AAUW WEBSITE UPDATE

Our Association website has most everything that you need to understand and conduct business for your branch or state...online forms, Q&A about Affiliation Agreements, Two-minute Activist, etc.  The newest addition is the AAUW History Online Museum.  CHECK IT OUT!!!  You can also send a postcard about the Museum.                      

Contact Ellie Lienau, elienau@yahoo.com, for assistance in finding an AAUW member to share a hotel room at the South Atlantic/Southeast Central Regional Conference at the Georgia Tech Hotel from June 11-13, 2004.

STATE CONFERENCES/CONVENTIONS

From Bluegrass to Violins – It has been a busy year in the Southeast Central Region.  In visiting the states and branches, I am energized by what’s happening and had a lot of fun!!  Our state conferences provide some ideas for sharing and future state planning.  Please send me any additions or corrections.

KENTUCKY:  September 19 – 20, 2003, Maysville, KY

AAUW of Kentucky has their conference in the fall, rather than the spring.  This year’s attendance was greater than the last several years due to the excellent leadership of Annabel Girard and Carol Spence.  One of their newest members, Donna McHugh, volunteered to be the incoming state treasurer, and, hopefully, will assist in the joint regional conference.  This year’s state conference included awards and updates on the ongoing projects. Margo Hamm told of the success that the Maysville Branch had with the Emerging Leader Project...the intern helped in many areas of AAUW including updating files, planning meetings, etc.  In addition, Sue Ellen Grannis, Maysville, spoke about the anticipated Russian visitors through the Open World Project; this included eight days of scheduled activities.  To complete the program, a membership workshop was led by Lorena Parker, and Ann Walls updated us on the Public Policy Impact Grant.  The keynote speaker was Dr. Sylvia Henneberg, an Educational Foundation American Fellowship recipient who discussed her postdoctoral research that seeks to counteract the absence of meaningful cultural discourse on aging and creativity through the study of three poets.  Her book is entitled The Creative Knome: Aging in the Poetry of Gwendolyn Brooks, May Sarton, and Adrienne Rich.

 

On Friday, a group of us attended the Rosemary Clooney Festival, which featured Phil Dirt and the Dozers. Talk about AAUW members having fun and enjoying good food and GREAT company!!

MISSISSIPPI: April 2-3, 2004, Starkville, MS

LOUISIANA: April 2-3, 2004, Alexandria, LA

The Louisiana state convention was held at Tall Timbers, Alexandria, LA with the theme “E.R.A. - Economics, Resources, and Action.”  The convention kick-off was a Legal Advocacy Fund (LAF) Dinner to raise $$ through a silent action and then to learn the story of discrimination from Kari Lavalli, an LAF Plaintiff.  From the cajun style restaurant, AAUW members received a police escort back to the retreat!  Iona Myers, Louisiana state president, conducted the well-run business meeting on Saturday.  The Baton Rouge Branch members took great pride in speaking about the Russian visitors and their week of a unique cultural experience.  The Louisiana Leader on Loan was AAUW Field Director Angela Colaiuta whose presentation, “Through ERA, Can We Retain and Gain AAUW Members,” gave members the tools (Education, Resources, and Action) to establish and implement membership strategies.

It was quite interesting that Kari Lavalli was born to Lee Kefauver (feminist activist in Michigan), and at age 14, she filed the first Title I complaint of its kind against Howe Junior High School for denying female students the opportunity to take metal, wood, and power shop courses and for denying males the opportunity to take homemaking.

TENNESSEE: April 16-18, 2004, Kingsport, TN

“Women in a Changing World” was the emphasis of the Tennessee state convention, and Helen Sirett and Cindy Serbin brought together numerous experts to address women and the future.  Laura Long, Association finance vice president, enlightened us on the reality of much needed budget cuts and projected decline in membership based on current information as well as suggestions for growth.  Amber Kinser, East Tennessee State University (ETSU), explained the difference between Agentic (men) and Communal (women) thinking and actions – we all sighed in relief because now we know!  For the afternoon session, a powerful panel included student athletes and Barbie Breedlove, Associate Athletic Director, ETSU.  It is interesting that the ETSU football program was terminated last year, and the “right” things are happening because of the closing!  Dr. Jennifer Levy, AAUW Martin member, discussed the preparation of girls for the future.  Helen Sirett used the book, She Wins, You Win by Gail Evans who will be at the SA/SEC Joint Regional Conference book signing, to express women working together to effect change.

A tour of Allendale Mansion and a Murder Mystery Dinner completed the evening. I don’t know if it was a brain overload, or the memories brought back from the High School Prom Night in our hotel, but NO ONE figured out “who did the murder at the Peacock Room.”  Nevertheless, it was a fun evening.

ALABAMA:  April 23-24, 2004, Tuscaloosa, AL

Focusing on Shaping the Future: Exploring New Worlds Through Math, Science and Technology, Thomasyne H. Williams, program vice president and incoming state president, invited students from the surrounding area to attend the state convention.  The outstanding morning panelists included Cassandra Mitchell, state treasurer, an engineer with Michelin North America; Audrey Salgado, incoming state program vice president, SA/SEC Joint Regional Conference Webmaster; Michal Robinson, incoming state Educational Foundation vice president, who explained her program developed through an Educational Foundation Eleanor Roosevelt Teacher’s Fellowship; and AAUW guest Monica Moman Saunders, an engineer with Louisville Gas & Electric Company, Louisville, KY.  On a personal note, I always thought that engineers and computer women had plenty of smarts, but, well, were lacking in personality....I was proven wrong, not only did each have the smarts, but were FULL of personality and humor.  Elaine Hughes, state president, left early Saturday morning for the March for Women’s Lives in Washington, DC.  Also, in attendance were two past regional directors, Ruth Jurenko and Ellie Lienau, and the Association Educational Foundation Development vice president, Dee Mickey.

On Friday, Anne Witt, University of Alabama president’s wife, welcomed attendees and expressed an interest in joining the Tuscaloosa Branch.  Also, in attendance was Alabama Secretary of State and AAUW member, Nancy Worley.  The beautiful music of the Lamb family, violinists featured in the March Southern Living magazine, provided entertainment.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS  

May 2004
15 - Vitae for Legal Advocacy Fund (LAF) Rawalt Fund Trustees and for positions on the Association Bylaws, Finance, Membership, Program Development, and Public Policy Committees

June 2004
1 - Branch and State Officers Forms
3-5 - National Conference for College Women Student Leaders, Washington, D.C.

11-13 - Joint South Atlantic (SA) and Southeast Central (SEC) Regional Conference, Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center, Atlanta, GA

July 2004
1 - Branch Dues Reports
1 - Vitae for Educational Foundation (EF) Panelists

August 2004
4-10 – International Federations of University Women (IFUW) Conference, Perth, Australia
15 - Applications for Legal Advocacy Fund (LAF) Case Support

Director’s Message – Original 2003

KUDOS!KUDOS!KUDOS

Southeast Central (SEC) Region has received three AAUW Educational Foundation awards: Michal G. Robinson, Eleanor Roosevelt Teacher Fellowship; Holly J. McCammon, American Fellowship, Sociology; and Makeba L. Williams, Selected Professions, Medical Sciences.

The 2003 AAUW Progress in Equity Award honorable mention went to the SEC Region, a FIRST in the region!!! This is GREAT and quite an accomplishment!! Congratulations to the Committee on the Status of Women, University of Tennessee, College of Medicine.

EXCITEMENT AT THE 2004 JOINT REGIONAL – ATHLETES AND AUTHORS

ATHLETES – With the renewed support of Title IX, part of this year’s program at the Joint Regional Conference will focus on the recognition of female student athletes.  ONLY College/University Partnership representatives will be invited to send a female (senior) student athlete. Check the website (www.aauw.org) to see if your institution of higher education is listed. If not, this recognition could help recruit and encourage College/University membership. I know of TWO institutions that have recently joined/renewed in order to send an athlete....HOORAY! Marleen Hansen and Helen Sue Parrish, AAUW Mississippi, have agreed to work with me to coordinate this effort. AAUW Alabama, Elaine Hughes, President, has developed a model for the recognition.

WOMEN’S WORDS – Female writers from the SA/SEC regions are being asked to participate in a giant book signing to be held Friday night, June 11, 2004. If you or someone you know is a writer and would like to participate in this activity, please contact me. Afterwards, there will be a panel of some of the writers moderated by the author of “Lizzy,”Dr. Dorothy Shawhan, Mississippi. She and Martha Swain are in the process of writing a book about Judge Lucy Howorth who was instrumental in AAUW.

Ann S. Terry, SA Regional Director and I are in the process of coordinating sister states for 2004 Regional Conference assignments. I welcome your comments and suggestions.

ASSOCIATION LISTSERVS

The Association Board has made changes in the listserve policy.

§        POLICY. The Board adopted a policy regarding listserv use and subscription.  With our proliferation of and increasing use of listservs, we need to establish policies governing that use.  As a result, only those who are part of the committee/group the listserv is intended to serve will be subscribed to the listserv, and the chair of the committee/group will administer the listserv. The policy will be re-visited in six months.  Communication channels for the listserv administrators to the board were delineated.

Bet you have been wondering why you have not been getting ALL the forwarded emails that Ellie Lienau, previous SEC regional director, used to send....WELL, at present, I ONLY receive information through the regional directors’ representative on the Association Board of Directors. REMEMBER, not all regional directors are on the board...only one. Please understand that I have limited knowledge as to what is “going on!”

WEB SITE TO INCLUDE BRANCH HIGHLIGHTS

In 2004, SEC branches will be highlighted on the SA/SEC Regional Conference web site.  Check the web site frequently to see if your branch is spotlighted.

As the SA/SEC Regional Conference web site links to state web sites, please include on your state web site a link to the SA/SEC Regional web site, www.onedomain.com/aauw. I encourage your state web site to include branch activities, calendar, and/or branch links.

Female writers, presenters, and student athletes invited to participate in the 2004 SEC/SA Regional Conference will also be linked to the SA/SEC Regional Conference web site.

SEC REGION – CALENDAR OF EVENTS

April 2-3, 2004, Louisiana State Convention, Tall Timbers, LA

April 16-18, 2004, Tennessee State Convention, “Women in a Changing World,” Kingsport, TN       

April 23-24, 2004, Alabama State Convention, Tuscaloosa, AL

Mississippi State Convention

Sherilyn Jones, SEC Regional Director, may be contacted at sherilyn@netdoor.com.