amendment (PDF, 21 pages; see lines 436-445) to Bylaw Section 4.12, replacing “Advocacy and Witness staff” with “staff”
Debate/Vote occurred during Plenary VI (Passed)
Report from UU World: Approved: References to Obsolete Staff Groups Removed

Rule G-13.2.1, to Recognize the Southeast District

Proposed amendment (PDF, 21 pages; see lines 834-839) to Rule G-13.2.1. Establishing Districts, to recognize the Southeast District
Debate/Vote occurred during Plenary IV (Passed)
Report from UU World: Approved: Rule Update Recognizing District’s New Name

Section 7.6, to Modify the Conditions for Appointment to the MFC

Proposed amendment (PDF, 21 pages; see lines 265-277) to Article VII, Section 7.6. Ministerial Fellowship Committee, to modify the conditions for appointment to the MFC
Debate/Vote occured during Plenary VI (Passed)
Report from UU World: Approved: Amendment Affecting Ministerial Fellowship Committee

Related to Reducing the Size of the UUA Board from 26 Persons to 14

Proposed amendments (PDF, 21 pages; see lines 512-784) to bylaw sections 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.8, 8,3, 8.7, 9.1, 9.3, 9.4, 9.6, 9.11, 9.12, 9.13, and Rule G-9.12.2., to reduce the size of the UUA Board from 26 persons to 14
From the UUA Board of Trustees:
- Increasing Diversity & Efficiency in Governance (PDF)
  Solutions for Restructuring UUA Board of Trustees
- Restructuring UUA Governance (PDF)
  Questions and Answers
Debate/Vote occurred during Plenary V (Passed)
Reports from UU World:
- Amendment to Board Restructuring Bylaw Passes in Mini-Assembly
- Delegates Reduce Size of UUA Board

Related to Changing the Term for Persons Serving on the Nominating Committee

Proposed amendments (PDF, 21 pages; see lines 785-833) to Bylaw sections 5.2, 5.5, 5.6, and 5.16 to change the term for persons serving on the Nominating Committee
From the UUA Board of Trustees:
- Increasing Diversity & Efficiency in Governance (PDF)
  Solutions for Restructuring UUA Board of Trustees
- Restructuring UUA Governance (PDF)
  Questions and Answers
Debate/Vote occurred during Plenary V (Passed)
Report from UU World: Assembly Reduces Length of Nominating Committee Terms

Related to Member Congregations

Proposed amendment (PDF, 21 pages; see lines 115-134) to bylaw sections C-3.1, C-3.3, and C-3.6, Member Congregations
Report from UU World: Business Items Move through Mini-assembly
Debate/Vote occurred during Plenary VI (Passed)

Article XV

Proposed amendments (PDF, 21 pages; see lines 278-416) to Bylaw Article XV
Debate/Vote occurred during Plenary VI (Passed)

Section 4.5, to Enable Off-site [GA] Participation

Proposed amendment (PDF, 21 pages; see lines 135-141) to Bylaw Article IV: General Assembly, Section 4.5 Place of Meeting, to enable off-site participation
Debate/Vote occurred during Plenary VII (Passed)
Reports from UU World:
- Business Items Move through Mini-assembly
- Remote Voting Approved by GA

Related to Eliminating Actions of Immediate Witness

Proposed bylaw and rule changes (PDF, 21 pages; see lines 840-894) to Article IV, Section 4.16. Additions to the Agenda of Regular General Assemblies and Rule G-4.16.1. General Assembly Actions of Immediate Witness, and Responsive Resolutions, to eliminate Actions of Immediate Witness
Report from UU World: No Substantial Changes to AIW Bylaw Amendments Yet
Debate/Vote occurred during Plenary VII (Failed)

Related to Eliminating Actions of Immediate Witness in 2012, Reconstituting Them in 2013, and Modifying the Process for Submission

Proposed bylaw and rule changes (PDF, 21 pages; see lines 895-960) to Article IV, Section 4.16. Additions to the Agenda of Regular General Assemblies and Rule G-4.16.1. General Assembly Actions of Immediate Witness, and Responsive Resolutions, to eliminate Actions of Immediate Witness in 2012, reconstitute them beginning with the 2013 General Assembly, and modify the process for submission
Debate/Vote occurred during Plenary VII (Passed)
Reports from UU World:
- No Substantial Changes to AIW Bylaw Amendments Yet
- Delegates Vote to Eliminate AIWs at 2012 Justice GA

Annual Reports to the General Assembly

The following documents are PDF files.

Business & Social Witness at General Assembly 2011

Minutes

Plenaries and Mini-Assemblies

Public Witness Event

Social Justice Statements

Statement of Conscience: Ethical Eating

Actions of Immediate Witness

Responsive Resolutions