The following is a collection of issues
that might
be addressed in this handbook,
which will
be created from ideas contributed
by people
actually working in UU campus ministry.
These ideas
were originally shared on a discussion list
for people involved in UU campus ministry.
The original authors retain all rights.
None of the contributions represents official UUA policy.
Send your
thoughts, insights, experiences, and suggestions
concerning
any of these issues (and others that arise)
to me:
James Park, e-mail: PARKx032@TC.UMN.EDU
The votes (noted after some themes)
indicate
which issues the readers of this table of contents
would like
to see addressed in this online handbook.
When you
read thru these subjects,
make note
of the issues you would most like to see discussed.
And send
your votes to the editor:
James Park:
e-mail:
PARKx032@TC.UMN.EDU
_____________________________________________________________
31 THEMES FOR DISCUSSION
(When readers have indicated an interest in a subject,
that is
recorded as a vote in the following table of contents.
You may
vote for as many subjects as you like.)
1. Romantic and/or sexual relationships between staff and students.
2.
Romantic
and/or sexual relationships
among
members
of the UU group on campus
(for
example,
how the group copes with
a break-up
between key members).
3. Personality clashes between leaders and members or among members.
4. Theological conflicts between theists and non-theists within the group.
5. Conflicts with other religious groups on campus.
6.
Dealing
with members and/or staff who have a narrow agenda
(for
example,
someone who thinks that the overthrow of Capitalism
is the
only goal worth pursuing with his or her life;
a committed
feminist who sees everything
as a sign
of the oppression of women;
a member
of a racial or sex-and-gender minority
who wants
to shape the organization around his or her sense of oppression;
a committed
atheist who criticizes any references to God).
7. Conflicts within the governing board over spending priorities.
8.
Burn-out
among over-burdened student leaders and/or staff.
(2 votes)
9.
Conflict
with congregations over the use of space in the church.
(1 vote)
10.
Conflicts
over the use of alcohol at meetings.
(1 vote)
11.
Conflict
between those who want to keep the organization small
to preserve
the good relationships already established
and those
who see UU campus ministry as an outreach activity.
(1 vote)
12.
Conflicts
between students who primarily want to have fun
and
students
who want the campus group to have more serious purposes.
(1 vote)
13. Dealing with 'visitors' who are definitely detrimental to the group.
14.
Coping
with students who promise to do something
but then
do not follow thru.
15.
Student
apathy (or hostility) concerning anything religious.
(4 votes)
Contributions
on this theme are collected under the title
"Getting
Students Involved",
which is
Chapter 1 of this online UUCM Handbook:
http://www.tc.umn.edu/~parkx032/CM-BK1.html
16.
Different
needs and interests of 'born' Unitarian Universalists
and
students
who were raised in other religions.
(1 vote)
17.
Different
interests between undergraduates and graduate students.
(1 vote)
18. Selection and evaluation of campus ministry staff members.
19. The
most cost-effective use of scarce financial and human resources.
(1 vote)
20. Ways
to improve denominational funding of UU campus ministry.
(1 vote)
21. How
do we reach students
who have
never heard of Unitarian Universalism?
(2 votes)
22.
Programs
that worked.
(2 votes)
23. Good
advertising ideas.
(2 votes)
24.
Varieties
of Governance models
(1 vote)
25. How to identify UU students.
26. How to find allies.
27.
Leadership
change-over
---when
student leaders graduate or move on.
28.
Naming
the campus group
---choosing
an interesting and meaningful name.
29. UU
identity
of the campus group
---will
it be lost if most of the members were not raised UUs?
As said at the beginning of this table of contents,
you may
add to this list at any time.
You may
express interest in any of these issues at any time.
Your
contributions
will be collected into chapters,
as started
for theme #15 above, student apathy.
When a
new chapter is begun,
its link
will appear in this table of contents.
If you have suggestions for improving this handbook,
send them
to the editor: James Park: e-mail:
PARKx032@TC.UMN.EDU
Return
to
the beginning of the
INTERNET
CAMPUS
MINISTRY RESOURCES.
Go to the UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST page.
Go to
the beginning of this website
James
Leonard Park—Free
Library