Nearly half of 120 credit unions surveyed by the Chip Filson-led grassroots organization Co-Ops for Change saythe NCUA has not been innovative in its approach toexaminations.

The results of the April 2013 survey, released Friday, alsorevealed 46.2% of respondents feel examinations and ratings are notobjective and clear, and 54.3% believe examiners inconsistentlyinterpret NCUA rules when issuing documents of resolution.

“Co-Ops for Change was founded with the intent to promote NCUApolicy decisions based on cooperative principles,” said Filson, afounder and chairman of the Washington-based Callahan &Associates. “To succeed, cooperatives need to align credit unionand regulatory priorities; this survey is a first step to dothat.”

Nearly three-fourths of respondents (71%) indicated it is“important” or “extremely important” for there to be an independentombudsman outside the NCUA to whom exam issues can bereferred. Bills that would establish that position werereintroduced in both the House and Senate in mid-April afterfailing to advance during the last Congress.

A large majority, 82.4%, said it is “important” or “extremelyimportant” that the NCUA publicly report credit union contributionsto national economic priorities like student lending and first-timehome buyer programs, boosting the regulator's role as an industryadvocate.

Finally, when asked to reflect on the importance of havingpositions that oversee the use of the NCUSIF and CLF funds toinclude credit union and state regulatory representation, 81% ofrespondents stated it was “important” or “extremely important.”

The survey is still open on the Co-Ops for Change website, andthe group said in a release that results will be tabulatedmonthly.

Launched by Filson in February 2013, Co-Ops for Change aims tobetter align credit union regulation with the industry'scooperative philosophy. A petition on the White House website promoting that goalattracted more than 6,000 signatures, but fell far short of the100,000 required to guarantee a White House response.