• AAUW NC Fall 2007 Board Minutes
• AAUW NC 2006 Annual Meeting (part 1)
• AAUW NC 2006 Annual Meeting (part 2)

These have been reviewed by a reading committee, and their approval is on the agenda for the April 18 board meeting. If you note errors or omissions before then, please contact Secretary Karla Atkinson (listed on the state contacts).

Board Minutes, 10/20/07

On the other hand, all of the information is available for free download from the web. For the links, see

http://www.aauwnc.org/2007/10/18/information-for-nc-now/

[Sorry for the delay in posting this.]

www.aauw.org

• The new aauw.org launched on September 17, with a new color scheme, new graphics and a fresh new look.
• Each inside page has a “bread crumb trail” (think Hansel and Gretel) at the top to help orient you in the new site structure. For instance, the “AAUW Issues” page has a trail
  Home  >  Advocacy  >  Public Policy  >  AAUW Issues
  that tells you it’s in the Advocacy section and the Public Policy subsection. You can click any item in the “trail” to get to other related pages.
• There’s a search in the upper right that works quite well. In addition to a Google-like listing, the bread crumb trail is included in the search results to help you decide which page is the one you should check first.
• Member Center > Logos, Graphics and Toolkits (click the Member Center button and select the last item in its submenu) has a wealth of information (similar to the old site’s member center > branches and states).
• Check out the Quick Links drop down box in the upper right for direct access to the most requested pages.
• You’ll find a site index, a listing of key pages, in the small-text menu at the top right of the page. If you’re not sure where to look for the content you want, that might be a good place to start.
• The site supports RSS feeds that allow you to subscribe to AAUW news without cluttering your e-mail. See this article about RSS.
• A decision was made to move the “advertising” logos off the front page. Click the Learn more link in the yellow partners and sponsors box on the left to find that information. In particular, here’s the link to the Amazon entry — you may want to bookmark it.
• Do check out the Member Services Database (first link on the Member Center submenu). It allows you to get a branch roster, update your record, make an online contribution, and more.

Learning how to navigate www.aauw.org is a key component in getting the most out of your AAUW membership. Do take some time to explore. If a group in your branch wants to explore together, you may find the “website treasure hunt” developed by AAUW MA to be a good starting point.

I’d like to re-emphasize how important it is to use the Member Services Database. Branch presidents and treasurers, in particular, need to register and should find it makes their lives easier in filling out some of the forms. If you run into problems please contact me.

For more on the new web site and the MSD, see the information that was reviewed at the Phoenix convention.

www.aauwnc.org

The new www.aauwnc.org (combining the old rtpnet.org/aauwnc and news.aauwnc.org) launched on October 19. Some of its new features:

• There’s a search! This will be improved in the next month or so to search PDFs and other uploaded files.
• There’s a better way to highlight branch news (see Jacksonville Regional and Wilmington categories). This will be migrated to real branch web pages.
• There’s a new Archive drop down box for information on past events.
• The About section hasn’t been  migrated. I’ll be talking to board members about writing sections there — just like branches they’ll be able to  maintain their own sections if they wish.
• There’s a Help page — with a suggested reminder card to keep track of the various logins for the state and national web sites.

More features (like a calendar/events module) will be integrated in the next few months. Please send any comments to me.

-Nancy, nancy.shoemaker@aauwnc.org

Please contact Queen for more information or reply to her post on the e-mail list to start a discussion.

On Friday, October 12, 2007, I had the opportunity to attend and participate in the NC Bar Association’s Equal Access to Justice Summit. It was wonderful and addresses the entire mission of AAUW’s ” removing all barriers for equity.”  The equal access to justice includes all aspects of justice including education rights and justice. The speakers all judges and lawyers were fantastic. The films about NC injustice were great and enlightening.  I spoke to them about AAUW and about speaking to our organization/convention if possible in 2008 and 2009.  One of the plans is to have statewide Equal Access To Justice summits. I thought that this maybe an opportunity for our branches to be a collaborator with their local bar associations in conducting a summit in their areas.   I also told the group about AAUW and our organizational name was listed as part of the solution.

The State is launching a project called ” Justice 4 All.”  They are having ” a justice 4 all day on April 4th throughout the state.  I hope AAUW will want to participate. This project stresses justice for all including children.”  I would like to provide you with an outline of this project and talk to branches about being involved in this statewide event.  This could create great visibility for AAUWNC and also be a resource for our mission.  Presenters at the summit would be great speakers for our spring conference.  This Equal Access To Justice Movement is a national movement that I am encouraging AAUW’s participation.  Let’s discuss.

DO: Allow plenty of time for sending press releases
*10 days - 2 weeks before desired publication date
*2 weeks - 2 months for a feature story (follow up with phone call)

Have the basic information up front, preferably in the first few paragraphs
*Time
*Day
*Date
*Place of event
*Ticket information
*Deadline for registration

Always include contact name and number for more information or questions.
Keep background information on events or performers fairly short.
Double space or space + half information in the press release. (It makes it easier to read.)
Include photos, slides, or on disc.

DON’T: Use folksy language that addresses the reader directly.
Use flowery language to describe your event or performer.
Type a press release in all capital letters.
Send it to the wrong person (call the paper and ask for the name of the editor of the
section where your press release would likely be printed).
Use a fax machine - cover sheets from the contact person can easily become
separated from the actual release. If you must fax, include contact and phone
number on each page of the information.

***********************************************************************

SIMPLE TIPS TO GET MEDIA COVERAGE by Connie Gamble Ochse, Jacksonville Regional Branch

1. Hold an event or activity that is out of the norm.

2. Take pictures at the event/activity.

3. Write a brief, attention-getting caption (one paragraph at most). Name the people in the picture in the order that they appear.

4. Get permission from the people in the photo to submit to the media.

5. Hand-deliver photo and caption with a big smile on your face to your media source. Introduce yourself: “I am Suzie Smith with the American Assn. of University Women. We just held a great (name event) and here’s a picture for your paper!”

6. OR E-mail your picture and caption to a specific person in a specific department at your chosen media source. You should know her/him.

7. Repeat above for every event. The more you submit (every month, for example) the greater your chances of success.

8. Put your meeting announcement in at least one area newspaper every month.

9. News releases have not worked for us, though we have submitted many over the years. With the above formula, we have been in our local paper every other month in 2007! We were also on our local TV channel.

***********************************************************************

MEDIA CONTACT TIPS from Donna Seymour, St. Lawrence, NY, Branch

1. Check with each paper to find out who the go-to person is for the news department.

2. Find out what file formats are preferred for print documents and photos.

3. Understand the style of article your local paper uses. Write it that way.

4. Once the editor knows you can be trusted for accurate, readable information, your material will be picked up faster.

5. Photos: Crop all photos and write captions, clearly identifying who, what, when, where in the write-up.

6. Be sure the AAUW Branch name figures prominently early in the caption.

Donna also created a most informative Communications Teleseminar entitled “AAUW Communications: Raising Awareness” that can be found at www.aauw.org . Portions of that teleseminar appear in the Communications Handbook that was given to branch representatives at the Fall Meeting, Oct. 20, in High Point.

**************************************************************************

If you follow the link from the September/October 2007 Mission in Action, you’ll find more tips from Donna and from other branches/states around the country at www.aauw.org

Fundraising Report for Fall Board Meeting

October 20, 2007

As we enter the last quarter of the fundraising year we would like to remind branches about this important component of our mission. I realize that many of you do your fundraising in the fall. The third quarter report from the association arrived just before our meeting, and has been included in this report.

Please also remind your chairs that it would be helpful to have reports that are sent to the association be sent to me as well. To be quite honest, things have been a bit slow this fall. To have an accurate account of contributions to any aspect of AAUW all these should be in to the association and my notification of such by early December.
Below is an excel document based on the third quarter reports. Some of our issues are still being worked out, so please be patient. If you have questions, however, please contact me. I realize that there were some issues from the April convention that are being worked on at the association level and we both apologize for these.
We also raise money for the state café press and the sale of lovely teal coffee mugs. The mugs or items from café press make nice gifts to speakers or folks who help your branches. I will have the mugs at the October meeting. Have you visited café press?
At the board meeting we will be discussing and voting on the question of the fundraising baskets. The basic question is whether they will be a raffle. This was discussed at great length after the last convention along with how the funds will be distributed. My request to branches is to talk about this with your board. (See this discussion on the website) We want to make sure that all understand and accept the decision made at the board meeting.
Another request regarding the baskets that should be made by your branches is where the money should go. This is a general fundraiser for both EF and LAF but which fund or foundation your branch chooses to contribute the money your basket raises is your choice. Last year Nancy created cards that were to go with each basket. We will do the same this year but would like these to be filled out before the baskets arrive. Your branch should make that decision. There will be more details on this aspect of the fundraising as we get closer to the convention time. This just gives you a heads up for making the choice.
Let us hear your comments and keep us informed as to how your fundraising is going. Thanks for all that you do to make AAUW the organization that it is.

Lill Van Order

NC Contributions through 9/30/07 - showing totals by branch for 2006 and 2007

See also the Toolkit which you can download from www.ncchild.org.

BAW

Membership Committee Report
October 15, 2007
(Minus the Diversity Component)

Goals:

• Increase membership by working with the Advocacy Toolkit initiative
• Work with UNC-Chapel Hill to form a satellite branch of AAUW Chapel Hill
• Work with Nominating Committee to identify and recruit candidates for AAUW NC officer positions
• Host exhibit at NC Conference for Women to network with and recruit from the 2400 attendees, exhibitors, and speakers
• Continue to identify ways to reach out to populations not traditionally served by AAUW (minorities, differing socioeconomic groups, etc.)

Activities:

• C/U rep continues to make contact with college and university members to encourage participation in AAUW NC
• C/U rep working with Advocacy Committee to develop and market the Advocacy Toolkit
• Nominating Committee identified one member of 2008-2009 Nominating Committee (Nancy Shoemaker) and searching for candidates for other offices (MVP, Communications/Secretary, four additional candidates for the Nominating Committee)
• Membership Vice President visited High Country Branch
• Membership Vice President made arrangements for participation in NC Conference for Women
• Membership Vice President attended kickoff for National Girls Collaborative Project at The Science House (NC State University)
• Continued work on Branch without Borders concept
• Entire Committee attended the Summer Leadership Conference in Gastonia

It will be presented for approval (and amendment, if necessary) at the board meeting on Saturday morning, October 20.

Board members are asked to (more…)