Rogue Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (RVUUF) Ashland, OR

RVUUF's web site is affiliated with the Communication and Technology Committees.

1. Main Purpose: Maintain & evolve RVUUF web site

• as an important communications tool & comprehensive information source
• for different internal & external audiences
  • Members & Friends, Staff, Leadership
  • Visitors
  • local & broader communities

2. Accomplishments

• (previous year's goals)
• Updated weekly & monthly events from Order of Service (OoS), office calendar, newsletter
• Created Policies & Procedures page and updated Governance
• Upgraded Drupal system security & modules, including new Slideshow module
• Modified calendar to use repeating events
• Replaced "Welcome to RVUUF" introduction, added rotating photos on Home page
• Drafted policy on computer, network and data usage

3. What was not achieved

• (basically same as last year)
• Broad awareness and use of site by congregation
• Updating descriptions for all committees/groups, and staff
• Additional (member-only) features, such as forums, sermons
• Policy & procedures: communication; Procedures: computer, network and data usage

The reasons for these items are more social or organizational than due to technical or resource limitations -- some possible needs are identified under Goals (next).

4. Next year's goals

• (basically same as last year)
• Update routine content (from OoS, office calendar, newsletter) -- ongoing
• Maintain & upgrade system (probably: Drupal 7); backups -- ongoing
• Update committee/group pages -- ongoing
  [need] committee/group participation; perception of web site importance
• Increase awareness of web site: its content, organization and features,
  [need] interest from congregation in using site; committment from leadership in promoting it, e.g.,
  • Request leadership to mention web site in announcements;
  • Host a periodic "New to rvuuf.org" hands-on demo & small-group discussion, perhaps monthly during coffee hour in the Library or Gallery;
  • Collaborate with Green Sanctuary on using electronic media more to reduce RVUUF's paper footprint
• Document how-tos; train backup web & email administrators
• Develop broad Communication Policy & guidelines for all forms of media, covering issues such as audience, content, copyright, security, privacy; e.g., for electronic media: email use for announcements, committees, interest groups; web site use for publication, media and discussion
  [need] participation by other 'publishers'; Board encouragement, approval
• Update other sections & functionality, e.g.,
  • About Us, slideshows: [need] authors to provide content, photos; Comm Policy
  • Member-only access: [need] documents; individual acounts & training for everyone
  • Sermons: podcasts or videocasts? [need] collaboration w/ minister&Worship&sound team; Comm Policy
  • Forums: augment/replace email discussions? [need] member-only access; training; Comm Policy
  • ...
• Support other So. OR UU congregations (via multi-site) to improve their sites while reducing costs & administration
  [need] interest & authoring committment; training

5. Additional resources needed

• (basically same as last year)
• Collaboration with Communication Committee and 'publishers' on creating a broad and consistent Communication Policy
• Leadership help in overcoming the default "paper mindset" by
  • Promoting the web site to the congregation,
  • Contributing more information in electronic formats, and
  • Considering new ways of communicating and collaborating.
• (Other needs identified under specific goals above).