President Marlene Humphy continues the annual pool party tradition for the first board meeting of the program year.  Saturday, August 28, the board will meet at 11:00 a.m. followed by a cookout and a dip in her pool.

Every member of AAUW will be able to vote for candidates, propose bylaws changes, resolutions, and Public Policy program amendments. This represents a significant change from the older bylaws. AAUW notified all members with email addresses on file of the new system. The AAUW website will be the best resource to keep updated on the developments.

In addition to frequent website and other online updates, key information will be available to all members in the Fall, Winter, and Spring/Summer issues of AAUW Outlook as well. Please log in, explore the One Member, One Vote online system, and familiarize yourself with the process. A Frequently Asked Questions document (FAQ) is available to assist you. To access the online system from the AAUW home page, click on Member Center (in the top right corner), log in with your member ID, and then select One Member, One Vote.

As a reminder, members can find their member ID on the AAUW Outlook mailing label or by using the Member ID Lookup link, which is also available from the log-in page of the Member Center.

Four members of the Warner Robins Branch will be attending the State Leadership meeting Saturday in Riverdale, GA. Marlene Humphry, Wilhemenia Silbey, Evelyn Merk and Ann MacKay will car pool to the event.

The agenda includes sessions on the computer training for the AAUW website, the membership services database and  the membership pilot project as well as public policy considerations for state and branch actions. The new state co-presidents, Debbie Karvey and Marcia Capriotti will chair the meeting.

Marlene Humphry

Welcome to the new branch president, Marlene Humphry. She is no stranger to leadership in the branch having served as President in 1994 – 1996 and 1998 – 2000. She most recently served as the Program Vice President for the branch and also for the state. In 2001 she received the AAUW GA Woman of Achievement Award Community Service.

Marlene retired from a civilian career as a contract specialist at Robins Air Force Base in 2007. During that time she completed a master’s degree Logistics Administration. She has been recognized for her work with the Albert Berger Award National Contract Management Association Outstanding Leader Award (Chapter and National Level) in 2006. Her first career was in education as a teacher.

The Lions Club of Byron has also benefited from her leadership  and many years of volunteer service. She served two years at  the first women President.  Her long standing volunteer activities and leadership were recently recognized by the Business and Professional Women Club. She received the Woman of Achievement Award this year at the chapter and state level.

Other new officers are Wilhemenia Sibley, Recording Secretary, and Stephanie Hays, Corresponding Secretary. They were installed into office at the May meeting.

After 48 years as the AAUW Warner Robins Branch, the membership voted to change the name to Houston-Peach. The new name is more reflective of the geographic make-up of the branch membership. The name change becomes official after approval by  the state board and the AAUW Governance Chair

Article  I Name now reads, ” The name of the organization shall be the American Association of University Women, Houston-Peach Branch, hereinafter called the branch.”

AAUW Macon Branch is holding a Book and Author Lunch April 10 at 1:00 p.m at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at 753 College Street, Macon, GA 31207. The proceeds from the event fund scholarships for non-traditional students.

This year’s book is Tell Them We Are Singing for Jesus: The Original Fisk Jubilee Singers and Christian Reconstruction, 1871-1878, by Dr. Toni Anderson. Dr. Anderson is professor of Voice and Chair of the Music Department at LaGrange College, GA. She didn’t know much about the Fisk Jubilee Singers until she started teaching at Morris Brown College in Atlanta, a historically black institution

“Being on the music faculty, of course the story of the Fisk Jubilee Singers came up, and I was intrigued,” she said. She was so intrigued that she made the group the topic of her doctoral dissertation at Georgia State University. And now, 15 years later, she published the book.

The book tells the story of the Fisk Jubilee Singers. Between 1871 and 1878, the Jubilee Singers presented concerts featuring the Negro spirituals that won the applause and admiration of the Western world. The rise and renown of the original Fisk Jubilee Singers form one of the most celebrated stories of post-Civil War America.

If you are interested in attending, call Joyce Hudson, Co-President and Treasurer at 478-745-8637. Joy Bernard can also tell you if there will be space. Call her at 478-714-1000.  The $40 book will be available for sale for the special price of $25 at the luncheon. The luncheon tickets are $10.00.

Dr. Melody Carter, Fort Valley State University’s vice president of external affairs will be the program speaker on April 13. Carter and former FVSU president Dr. Kofi Lomotey co-edited “The Encyclopedia of African American Education,” released by Sage Publishers, a reference guide about African-American contributions in academia.

She was also invited to speak in Brazil at Federal University of São Carlos’ Center of the Education and the Humanites, Department of Methodology last year.

It’s not to late to register for the Siegel Institute Phenomenal Women Conference. In fact go online RIGHT NOW to get the early bird discount which ends March 15.  The AAUW convention starts Friday night April 16 after the conference.

The early bird deadline is Monday, March 15. AAUW members get a $60 registration fee on the early bird plan and a $75 registration fee for later registration. That is still a nice break from the $99 registration fee for the general public. The theme is “Women Leading in Challenging Times” and they have a blockbuster program featuring many outstanding women leaders.

The AAUW convention starts Friday evening, April 16, 2010 after the Siegel Conference. The Friday evening banquet will be at the Mansour Center in Kennesaw with lodging available at the Kennesaw Wingate. Saturday programs will be at the Wingate.

AAUW Sessions on Saturday will include:

• An update on AAUW national programs and activities by Marcia Capriotti A lot of great things have been happening!
• A panel of women’s studies faculty from local universities on current issues: What is feminism today? What do young people (their students) think about equity for women and girls? What are the factors that keep women from remaining in STEM professions?
• A guest from The White House Project will speak and talk with us on the importance of women running for office.
• Branch reports on Mission Oriented Activities

State Convention Registration Form

It is International Women’s Day. Celebrated since 1911, it is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. In some places like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, IWD is a national holiday. Check out the website for activities taking place throughout the world.

If you missed the movie in the theater last year, here’s your chance to see the documentary, A Powerful Noise as we celebrate International Women’s Day.  This movie is about women changing the world. The documentary was the official selection at five leading film festivals. The DVD was provided by CARE in partnership with AAUW. The  movie will be shown at 1:00 p.m. March 10 at the MacKay Home.