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AAUW NC
SAR Sharing Session
June 8, 2002
Tampa, FL
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Mary Fran Schickedantz, Past President
pds@infi.net, 336-299-6870
Nancy Shoemaker, Technology Chair,
shoemaker@acm.org, 919-773-1340
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Banners
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Project for 75th Anniversary Convention. The banners provided
a festive atmosphere at Convention, and the branches can now use them
as strong visual symbols at community events.
Communicate, communicate, communicate. Starting this project required
a leap of faith and lots of encouragement for the branches. Instructions
were provided on paper and from the web site. Lots of creativity came
out of the woodwork, and, by the time of Convention, 19 of 28 branches
had their banners ready. It was a strongly positive experience for all
involved.
This is a work in progress, and traveling to this conference prompted
additional improvements in the construction of the pole and stand.See
http://rtpnet.org/aauwnc/01-02/banner
and http://www.rtpnet.org/aauwnc/01-02/banner/pvcbase.htm
for the instructions.
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Transitions Conference
Technology
Why?
AAUW NC now has several years experience with increasingly strategic use of
technology, including a board position for web manager/technology chair. The
initiative for this came, in part, from a Spring 2000 survey of the branches
that showed that the use of technology had no correlation with branch size,
but it did correlate with branch growth. Therefore, to increase the number of
members who are working on the mission, we have looked at technology solutions
to common problems at the branch and state level.
What?
We encourage the use of e-mail and the web site (www.rtpnet.org/aauwnc), but
our efforts have gone beyond that to include such activities as using "track
changes" in preparing document revisions, "pivot tables" for analyzing raw contribution
data, filters and reports for separating out MAL contact information by branch.
Technology can help many branch and state officers be more effective and efficient,
but we are still at a stage where many officers need coaching and assistance
(and, at times, an intermediary to interpret the data provided by the Association)
to use the technology available to them.
How is it working?
Email: The AAUW NC e-mail list now nominally reaches all the branches.
Postings include AAUW NC announcements, AAUW information forwarded from the
e-mail lists for leaders, and public policy information from a number of sources.
Subscription to the list is restricted to members, and several MALs are subscribers.
Results of a survey spring 2002 indicate that the list is "working" for the
participating state board members (including branch presidents), however only
half the branches responded to the survey. "Regular" members participating in
the list may find the information tangential to their interests -- some branches
address this by having a representative on the list who edits the information
to a separate list of branch members. We're in the process of providing a "digest"
mode that will be more efficient for those who don't need the information as
soon as it is released.
Web site: A new AAUW NC web site was launched last fall (and is still
awaiting its "look and feel" update). We haven't been tracking the traffic over
time, but last month we were seeing 40-50 page requests per day. All branches
have basic contact information listed on the state web site, and we've had a
few requests for more information from the form on the site. Updated information
about the Convention was posted on the site, and online registration (including
credit card payment through PayPal) worked very well and helped raise the registration
to record levels (for recent years).
Data processing: 25% of the branches got lists of MALs matching up with
the zip codes for their areas. We're trying an experiment of automating the
Branch Officer Form (using membership files provided by the Association) and
hope to have lists of counterparts available by the summer board meeting. Providing
a summary of the EF gifts by branch and fund allowed us to encourage additional
gifts (particularly to the Beth Norris R&P Grant) from some branches that
had neglected particular funds.
Lessons learned
Technology is a tool, not a solution. Without committed, engaged members
it cannot improve anything. For instance, if you set up a mailing list and
no one posts, put your efforts into making sure there is good programming,
etc., to talk about.
Translation problems abound. While Tech Savvy implies that
everyone can learn to do "this", one can quickly get into murky waters. Those
in the branches who are comfortable with technology need to be encouraged
to work with those who are just starting out (and those who choose not to
take the journey).
All leaders need to learn what is possible. Build on what we know
about teamwork to address technology issues. Not everyone needs to do
this, but leaders do need to be aware of what can be done. See the references
for more detail.
Resources
- Webmgrs@elists.aauw.org connects those interested in Technology and AAUW
To subscribe, send a message "To: listserv@elists.aauw.org"
and in the body of the message type:
SUBSCRIBE WEBMGRS Firstname Lastname
This will include updated technology policies and a "Technology Chair"
job description by mid-July, 2002
- See the Leadership Tool Kit series. Most have ideas about technology use.
The idea of a focused "Technology Tool Kit" has been discussed, but resources
are not (yet?) available.
Back to SAR
2002
Last changed
07-Oct-2002
