Voting in the AAUW CA election closed on May 11, 2013 at 5:00 pm PDT. 

With 12.9 % of the AAUW CA membership voting (1563 ballots cast), these are the election results:

The Public Policy Priorities for 2013-15 were APPROVED.

The proposal to increase state dues by $4 effective 2014-15 was PASSED.

The proposal to amend the state bylaws to reduce the number of state directors from 16 to 12 effective 2013-14 was PASSED.

Because the bylaws amendment was passed, only four directors at large were elected: Lynne Batchelor, Helene Carr, Cathy Foxhoven, Sue Miller.

The other candidates elected were Chief Financial Officer: Donna Mertens, President-Elect: Kathleen Doty.

Click HERE for details.  You will need the “Members Only” username/password to access the file.

Outgoing State Director and Fallbrook Branch President Sherry Ludwig (also member of O-P, San Diego, La Mesa-El Cajon, and CA Online) was appointed to the Commission on the Status of Women on May 7 by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. Members Laurenn Barker (Fallbrook) and Jane Niemeier (La Mesa-El Cajon, San Diego, Fallbrook. State Liaison and State Convention Planner '14) were both present as the unanimous vote was taken. Wishing Sherry the best of luck in her future endeavors, which will always include AAUW!

 As the AAUW CA President I also sit on the Board of Directors for EdSource.

I am at the annual EdSource Symposium in San Jose. This one-day event is being held in conjunction with the state PTA Convention. The morning panel is now talking about "The Impact of Governor Brown's Local Control Funding Formula---Will it Lead to Higher Quality Education for All?"

Fresno County Branch, our newest branch, consisting of less than 20 members, did their first informational outreach on the campus of California State University Fresno on April 9, 2013 celebrating the unhappy holiday of Equal Pay Day. Over 85% of their members participated in one way or other to make the event a success.

Members purchased PayDay candy bars (labeled with "not fun" facts about pay inequity) as their hook to get the passing students to stop and chat for a few minutes about what Equal Pay Day means and how it affects them.

Along with the on campus team, one member volunteered to handle the  publicity for the event. She was very successful - letter to the editor, large article in the Fresno Bee Business Section on the day of the event and, to top it off, TV news coverage on the most popular channel in the Fresno market!

As they were wrapping up on the day of the event, they were planning to do this event on an annual basis and expanding to their local community college.

 During the lunch break at our Annual Meeting, several AAUW CA board members attempted to lead a Q&A discussion with members.  The lunch was held in the Capitol basement cafeteria, a very noisy and oddly shaped room.  It was not conducive to group discussion, so the session was brief.

Click HERE for a transcription of the questions and answers.

Other information about the election and the issues can be found on this website in the Elections section HERE.

The final round of the 2013 Eleanor Stem Allen Speech Trek Contest was held on Saturday, April 20 at the AAUW CA Annual Meeting. The three finalists gave their speeches and the prizes were awarded.

Pictured are (from left): Pavin Trinh, 1st place winner of $1500, (Alhambra-San Gabriel); Tierney Pretzer, 3rd place winner of $500 (Mariposa);  Kaitlyn Schultz, 2nd place winner of $1000 (Oakddale/Escalon/Riverbank)

Gray Allen, sponsor, awarded the prizes and made a few remarks about his wife, Eleanor Stem Allen, in whose memory the contest is named.

Napa County Branch past presidents selling their pins at the Annual Meeting in Sacramento.

Many branches like to present their outgoing presidents with a Past President pin. Designed by Napa County Branch Past President Gladys Johnson, this pin has been available since 1970.  Branches form the letters AAUW and the leaves symbolize each past president as vital to the life of the branch.  The Educational Opportunity Fund receives all proceeds.

To order, go to http://napacounty-ca.aauw.net/pin/

Amador Branch wins our March Program of the Month, with their second annual Women’s History Month Essay Contest. Each junior high female contestant wrote an essay on “A Woman I Admire” and as always, they were impressive. 

 Donna Lilly, College/University Partners Representative, has provided a list of our California C/U Partners, with contact information.  Branches will find this tool very useful in working with our campus partners.

The list is HERE (in the Forms & Documents section, under C/U Partners. If you have any questions, please contact Donna cupartners@aauw-ca.org. 

 April 9 is “Equal Pay Day” and to coincide with that throughout California, we are having workshops for both our projects. Following are some of those workshops of Money Trek Project and $tart $mart.

• March 25: $tart $mart workshop at CSU Northridge – 30 students, three AAUW CA Directors and two Faculty members were present.  Barbara Brogan and Lynn Janeway facilitated the workshop.
•  April 6: $tart $mart Workshop at Mount San Jacinto College in Manifee
•  April:  $tart $mart workshop at Humboldt State University in Arcata
•  April 7:  Money Trek Overview is scheduled for Tustin Branch
•  May 4: San Jose Branch along with Santa Clara County Office of Women’s Policy is presenting a “Strong Girls/ Strong Women” conference for girls of which a forty five minutes segment is given to Money Trek Module 1 & 2

Numerous other workshops are scheduled by branches that have not reported them to us.

Burlingame's Embassy Suites buzzed on Saturday, March 16 with the sound of AAUW women supporting one of our favorite causes.  

Jennifer Reisch, Legal Director for Equal Rights Advocates spoke to the group about her work as attorney for Betty Dukes in her suit against Wal-Mart.  Her words were inspiring as they demonstrated how LAF funds are used to support the case.

During luncheon conversation with AAUW CA President, Alicia Hetman, Jennifer was also inspired -- to complete the application form and become a member of AAUW!

Pictured: Sharon Westafer, AAUW Funds Director; Hetman; Reisch.

With a matching funds challenge from Gloria Weston, longtime supporter and activist for LAF and for whom the Gloria Weston Outreach Fund is named, luncheon attendees were inspired to raise $3600 on the spot.