Board Advisory Committees

PURPOSE:

 To strengthen our ministries by promoting collegiality and the highest ethical and professional conduct.

CHARGE:

 The Committee on Ethics and Collegiality (CEC) shall review and make recommendations regarding professional complaints (minister to minister) submitted by UUMA members which have not reached resolution through the Good Offices Right Relations process and issues of ethical and collegial concern in our ministry.

Complete Procedures

Preamble:

The UUMA Committee on Ethics and Collegiality is a Standing Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association, as defined by our Bylaws.

Charge:

The Committee on Ethics and Collegiality is charged with fulfilling the requirements of the Accountability section of our Code of Conduct. The Committee shall investigate and propose resolution of complaints which a.) have not been reconciled through the Good Officer for Right Relations process, or which b) are referred to the committee by the Good Officer for Right Relations, the impacted person(s), or Designated Accountability Coordinators (Trustee at Large for Ethics and Collegiality and Member of the Executive) for board action. Such actions may include a letter of reprimand, suspension or termination of membership as described in 8.

The Committee will act within the guidance of the Accountability section of our Code of Conduct.

The process for resolution of a complaint shall be:

1. The Committee’s activity will begin when the Good Offices Portfolio holder notifies the Board Member at Large for Ethics and Collegiality that the Good Officer Right Relations process has failed and is recommending a case be put forward  to the Board of Trustees for resolution.
2. The Committee will investigate the complaint and the recommendations from the Good Officer for Right Relations.
3. The Committee will reach a judgment as to whether any behavior occurred in fact which constituted a violation of the Code of Conduct.  Refusal to cooperate with requests for information necessary to assist the CEC in its determination shall result in suspension of membership.
4. If the Committee’s judgment is that such behavior did occur, the Committee will prepare recommendations to the UUMA Board of Trustees to resolve the complaint, which may include, private censure, public censure and/or removal from membership
5. If a person is involved as the respondent to a complaint, they cannot file a counter-claim until the initial complaint has been through the CEC process.

Accountability:

The Committee on Ethics and Collegiality serves at the appointment of the Board of Trustees and reports to the Board. The Trustee at Large for Ethics and Collegiality shall serve as liaison to the Committee.

Committee Membership:

A pool of at least Six members shall be  appointed by the Board of Trustees.

A Committee of three members shall be activated by the Trustee at Large for Ethics and Collegiality  from the pool within one month of being informed by the Good Officer for Right Relations that a qualified complaint has been received. The members of the committee may not be members of any chapter in which any party to the complaint holds current membership. The Trustee at Large for Ethics and Collegiality shall serve as chair of the committee.

The committee members shall serve in an ad hoc manner until the complaint has been resolved in accord with the established procedures.

Revision Date: Adopted  11.20

Members of the Committee: