Southern Highlights
Austin Minnesota Branch
Volume 8 Number 8 May 2010
Shaping the World One Woman at a Time
Co-President’s Column
Where has the past two years gone? We have enjoyed our term as co-presidents of the Austin Branch of AAUW. The time went by swiftly as the months marched past with regular activities and some initiatives added to the mix.
Much of the credit for the many projects that were successfully completed goes to our wonderful board. Program v.ps Dani Heiny and Sue Howard came up with many excellent programs for our meetings while membership v.ps DedaRae Graber and Sandy Folk worked to increase membership and to make everyone feel welcome. Secretary Ellen Stark kept excellent minutes while Treasurer Joyce Goetz kept track of our finances.
Our appointed board members also deserve much recognition and thanks. Education Foundation representatives Sue Grove and Bonnie Rietz, Public Policy chair Evelyn Guentzel, Newsletter Editor Rae Dawn Rao, Hospitality chair Janet Gilbertson, Visilibility chair Laura Tjomsland and Historian Gerry Rustad were essential to the work of the board.
Special thanks go out to Liz Richardson and Ann Odegaard who did such a wonderful job as House Tour chairs. Their organization will benefit this project for many years to come. Laura Tjomsland has served as Book Sale chair for several years and her dedication and hard work are greatly appreciated. Evelyn Guentzel is our leader in presenting political forums before every election in our community as well as keeping the membership informed concerning political issues.
An initiative of which we should all be proud is the branch website. Thanks to Marie Lechelt for bringing us into the 21st century. It will be an invaluable tool to recruit and maintain members and to get our message out to everyone.
Karen Sundal provided great leadership to bring the Art’s Fair to the community as a whole and to suggest a booth for AAUW. It proved to be very valuable to inform people about membership and the house tour.
Thank you and kudos to all of the members who responded in the affirmative when we asked for help in ways large and small. That support makes all the difference.
We are pleased to hand off the co-presidency to Marijo Alexander and Liz Richardson. We look forward to enjoying the many successes in our branch’s future.
Carolyn & Peggy
May Program
The May End-of-the-Year Banquet/Dinner will be held next Tuesday, May 11th at 6:00 PM at the Hormel Home. The menu will be a buffet of beef and/or chicken with cubed potatoes with rosemary, a dinner salad, and strawberry shortcake. The cost for this entire meal will be $12.00. Brian Johnson and his “Vocal Jazz” group with provide us with entertainment after the meal.
We request that you write two checks made out to AAUW:
1) for the $12.00 for the cost of the meal, and
2) for the $65.00 for the annual AAUW dues.
You must let your callers know if you are or if you are not planning to attend the dinner by 11:00 AM on Friday, May 7th.
Dani Heiny & Sue Howard
Program Committee Co-chairs
Small Groups
These groups are open to any member wishing to attend.
Morning Book Group
The morning book group will meet on May 20th at 9:00 at Jerry’s Other Place. We will be discussing The Turtle Catcher by Nicole Helget. New members are always welcome. Please call Gerry Rustad (433-3718) if you plan to attend.
Evening Book Group
Evening book group will be discussing Widow of the South by Robert Hicks. Please join us on Tuesday, May 18thth at 7 PM at the home of Ruth Monson – 1915 6th Ave NW. Please RSVP at 433-7534. Evening book group will not meet in June. In July we will be discussing The Timetraveller’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. We will meet at Gymocha at 6:30 PM on July 20th. Book selection for the following year will occur on August 17th at Kathy Kester’s home.
Just Come
Just Come will meet on Friday May 7th at The Old Mill at 11:30 AM. Anyone interested in joining should contact Peggy Benzkofer at 433-5934.
Travel Group
The Travel Group members have returned to Austin! They will be meeting, Thursday, May 6th, 7:00 p.m. at the home of Joyce Goetz. The program will be about The Panama Canal. Please call or e-mail Joyce by Wednesday if you are coming. Her address is 900 SW 17th Ave. Email rgoetz@smig.net or call 437- 4608.
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Great Decisions
Great Decisions will meet May 24 at 1:00 p.m. in Room C128 Riverland East Building. The topic is China.
State Convention Update
AAUW OF MINNESOTA
81st Annual Convention
April 15-17, 2010, St. Cloud, MN
Three from our local branch attended the state convention: Sue Grove as co-chair of the state membership committee; Carolyn Bogott as out-going co-president; and I went as incoming co-president.
The highlights of the convention for me were the two keynote speakers: Deborah Jiang Stein, a writer and innovator, and Professor Kaye Smith, a chemical engineer who works with the STEP program.
BLOOMING AGAINST ALL ODDS
Ms. Stein kept us spellbound as she traced her life from her birth to a drug addict mother, through several foster homes, and then finally being adopted by two college professors. Her IQ was matched with that of her adoptive parents. She was a thrill-seeker and loved adventure. She had an entrepreneurial spirit and by the age of 12 she was a drug runner.
“I wanted to hurt people the way I had been hurt, and my parents didn’t have a clue how to raise me. They cared but not enough,” said Ms. Stein, and it was the mentors who taught her that people really cared.
Recovery was a long road, because “emotionally, one is back at the age when you first started using drugs.” Part of her journey is to go back to prisons to help kids there. Ms. Stein feels drugs are a treatment problem, not a crime, and her mission now is to treat kids and change that cycle.
One surprising thought was that she feels very comfortable working in prisons because that is where her life began, and so she has loads of empathy with drug addicts. For a more complete review of Deborah Stein’s life refer to the last edition of The Pine or to her website: www.deborahstein.com. Her story deserves to be heard, and shows how very crucial mentoring is.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOOGY ED PROGRAM
Kaye L. Smith is proof that a girl can succeed in math and science. She has a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Stanford and has over 12 years experience in R & D, manufacturing and technical service working for Dupont and 3M.
“Math and science are the bookends for technology and engineering,” and Dr. Smith stating the time to begin those studies is in high school, or even grade school.
“Women engineers are needed to design things that women use, to fit them. The field is growing,” according to Ms. Smith, “and lots of internships are available.” Civil and environmental engineers are needed and are critical to the national economy.
She stated opportunities for girls are huge. The achievement gap between boys and girls is closing as more girls are doing well in science and math.
Dr. Smith is involved in the STEP program: Science and Technology Education Program which focuses on girls. This is a one week free applied science experience for girls going into 7th grade. Any girl can apply for this intense training at St. Thomas.
“Children have an innate interest in science and the world around them. But for many children, that interest hits roadblocks along an academic system that is still not blind to gender. These roadblocks have nothing to do with intellect, innate ability or talent. They are the kinds of larger, external socio-cultural and economic forces that students have no control over.”
The winter edition of “Outlook” explains fully the dilemma of lack of girls’ participation in math and science. There is also a booklet out, “Why So Few,” that tells how we can implement the report’s recommendations for change in the classrooms, schools, and workplaces.
Liz Richardson
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AAUW Promise : By joining AAUW, we belong to a community that breaks through educational and economic barriers so that women have a fair chance.
PUBLIC POLICY NOTES
This time the focus will be on random activities of AAUW during the last few months. It is my perception that AAUW has become more actively engaged in collaboration with other organizations, and communicating its public policy positions to the news media and to the White House. The organization is also more closely monitoring actions taken or not by the Congress in regards to women’s issues.
- “Elect Her” is a new initiative with a goal to empower and train women to run for office at all levels of government. AAUW is collaborating with a nonprofit group called “Running Start” which brings young women to politics so they are knowledgeable about the process, invested in the outcome, and interested participating as elected leadership. The centerpiece is Elect Her-Campus Women Win. College women will receive training to run for campus-based elective office. Running Start also has a high school political leadership program. The goal is to have better representation by women. Women hold 17 percent of the seats in Congress, and 24 percent of state legislative seats.
- AAUW marks April 20 as Equal Pay Day. We can celebrate the Lily Ledbetter legislation but The Paycheck Fairness Act still needs to be passed. There are currently 39 cosponsors in the Senate. Members can go the Take Action part of the website and contact Minnesota Senators.
- AAUW is Monitoring Title IX to make sure the law is enforced. Recently the U.S. Department of Education rescinded the 2005 interpretation of a test designed to measure Title IX compliance. The contention was that the online test/survey was not enough evidence to show schools’ compliance. Ensuring equal opportunity is still a challenge.
- What has changed? The Department of Labor reports that that secretaries, administrative assistants, and registered nurses are the nation’s leading occupations for employed women.
- Public education is struggling. 100,000 to 200,000 teachers face layoffs this year because of the severe lack of funding across the nation.
- AAUW recently published “Why So Few?” to highlight the persistent environmental and social barriers blocking girls” participation and progress in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This publication is receiving national attention after being printed in the New York Times. The presentation is available online and in our recent Outlook.
- AAUW comments on the health care reform law: gender rating is restricted severely; and insurance companies need to cover more preventive health care and screenings for women. AAUW works with coalition allies to ensure that reproductive rights remain protected for women’s health.
- That’s it………for now!
EQUITY IS STILL AN ISSUE
Dues Are Due!
Please remember to pay your dues for next year at the May meeting. If you are unable to attend, please send your check to Joyce Goetz at 900 17th Ave. SW. Dues will remain at $65. Checks may be made payable to AAUW. Please make every effort to have your dues paid by the end of May.
THANK YOU! Joyce
AUSTIN BRANCH
AAUW BOARD MEETING
April 27, 2010
AAUW Board met at the home of Ellen Stark. Members present were Carolyn Bogott, Peggy Benzkofer, Janet Gilbertson, Marijo Alexander, Liz Richardson, Gerry Rustad, DedaRae Graber, Joyce Goetz, Sandy Folk, Ev Guentzel, Laura Tjomsland, and Ellen Stark.
Secretary’s report was read.
Treasurer reported a balance of $2,829.38. Next year’s dues are payable at the May meeting. Reimbursement for convention expenses was discussed. The proposed budget for 2010 – 2011 was reviewed and accepted by consensus. Motion was made that we approved an overage in the advertising budget. Motion seconded and carried.
The May meeting will be a banquet at the Hormel Home. We will need separate checks for dues and dinner. Callers will remind people of the time and get numbers.
Carolyn and Liz reported on highlights of the state convention. Our branch received an award for being 7th per capita in giving to the Education Foundation and a certificate for our Mission in Motion plan.
The Summer Retreat will be held July 20 at Liz Richardson’s home. Gather at 5:15, dinner will be at 5:30 and meeting will be at 6:00.
The deadline for articles for the newsletter will be April 30.
Just Come will be May 7th at the Old Mill.
Travel group will meet next Thursday at Joyce’s home.
Great Decisions will meet on May 24th.
Respectfully submitted,
Ellen Stark, Secretary
AAUW Monthly Financial Report |
||
| March and April 2010 | ||
| Period: 3/1/10-4/30/10 | ||
| Opening Balance: | $7,732.37 | |
| Income: | ||
| Ann Bancroft Donation | 100 | |
| Total Income: | 100.00 | $7,832.37 |
| Disbursements: | ||
| Programs-March | 50.00 | |
| Web Site Set Up | 150.00 | |
| SMIG-Web Site | 14.99 | |
| Bancroft Agent | 500.00 | |
| Bancroft Fee | 4,000.00 | |
| Bancroft Lunch | 88.00 | |
| History Month Prizes | 200.00 | |
| Total Disbursements: | $5,002.99 | |
| Closing Balance 4/30/10 | $2,829.38 | |
|
| PROPOSED | |
| BUDGET | |
| 2010-2011 | |
| EXPENSES | |
| National Dues | 2,352.00 |
| State Dues | 432.00 |
| Advertising | 50.00 |
| Candidate Forum | 50.00 |
| Directory | 25.00 |
| Educational Foundation | 600.00 |
| Fund Raiser | 100.00 |
| Gifts | 100.00 |
| Hospitality | 50.00 |
| Insurance | 125.00 |
| Legal Advocacy Foundation | 250.00 |
| National Convention | 1,000.00 |
| Newsletter | 15.00 |
| Postage | 50.00 |
| Scholarships | 1,500.00 |
| Space Rental | 150.00 |
| Speakers/Programs | 300.00 |
| State Convention | 500.00 |
| Women’s History Initiative | |
| Awards | 225.00 |
| Program | 1,000.00 |
| Miscellaneous | 50.00 |
| Total Expenses | $8,924.00 |
AAUW Vision Statement:
AAUW will be a powerful advocate and visible leader in equity and education through research, philanthropy, and measurable change in critical areas impacting the lives of women and girls.
Mission Statement: AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education and research.
Vision Statement: AAUW will be a powerful advocate and visible leader in equity and education through research, philanthropy, and measurable change in critical areas impacting the lives of women and girls.
Southern Highlights Editor: Rae Dawn Rao
rao_raedawn@yahoo.com
Minnesota State Website:
http://www.aauwmn.org
The Pine Editor: LouAnne Hoppe
Association Website:
Association e-mail: info@aauw.org
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AAUW Southern Highlights
301 4th Ave. SW
Austin, MN 55912