The work of AAUW California is accomplished through various standing committees, special committees, task forces, workgroups and appointed positions overseen by the board of directors. Any member of AAUW California in good standing is eligible to serve and may submit an application to be considered for appointment. Members are selected and appointed for a one-year term by the board of directors.
Applications for the 2022-2023 year are due July 27, 2022
GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES
The following conventional committees and positions underpin all ongoing AAUW California activities. Specific responsibilities vary with each committee. Each committee has a chair who coordinates the group. Some committees have specific positions outlined. Committees may be enhanced by task forces or interim committees. For more specific committee information, refer to state Policies and Procedures.
General expectations are that members will:
- Promote AAUW’s programs and mission of equity for all women and girls. Be aware of and uphold AAUW policies and procedures.
- Attend any scheduled meetings, whether by conference call, online or in-person.
- Participate actively in the continuing work of the group, maintain communication with the committee and its chair, respond in a timely manner to group communications and complete assigned tasks.
- Serve as a consultant and resource to branches and members. Participate actively as a communication liaison between AAUW, AAUW California and branches. Attend Interbranch Council (IBC) meetings when possible.
- Provide information to the AAUW Communications Team to keep the website and other media updated with current information.
- Submit written materials to the AAUW California Communications Committee for review and editing prior to distribution or posting.
REIMBURSEMENT POLICIES
- Committee, workgroup and task force members are reimbursed for expenses incurred when attending required meetings as specified in the Policies and Procedures.
- Each group has an administrative budget for materials, technology, and miscellaneous expenses, etc. Members may be reimbursed for administrative expenses with prior approval of the chair.
- The per diem amount and mileage reimbursement rate are set each April by the board of directors.
AAUW CALIFORNIA COMMITTEE DESCRIPTIONS
AAUW Fund Committee
- Purpose: Provides guidance and support for branch fundraising activities. Plans a minimum of two AAUW Fund in-person or virtual Fellows and Grant Recipient presentations and other programs/events to educate members about AAUW Fund. Encourages giving to the AAUW Fund.
- Member Duties: Work with chair and team to execute the purposes listed above. Help provide committee updates to the Communication Committee for posting as appropriate.
- Time commitment: Varies, but may be 2 to 6 hours per week depending on the time of year.
- AAUW Fund Speaker Scheduler: Schedules fellowship and grant recipients to speak at branch and IBC meetings and at the Fund luncheons.
- Time commitment: 2-6 hours per week from September through February.
Branch Support Committee
- Purpose: Be the first resource for any and all issues for which branches need support, directing them to the correct resources for answers. Be responsible for leadership development, training, and support for all statewide branches. Aid branches disbanding or merging with existing branches, offer help with renaming, transitioning leadership positions, and allocating remaining finances.
- Committee Structure: Contains a representative from each of the state’s eleven geographical districts.
- Member Duties: Participate in monthly online meetings. Review branch newsletters. Leverage district relationships to provide support to branches. Work with the committee to aid disbanding and merging branches. Participate in online events.
- Time commitment: 2 – 4 hours per month.
Communications Committee
- Purpose: Develops and delivers AAUW California information to branches and members using a variety of media channels and technological tools. Manages the publication of the monthly Board to Board newsletter and the California Connection e-newsletter. Seeks opportunities to market AAUW both internally and externally. Maintains the AAUW California website and social media sites. Assists other committees with communication needs. Reviews and edits materials to be distributed or posted.
- Member Duties: Participate in monthly online meetings. Work with team to review and edit communications before distribution. Serve as a liaison with other state committees to understand their communication needs and help frame their messages. Help write stimulating and useful content for all AAUW publications and social media. Assist with technical communication requirements.
- Time commitment: Varies by role, but generally 10-15 hours per month.
The Communications Committee is broadly split into two teams, although responsibilities may overlap.
- Technical Services: Responsible for AAUW California’s internet presence, electronic communications, social media accounts, and technical support for events, presentations, etc.
- Website Content Manager – review website content with stakeholders to assure that it is up to date, useful, accessible, accurate, well-organized, etc. Work with webmaster to learn our technical tools, respond to requests, and assist with managing our sites.
- Technology Trainer – serve as go-to for branch and member assistance on how to use technology, including Google suites, Zoom, social media, etc. Prepare training presentations as needed. May host online forum for technology issues.
- Creative Services: Responsible for reviewing and editing internal and external communications. Works with stakeholders to develop effective communication campaigns. Assists with maintaining up-to-date content on AAUW California platforms. Provides creative support for events, presentations, state initiatives, and committee needs.
- Editor – Work with a team of editors to review and edit monthly Board to Board and California Connection publications, emails, website postings, webinar and presentation content and other internal and external communications. Adhere to commonly known editing guidelines and the Communications Committee style guide.
- Social Media Manager – Develop and coordinate overall campaign strategies to support planned messaging on all platforms that will engage members and potential members and support state goals.
- Graphics Designer – Provide a professional appearance to AAUW California communications with effective layouts and graphics that enhance the message.
- Project Coordinator – Work with state leaders to plan and execute projects using sound strategic planning concepts and tools.
- Creative Thinker – See unique opportunities for creative communication campaigns to support state goals and committee needs. Help ideate and plan effective approaches to marketing AAUW..
- Survey Facilitator – Assist with the design, execution, and analysis of forms, surveys, and other information-gathering tools as needed for state goals.
- Communications Team Liaison – Interface regularly with an assigned state committee to stay up to date on its activities and help plan effective communication strategies as needed, including freshening website content.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee
- Purpose: Supports branches to advance learning and expand commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). There is an emphasis on increasing DEI awareness, engagement, and branch participation in DEI efforts, with particular attention to connecting and collaborating with organizations that promote and embody DEI.
- Member Duties: Participate in regularly scheduled monthly meetings. Share promising and innovative practices related to DEI. Identify and engage like-minded organizations for potential collaborative opportunities. Provide resources to branches and assist branches in the development and implementation of DEI goals with strategies and materials to accomplish efforts.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour monthly meetings via zoom with approximately 7-10 hours per month of committee-related work (i.e., readings, organization and branch outreach and engagement, follow up, etc.)
Finance Committee
- Purpose: Administers all critical financial matters essential to the operation of AAUW California. Prepares and monitors budgets. Informs branches of all financial requirements and deadlines. Assists branches with financial management, including holding educational webinars for branch finance officers and board members.
- Member Duties: Help determine how AAUW California spends members’ dues and recommend if member dues should be raised, and understand the insurance program.
Work on the committee’s strategic plan goals which may require the member to work with branches and outside entities to complete. Help provide committee updates to the Communication Committee for posting as appropriate. - Time Commitment: 8 zoom meetings of roughly an hour. Independent work from 1 to 12 hours per year.
Finance – Investment Committee
- Purpose: AAUW California’s long-term funds are in the custody of a qualified custodian and managed by a qualified third-party investment manager. The purpose of the investment subcommittee is to evaluate the performance of investments and make recommendations for changes as necessary. The subcommittee also advises the board on the status of investments in accordance with AAUW California investment policies.
- Member Duties:
- Understand AAUW California investment policies
- Define reporting requirements to the investment manager for reporting to the board every quarter
- Understand, evaluate, and receive briefings from the investment manager on the AAUW California investment program.
- Evaluate performance of investment manager and investment policies, and recommend changes as needed.
- Time Commitment: 2-4 hours every quarter to go over reports. All meetings by Zoom.
Gov Trek Committee
- Purpose: Provides strategic planning, guidance, and support to launch the virtual Gov Trek Program statewide. Plans, launches and helps manage V2 of this 3-month program aimed to help junior and senior high school students explore a career in government. Encourages awareness of and participation in the Gov Trek program.
- Member Duties
- Secretary – Provide committee meeting minutes and assist with agenda and Google slides for program workshops and sessions. Provide advice and counsel on corporate governance matters to the program chair and committee members as appropriate to facilitate the smooth and efficient operation of the committee.
- Time commitment: Approximately 4 hours per month.
- Curriculum Development – Work to refine and improve existing curriculum. Systematically and scientifically organize the instructional blocks within the course including topics, activities, readings, lessons, and assessments. Empathize, ideate, curate and create, and prototype course content.
- Time commitment: Approximately 10 hours per month.
- Technical Lead – Project management of digital classroom; supporting events, speakers, and attendees, and troubleshooting any technical issues. Help identify and use technology tools that will improve the operational efficiency of the program.
- Time commitment: Approximately 10 hours per month.
- Digital Marketing – Social media management with the ability to create content, including but not limited to graphics, videos, flyers, and creative writing. Ideally has experience working with Canva or similar programs. Ability to effectively capture brand voice, create and publish content in a timely fashion – working with the AAUW California Communications Committee. Passion for women’s issues, the legal field, or government, with the ability to effectively communicate and inspire action leveraging digital media.
- Time commitment: Approximately 10 hours per month.
- AAUW Gov Trek Speaker Scheduler – Schedules and invites educators and legislators to speak at Gov Trek sessions.
- Time commitment: Approximately 6 hours per month.
- College/University/Strategic Partnerships – Identify key education and community partnerships to recruit students, educators, and mentors. Speak to high schools and community groups about AAUW research and the Gov Trek program.
- Time commitment: Approximately 10 hours per month.
- Branch Liaison – Encourage branch organizations to sponsor local students, and publicize Gov Trek in their local community and high schools. Familiarize yourself with the AAUW California Gov Trek program and materials and be prepared to discuss the benefits of engagement with branch organizations and community members.
- Time commitment: Approximately 10 hours per month.
- Strategic Planning – Develop an action plan for Gov Trek education outreach that includes specific, measurable goals aligned with state and national AAUW priorities.
- Time commitment: Approximately 10 hours per month.
- Secretary – Provide committee meeting minutes and assist with agenda and Google slides for program workshops and sessions. Provide advice and counsel on corporate governance matters to the program chair and committee members as appropriate to facilitate the smooth and efficient operation of the committee.
Membership Committee
- Purpose: The Membership Committee assists and educates branches and members on membership recruitment and retention strategies. Develops College/University partner memberships and recruits staff and student affiliates.
- Member duties:
- Work with the team to prepare specific goals and activities to meet AAUW California’s priority to help branches grow membership.
- Research innovative methods used by other organizations.
- Help develop opportunities for branches to share best practices.
- Help draft a template for an action plan that branches can follow to grow membership.
- Stay in touch with branch membership needs and activities through branch visits or IBC meetings, if possible, or emails and online meetings.
- Help draft membership-related suggestions and tips for regular distribution to branches.
- Assist with planning and executing an online peer group forum for branch membership chairs to share tips and issues.
- Assist with delivering membership-related information at the Annual Event.
- Suggest effective methods for branches to recruit, orient and retain members.
- Plan membership campaigns that employ effective marketing principles to reach specific target populations.
- Assist branch membership vice presidents in the implementation of AAUW and AAUW California membership policies and programs.
- Assure membership dues information is available and accurate in all communications including the website.
- Time Commitment: 5 hours per month.
Nominations & Elections Committee
- Purpose: Administers all aspects of the election of the members of the board of directors in accordance with bylaws and policies and procedures.
- Member Duties: Help set up nomination procedures. Assist with identification of viable candidates. Communicate with potential candidates via text, email or phone. Help present candidate information and voting procedures in print and electronic communications. Assist with management of the election and announcement of the results. Help provide committee updates to the Communications Committee for posting as appropriate.
- Time Commitment: 5 hours per month.
Program Committee
- Purpose: Collaborates with state committee chairs to identify educational and training ideas for branch leaders and members that reinforce AAUW California mission and support branch needs. Assists in creating engaging content , identifying qualified presenters, coordinating materials creation, and developing timelines to assure programs run smoothly from program conception to live execution of program. Programs to be delivered via webinars. Manages Branch Activity of the Year program that recognizes and awards stellar branch projects and programs annually.
- Member Duties: Participate in monthly online meetings. Assist in developing presentations by organizing and polishing information for effective delivery , manage time schedules and deliverables, and oversee all aspects of executing a successful webinar by working with Communications Committee and Leadership Team. Administer all aspects of the Branch Activity of the Year program including promotion, application review, determining award recipients and assisting with program presentations at the Annual Event.
- Time commitment: Varies by role, but generally 10-15 hours per month.
Public Policy Committee
- Purpose: Determines, with member input, AAUW California’s biennial policy priorities; determines, in conjunction with the contracted Advocate, AAUW California’s yearly legislative agenda by selecting and assigning advocacy priority status to proposed legislative bills; formulates and administers a legislative advocacy program for branch members, organizes Lobby Day and/or member legislative visits; promotes AAUW California’s legislative priorities through educational seminars and relevant social media campaigns; assists branches in developing robust public policy programs by providing topical articles for newsletter publication and on the public policy website.
- Member Duties: Committee members will review input from branch members on public policy priorities and assist chair(s) in developing a draft to be presented to the board; review proposed bills presented by chair(s) and Advocate and assist in selecting final bills for advocacy; assist with planning, coordination and delivery of training events and social media campaigns to promote AAUW California’s legislative agenda and to educate branches on relevant public policy topics; serve in leadership roles on Lobby Day; produce articles for branch newsletters and submit committee updates to the Public Policy website.
- Time commitment: The committee meets on an as-needed basis. Members may spend 2-3 hours per month working on newsletter articles and/or website updates. Work on revising the Public Policy Priorities is spread out over approximately two weeks every two years in the fall, and work on the legislative agenda approximately two weeks yearly in the spring. The committee meets in person in March for two days to develop the legislative agenda.
Speech Trek Committee
- Purpose: Plans and administers the annual state-wide Speech Trek contest to promote the practice and value of public speaking for high school students.
- Member Duties: Proposes the annual theme for the speech contest, focusing on a topic that is timely, provocative and mission-based. Reviews and updates contest rules as needed. Develops a tool kit for branches to administer local contests. Responds to branch questions about the Speech Trek contest. Prepares Board to Board articles promoting branch participation. Works with state board leadership to organize finalists’ presentations at Annual Meeting or Convention, if held. Solicits judges for semi-finals and finals. Prepares and monitors the annual budget.
- Time Commitment: Seasonal, with most activity during March and April. Limited time commitment throughout the remainder of the year.
Tech Trek Committee
Purpose: The duties of the Tech Trek Committee are to provide guidance and support through research, assessment and the gathering of resources for the Tech Trek program. Areas of activity include: camp administration coordination, training, staff recruitment and development, funding, tracking and evaluation, technology management, and Tech Trek communications to branches, members and external audiences.
Member Duties: Participate in monthly online meetings and take on specific organizing roles. Possible roles include: Grants Clearinghouse Coordinator, Data and Evaluation Coordinator, Social Media Coordinator, Alumnae Coordinator, Technology Coordinator, and Department of Justice/Live Scan Coordinator.
- General Committee Member – prepare for and participate in monthly meetings.
- Time Commitment: 5 hours/ month
- Grants Clearinghouse Coordinator – Seek new funding opportunities and maintain a record of branches and grants so that multiple branches do not apply for funds from the same source.
- Time Commitment: 2 hours/month
- Data and Evaluation Coordinator – Facilitate the compiling of camp data and evaluation including maintaining the database of former campers, overseeing long-term studies of campers, providing training and support to camp directors in creating and distributing surveys, and compiling after-camp reports.
- Time Commitment: 5 hours/month before camp. 10 hours/month during camp.
- Social Media Coordinator – Facilitate the posting of social media messages across multiple platforms.
- Time Commitment: 1-2 hours/week during camp season.
- Alumnae Coordinator – Interface with the former campers’ alumnae groups throughout the state and provide support.
- Time Commitment: 5 hours/month
- Technology Coordinator – Assist in the management of technology including maintaining a master list of individual camp assets and coordinating sharing equipment, recommending systematic updates to Tech Trek technology, assisting camp directors and branch coordinators with camp management software and providing training on Google Docs, Google Drive and camp management software.
- Time Commitment: 5-10 hours/month during camp season.
- Department of Justice/Live Scan Coordinator – Manages residential camp automated background check process which requires digitized fingerprints (“Live Scan”) .
- Time Commitment: 5-10 hours/month during camp season.
ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS
Tech Trek Financial Liaison
- Role: Serves as a liaison between Camp Treasurers and Special Projects Fund (SPF). Provides financial oversight of all Tech Trek camps in California and serves as the overall project treasurer. Prepares and monitors the annual budget. Ensures camp-related asset reports are completed and manages storage insurance requirements, locations, payments and access passwords between camp seasons. Participates with Project Coordinator in development of camp-related strategic methods as required.
- Duties: Works with the camps’ treasurers to assure accurate financial reporting. Approves vouchers and keeps copies of deposits and vouchers. Distributes Special Project Fund (SPF) monthly reports and works to resolve discrepancies between Camp Treasurers’ records and SPF records. Provides guidance for new Camp Treasurers.
- Time Commitment: 1-2 hours per week.