President Laura Rumbley called the meeting to order and recognized Pat Abell, president of the Statesville Branch, who welcomed the board members and guests to the Kirkman House on the campus of Mitchell Community College.

Secretary Pat Abell called the roll. Sixteen officers were present and fifteen branches were represented, constituting a quorum. The secretary made a motion that the minutes, which had been distributed, be accepted as printed. The motion was approved. A reading committee consisting of Mary Floyd, Greensboro; Lill Van Order, Wilmington; and Bobbie Edmisten, Statesville, was appointed.

Parliamentarian Lou Howard gave the Rules of Order. The rules were adopted. The agenda was distributed, and lunch was scheduled for 12:00 P.M.

President's Report In Summer Board meeting the Reconnection Committee was established. Results of the members research would be presented at this meeting. President Rumbley traveled to two Cluster meetings this month. Happenings at Association would be presented under new business. She asked officers to keep reports brief.

Treasurer Bobbie Edmisten distributed copies of her report. Mary Fran Schickedantz asked if any of the carry forward balance included any dues for this year. The answer was no. The carry forward amount was the actual amount, more than expected. The report was accepted and was filed for audit.

Program Vice President Grace Knechtel reported that her program for the convention was shaping up. Four workshops have been planned according to her report posted on the website. She explained Campus Outreach, a program run by LAF. Students from a number of campuses discuss the environment for women on their campus. If this roundtable happens on Friday afternoon of convention weekend, an LAF plaintiff will be invited to attend. Members will be able to attend the roundtable. The plaintiff could attend an LAF breakfast Saturday morning, and a fundraiser, a necessity to bring a plaintiff to the convention, would be held. LAF pins for $100 and sponsorships of $25/up would be sold to reach a goal of $1000.

Knechtel explained that 10,000 Villages is a different type of workshop for the education theme. Her committee is working on a flyer for the LAF breakfast.

Membership Vice President Sue Metz was not present.

Committee Reports

Finance Chair Mildred Hoffler-Foushee had no report.

Bylaws Chair Sandra Champion reported that the State Bylaws were up to date. Nancy Shoemaker said that the Bylaws had been scanned into the AAUW/NC Website. She asked the chair to review it.

Strategic Plan Mary Fran Shickedantz reported that the board is operating on the previous strategic plan. She asked if changes to the plan would have to come before a full board and would that necessitate a winter board. Mary Jo Pribble said that changes to the Strategic Plan are due in 2003. President Rumbley determined that the board should be able to meet by email and at the Spring Board meeting before convention to act on any needed changes.

Diversity Chair Diane Caldwell said that her committee would meet during lunch and she would present any proposals at the next board meeting.

Educational Foundation Chair Mary Jo Pribble had packets for Branch EF Chairs and asked that contributions to EF be sent to her by December 15 for the Dec. 31 deadline. She encouraged branches to share ideas for successful EF events. There will be a silent auction at the convention. Pribble reported that Alice Ann Jacobs, former President of the Foundation, had died in August. Ms. Jacobs had spoken at the Hendersonville Branch when she was in office. A Future Fund has been established to fund two projects Ms. Jacobs planned, a Women s Resource Center and a Women s Music and Arts Festival.

Amelia Mitchell, Fellows Liaison, was not present.

Educational Equity Position vacant

International Affairs Chair Shirley Quisenberry was not present. Mary Jo Pribble asked that our board continue to support Costa Rica by helping pay their dues in IFUW. Our cost is nearly $200. The number of branches in Costa Rica has increased to three and there are 115 to 120 members. They are involved in furthering the education of women and are supporting a Dental Van. Pribble made a motion that AAUW/NC continue the contribution as a Bina Roy Partner of Costa Rica. The contribution comes from the State Board. Branches can send contributions to the cost of Costa Rica s dues directly to the Cultural Division, IFUW. The motion to continue support passed.

Legal Advocacy Fund Chair Doris Bernlohr was not present. President Rumbley reported an LAF contribution total of $4899.50 from thirteen branches. The goal was $10,000 and further contributions should be made before December 31, hopefully before the holidays. Bernlohr is working with the convention program committee to obtain a plaintiff for the LAF buffet breakfast. She is working with the LAF staff to bring the Campus Outreach program to the area colleges during the convention. [Report]

College/University Representative Chair Lola Jackson was not present. She has been contacting our College/University members and working with the convention program committee on the LAF Campus Outreach Program.

State Public Policy Chair Barbara Ann Hughes reported for Federal Chair Mary Peterson that two Action Alerts were recently received on the website. She reported that the Raleigh residents were glad to see the legislature adjourn. She asked how many branches were working on Voter education. Brevard Branch president Renee Braun reported that her branch had published a Voter Guide for federal and state elections that contained questions on the issues of health, education, social security, environment, and campaign finance. It is available on the Brevard Branch website.

Mary Jo Pribble reported that the Tryon Branch published a Voter Guide covering the county, which was published in the local newspaper.

Hughes will distribute copies of the Public Policy job description to the branches. The North Carolina Council for Women and Domestic Violence Commission has asked our members to help the Commission by completing a survey on the needs and issues facing women.

Hughes informed the members about a bill, Our Lady of Peace Act, coming up in congress that would require every state to give the names of every person that has a psychiatric disability or who has had involuntary care in an institution or is under any commitment order, inpatient or outpatient, to the US Justice Department. She asked members to lobby against the bill.

Cluster Coordinator Chair Jeanne Zebrowski was not present.

21st Recognition Chair Claudia Rose was not present.

Historian Clara Allen asked for the names of Branch historians. She encouraged the Branches to sell the history books and give one to each library in the county. Of the 400 printed 150 books are unsold.

Administrative Assistant/Housing Chair Joanne Hill was not present. President Rumbley pointed out that the schedule of meetings was on the back of the agenda. Convention has been tentatively scheduled for March 26-28, 2004. Summer leadership will be in Jacksonville, sponsored by Jacksonville and Twin Rivers/New Bern Branches around the third week of July.

Nominating Committee Member Lill Van Order reported that the committee consisted of the former members of the Nominating Committee. Lill Van Order, Sandra Abromitis, Gelene Lineberger, Judyth Atkinson, and Janet Weber were willing to serve again. They will be filling the offices of President Elect, Treasurer, and Program Vice President.

Resolutions Chair Elizabeth Laney asked that anyone who had a resolution concerning the position of the state board send it to her.

Technology Chair Nancy Shoemaker had placed a report for each branch in the folders. She urged the branches to update and use the Website for the branches. She commended Brevard for a very good branch website. Shoemaker urged the board to use the About Section of the Website.

Online Satellite member Louise Pickersgill told the board members about the online satellite, which is a satellite of the Winston-Salem Branch. There is a monthly newsletter. The online satellite is looking at topics to discuss, having a chat room, and attracting members. A person can be a dual member of a branch and the online satellite for $13. Members at Large (MALS) from areas of the state without a local branch are being recruited for membership.

NC Coalition on Aging Helen Martikainen described the Coalition Board as forty hard working members. They have been working on the 2003 Legislative priorities. There are nineteen items to be ranked and returned to her in the enclosed envelope by November 9th. Martikainen stated that AAUW is much appreciated by the board. She also thanked communicators Marty Folsom, Nancy Shoemaker and Grace Knechtel for their work.

Tar Heel News Editor Marty Folsom announced that the deadline for news is November 15. Mail date is December 13, 2002. The NC mailing list from Association has fluctuated from 1,900 to 2,600 members for the last 8 issues. Lou Howard asked if the State could publish its own mailing labels. Nancy Shoemaker outlined how this would be too difficult. She requested members to complain to Association. Sandra Champion suggested that the president express the State Board s displeasure with the labels to AAUW headquarters. President Rumbley asked Branch Presidents to email Patty Hankins at Association headquarters. Nancy Shoemaker provided Branch Presidents with printouts of the mailing labels to check for errors. Drafting a resolution was suggested.

Marty Folsom said that she would look into the cost of publishing 16 pages of news three times a year versus eight pages four times a year.

Barbara Ann Hughes reminded members about the Womens Agenda Assemblies being held around the state.

Mary Jo Pribble asked that she be contacted to obtain a Fellow to speak to a branch. A branch is allowed $25 from the State Board for a Fellow's traveling expenses. Two Fellows will be at the convention.

Unfinished Business

President Rumbley said that the State Board is expected to make a contribution to SAR for expenses. Sandra Champion made a motion that the AAUW/NC conduct a raffle to make money to contribute to SAR funds, with one half of ticket proceeds going to SAR and one half to raffle winner. This project will be conducted during board meetings and convention. Goal for SAR is $400. Karla Atkinson amended the motion to ask that each Branch participate in the 50/50 chance ticket project. The amendment passed. The motion carried.

Nancy Shoemaker presented the Task Force Report, which is on the Website and is attached to the minutes. She presented the lessons learned from contact with members and the resulting six goals of the Task Force. Members discussed the ways that each goal might be implemented and volunteers to coordinate these suggestions were recorded for each goal.

Nancy restated the motion to adopt the goals set by the Reconnection Committee, and assign individuals to work on the goals and provide progress reports. The motion was adopted.

Pat Abell reported on the success of the joint booth manned by State AAUW/SC board members, Nancy Hughes and Ann Terry; and AAUW/NC members Pat Abell and Virginia Palmer, Statesville Branch; and Evelyn Mercer and Queen Thompson, Charlotte Branch, at the Math Teachers Conference held in Charlotte, Oct. 17-18, 2002.

Nancy Shoemaker reported that more information was needed about members making contributions to National Public Radio in the name of AAUW.

New Business

President Rumbley announced that the theme for her presidency is No Girl Left Behind.

Karla Atkinson stated that the Tryon Branch sends a girl to a Math and Science Camp. AAUW/NC could list camps and outreaches and be a resource center for this information. She suggested that the AAUW/NC might give a scholarship to girls to attend Math and Science camps.

President Rumbley announced that Carole Boston Weatherford, author of Remember the Bridge, was winner of the Juvenile Literary Award, which was presented at the NC Historical Society meeting in Raleigh, November 21, 2002.

Nancy Shoemaker presented the proposed changes to the AAUW/NC Policy Statement. (See attached changes to policy on Electronic Communication.) The motion was adopted.

Lib Laney presented a resolution on the Board's position on the state of the Association's mailing lists. (See attached Resolution.) After discussion the motion was passed.

Mary Fran Schickedantz announced that the Regional Women and Money Conference sponsored by Richard Moore, State Treasurer, would be held Saturday, November 16, 2002, in Greensboro. She invited other Branches to attend. There will be free registration on line.

Members were reminded to check the File folders for information for their branch and officers.

The meeting was adjourned at 2:25 P. M.

Approved: 04-Apr-03
Last updated: 10-Jul-2003
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