EDITORIAL: Preparing for the next convention... (05/31/98)

EDITORIAL

Preparing for the next convention...

This week's issue of The Ukrainian Weekly continues coverage of the 34th Convention of the Ukrainian National Association with more detailed reports that attempt to make sense of cumbersome and confusing proceedings. This convention was remarkable, as its agenda included so many vital issues: mergers, amendments to by-laws, decisions on the future of fraternal activities. And that's in addition to all the normal convention business of hearing officers' reports and discussing them, electing new executives, auditors and advisors, and passing resolutions and recommendations for the good of the organization - all of which comes but once in four years.

Clearly what is needed is a different approach - a preparatory one, we would say.

How so? Well, take the by-laws changes. Had delegates been briefed in advance - as they were on the mergers with the UFA and UNAAA - they would have had time to become familiar with the proposals and discuss them with fellow UNA'ers, in particular the members whose interests they were elected to represent. Thus, less time would have been spent at the convention to deal with the proposals.

Take the radical proposals for reorganizing the UNA and cutting back on fraternal activities. Had these been discussed beforehand in the UNA's official publications, delegates would have known what significant matters await their action and would have been prepared for difficult decisions. Here, too, one must mention the Auditing Committee's report on its review of UNA operations. Why was that report published just three days before the convention so that few delegates were able to read it; and why were copies of that report not brought to the convention for distribution?

Take the matter raised by one of our readers, who questioned why candidates for office do not announce their intentions before the convention. The principal reason is the antiquated primary elections procedure that, in effect, is a nominations process. Anyone's name can be written in as a candidate for any post - provided the person is a UNA member. This write-in procedure is also a vehicle for candidates who do not wish to declare, for one reason or another, to test the waters. Potential candidates can have their supporters write in their names for more than one position and then, sensing the sentiments of the delegates, they can choose which office to run for in the final balloting. If new procedures were instituted, as we feel they must be, candidates could announce their intentions beforehand, tickets could be formed, and delegates could make a serious effort to become informed about the candidates' qualifications and their vision for the organization they seek to lead. And maybe, just maybe, there would then be time at the convention for break-out sessions on specific topics, say, marketing/public relations, cooperation between the UNA's professional sales force and secretaries, the UNA's insurance portfolio and its fraternal benefits.

There is also the matter of financial reporting. Wouldn't it be helpful to receive a report that is easy to understand? One that clearly delineates where the UNA's expenses and revenues are to be found, one that provides delegates with the information they need to make critical decisions on the future of UNA publications, its resort, its sales operations, etc. One example: delegates were told that cutting back Soyuzivka's season to three and a half months would save the money, yet no cost analysis was provided. Another example: delegates were told how many members were enrolled by the professional sales force and for how much insurance coverage, but they were not told the most important figure: what was the income from dues.

Finally, we must admit that five days was much too short a time to try to accomplish everything on the 34th Convention's agenda. That's why the presidium felt it had to rush through the reports and discussion, the by-laws changes, etc. The result: discussion was curtailed and many substantive issues were not even touched upon.

To be sure, extending the convention for a few more days is not the answer. Therefore, we urge more preparation, more openness, and more trust in the delegates' ability to make the right decision once they are given the information they require.