Outgoing CUNA President/CEO Bill Cheney told CU TimesCUNA will consider future changes to its dual membershiprequirement that forces credit unions to join the organization inorder to access league services.

“We're going to be looking at membership. We're going to belooking at governance. We're going to be looking at access,” saidCheney during an interview with CU Times.

“I was very disappointed that Jim [Blaine] and State Employees'[Credit Union] decided to disaffiliate and I certainly hope thatover time they will reconsider as we look to the future andconsider changes,” he added.

In February, Blaine told CU Times SECU had decided notto renew its memberships in CUNA and the leacombined $340,000membership dues – $250,000 to CUNA and $90,000 to CCUL. Blainesaid serious issues were not being addressed by bothorganizations.

“SECU asked that consideration be given for credit unions tohave the option to separately choose between membership in CUNA andthe league,” Blaine wrote in a letter to John Radebaugh,president/CEO of the Carolinas Credit Union League.

“The right to independently choose membership and to have directrepresentation in CUNA appears to be very much in line with ourcore cooperative principle – one member, one vote,” he added.

“We believe affiliation provides great mutual benefit for ourorganizations and are disappointed in your decision. Nonetheless,we respect your decision and appreciate the notice,” Radebaughwrote in response.

CUNA said last month that it would modify its 2014 budget to make up for the disaffiliation of the $27 billionState Employees' Credit Union since it occurred early in theyear.

Cheney stressed that CUNA is not considering any changes becauseof Blaine's concerns about the dual membership requirement.

“His [Blaine's] peers and our executive committee are alreadyalso working on establishing a process to look at that on behalf ofthe entire movement but not because Jim raised the issues butbecause they're issues that need to be addressed and not just thosebut others,” Cheney said.

Almost 20 years ago, CUNA, the leagues and credit unions wentthrough a renewal process, Cheney said, which established apractice where every few years CUNA reviews key issues again.