1986: A LOOK BACK: Ukrainian community in U.S. (12/28/86)

1986: A LOOK BACK

Ukrainian community in U.S.

The year began on a hopeful note with the first annual meeting of the Ukrainian American Coordinating Council's National Council, the body that sets policy for the umbrella organization. Delegates to the February 1 meeting approved a plan of action and a budget for the UACC and elected Dr. Bohdan Shebunchak to chair the National Council's presidium. The plan of action reflected the myriad concerns that had been raised at the UACC's first national convention held in October of 1985.

During the course of the year, the UACC and the other umbrella body of Ukrainian Americans recognized by the World Congress of Free Ukrainians, that is, the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, worked as separate entities.

Meanwhile, negotiations continued between representatives of he two bodies on the re-establishment of one central organization for Ukrainian Americans. In October, the ad hoc committee established to work toward this goal - among whose members were representatives of both the UACC and UCCA, as well as the neutral organizations that belong to neither umbrella organization - issued its report. It stated that following 10 meetings and 112 hours of office work conducted during the course of 18 months, the committee had concluded its work. All the articles of new by-laws for a new central organization were approved by all three parties - except for the article concerning the name of the new body. The ad hoc committee asked that the UACC and UCCA resolve this matter with the cooperation of the neutral organizations.

The UACC's position on this proposal was that it agreed to the by-laws and to the proposed name for the new organization, Ukrainian American Congress, and that it was ready to take the next step, that is, to prepare for an extraordinary congress of Ukrainian Americans to take place in mid-1987.

The UCCA, meanwhile, stated that it did not agree to the proposal to draft new by-laws for a new central organization, but merely to a revision of the existing UCCA by-laws. Nor did the UCCA approve of the proposal to change the name of the central body of Ukrainian Americans to the Ukrainian American Congress because this would mean that the UCCA was being liquidated - a proposal that was simply unacceptable. In addition, the UCCA said it opposed convening an extraordinary congress; instead, a UCCA congress should be held which could then consider changing the name of the central organization of Ukrainian Americans.

One step forward, two steps back?

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