By Mo Siegel, Secretary Urantia Foundation
The Extended Board of Urantia Foundation met in Chicago for the October Quarterly meeting of 2007. Some of the areas of discussion and decision making included:
Europe
After reviewing pending matters from the European team, the Board authorized the European members of the Expanded Board to explore alternative organizational structures for our European operations. The Urantia Foundation Board hopes to empower the Europeans so they may publish, distribute, and create translations for Europe. The Board affirmed its interest, in principle, to let form an organization that cooperatively yet independently handles the European book business. The European Board members have been asked to bring a recommendation to the Expanded Board as soon as they can construct a system that will legally and logistically provide the best alternative to service the European book business. Committee on Translations The Board appointed six members to the Committee on Translations. The Committee is chaired by Seppo Kanerva and the other members are Gábor Cseh, Michael MacIsaac (Sweden), Georges Michelson-Dupont (France), David Kantor (Colorado, USA) and Neal Waldrop (Maryland, USA). The major task of this committee will be to provide the Board with recommendations on the costs and timetables for in-progress and future translations.
New Urantia Book Dust Covers for the U.S. Book Market
In April, 2007, the Board hired three world-class book cover design firms to redesign Urantia Foundation's English book cover for the U.S. bookstore and internet market. After extensive design work from all three teams, the most appropriate and beautiful designs were selected for research and refinement. During the October meeting, the Board reviewed testing results from an independently conducted, spiritual book shopper opinion poll, commissioned by Urantia Foundation. The study interviewed 700 spiritual book shoppers and received their reactions to five Urantia Book covers including Urantia Foundation and Uversa Press current book covers.
After carefully reviewing the data and book cover designs, the board approved two new Urantia Book covers for sale in the U.S. book market. One cover will be used for the English hard cover and the other for the soft cover. The next printing will use the new dust covers. The Board also agreed to allow the use of the new covers for translations, if appropriate. Stay tuned, the new covers will be available in the first half of next year.
Testimonials on The Urantia Book Cover
During the meeting our expanded Board held an extensive and lively discussion about using testimonials on the cover of The Urantia Book. Testimonials are a time-tested and proven method for selling books. After it was all said and done, the Board decided to hold off using testimonials at this time. This decision was extremely difficult to make since over 80 readers had answered our appeal for their testimonial about how the book had changed their lives. While everyone was deeply moved by the profound expressions of faith and inspiration that The Urantia Book has generated in reader's lives, uncertainty remained about placing an individual's name on the back cover of the book.
We found ourselves torn between two publishing positions. The Bible and other great religious books never use testimonials, but virtually all other books–be they religious, spiritual, educational, fiction, and non-fiction–do use testimonials on the back cover.
Special thanks to all of you who sent in your exceptional testimonials. Even though we felt it right not to use testimonials for now, it was painful to write you explaining we'd revised our thinking. We appreciate you giving us permission to use your testimonials on our website. We really appreciate your love and efforts toward the revelation.
Book publishing decisions
A. Printing of O Livro de Urântia, the "as is" Portuguese Translation - Since the Portuguese translation now stands ready to publish, the Board approved the management team's plan to print in Canada. The Portuguese book will soon be available.
B. Publishing the Hungarian Translation - The Board decided that as soon as the team working on a Hungarian translation, Könyv Urantia, consider their work completed, the translation will be made public on a CD and then placed on the Foundation website
The Concentric-Circles Symbol on Jewelry
Because of a request by a reader-goldsmith to use the trademarked Concentric-Circles Symbol on jewellery, the Board made a slight modification to the 2001 Policy Regarding Religious and Personal Use of "Urantia," "Urantian," and the Concentric-Circles Symbol. The modification allows any and all jewellers the commercial rights to use the symbol on jewellery, provided that their production is marginal, small-scale (maximally 100 pieces a year), and sold to Urantia Book readers.
Permission to Display the Foundation's Translations on the Fellowship Website
The Board decided to grant the Fellowship permission to reproduce the full text of each of the Foundation translations on the Fellowship's website with the respective copyright notices. Currently the Fellowship links their site to Urantia Foundation's translations. The Foundation Office in Russia The Board decided to close the Foundation office in St. Petersburg and to cease all activities to re-activate the office. The Russian book business will continue to be managed by our Chicago office and our current partners in Russia. Associate Trustees The Board of Trustees renewed the one-year terms of the current Associate Trustees for 2008. The Associate Trustees are Irmeli Ivalo-Sjölie, Marilynn Kulieke, Claire Mylanus, and Judy van Cleave.
On an editorial note, the Associate Trustees add a great deal to the Board. The Associates fully participate in our meetings and their wisdom and insight have been a wonderful blessing for the Trustees. Urantia Foundation's News Online The Board decided that we needed to clarify a couple of matters. When you read an article in this online newsletter, the voice of the article is the writer's voice, not the voice of the "Foundation". Additionally, the primary purpose of the newsletter is to provide information about the Foundation's mission to bring The Urantia Book to the world.