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During the '88-'89 year the Committee has been served by the following members: CeCe Forester (secretary), Chicago; Dan Glazer, Chicago; Bill Hazen, Kansas City, Missouri; Jim McNelly, St.Cloud, Minnesota; and Larry Mullins, Oklahoma City. Dan Glazer resigned from the Committee in April because, "My family responsibilities make it impossible for me to give the Committee's work the time and attention it deserves." We want to thank Dan for his involvement in the Committee during the past three years. 

As an Adjunct Member, Michael Wood, Overland Park, Kansas, has also served the Committee. The following Adjunct Members have recently joined the Committee: Tony Finstad, Bothell, Washington; Barbara Kulieke, Bailey's Harbor, Wisconsin; and Ken Raveill, Independence, Missouri. Since the Committee is now responsible for additional projects and some of these are potentially complex, we look forward to their interest and assistance. Scott Forsythe serves as the Committee's liaison with the central office. 

RESOURCE GUIDE: 

A task group composed of representatives from Urantia Foundation, Urantia Brotherhood, Special Projects, and Office Operations met on September 10, 1988, to develop procedures for implementing and administering the development of a Resource Guide for Secondary Works. The steps for implementation are as follows:

I. Solicitation of Works -- -- Readers of The Urantia Book have been informed of the project by articles in the Bulletin and letters sent to societies, groups which have produced materials, and those putting out newsletters. 

2. Information Packet -- over 350 people requested the packet of information for submission of materials, which included: Cover Letter Procedures and Guidelines pamphlet Copyright Considerations pamphlet Copyright Permission Guidelines pamphlet New Listing Form Distribution Agreement 

3. Receipt of Materials -- Over 75 Secondary Works have been submitted and more are coming in. A computerized data base has been set up by in the central office and Vin Meyers enters descriptive information about each work. 

4. Copyright and Trademark Review -- The first step in the review process is for central office staff to screen secondary works for any copyright or trademark problems. Because of the scope and the ongoing nature of this project, Urantia Foundation decided that the Foundation staff should first meet with the copyright/trademark attorneys to discuss the review process and to clarify the procedures. However, the attorneys have been unable to attend the meetings scheduled at various times during March through May. Another meeting date will be scheduled in June. 

This unfortunate and unexpected delay in the implementation of the copyright and trademark review has caused a temporary delay of subsequent steps, as well as the expected date of completion. The President of Urantia Foundation has expressed the Foundation's regrets to the Ad Hoc Review Committee and has reassured us that this delay does not in any way imply a lack of support for this worthy project!

 5. Review Committee -- An Ad Hoc Review Committee was established to review each Secondary Work submitted and to determine if it follows the spirit of the guidelines for being included in the Resource Guide. The intent of the review process is best summarized in the paragraph following the guidelines, which states: 

"In considering the above guidelines, it is important to note that our review of material submitted for the Guide is not done with the aim of weighing the merit of each work -- that is for the readers to decide -but merely to screen out anything which specifically and obviously violates the spirit of these guidelines. The guidelines themselves are intended only to provide a set of consistent criteria which will be uniformly and fairly applied to all material submitted. It is the intent of Urantia Brotherhood and Urantia Foundation to encourage educational efforts, and our hope is that the vast majority of material created and submitted in good faith will be included in this Guide." 

The Review Committee has representation from several ' standing committees and consists of the following members: Dick Bain, Fraternal Relations; Bob Bruyn, Chairman; Cece Forrester, Special Projects; Jim Johnston, Publications; Marilynn Kulieke, Urantia Brotherhood; Dan Massey, Education; and David Robertson, Domestic Extension. 

We hope that members of the Review Committee will begin receiving Secondary Works in July. Each member will review a portion of the works submitted, using the Guidelines as criteria and documenting the review on the Review Work Sheet. If a reviewer has concerns about one of the works, it will be forwarded to another member of the Committee for a second review.

 6. Publication -- During the fall, the computerized data base will be completed and given to the Publications Committee for printing.

 RECORD OF DECISIONS: 

Phase I of the Record of Decisions has been a project to categorize the minutes of the General Council and to put the information into a computerized data base. It was hoped that information could then be retrieved to give an historical record of decisions made on a specified topic. This part of the project is now complete. 

A copy of the revised and updated Record of Decisions will be included in the manual currently being prepared for all General Councilors. The central office staff is now responsible for maintaining the data base and updating it each time that the General Council approves minutes from a prior meeting. 

Phase II is now being evaluated and the Special Projects Committee will make a proposal for making the entire text of General Council and Executive Committee minutes available in a computerized data base. This text file will allow even greater access to information. It would probably be easiest to start with current minutes that are already being prepared on a word processor and later add prior minutes with the aid of an optical scanner. 

ORAL HISTORY RESOLUTION:

 Background -- The resolution passed by the 1988 TDA and accepted by the General Council for implementation, provides for the " ... compilation of an oral history from early readers, to the end that a sense of the problems and excitement of those days can be preserved." 

Definition -- An Oral History is a narrative of the events and experiences of the people who participated in the activities of the time (and ideally, as reported by these people). This kind of historical information is contrasted to the written documentation found in an organization's records and minutes of meetings. 

Procedures -- The Committee has defined its task in the following manner: 

1. Scope -- The initial task would be limited to gathering information. The compilation and writing of a history based on this information would wait for future need, perspective, and resources. 

2. Time -- The initial task would be limited to the period of time before 1955 to cover the individuals involved in the Forum and the Seventy. The next phase might be limited to the period following 1955 and then an "ongoing" oral history. 

3. People -- Identification of the people who were involved in the Urantia movement prior to 1955 who are still available to provide information.

4. Techniques -- A "standardized open-ended" interview is currently being developed to facilitate and organize information gathering. Questions and "memory triggers" will attempt to elicit information on background/ demographics, experience, and feelings.

5. Method -- Videotape seems to be the best method for obtaining and recording the greatest amount and most meaningful information. A video camera can be rented at most locations throughout the country. 

Resources -- Area Coordinators and volunteers are being considered for training in order to conduct the interviews.

cc Special Projects Committee

Ad Hoc Review Committee