University Unitarian Church is governed by a board of trustees (BOT) [0] elected by the congregation. The board elects a president, vice-president, treasurer, and secretary, as described in our bylaws [0].
The key to governance at UUC is communication between the board and the congregation. Please seek out your board members after church services to share your thoughts and questions. (Board members wear a blue ribbon on their nametags.)
University Unitarian Church Board Meetings
Board members, ministers, and the business manager attend monthly business meetings to discuss current activities and issues at UUC.
- Meetings are on the third Thursday of every month, September through June, at 7:00PM in the Knatvold Room.
- Meetings are announced in The Gateway newsletter.
- Members and friends are welcome to attend.
Annual Congregational Meeting
The annual congregational meeting brings members together at the end of the regular church year, in June, to vote on the budget and elect new representatives. The board of trustees, ministers, and staff report the accomplishments of the last year. All are welcome to share in the conversation.
The annual congregational meeting is an important contribution by members, and a quorum is required. With the participation and involvement of congregants, we can pursue our shared goals and dreams.
For copies of past and upcoming Annual Meeting reports, which include approved or proposed budgets and capital plans, as well as copies of the board-approved minutes of past annual meetings, please see Annual Meeting Reports and Minutes [0].
Policy Governance
The board of trustees has worked over the last two years to adapt a more effective way for the congregation, staff, and board to work together. Policy Governance® is a structural model that has been put to use in many nonprofits, including large Unitarian Universalist churches across the country. The policies [0] that define governance for UUC are called "outcomes" (the heart of Policy Governance) and "means" (the procedures, limits, and legal requirements). The board of trustees monitors the church's adherence to policies through the policy monitoring schedule [0].
To learn more, read the essay Policy Governance and Outcomes [0].
We have also provided a list of frequently asked questions about policy governance [0] that we also invite you to review.
We welcome your support as we use Policy Governance to make the board more effective at leading UUC in pursuit of our goals and ideals, and to help our wonderful ministers and staff do their jobs more effectively with the board, the congregation at large, and the wider community. We are excited about the work we have done and where we are headed!