Glossary

This is a supplement to the Glossary in the AAUW Style Guide. For local use, it is somewhat simplified and refocused on defining terms rather than specifying usage. Where the two documents differ, the AAUW Style Guide has priority, and it should be consulted first for any questions of spelling, usage or capitalization. Please report any updates or corrections to aauwnc@rtpnet.org.

AAUW

American Association of University Women. (Abbreviation has no periods between letters.) Use "the Association" or "AAUW" (but not "the AAUW") after using the entire name. Note that references to branches or states should start with AAUW so that they appear early in any alphabetical list: e.g. AAUW NC, not NC AAUW. Mission. Diversity Statement. Membership.

AAUW Initiative for Educational Equity

AAUW's comprehensive effort, launched in 1991, to eliminate systemic gender bias in schools.

AAUW OUTLOOK/AAUW in Action

Association publication issued quarterly to all members. Two formats are used: Outlook is a magazine, AAUW in Action is a newsletter.

ACTION ALERT

AAUW's monthly newsletter on federal activities affecting AAUW's priority issues. Available by subscription and online.

Action for Equity/Advancement for Women

commitment initiated in 1979 by the AAUW Board of Directors to unite all AAUW program components (Association, state, and branch) to achieve equity for women and express AAUW's position to the public.

¡Adelante!

The name for AAUW book groups that focus on reading lists emphasizing diversity. Each year the Association publishes a sample reading list (www.aauw.org), but local groups can shift books from month to month or choose their own selections.

Areas of interest

areas of ongoing concern in the Association program: Community, Cultural Interests, Education and International Relations.

Association

national level of AAUW; Members in fifty states and District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands.

Associate member

member admitted prior to 1957 upon completion of two years of nonprofessional work which would have been credited toward a baccalaureate degree in any college or university on the AAUW list. None admitted after that date.

Bina Roy

The Bina Roy Partners in Development Programme (BRPID) encourages international solidarity and partnerships between IFUW federations and associations. Its primary goal is to encourage projects empowering women and girls through education and leadership development

Board of directors

includes the elected officers, appointed officers, committee chairs and any others deemed necessary to carry on branch or state business.

Branch

A local unit of AAUW (not "chapter" or "club"). See national and NC lists of branches.

Branching Out

Educational Foundation publication sent to branch and state presidents and EF chairs. See www.aauw.org

Bylaws

Branch, State, and Association are governed by the AAUW Charter and Bylaws in all their practices and have their own bylaws approved by the Association. Can only be changed by a vote of the corresponding membership.

Choices for a Changing World

AAUW's portfolio of projects (e.g. Signposts, Tech Check, Woman-to-Woman, Sister-to-Sister, Transitions) suggested to branches/states to effect change in educational equity.

College/University membership

four and two-year regionally accredited educational institutions who choose to join the Association as institutional members.. Dues, based on enrollment, include Association dues for an appointed representative. List of C/U members in NC.

Cluster

six geographic areas in NC comprised of the branches located within them. [Map] There is a state cluster chair who is a member of the state board, and a cluster committee with a representative from each cluster. Clusters meet annually, rotating the location among their branches. The state nominating committee includes members from different clusters. No business is conducted at cluster meetings.

C/U

the College/University program

Diversity Statement

In principle and in practice, AAUW values and seeks a diverse membership. There shall be no barriers to full participation in this organization on the basis of gender, race, creed, age, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or class.

Dual member

A member of more than one branch who pays branch dues in each branch and Association dues through the primary branch. Where the branches are in the same state, the member pays state dues through the primary branch; otherwise, the member may be required to pay dues for both states. At the branch level, dual members may vote and hold office except for President or other offices specified in branch bylaws.
Dual members count for branch membership goals and in determining per capita fund raising levels.
Dual members do not count in determining branch voting strength at state and Association conventions.

Dues

annual Association dues are $41 and due to increase $2 each year; annual AAUW NC dues are $11 (as of 7/1/02), and annual branch dues vary. Member-at-large Association dues are $42 and also increasing. Life membership dues are 20 times the annual Association dues, but state and branch dues are still payable (see honorary life membership).

Education Center

headquarters for the Association and Educational Foundation in Washington, DC

Educational Foundation

established in 1958 to expand AAUW's emphasis on public service and educational work through the Fellowships Program, Research and Projects Program, and special projects. AAUW is t he oldest and largest non-university program in the world supporting higher education for women.

Educational Foundation Mission Statement

The AAUW Educational Foundation provides funds to advance education, research, and self-development for women and to foster equity and positive societal change.

1881 Fund

Fund for contributions to ongoing operations of the Association. Contributions are not tax-deductible (unlike contributions to EF and LAF).

EF

Educational Foundation

Electronic Mail (e-mail)

sending and receiving messages to other users electronically. Example: helpline@aauw.org

Eleanor Roosevelt Fund For Women and Girls: Intergenerational Partnerships

commissions research into how women and girls think, learn, work, and even play; offers Teacher Fellowships to give teachers time to learn how to tailor instruction to girls; supports projects on cross-cultural education. Established in 1988.

ERF

Eleanor Roosevelt Fund

Every Member Survey (EMS)

assesses members' priorities and helps set AAUW's action agenda. 2001 results.

Fellow, fellowships

AAUW awards funds to scholars (fellows) for advanced research and study at the dissertation and postdoctoral levels and in certain professional areas.

Fifteen-month membership

After April 1, payment of the total annual dues (branch, state and Association) confers membership until June 30 of the following year. See half-year membership.

Fifty-year member

Honorary life membership granted to any AAUW member who has been a member for 50 years.

Foundation, the

The Educational Foundation, EF

Fund, the

The Legal Advocacy Fund, LAF

Get the Facts

one facet of AAUW's Voter Education Campaign, e-mailing and faxing information nationwide on issues of importance to the Women's Network for Change.

Half-year membership

From Jan. 1 to March 15, branches accept dues in the amount of 50% of the annual amount to confer membership status to the following June 30. See Fifteen Month membership.

HELPLINE

800-821-4364, 10:00 - 5:00 ET weekdays

Honorary life membership

honorary life membership granted to any AAUW member who has been a member for 50 years.

Home Page

introductory page on the World Wide Web(WWW); has links to other documents.

IFUW

International Federation of University Women

International Federation of University Women

provides a worldwide forum for university women to interact on international issues; all female members of AAUW are automatically members. See www.ifuw.org.

Insurance

group insurance plans and an annuity plan available at special member rates.

Issues

priority areas selected by the Association for study and action.

LAF

Legal Advocacy Fund

Legal Advocacy Fund

dedicated to achieving equity for women in higher education in the form of financial assistance in some cases and use of name in others.

Legal Advocacy Fund Mission Statement

AAUW's Legal Advocacy Fund provides funding and a support system for women seeking judicial redress for sex discrimination.

LAF Update

Quarterly publication sent to LAF state and branch contacts and major donors.

Life member

Paid life membership available to all members for 20 times the current annual Association dues; exempts member from paying Association dues, but not from branch and state dues. See Honorary Life Membership.

Listserv

A single electronic mail address that reaches many "subscribers" to the list. Example: aauwnc-list@rtpnet.org. To subscribe to the AAUW NC listserve, send an e-mail to aauwnc@rtpnet.org giving your name and branch or other reason for wanting to join.

MAL, member-at-large

A member who joins at the association level but does not affiliate with any branch. Membership year is based on the date dues are received. May convert to branch member upon payment of branch and state dues during first eight months of the MAL membership year. After that, an MAL who wishes to convert to MOB should pay Association, state and branch dues to the branch instead of renewing their MAL status.

MBL

Life member

Membership

AAUW is open to graduates holding a baccalaureate or higher degree from an regionally accredited institution or similar credentials from institutions outside the US. See student affiliate.

Mission Statement

AAUW promotes equity for all women and girls, lifelong education, and positive societal change.

Member-in-transit, MIT

member moving to a new branch has reciprocal rights to transfer paid membership.

MOB

Branch member. Membership year is July 1 to June 30.

Named gift

States, branches and individuals may honor an individual with a "named gift" for each $500 or $1000 contributed to the Educational Foundation.

Named fellowships, grants and units

American and International fellowships and Research and Project grants can be established in the name of an individual, a group or an event (such as a branch or state anniversary). For the Fellowships, $10,000 is required to establish the fund and there is a 20 year limit on bringing the fund to $100,000 to be stipend producing. For the Grants, $5,000 is required to establish the fund and there is a 15 year limit on bringing the fund to $35,000 to be stipend producing. Named units can be established with initial contributions less than $5000 (or $10,000) to start the process of establishing the funds. Once established, state, branch and individual contributions can be "designated" to the funds as well as to more general support of the Foundation. AAUW NC or NC branch sponsored grants.

Non-dues revenue

enables Association to improve and expand its program and services from such sources as notecards, insurance, travel, calendar, and jewelry collection programs.

PDC

program development committee, the Association level committee responsible for the biennial conventions and other member programs. At the state and branch level, "committee on program development" is often shortened to "program committee," but PDC may be used if the context is clear.

PIE

Progress in Equity Award

Policies

Documents describing the way business is conducted at the Association, State or Branch level. May be changed by the corresponding board.

Progress in Equity Award

LAF award honoring a college or university for a program or project that promotes gender equity on campus.

Public Policy Program

adopted at the biennial Association Convention to encourage members to develop informed opinions on pertinent bills at local, state, and federal levels.

Region

One of several geographic groupings of states. At the biennial AAUW convention (odd years), there are regional caucuses and regional directors are elected. In even years, the regions host their own conferences. The regions are:
New England (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT)
Middle Atlantic (DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA)
South Atlantic (FL, GA, NC, PR, SC, VA, WV)
Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)
Southeast Central (AL, KY, LA, MS, TN)
Upper Midwest (IA, MN, NE, ND, SD)
Southwest Central (AR, KS, MO, OK, TX)
Rocky Mountain (AZ, CO, NM, NV, UT, WY)
Mountain Pacific (AK, HI/Pacific, ID, MT, OR, WA)
California (CA)

Research and Project Grants

Funds Career Development grants and Community Action grants.

SAF

Student Affiliate

SAR

South Atlantic Region

Sales Office

800-225-9998. Order research reports, brochures, and other AAUW merchandise.

Shape the Future Campaign

AAUW's program to encourage membership growth through projects (see Choices for a Changing World), discounts for new members and new graduates and free memberships for branches that have successful recruiting campaigns.

State AAUW

the state unit of AAUW (formerly division); AAUW North Carolina; includes all branches in the state.

Student affiliate

undergraduates who do not already hold a bachelor's degree are not eligibile for Association membership, but may become non-voting student affiliates. Association fees are $17/year, there is no charge for AAUW NC affiliation for students, and branch fees vary by branch. A "student affiliate-at-large" is one who pays $17 to the Association but does not affiliate with any branch.

Tar Heel News

AAUW North Carolina publication mailed quarterly to all members.

Title IX

law prohibiting sex discrimination by federally funded education institutions; prohibits discrimination by sex, not by gender.

Uniform Resource Locator (URL)

standard address format of a World Wide Web address. Example: http://www.aauw.org

Virginia Gildersleeve International Fund

Founded by members of IFUW, this independent charitable and educational fund supports projects worldwide focusing on women's educational activities, leadership training, community development, and the advancement of understanding and cooperation among women.

Women's Network for Change

coalition of organizations working together to provide education on issues of importance to women.

World Wide Web (WWW)

hypertext system connecting graphical and text files together.

Thanks to AAUW NY for the initial version of this document. The Glossary in the AAUW Style Guide takes priority over this document. Please send comments/corrections to aauwnc@rtpnet.org.