Guidelines for UUCSC Publications

Updated 7/4/2004

When reading UUCSC publications (newsletters, web content, press releases, announcements, and any other materials produced in part for public consumption), the high-level reviewer should be aware of the following concerns, and edit accordingly:

1. No publication should include any statement in conflict with UU principles or UUCSC’s mission or covenant, unless it is clear that the statement is not intended to represent UUism, UUCSC, or any subgroup thereof.
2. Language should be inclusive, with particular sensitivity to gender, age, marital status, sexual orientation, parenting status, etc.  Concise guides to nonsexist language are available online at the Western Michigan University Society For Music Theory Guidelines for Nonsexist Language and  Dawnelle Loiselle's guidelines to Gendered Terms And Nonsexist Language
3. The tone of the text should be in keeping with that of a religious organization.  It is appropriate, for example, for some text to be of a sexual nature but not vulgar, humorous but not offensive, critical but not disrespectful.
4. The text should not contain political opinions, claims, or other political content that could potentially undermine UUCSC’s 501(c)(3) status.  According to the UUA, the IRS regulations on the political activities of congregations can be summarized in three simple rules (see The Real Rules: Congregations and IRS Guidelines On Advocacy, Lobbying, and Elections):
   A. Without limits on time, effort and expense, congregations and their representatives may work publicly on moral and political issues by advocating positions in the media and to elected officials; educating and mobilizing congregants and the general public, and working in local coalitions or partnerships on issues of social justice. Congregations can also perform certain activities to educate and register voters if they are done in a non-partisan manner.
   B. Within narrow limits on time, effort and expense, congregations and their representatives may engage in lobbying—defined by the IRS as advocating for or against specific pieces of legislation—as an "unsubstantial" portion of an organization's activities. The IRS has not provided a guideline for what is "unsubstantial," but experts generally agree that up to 5% is acceptable. Since the definition of activities includes the total amount of money, staff, and volunteer time that goes into running the organization, most congregations will never come near the 5% line.
   C. There is a total limit on partisan political activity. Congregations and their representatives can do nothing that advocates for or against candidates for public office or political parties. This includes fundraising on behalf of candidates and donating meeting space, among other things. Election-related activities such as candidate questionnaires and forums are acceptable so long as all major candidates are invited to participate and they cover a broad range of issues.
5. The publication’s content should be accurate, grammatically stated, and properly formatted.