Expertise and Leadership in GCORR Board Membership

Rationale

In response to the current budget realities and a desire to capture expertise and passion among General Commission on Religion and Race board members, this legislation reduces the size of the board and provides flexibility in the selection process of board members.

Action

Delete ¶ 2003. Membership and substitute the following:

¶ 2003. Membership—The total membership of the commission shall be forty-three, twenty one members constituted in accordance ¶ 705.3 of the General Provisions. It shall be organized to accomplish its work through elected officers as prescribed in ¶ 708. The membership shall be composed of:

1. Three bishops, including at least one from the central conferences, named by the Council of Bishops in accordance with ¶ 705.4d.

2. Each jurisdiction shall elect one member to the board in accordance with ¶ 705.3a. It is recommended that persons elected by each jurisdiction include persons who have demonstrated expertise in the area of finance, program planning and evaluation, education, advocacy, racial justice and have indicated a desire to actively support the work assigned to the General Commission on Religion and Race. Other paragraphs of the Discipline notwithstanding, the secretary of the General Conference shall offer to each jurisdiction a suggested member allocation to ensure that when combined with the board members from the central conferences, the resulting membership will reflect a balance of clergy and laity, men and women. The secretary will also establish an equitable rotation to ensure that over the course of several quadrennia each jurisdiction will have the opportunity to elect a laywoman, a layman, and a clergy member. 

3. One central conference member named to the board by the Council of Bishops according to the provisions in ¶ 705.4c.

4. Other paragraphs of the Discipline notwithstanding, the members of the board shall elect twelve additional members based on the expertise needed to accomplish the fiduciary, generative, and strategic work of the board. It is recommended that of the additional members, at least two members shall be elected from the following racial and ethnic groups (Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American and White). There should be at least four young people under the age of forty. Consideration should be given to achieving jurisdictional, lay/clergy, gender and age balance.