AAUW Retreat
Agenda
July 11, 2020
Meeting notes in bold
Welcome and Introductions: Attendees: Mandy Gaulke, Tresa Landis, Marlene VerBrugge, Nancy Bolsen, Karen McCulloh, Barbara Gatewood, Susanne Siepl-Coates, Joan Strickler, Chris Herald, Claudia Jones, Connie Noble, Usha Reddi, Mary Stamey, Dede Brokesh<Note taker: Dede Brokesh
- Note taker: Dede Brokesh
AAUW Board – Filling the Gaps (see handout)
- We need to find a secretary. Until we find one, the board members will take turns taking meeting minutes. Maurine prepared the Mercury news article too as well as preparing minutes. She has stepped down from this position.
- We need someone to take Joan’s former position of taking a collection for AAUW funds and sending them to National.
- Need another director-at-large. Leena stepped down. Karen has one more year in this position.
- Darla Cobb was nominated for director at large.
Celebrations: Please share our celebrations from the past year as we talk about the coming year.
Program:
Celebrations
Update from Usha and committee on programs for 2020-2021: Her committee usually gives a report during a meeting that includes looking at attendance records and provides a suggestion box. This report did not occur this year because of the Covid situation. Usha will have a team meeting in the next week or two. Ideas include suffragist movement, Black Lives Matter, Rich Vargo – elections official.
Mary suggested two possible speakers – Gloria Freeland, recently retired professor of journalism and Allana Parker, women’s rights in Riley County before and during the passage of the 19th amendment.
Venues: Manhattan Country Club is reserved for the September meeting for our 100th anniversary celebration. Are we ready to meet in person yet? Karen and her committee suggested that the 100 year anniversary celebration be moved to May 2021. Marlene can contact the Country Club to move our September reservation to May. Susanne suggested that in May perhaps have the event outside with no food. Karen’s 100 year celebration committee will continue to plan the event.
Usha made a motion to have Zoom (internet) meetings and programs up to and including the December meeting and revisit, at that time, our procedure for Spring 2021. The motion was seconded by Suzanne. Motion passed.
Little Apple is slowing opening. They are restricting the size of groups so may not be able to meet there for a while. Marlene talked to Kelly, with LABCO, regarding opening the restaurant for our meetings. LABCO does not want to have more than 10 people at a time in a group and are reluctant to have their space available for customers because some people do not wear masks.
Meeting/Dinner Reservations: Connie will send out meeting notices and take reservations this year.
Speaker Gifts: Do we want books from the library again? Yes. The lady at the library is pregnant so need to get topics to her as soon as possible. Mary provides her with the speaker topics in order for the library to order the relevant books at their reduced rate. The library includes a sticker inside the book that states the name of the person to whom the book is given in honor. The cost is no more than $20 per book.
Discussion about the yearbook: There is $200 in the budget. Connie usually donates the remaining cost of about $50 to print the books that are handed out in approximately October. The new book for the coming fiscal year will be online with no mailing of books. A link will be provided to membership for the members to print the document from their personal printers. The only expense would be if a member needs to have a book printed for them. There is one new member – Mary Ann Horton. Two members passed away.
The last date for Connie to receive information about the upcoming programs, in order to prepare the yearbook, would be August 15, 2020. The first program will be in September. March is International Women’s Day. Jamie Minton is scheduled to be the April speaker. Mary Jo Myers, KSU President’s wife, is not available for the September meeting; however, she is the speaker who we would like to present at the 100th year celebration in May. We could also include speakers about the 100 year anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution giving women the right to vote.
Nancy, Marlene, Mary, Connie, and Mandy will look through the member list to see who to include in the member roster.
Barbara will try to post more information on Facebook re: webinars provided by AAUW National.
Membership:
Celebrations
em>Update from Mary and Chris: Currently, 22 people have paid their dues plus there are 5 life members (50 year members). Twenty-two people still need to pay; so therefore, we have the potential of 47 members. Mandy will send another reminder email in July. In September phone calls can be made to members who have not renewed by that time. Some members only renewed with National membership; so, there needs to be follow up with them regarding their local membership.
Place link for AAUW Manhattan Branch website with every email that we send to members.
Chris inviting two of her neighbors to join.
Special Committees and Events:
- Manhattan Branch 100th Anniversary: Karen M., Nancy, Annelise, Dede – currently scheduled for the September meeting at the Country Club. Move to May 2021 because of Covid-19 concerns.
- 19th Amendment 100th Anniversary and getting out the vote: Mary, Karen H., Barbara, and Alison – need discussion on what we’ll do for the fall. Committee met last winter. Will there be a Veteran’s Day parade this year? Tresa suggests to plan for it in case there is one and we would be ready. Mary suggested that we could meet with signs and stay 6’ apart in Aggieville before election day as an encouragement for people to vote and to let them know about the 19th We could hang our banner in town for a week, Barbara suggested. Dede suggested the location just south of the west Dillon’s across Anderson Avenue if we could receive City permission. We could coordinate with the League of Women Voters to get out the vote. Dede suggested that interested people could team with Sarah Marsh with First United Methodist Church. They have formed an interest group that is going to meet July 15, 2020 at 6 pm to encourage people to vote. Barbara said that ads in the Mercury may not be as effective as other methods.
- For the 100 year celebration, should we have an auction? Perhaps we could seek sponsors for $25. Revisit venue, by Marlene, at the Country Club. Mrs. Mary Jo Myers will speak at no charge. Nancy said that the Riley County Historical Society building has resources regarding making pictures and finding interesting stories about AAUW through the years. AAUW brought entertainment to town and a radio program. These could be interesting topics for our celebration.
- We need to get some budget figures by the next meeting.
- Work Smart – Mary – need discussion on what we want to do: Mary did not hear back from National regarding training online. Tresa said that a 30 minute free program is available for free online at www.aauw.org/resources/programs/salary. The hard part is getting the information to individuals to take the class. Mary has focused on telling companies in town about the program. Barbara can place the link on the AAUW Manhattan Facebook page. Dede suggested that we consider adding it to Instagram, a Facebook company, because the age 20-45 category uses that social media more than Facebook.
- Tresa suggests contacting Elizabeth Kiss with the KSU Department of Applied Human Sciences and Cooperative Extension regarding getting the word out about the class.
- State Annual Meeting – update from Tresa, discussion for 2022: The annual meeting at KCK Community College was canceled this year because of the pandemic. It tentatively is set for April 17, 2021. Students have applied for the NCCWSL Scholarship. Manhattan had volunteered to host the meeting in 2021. Can we move it to 2022? It is a one-day event on Saturday from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. The State Board creates the program. The host sets up the venue and manages logistics of food and technology. Usha said that it is worth looking at. Revisit it at one of our board meetings. Delegate it appropriately. We have done it three times. Mary moved and Nancy seconded a motion to have the State Annual Meeting in Manhattan in 2022. The motion passed.
- Update from Tresa: The 2020 NCCWSL conference was cancelled this year. It’s safe to assume that the state will make those funds available again next year. Nancy Bolsen and Tresa are the scholarship committee. Applications will go out early in 2021. The NCCWSL Women’s Student Leadership Conference occurs at the end of May in Maryland. The State AAUW Board provides a $750 travel incentive scholarship. It was not used this year. Tresa said that it is a phenomenal experience. Tresa and Nancy are sending out applications for the 2021 session.
Current Events discussion: Women’s equality, Black Lives Matter, International Students being required to go home if there are no in-person classes. Write a brief monthly letter to the editor at the Mercury to express AAUW National’s position on these topics. Karen to write first letter with byline of the branch President on behalf of local branch. Dede and Barbara can help with future letters. The AAUW resource for the international student issue is https:.//www.aauw.org/resources/news/media/press-releases/aauw-rejects-move-force-international-students-leave-country-pandemic/. Send it to the membership beforehand.
Finance:
Celebrations
Budget: Update from Mandy – see handout on budget and questions from Mandy. Mandy presented a rough starting place for the budget for next year. We only receive $15 per membership from our National dues. Do you have any ideas for fund raising? Claudia and Marilyn Bunyon were on Dillon’s dollars up until last fall. Connie could see what percentage went to AAUW. They no longer do that. Connie can check to see if they do it still. Tresa can see it on her phone. Dillon’s has the previous AAUW treasurer’s address. They need the new address. It was suggested to start online with the corporate office found at dcr@dillonsstore.com.
We do not need to budget for the State conference for 2021 because of the pandemic delay of the KC Kansas conference. Budget the State conference for 2022 in Manhattan. Tresa pays for extra things for these conferences that the branch incurs, i.e. gifts for people or decorations. Tresa will give a list to the Board of the host’s responsibilities.
Barbara moved to budget up to $125 for the 19th Amendment recognition and get out to vote efforts. Seconded by Usha. The motion passed.
Barbara will check with National regarding additional charges related to website updates. It might be $125.
The Meet-up subscription has been canceled because it was not effective for current membership outreach. It did get our name out to the general public though. Evenbrite could be an alternative way to request sign-ups for upcoming meetings. Either of these choices are not useful during the time when we will meet by Zoom.
For International Women’s Day, use last year’s budget of $235.
The annual meeting is scheduled for April 17, 2021. Sometimes the State Board offers mileage reimbursement. It is usually a nominal expense anyway. Do not put this item in the budget. Connie was reimbursed by the State Board for mileage when she went to the Hutchinson meeting. What about adding a placeholder of $50 for the local branch President’s registration? We will vote on Mandy’s budget in September and review a draft in August.
Student membership is free. Jan Carlson has agreed to be a faculty advisor along with Pat Hudgins. Students receive free membership.
If we have 47 members x $15, then there is a total income of $705 from membership fees. Send ideas to Marlene and Mandy regarding fund raising. Perhaps emphasize more memberships, active engagement in concession sales at the KSU Stadium, Chipotle , Early Edition, Chic Fil A.
Annelise was on the Finance Committee. She has moved to Texas but maintains her membership nationally, but prefers to have her local membership here continue. Karen can help with this committee. Dede will ask Barbara Rees if she would help.
Scholarships: Claudia and Tresa: AAUW gives scholarships to the summer school STEM camp at KSU. The cost for in-person attendance is typically $125 for each girl. This year’s event was online and therefore less expensive. Kids and parents had to contribute to FATP so AAUW stopped that program (attendance at the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson). More recently, our branch has passed around a bucket at meetings to raise money for scholarships for the STEM camp. We gave two scholarships recently. Usha moved and Nancy seconded a motion to allocate up to $500 for this next year’s STEM camp which could potentially pay for up to 4 girls to attend. It encourages more girls to join the STEM fields if we can sponsor four instead of two girls.
Can we use GMCF dollars toward it? AAUW has a contract with KSU that the base amount has to go to KSU scholarships. The Grow Green Match Day match money could go directly to the sponsor of the STEM camp though. The STEM camp sponsor is USD 383. Claudia can talk to GMCF regarding the matching funds. We cannot touch the permanent KSU scholarship fund. It is how the money was willed to the account. Claudia will report next time on her findings. The motion carried to allocate up to $500 for recipients of the STEM camp application.
Fellowships and Grants: Rebecca indicated in an email following the meeting that everything is on tract for the scholarships and she’ll continue doing that job this year.
Fundraisers:
Other topics? Next meeting August 15 from 9:30 am to 11:30 am by Zoom
Addendum to the minutes: (I forgot to include STEM on the agenda. Here’s a report from Chris – she sent to the board but wanted to reflect in the minutes as well.)
Chris participated in 2 STEM related AAUW webinars back in May. The first one discussed “Skype A Scientist” that connects classrooms with scientists. The program was started by a woman, Sarah McAnulty. She shared this website with USD 383, KSU & local scientists to help expand the connections, so she said it was good to meet the woman that started it all. Sarah mentioned that 10,000 classrooms around the world are connected with a scientist each year! This year, parents had the opportunity to connect with scientists https://www.skypeascientist.com/
The second webinar hosted several women from NASA, the State Department and DOE.
A fellow National STEM Ambassador shared the attached PowerPoint slide show on some of the amazing women in STEM he has been interacting with this year.
The Transformative Power of Women in STEM .pptx
Lastly, Chris attached a document that her project team put together to help anyone interested in increasing girls’ interest in STEM. Feel free to share it with your network! (Attachments are in email that Chris sent the board.)
Our Website: AAUW Manhattan Branch – www.manhattan-ks.aauw.net (password for members is: manhattanbranch)
AAUW Website: www.aauw.org
Facebook: AAUW Manhattan
Email: manhattanksaauw@gmail.com