American Association of University Women. Iowa

THE BRANCH PRESIDENTS’ CONNECTOR

October 2006

Greetings, from one president to another!

With this one page newsletter I hope to send you both an idea as well as a connection….between you as a branch president and me as your state president. It seems to me that we need one another; that we need to be connected so we can each do our job as well as possible! Being disconnected, feeling isolated from each other is NOT a good thing! We are, after all members of one great organization, devoted to articulating and acting on issues which are of common concern to all women. If we keep that common concern in front of us this year, it should be a great year!

Dr. Janet Heinicke, President, 2006-08

COMMON PRIORITIES

Here are some common priorities which we share this year with all AAUW members regardless of where they live, what state they reside in.

• 125^th Anniversary year

This is the year that AAUW is 125 years old. The exact date is November 28^th. What are you planning to do to celebrate the occasion? There is a model proclamation on the AAUW website (www.aauw.org) Have you considered asking your local mayor to proclaim an AAUW day, or week, or month? Have you considered a birthday party? Have you thought about honoring the contributions your branch has made to life in your town? How about honoring your oldest and your youngest member?

• Member get a member campaign

The state membership committee has set a grand goal for membership growth this year, aspiring that every branch in Iowa will show some growth this year. Have you thought about what your own branch will set as its’ goal? I hope it’s more than ”hanging on”! (NOT good enough!) or “just surviving!” (Also NOT good enough!) Increasing a branch of 20 members by 5% would mean getting one new member. Surely that group of 20 could get 2 new members! THAT would mean a 10% increase. By the way , did you pick up on the incentive being offered. If a branch gets three new members, one of them has their dues paid by the Association and becomes a “free” member the first year.

• Look westward this year! An Association conventrion in Arizona!

The biennial convention of the Association will be held in Phoenix this year between the dates of June 29 and July 2. This may be a good time and place to combine vacation or touring plans with attendance. It is, for sure, an opportunity to be an active participant in the opportunity to make your voice as well as that of your members heard, Big decisions will eminent as AAUW considers a strategic plan for the future. Please give long, careful thought to how the voice of your branch can be heard at this convention.

• Teaming the theme!

“Education; the Gateway to Women’s Economic Security” uses the language with which many educators are familiar. It is the theme of this year’s AAUW programmatic thrust. Consider appointment of a team of branch members to implement one of the many directions for study and action that this topic could take. Your “team” could consist of the program VP, the public policy chair, perhaps your equity chairs, or your international relations person. What wonderful and imaginative directions could you think of , using ideas that are generated by simply a closer look at education as a “Gateway”!

·        Is education a gateway for immigrant women and girls? Why? Why not?

·        Is education a gateway for women in underdeveloped nations? Why? Why not?

·        How is knowing the economic implications of higher education’s value important in a shrinking world?

A few brief  factoids!

AAUW calendar of dates for every branch to know…now on the web!

Anniversary calendars now for sale. A fund raiser, it celebrates 125 years of history

Iowa Initiative now on the web. The  address is www.aauwia.org.

Remember by laws deadlines and nominating deadlines for AAUW IA will soon be here.

This is the year that a president elect is selected.

Remember spring annual meeting date is April 20 and 21 in Marshalltown.

Just in! We have an American Fellow at ISU. Thesis is “How Jobs become Hispanic!” There is an International Fellow from Nigeria at the Univ. of Iowa. Thesis is “The Effect of health education  on the Incidence of Drug Abuse among Teenagers”. AND we have a community action grant awarded to Iowa Juvenile Home Foundation, Carol Thompson, Iowa Juvenile Homes Girls Chorus at Toledo.