American Association of University Women NC
Fall Board Minutes
Bethel AME Church, Greensboro, NC
October 11, 2003

President Laura Rumbley called the meeting to order and expressed her appreciation for each member’s attendance. Pat Abell called the roll and declared a quorum present. The minutes were accepted as printed. A reading committee consisting of Lill Van Order, Wilmington; Mary Jo Pribble, Hendersonville; and Laura Rumbley, Jacksonville, was appointed.

Barbara Ann Hughes was appointed Parliamentarian in the absence of Lou Howard. Hughes read the rules of order, which were adopted. The agenda was approved after committee reports, which required no action to be taken, were filed for consensus.

Rumbley gave a short president’s report. She said there were many issues to consider. She introduced Ann Terry, SAR Director from SC. Terry commented on the restructuring of the Board of AAUW. Reducing the number of members on the Board requires that communication with all ten Regional Directors be given close attention. Terry is one of two regional directors on the Board.

Terry will attend the Association Board meeting next week when committee appointment procedures will be reviewed. She encouraged members to complete the branch survey. She reported that the AAUW website has been revised and is easier to read. Concerning the March for Choice, AAUW is an endorsing organization, which means the name has been lent to the cause.

Regarding SAR information, Terry said that the Regional Conference would be a joint meeting with the Southeast Central Region June 11-13, 2004. She outlined the program plans which will have an emphasis on leadership development and student athletes.

Rumbley postponed the Treasurer’s report and asked for the President- Elect’s report. Joanne Hill asked members to recommend interested branch members for the office of Membership Vice President. The Housing and Corresponding Secretary’s position is also open now that Hill is President-Elect. Places for the 2004 and 2005 conventions are planned.

Program Vice President Mary Peterson reported on the Student Leadership Conference to be held on Friday before convention in the spring. Committee members will include UNCC professors from the schools of Business, Technology and Education, student leaders, and AAUW members Marty Folsom and Lola Jackson. Peterson has asked Molly Perdue, speaker on Title IX at National Convention, to speak on a panel about Title IX. She has requested that Perdue be the Leader on Loan from the Association, which will need approval, since Perdue is not a member of the Association Board. Peterson is looking for a luncheon speaker also. She encouraged members to bring student leaders to the convention. Workshops on No Child Left Behind, Part 2, and an authors’ workshop on writing a book are being planned.

Peterson reported on the progress of the Impact Grant application. Committee members are Barbara Ann Hughes, Beth Messersmith, and Dot Busey. A panel discussion on the Federal Judicial Appointment Process is being planned in the Chapel Hill/Durham area for an evening in February.

Membership Vice President Sue Metz was unable to attend the meeting due to health concerns. Rumbley reported on a new Membership Tool Kit available on the association website.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Educational Foundation Chair Mary Jo Pribble highlighted the report of the Association EF. She had received the list of scholars. Nine scholars reside in NC and can be contacted to be speakers at branch meetings.

Public Policy Chair Barbara Ann Hughes said that there would be a short session of the legislature in May. She is attending the NC Coalition on Aging meetings. She asked Nancy Shoemaker to report on NC Women United. Nancy reported that there are plans for town hall meetings across the state in the fall to encourage women to better advocate for women’s issues before state legislators. There will also be information on women’s issues and the budget on the NC Women United website. Mary Peterson advised the group to watch for workshops on “Reading the State Budget” presented across the state by concerned groups.

There is a new Association Public Policy brochure. A new state Public Policy brochure needs to be printed. Education policies need to be studied. Members are encouraged to present any documentation from their areas to the Public Policy chair.

To add to the EF report, Mary Jo Pribble asked if selling books at the convention would be a good fundraiser for EF. Members agreed that it would.

Clusters Chair Joan Robertson told the members that the Foothills Cluster meeting would be November 15 in Statesville at Mitchell Community College. She would like to expand the role of the cluster to highlight public policy issues.

Historian Clara Allen asked that a storage area be found for the remaining history books. Suggestions for giving the books as gifts and placing them in libraries were made. Storage of the books and other files was discussed. The archives are in Raleigh and are difficult to access. Security and good location are concerns. Rumbley will investigate costs and locations for storage of archival material. Joan Robertson volunteered storage space for the history books. Nancy Shoemaker suggested that clusters be responsible for distributing history books to county libraries of the counties in their cluster that do not have branches.

After a break Rumbley amended the agenda to include branch reports after the report of NC Coalition on Aging.

Technology Chair Nancy Shoemaker announced that aauwnc.org is now live. Email addresses are also attached. Branch websites that do not have their own domains can now be found at aauwnc.org. Ann Terry said that there is a web address for the Regional Conference, which will be linked to state websites.

Newsletter Chair Marty Folsom stated that the deadline for the news is October 17. It will be published by November 14. The programs for 21st Recognition submitted last year by the State and 3 branches were published in the fall edition of the Tar Heel News. The remaining three branch programs will be in the next issue. Announcement that the nominating process is starting with a rundown of positions open will be included in the next issue.

BRANCH REPORTS

Hendersonville – The branch has a new educational program called Latino Leadership for Young Women. Brochures explaining the program were available.

Wilmington – The branch will hold the annual EF and Local Scholarship Tea with Carolina Authors November 1. Their LAF meeting today will feature a Wilmington woman lawyer speaking on Sexual Harassment.

Online Satellite – The California Online Branch will have a meeting in the AAUW chat room October 16 at 7:30 pm Pacific Time which members may attend. The Winston-Salem Online Satellite is planning a discussion of Diversity Issues. There will be an organizational meeting for the series on November 11 at 8:00pm in the AAUW chat room.

Twin Rivers/New Bern – The branch is having a Pot Luck Supper and each member is to bring a prospective member. The program will be on AAUW.

Greensboro – The Golf Tournament gives the branch an opportunity to connect with other organizations, gain visibility, and recruit new members as they organize the volunteer help.

Chapel Hill – The first meeting was a membership meeting and was held outside due to a power outage.

President Rumbley read a letter from the Tarboro Branch announcing the disbanding of that branch and the donation of $304.17 to the AAUW/NC. Marty Folsom suggested that AAUW dues for the three members of the branch be paid out of the donation.

FINANCES and OTHER BUSINESS

Joanne Hill asked that any money owed from the sale of pens on consignment be paid. She will investigate selling the pens at the Regional Conference.

After lunch Treasurer Millie Hoffler-Foushee presented the treasurer’s report, which was approved and filed for audit. Rumbley submitted the membership renewal form for the NC Literary Historical Association and asked if the board wanted to continue paying one half of Costa Rico’s membership dues for IFUW. Mary Jo Pribble explained why we continue to sponsor Costa Rico, which has three branches now but continues to need financial assistance. A motion was made that we continue to pay two thirds of the IFUW dues for Costa Rico. After discussion the motion passed. Members were encouraged to contact the branches in Costa Rico.

Nancy Shoemaker made a motion that the updated version of the policy statement on the website (formatting changes only) be accepted as a base. The motion passed. The Finance Committee recommended that travel reimbursement be for the round trip minus the first fifty miles. The motion passed.

Mary Peterson explained that the only cost to student leaders invited to the Student Leadership Conference would be the $5 parking fee. Members would be charged $20 to attend. She made a motion that $300 be designated for the first Student Conference. Nancy Shoemaker asked about getting sponsorships to cover costs. Peterson said that branches would pay registration fee for student attendees. The motion carried. Millie Hoffler-Foushee moved that the Tarboro donation be used for the Student Leadership Conference after deduction of designated funds such as EF and fees for the last three members to join MALs or the online Satellite. The motion passed. The Tarboro Branch will receive recognition as a supporter of the conference.

Nancy Shoemaker asked if anyone was going to man a booth for AAUW at the Women and Money Conference in Charlotte November 8. Marty Folsom will contact Bobbie Edmisten. Pat Abell volunteered to help also if Bobbie is able to attend. Shoemaker also mentioned the March on Choice, which will be held in Washington, April 24, 2004. More information will be forthcoming from Women’s Equity.

RECONNECTION PROCESS

President Rumbley asked the members to consider “where we are going from here” with the Reconnection Goals. Marty Folsom presented the Ambassadors for Goal 4 Face-to-Face with a power point presentation and packet of information to use on their visits to each branch. How to schedule visits with branches was discussed.

On behalf of Karla Atkinson, champion of Goal VI, Nancy Shoemaker made a motion to establish an Ad Hoc committee to study the advantages and disadvantages of 1) eliminating the requirement that branch presidents serve on the Board, 2) reducing the number of standing committees, 3) introducing new structures/procedures to ensure that branch and committee interests are represented on the board and/or 4) revising the structure of the state Board in any other way that maximizes the Board’s potential to meet its mission. Linda Sarkis, president of the Greensboro Branch told the members that she thought that the board did an excellent job. She wished to attend the board meeting but felt that the board could operate well without her attendance. Mary Peterson suggested that not every committee had to be chaired by a board member. Non-board members should be used as committee chairs when appropriate. After a call for the question, the motion was passed. The five volunteering members of the Ad Hoc Committee were Karla Atkinson, Mary Fran Schickedantz, Joanne Hill, Linda Sarkis, and Sandra Abromitis.

Marty Folsom explained the Recognition Program for Branches that the Goal IV team had proposed. She moved that the Board develop a recognition program and introduce it at the spring convention in March. The idea was discussed and the motion passed.

There being no further business the meeting was adjourned.

Pat Abell, Secretary

Approved: 26-Mar-2004
Last updated: 03-Apr-2004
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