Tag Archives: BoardofDirectors

President’s Message

President’s Message By Nancy McCabe

I hope you are enjoying our Spring-like weather!

National is planning a $5 dues increase effective April 1, 2025. See the details here: Dues Information. None of these increases will affect Student Dues or MBHL-50-year honorary life members. The National increase does not affect MBL-Paid life members.

Please remember that our branch has a dues assistance fund if you need help. I know none of you wants to hear this but please read the rationale. Most of us can afford this, and it is needed and important that we keep working our mission!

Thanks to Donna Holmes, Membership Finance, for providing this information.

And…A Love Letter to AAUW Sacramento, by Hedda Smithson:

Here is my take on our beloved branch. First – is it loved? Yes, indeed it is loved. We have endured and flourished for more than 100 years. If that isn’t love, it will have to do – until . . . (oops – bird walk!) With recent efforts to have more efficiency, our board has been downsized and the elected positions are fewer in number. At this writing, we believe we have candidate(s) for program director. Our search for a president is ongoing.

We can see the headlines now:
                    AAUW Sacramento goes TOPLESS for 2025-2027
Well – that’s not an image we want to see. So – remember in school when the teacher asked for volunteers? And if no one raised her hand, the teacher just CALLED ON HER!

We don’t want that to happen – so – think about your skills and what you can contribute to our branch going forward! There will be LOTS of support offered – you won’t be alone. EVER! So – reach out and ask questions – and be sure to call us before we call you. It is time for one good woman (it could be two) to come to the aid of her branch.

Let the love flow … CALL Nancy McCabe. Phone number is on page 19 of the membership directory.

MEMBERSHIP DOINGS By Gloria Yost, Donna Holmes

Hopefully you all received the recent eBlast with contact information on new members and some revisions for current members. Please note that the last 4 digits of member Dr. Viki Montera-Heckman’s phone number are 1401.

If you have a question regarding membership, you can reach out to Gloria Yost or Vicky Lovell, contact information can be found in the Membership Directory.

Celebrating March Birthdays! 

Happy Birthday to All!

  • PJ Missman                                     3/1
  • Patricia Morgan                             3/5
  • Sharon Norris                                3/6
  • Marjorie Patzer                              3/6
  • Julia Maclay                                     3/8
  • Vicky Lovell                                     3/9
  • Alice Bauer                                     3/14
  • Mary Lou Lentz                              3/17
  • Carolyn Meeker                              3/17
  • Janice Chung                                   3/19
  • Shelagh O’Rourke                          3/20
  • Elizabeth Jordan                             3/28

Call for Leaders and Program Ideas

Call for Leaders and Program Ideas By Hedda Smithson

AAUW Sacramento has a long and rich history – at 100 years and counting, we have seen a lot. But one thing has always been true: This is our branch and we are committed to seeing that it continues to thrive and prosper.

At the December branch meeting President Nancy McCabe reminded us of our new board structure – fewer positions to fill – and easy meetings by Zoom. In the coming months, we will elect a president and vice president for program.

So, what is involved in the role of president? First: There are lots of resources available to facilitate your experience. Check out our branch website (https://sacramento-ca.aauw.net). Click on the Membership on the top banner and then click on Members Only. Use the password in the back of the directory to access the Members-Only page.

Here are some of the expectations:

  • Be familiar with our governing documents: our bylaws, policies and leadership responsibilities, and see that these are followed.
  • Have good communication skills.
  • Be comfortable using email, texting and Zoom
  • Commit to a two-year term.
  • Preside during board and business meetings, and play a part in general membership meetings in welcoming guests and helping with the program.

Our rules allow for self-nominations.

And Second – you would not be alone – take a look at page 35 of the brightly colored AAUW Sacramento Directory. These women have been there, done that and would be happy to be your “go to” resource!!

Tempted? Interested? Curious? We hope so. Contact our president, Nancy McCabe. She will help you get involved.

The other VIP you will be electing is program vice president. For 2023-25 membership years, Barbara Smith and Hedda Smithson have been sharing the position. Two people have bounced ideas around with super results (well – we are a little prejudiced!).  And we have had fun — like throwing parties with other people’s money????

Tempted? Curious? Let us know – we have learned a lot!! However, like typical AAUW members, we can always learn more!

SO – we would like your feedback: Below is the text of some forms that have been available at the last two branch meetings:

Your Branch Program Committee wants to hear from you!!

You can find contact information for Barbara Smith or Hedda Smithson in the Membership Directory, OR complete the form and mail it (see directory for street addresses.)

I have suggestions for program topics for the 2025-2026 membership year:

1.

2.

3.

I have a suggestion or two for places for meetings:

1.

2.

3.

I would like to talk to someone with my thoughts. My contact information is:

Name                                                             

Phone                                                             

Email                                                              

Our Branch Moves Forward!

Our Branch Moves Forward! By Hedda Smithson

Last month we read about the new structure of our governing body – the board in its new
format. Now we ask you to look at some of the back pages of our membership directory.

Liz Jordan! Donna Holmes! Marty McKnew! Nancy McCabe! Cherril Peabody! Molly
Dugan! Gloria Yost! Barbara Smith! Hedda Smithson! Jane Cooley! Jean Bonar! Linda Sparks! What do all these women have in common? YEP! Each has served as AAUW
Sacramento Branch President! (A couple have done repeat performances!!) AND each is still
active at some level in our current membership year. So – something about that experience
sparked a passion for our branch and a desire to continue being involved.

Guess what – your name could be added to that Presidents list! Sometimes being
president is a bit easier than taking on a director’s responsibility and/or committee chair.
Regardless of the “job”, there are lots of resources available to facilitate your experience. Check
out our branch web site (https://sacramento-ca.aauw.net). Use the password in the back of the
directory to access the Members-Only page.

Here are some of the expectations:
* Be familiar with our governing documents: our bylaws, policies and leadership responsibilities and see that these are followed.
* Have good communication skills.
* Be comfortable using email, texting and Zoom
* Commit to a two-year term.
* Preside during board and business meetings and play a part in general membership meetings in welcoming guests and helping with the program.

Our election will be held early in 2025. Our rules allow for self-nominations.
AND – you would not be alone – the dozen women listed above are more than willing to be your cheerleaders.
Oh! Did we mention that the job comes with a gavel at the beginning and a lovely pin at the end? Tempted? Interested? Curious? We hope so. Contact our president, Nancy McCabe. She will help you get involved.

AAUW Sacramento Has a New Look!

AAUW Sacramento Has a New Look! By Hedda Smithson

Take a look at your current membership directory. Find a page called Board of Directors. We are slimmer, sleeker, and very nimble!! Instead of six elected and eight appointed positions, we now have four elected officers and five appointed directors. If you still have your 2022-2023 directory (bright pink cover), you might compare it to the 2023-2024 membership directory (lime green cover.) The board meets on Zoom so keeping track of nine or ten faces is easier than fourteen.

Our policies tell us that the terms for President and Program Vice President are two years; Secretary and Finance Director terms are the same but staggered so there are always board members with institutional memory to move the branch forward. The directors are appointed for one- year terms and may serve a second year if desired. The focus areas are Membership Support, Membership Development, Local Projects, AAUW Priorities, and Communications. We will be looking for members to step up to take on the President and Program VP roles for the 2025-2026 AAUW year, so please consider it.

Still have questions? Contact anyone on the Board! We are always looking for new faces and fresh ideas! Thanks!

President’s Message

President’s Message By Angela Scarlett

As you all know, the nominating committee could not find a replacement for me last year, resulting in my serving a third year as branch president. We also tried to find a replacement for our programs director. We will hold an official election during the April Authors Luncheon that we share with CHAR.

For this upcoming year, Nancy McCabe, who previously served as president six years ago, has agreed to step back in as president. After her presidency, she took over as the Sunshine coordinator from Jane Cooley. Since Nancy just had knee replacement surgery, this is a brave move on her part. She knows the branch is in need, and we are very grateful for her presence. If you have received a birthday card or condolence card this year, Nancy sent it.

For the newly renamed vice-president of programs, Hedda Smithson and Barbara Smith have both agreed to serve in this position. This position is critical for having meaningful and engaging mission-critical AAUW Sacramento branch meetings and building community and friendship.

Hedda and Barbara are also former branch presidents who have diligently volunteered for years. They will seek to expand the pool of volunteers who can help plan events for our monthly programs.

Thank you, Nancy, Hedda, and Barbara, for your service!

President’s Message

President’s Message, By Angela Scarlett

As I enter my third year as president of our AAUW branch, I have been reflecting on the fact that I didn’t think I would be here. Many of you know that we have struggled to find replacement board members and officers in the past year.

This lack of volunteers is a likely consequence of our branch aging. We have had many dedicated members who served in leadership for multiple years. It is only natural that folks would want to step back and allow others to step forward.

Our Nominating Committee recruited Susana Mullen and Carole Cline to serve as our financial director and secretary but could not find a president. We held a branch meeting to address our volunteer gap with our members. After this meeting, Lori Franz and Mary Miller stepped forward to helm our Tech Trek program.

We also convened a Strategic Planning Committee to address long-term branch needs. Marty McKnew, Gloria Yost, Liz Jordan, Tiffany Ardisana, Hedda Smithson, and I serve on the committee. Nancy Lawrence, a long-time dedicated member and former president of AAUW Sacramento, was originally going to help but recently passed away after a bout with cancer. We will greatly miss her and will memorialize her in next month’s newsletter.

We have had some productive sessions and have come up with excellent suggestions for restructuring the board. We will review this first piece of committee work at the September 17 meeting for feedback. To give you an idea of “Regroup, Renew, Refresh,” here are some bullet points.

  • The board will consist of nine members.
  • Four elected officers: president, vice-president of programming, financial officer, and secretary
  • Five appointed directors-at-large.
  • Officers shall serve a two-year term.
  • The board officers shall appoint directors for an initial one year.

Please share your ideas and suggestions with us! We are in the directory. But most importantly, come to the September meeting!

Strategic Planning Committee Working Hard to Redesign our Branch

Strategic Planning Committee Working Hard to Redesign our Branch By Liz Jordan

On Sunday, May 1, eight members of the branch met to begin the process of planning how to help our branch through the latest leadership crises.  Many members may remember that the branch has gone through this process twice before in the last 30 years.  Each time, a committee met, figured out what were the problems in finding members willing to lead, and designing solutions that were imaginative and created with enthusiasm.  But the last two times, we have not actually followed through with enacting many of those solutions.  This time, we must succeed.

The committee went through long discussions on such questions as:

– Why does AAUW Sacramento Exist?
– What is important to us?
– What do we want to do as a branch?
– What do we need to do better?
– Why external trends could lead to increased success and engagement?

Finally, we came to the hard part: How do we achieve our goals? Ideas discussed were:

  • streamline our activities and our board of directors,
  • become more nimble in our responses to change,
  • restructure our programs, identify a yearly theme,
  • engage Interest Groups in branch activity and action

We broke into subcommittees for improving our outreach, restructuring the board and governance, restructuring programs and improving communications.  We plan to meet and share what we have developed in our subcommittees on June 1, 2022.

Any member with ideas or energy to offer should contact Marty McKnew.  See her contact information in the directory.

Leadership Slate Approved

Leadership Slate Approved by Branch By Liz Jordan

At the April 9, 2022, branch meeting, members unanimously approved the partial slate of officers provided by the Nominating Committee.  The attending members voted for Susana Mullen as finance director and for Carole Cline as secretary.  These members will assume their roles on July 1, 2022 and will serve for a two-year term.

The Nominating Committee was unable to find anyone to serve as president or as program director for the next two years.  In addition, the Nominating Committee chair, Liz Jordan, admitted that the committee was distracted with the crises of a leadership deficit, so they overlooked their responsibility to name three new members to the 2023 Nominating Committee.  Three members will be named at date to be determined.

Nominating Committee – Slate and Vote

Nominating Committee Report By Liz Jordan
With Two Positions for Membership Vote

The Nominating Committee, Linda Sparks, Vicki Nicholson, Nancy Lawrence, Cherril Peabody, and Liz Jordan, present an incomplete slate of candidates for the Branch vote on April 9, Branch meeting and Author’s Event.

 

The slate is:

Secretary for a two-year term: Carole Cline. 

Carole has just served one year as secretary, completing the previous term left vacant.

Finance Director for a two-year-term:  Susana Mullen

            Susana has an MBA in accounting and is retiring from an accountant position.

Open and Unfilled:  President or Co-Presidents

            This position is necessary for branch function.  Leads the board action and in decision-making.

Open and partially filled: Co-Directors of Program

One member volunteered with qualification for this position; she needs a co-director.  She is very experienced but will not serve as the sole director.

The Branch is slated to vote on April 9 at our branch meeting designated as the Author’s Event.  Every member can vote. 

Job descriptions for open positions are available on the sacramento-ca.aauw.net website under the Membership tab, Members Only link. Anyone interested in serving in either of the two open positions, please contact Liz Jordan, Vicki Nicholson, Angela Scarlett, or Nancy Lawrence.  Phone and email available in the Directory.

What Happened at the Leadership Crisis Meeting?

What Happened at the Branch Leadership Crisis Meeting? By Liz Jordan

On Wednesday evening, March 16, more than 35 members signed into a branch meeting, open to the entire membership.  The goal of the meeting was to help solve a leadership crisis: to find members willing to serve the branch.

Who Will Lead?  The annual Nominating Committee has not been able to find a volunteer[s] to serve as President or Co-Presidents or as Program Director or Co-Directors.

Other branch leadership needs discussed were for volunteers to lead our Tech Trek Program and one to lead our Public Policy activities.

Job Descriptions are available from Nominating Committee Chair Liz Jordan and/or by clicking on the Membership tab through to the Members Only link of the AAUW Sacramento website sacramento-ca.aauw.net.

Survey: The membership was alerted to this meeting by eblast and each eblast contained a link to a survey about branch activities.  The survey gleaned responses from about a quarter of the membership and then comprised the focus for the meeting discussion. (See article by Gloria Yost about what members responded).  The members attending this meeting were able to see some of the members responses, and then members were randomly assigned to one of five break-out rooms where they discussed one of the questions, as well.

The five questions from the survey, then discussed by the break-out groups, were:

  1. What are your reasons for being a member of AAUW Sacramento?
  2. Our mission is to empower women and girls. How do you think we can motivate our members to participate in mission-based activities?
  3. What reasons do you have for serving or not serving on a committee or as a board leader?
  4. Do you ordinarily participate in Branch meetings and programs? Why or why not?
  5. If we reduced the number of our branch outreach activities, which ones would you eliminate?  Or change and in what way? These four activities were discussed:
    • Scholarship – women 25 years or older, returning to college
    • Speech Trek – high school kids speak to a question about gender equity
    • Tech Trek – six middle school girls who have talent but may lack motivation go to STEM Camp on a college campus for a week.
    • NCCWSL – National Conference of College Women Student Leaders – conference once a year over Memorial Weekend at University Maryland.

Discussion: Volunteer recorders in each of the five breakout rooms kept notes and reported back to the larger meeting during the last half hour.  The discussion was wide-ranging, and all possible ways to restructure branch activity were on the table.  A strong possibility of a Strategic Planning Committee to work on streamlining branch activities and leadership positions is under discussion.

Please:  Anyone willing to serve in either of the open board positions or on the Strategic Planning Committee is strongly encouraged to call or write Liz Jordan, Nancy Lawrence, Cherril Peabody, Linda Sparks or Vicki Nicholson.  Please see the directory for contact information.