AAUW NC - Minutes 2003 Summer Board Meeting

American Association of University Women NC
Summer Board Minutes
Sleep Inn, Jacksonville, NC
July 11, 2003

     Joanne Whitney Hill, President-Elect, acting in the place of President Laura Rumbley, who was delayed, called the meeting to order at 7:10 pm. She called on Joann Hall, president of the Jacksonville Regional Branch, to welcome the members of the board.

     Secretary, Pat Abell, called the roll and determined that a quorum was present. The minutes had been distributed. Gloria Blanton offered the following corrections: When Public Policy State Issues Chair Barbara Ann Hughes asked that we pay dues to join Democracy South, that should be Democracy NC and that the dues should be paid to join Voters for Clean Elections, not Democracy NC. The minutes were accepted after the corrections. A reading committee of Joann Hall, Jacksonville; Mary Jo Pribble, Hendersonville; and Lou Howard, High Point, was appointed.

     Parliamentarian Lou Howard read the rules of the board meeting. Rule # 4 was suspended and the rules were adopted.

     Treasurer Bobbie Edmisten gave the financial report. She pointed out that we had a larger balance at the end of the year due to careful reduced spending by the officers. She moved for the adoption of the report. The report was accepted. President-Elect Hill thanked Edmisten for her work as treasurer.

     Program Chair Mary Peterson said that she would be looking for a theme for the Spring Convention. The Association invited AAUW/NC to apply for an Impact grant. The $700 grant was awarded at Association Convention on the contingency that we have an Issue Forum on Federal Judicial Appointments and that we have a panel on Title IX. Both events are being planned.

     Membership Committee Sue Metz was absent. Mary Fran Schickedantz said that the motion to change the membership criteria was defeated at the Association Convention in Providence. The dues increase will be in effect in 2004. The increase will continue until 2009 when the board will review the decision.

     Committee Reports

          Finance - Millie Hoffler-Foushee said that the Finance Committee offered two suggestions for reimbursement for travel.

1.      Pay for gas for the person driving round trip

2.      Pay for travel after the first 50 miles at a rate of 25 cents/mile

The Finance Committee recommended that round trip reimbursement should exclude the first 50 miles of eligible expense; 25 cents/mile shall begin after that exclusion. This recommendation will be placed in the Tar Heel News and voted on as a Policy change at the Fall Board meeting in Brevard.

     Convention Finance Report - Nancy Shoemaker reported that there was an $800+ profit from the Convention and that who pays for what is not clear in our Policy. How the budget amounts are set is also not clear. She suggested that the board consider these problems.

     Bylaws - Sandra Champion and Rebecca Hamrick were absent

     Strategic Plan - No report

     Diversity - Diane Caldwell was not present

     Education Foundation - Mary Jo Pribble reported that AAUW/NC gave $37,000 to EF. This year she has received $5,000 in contributions so far. We must work hard on fund raising for EF if AAUW/NC giving for 2003 is to equal or exceed that of 2002. Research and Project Grants will be partially funded for 2004-05. Some undesignated funds are used for these grants. She asked branches to send her a copy of their EF reports.

     Fellows Liaison - Amelia Mitchell was not present

     Educational Equity - Vacant

     International Affairs - Shirley Quisenberry was absent

     Legal Advocacy - Lill Van Order was absent

     College/University Representative - No report

     Public Policy/State Issues - Barbara Ann Hughes presented a resolution in support of a pay equity study commission. President Laura Rumbley entered and presided over the meeting. She suggested that voting on the Pay Equity Resolution be delayed until the New Business portion of the agenda.

     Public Policy/Federal Issues - Mary Peterson asked that members support the Hate Crimes issue.

     Cluster Coordinator Vacant. President Rumbley asked for some interested person to volunteer to fill this position. Since the Reconnection Committee is suggesting strengthening this position a person is needed to direct this effort.

     21^st Recognition Program Vacant. Mary Fran Schickedantz asked if the members of the Reconnection Committee could also take charge of the Recognition Program. Rumbley will follow up on this suggestion.

     Historian - Clara Allen pointed out that Schickedantz had used the history book to answer the policy question earlier. She had brought history books to sell and to give members to sell. She asked for names of branch historians so that she could give them a list of what to save in the branch archives.

     Correspondence Secretary/Housing Vacant. Joanne Hill explained that there is very little correspondence. Summer Leadership 2004 is the next event for which a branch host is needed. Fall Board meeting for 2004 needs a host.

     Cluster Meeting dates were as follows: Mountain October 25, 2003, near Bryson City with Bryson City and Cherokee County branches as hostesses; Southeast Coastal February, Wilmington; Sandhills/Triangle - Chapel Hill.

     Nominating Committee - Executive Committee will meet and appoint a chair.

     Resolutions - Lib Laney was absent

     Technology - Report on the website. Nancy Shoemaker said that the major effort had been to get the Branch Officers Report. Joanne Hill has been given the Data Base.

     Online Satellite of Winston-Salem Branch - The satellite has 6 members. Nancy Shoemaker thought that a Book Group might be appropriate for the satellite.

     Tar Heel News - Marty Folsom said that the copy deadline is July 18.

     NC Coalition - Not present

Unfinished Business

     Three of the six Reconnection Committee Goal Reports were posted on the website. President Rumbley reviewed the reports. She reported for Goal 2 and Mary Fran reported for Goal 4. Clara Allen pointed out that in the Strategic Goals, Leadership Training was included in the agenda for Clusters. The Strategic Plan will be examined this year.

      Gold and Platinum awards were given to several branches for their participation in the 21^st Century Recognition Program. The date for completion may be moved forward. The application is on the Association website.

     Vacant Chair Positions Educational Equity may be placed under Diversity. Cluster Coordination is vacant. 21^st Century Recognition may be placed under Reconnection Committee. Federal Public Policy and Correspondence/Housing
are vacant. There was a suggestion that Educational Equity be moved under State Public Policy as a committee within. The members agreed that it could be placed under several different chairs. Elke Jaross, Wilmington, volunteered to chair the Educational Equity committee.

     New Business

     Mary Peterson announced that members who had attended the Association Convention would speak for one minute about their experience at the Leadership Conference on Saturday. There would be tables at lunch attended by people who had been at the different workshops at Providence.

     Nancy Shoemaker stated that nothing was passed at the Convention that affected the bylaws of the branches.

     In reference to the Impact Grant that we have won for Public Policy, Rumbley said that Mary Peterson, Joanne Hill, Barbara Ann Hughes, and Beth Messersmith would be working on the committee. Other members may wish to work with them. We will be eligible for another grant next year and it will be an ongoing project.

     Marty Folsom told about the Candidates Forum held at the Skills Center in Statesville. The attendees wanted to know basic voter information in addition to candidate information.

     Rumbley announced that we would have a combined Regional Conference, SAR and SEC, in Atlanta, June 11-13, 2004.

     Mary Peterson moved that we endorse the resolution to support the pay equity study commission. The resolution came from Women United through the Justice Center. The motion was passed.

     Nancy Shoemaker said that there needs to be a rearrangement of the number of branches in Clusters. The Mountain Cluster includes six branches; Foothills, four; Triad, four; Sandhills/Triangle, three; Northeast, two; and Southeast Coastal, four. The Sandhills/Triangle and Northeast Clusters could combine. Clara Allen will contact Wilson and Franklin County Branches to join the Sandhills/Triangle Cluster.

     Town Hall

     Charlotte President Louise Thompson announced that Convention 2004 was the focus of her branch.

      Margery Megivern, Co-President, stated that the Wilmington Branch would celebrate their 75^th anniversary next year.

      Mary Fran Schickedantz introduced the new president of the Greensboro Branch, Linda Sarkis. She announced that UNCGreensboro has received a large grant to work with middle school girls, which will concern Title IX.

     Clara Allen introduced Jean Greene, the new president of the Chapel Hill Branch.

     Mary Fran Schickedantz congratulated Lola Jackson on A&T State University s membership in AAUW.

     President Rumbley discussed Same Day Registration. She took responsibility for the handling of the resolution. A motion should have been made to hear the resolution first. She wanted to encourage members to bring business to the board and views and opinions would be valued. She suggested that an article be placed in the Tar Heel News stating the pro and con issues on Same Day Registration. Marty will publish the resolution. She asked members to email their pro or con remarks to her. Mary Peterson introduced Beth Messersmith. She will write a short history of the issue.

     The meeting was adjourned.

Pat Abell, Secretary

Approved: 11-Oct-2003
Last updated: 12-Oct-2003
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