American
Association of University Women (AAUW) of Petaluma
Branch
Policies and Procedures
Approved January 11, 2021
Note: This
updated copy of our Branch Policies and Procedures contains the entire text
approved by the Board on January 11, 2021, but with renamed sections moved so
that they will be in alphabetical order.
Table of Contents
A. Administrative Calendar
B. Board of Directors, Composition
C. Board of Directors, General Responsibilities
D. Board of Directors, Specific
Responsibilities
E. Budget and Finance
F. Convention Attendance and Reimbursement
G. Fundraising
H. Governing Documents Review
I. Meetings / Programs / Sections / Interest
Groups
J. Membership Dues
K. Memorial Gifts
L. Outside Organizations
M. Political Campaigns
N. Publications and Communications
Appendix
A: Elected Officers’ Job Descriptions
Appendix
B: Appointed Officers’ Job Descriptions
Appendix
C: Committee Job Descriptions
A. ADMINISTRATIVE CALENDAR
The branch year begins July 1, but board members may begin planning as soon as they
are elected.
1. Summer
(June-August):
a. Joint board
meeting of outgoing and incoming board members
b. Outgoing
branch President appoints financial reviewer in June.
c. Bank is
given minutes noting the newly elected officers who will be signers on bank
accounts.
d. Authorized
signers on bank accounts must submit personal information and sign
authorization card at bank in July.
e. Board sets
annual goals and objectives.
f. Finance VP
submits year-end finance report to the financial reviewer by July 31st.
g. Financial
review report due no later than the September board meeting.
h. Board
reviews budget at its August board meeting for submission to the Branch at the
September General Meeting.
2. Autumn
(September-November)
a. Branch sends
state insurance and AAUW Funds assessment per invoices.
b. Finance VP
submits required IRS and Franchise Tax Board filings and renews registration
with the California Attorney General’s office to be eligible to raise funds.
3. Winter
(December-February)
a. Nominating
Committee is appointed.
b. Budget
Committee conducts mid-year budget review and presents to the Board.
c. Board
finalizes dates for annual meeting and branch elections.
d. Funds VP
continues projects to meet contribution deadlines.
e. Named Gift
committee meets to select the Named Gift Honoree and submits information to
National by the deadline.
f. Tech Trek
campers are selected.
g. NCCWSL
awardee is selected.
4. Spring
(March-May)
a. Branch holds
annual meeting for elections and board reports.
b. Funds VP
announces Named Gift Honoree at installation and in the newsletter.
c. Membership
VP sends renewal information to members.
d. All officers
and chairs submit their annual reports to the President by June 1st.
e. Outgoing
President submits list of elected officers to national and state AAUW by July
1.
B. BOARD OF DIRECTORS, COMPOSITION
1. Voting
members of the Board of Directors are:
a. Elected officers: the President,
President-Elect, Vice Presidents of Program, Membership, Funds, and Finance,
and the Secretary
b. Appointed
officers: College Liaisons – SRJC and SSU, Email Contact, Gold Book Editor,
Hospitality, Member Concerns, Membership Database, New Members,
Parliamentarian, Newsletter Editor, Social Media, Publicity, Publication Advertisers,
Public Policy, Sections, SRJC Liaison, SSU Liaison, Tech Trek, Website Manager
and any other appointed officer
2. Board
members who hold more than one position may only cast one vote.
3. Co-officers
may each cast a vote.
4. Board
members must be present, physically or electronically, at the board meeting in
order to vote.
5. Between
meetings of the board, a written, conference call, or electronic vote may be
taken at the request of the president.
6. A quorum
must be present for voting on an action. A quorum shall be nine board members,
including at least four elected officers holding different offices.
C. BOARD OF DIRECTORS, GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Carry on the
business of the branch in conformity with AAUW bylaws, branch bylaws, and
branch policies and procedures.
2. Administer
the affairs of the branch between general branch meetings and report actions to
the branch.
3. Submit an
annual budget to the branch for approval.
4. Establish
special committees.
5. Plan for the
annual meeting and branch elections.
6. Consider
proposals from general members, provided the proposals have been submitted to
the President as an agenda item prior to the meeting.
7. Follow the
procedure specified in Bylaws Article XI, Section 6, Voting
between Meetings, in the event that immediate action is necessary.
8. Report
actions of the board in the branch newsletter.
9. After branch
elections, hold a joint board meeting in June with both outgoing board members
and their successors.
10. Formulate a resolution letter to designate a
Membership VP as the holder of the debit card for submission of AAUW dues.
11. Set advertising rates for branch
publications.
D. BOARD OF DIRECTORS, SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Read and be
familiar with the Branch Bylaws and Policies and Procedures.
2. Elected
officers are expected to participate in all board meetings and general meetings.
When two members share an elected board position, at least one is expected to
attend. Appointed officers should attend all board meetings which have agenda
items that pertain to their specific job.
3. Submit
copy-ready newsletter material to the Newsletter Editor(s) by the deadline set
at the board meeting.
4. Attend as
many conventions, conferences, district meetings, workshops, etc. as possible.
5. Report to
the Board on the activities and concerns of the position.
6. Spend only
monies that have been included in the budget and clear any additional expenses
beforehand with the Board
7. Promptly
submit all reports and information required by national AAUW and AAUW CA. Give a copy of all reports to the President and
put a copy in the job experience file.
8. Keep a
current experience binder or e-file that includes resource material, National
AAUW and AAUW CA mailings, notes, ideas and recommendations, with pertinent
contacts and their contact information.
a. At the end
of term of office, add an updated position description to the binder and give
copies to the President and President-Elect.
b. Pass the
binder to one’s successor.
c. Assist in
updating the job description in these Policies and Procedures, when
appropriate.
9. Give
important papers that should be kept in the branch permanent file to the
President or appropriate officer.
10. Regularly
update the website by submitting current information to the President.
E. BUDGET AND FINANCE
1. Budget
Management
a. The Budget
Committee’s membership and job description are outlined in Appendix C of these
Policies and Procedures.
b. The proposed
budget shall be presented to the board no later than the August board meeting
and published to the branch at least 14 days prior to the September general
meeting for approval by the membership at said meeting.
c. Board
members who are allotted budget funds shall be responsible for reviewing and
approving the bills and vouchers for their committee and for keeping a current
account of funds remaining in their budget.
d. Any
expenditure over the budgeted amount shall require prior board approval.
2. Reimbursement
of Expenses
a. Vouchers for
reimbursement of expenses should be submitted to the Finance VP within 30 days
of the date the expense was incurred.
b. Receipts for
all expenses must accompany the voucher to be eligible for reimbursement.
c. A voucher
form can be downloaded from the branch website: www.aauwpetaluma.org
3. Checks and
Transfers of Funds
a. Regarding
the payment of amounts due to others:
(1) The Finance
VP shall issue checks only after approval of vouchers and bills by the board
member in charge of that budget category.
(2) The
Membership VP shall use the branch debit card to transfer dues to national AAUW
b. The Finance
VP must have board approval, as recorded in the minutes, before transferring
funds to or from the savings accounts, CDs or any other branch account.
c. Two
authorized signatures are required on all branch checks or transfers.
(1) Signers for
general operating accounts are: President, Finance VP and Program VP. The
Membership VP, responsible for the debit card, is an authorized signer on the
branch checking account.
(2) Signers for
Funds accounts are: Funds VP, President, and Finance VP.
(3) The only
exception is for transfer of dues to National AAUW via the branch debit card,
which is handled by a Membership VP after approval by the Finance VP.
4. Annual
Financial Review
a. Financial
records, including all operating accounts and Funds accounts, must be reviewed
after each fiscal year (July 1 – June 30).
b. In June, the
outgoing president shall appoint the reviewer who may or may not be a member.
c. A report
from the financial reviewer shall be submitted to the Board no later than the
September board meeting.
F. CONVENTION ATTENDANCE AND REIMBURSEMENT
1. AAUW CA
Convention
a. A sum of
money, to be determined by the Budget Committee and Board of Directors, shall
be budgeted annually to help defray the cost of registration, hotel room,
travel and meals for branch delegates.
b. Delegates
who will be representing our branch must be approved by the board prior to
their registration for a convention.
c. Delegates
shall be selected in the following order: incoming President and current
President, executive board members, appointed board members, and branch
members.
d. Budgeted
funds shall be divided among the delegates at the discretion of the Board.
e. When more
than three officers attend national or state conventions, additional funds may
be budgeted from the branch savings account, provided that no more than 20% of
the savings account is depleted for this purpose.
2. AAUW Convention
(National)
A sum of money, to be determined by the Budget
Committee, can be allocated by the Board to help defray expenses of a member
attending, provided it is approved in advance of the registration.
3. Interbranch Council (IBC) and District Meetings
100% of fees for district meetings and trainings shall
be reimbursed for the elected officers. The Tri-Branch Brunch and Funds
luncheons are not reimbursable.
4. Co-Officers
In the case of co-officers, when both attend any of
the events described above, the reimbursement available shall be split equally
between them.
G. FUNDRAISING
1. Purpose: Funds shall only be raised for purposes
conforming to the AAUW program and mission.
2. Tax
Deductibility: Funds intended for 501(c)(3) entities must be handled in accordance with IRS and
state laws to protect the donors, the branch, and the tax-exempt status of the
entities involved.
3. General
procedure: All fundraising publicity must
clearly state the purpose for which the money is being raised.
a. National
AAUW Fund
Procedures for collecting funds in this category are
described under the responsibilities of the Funds Vice President.
b. Tech Trek
and Speech Trek
Branch or individual contributions shall be handled
through the AAUW CA Special Projects Fund (SPF).
c. Local
Scholarships:
To ensure that donations to AAUW local scholarships
are tax-deductible, donors
shall be
instructed to make checks payable to the tax-exempt entities that collect the scholarship
money and these checks shall not be deposited into the branch’s bank account.
4. Allocation
of funds raised by the Funds Committee
The Petaluma branch contributes to four local
scholarship funds plus the national AAUW Fund. The money raised each year by
the Funds Committee shall be distributed in the following order:
a. The branch
shall ensure that national AAUW Fund receives the amount necessary for the
branch to qualify for at least one Named Gift Honoree.
b. The branch
shall ensure that the AAUW Community Achievement Awards Scholarship is
adequately funded. If income from the Connie Mahoney Petaluma Educational
Foundation (PEF) endowment in the name of AAUW Petaluma does not fully cover
this scholarship, the branch shall send sufficient funds to PEF to make up the
difference.
c. Contributions
to the Petaluma AAUW scholarship endowments at both Sonoma State University and
Santa Rosa Junior College’s Petaluma campus are designated by the individual
donors. The Funds Vice President shall forward said donations to the respective
schools and maintain an accounting of the scholarship awards and balances.
d. Contributions for the National Conference for
College Women Student Leaders award (NCCWSL award) may be designated when
checks are written to AAUW Petaluma Funds.
e. A portion of
undesignated donations made to AAUW Petaluma Funds, up to $3,000.00, may be
retained in the Funds checking account as seed money for future
fundraisers.
f. Any
remaining monies shall be divided in the following manner:
(1) 50% to
national AAUW
(2) 25% to SRJC
(3) 25% to SSU
H. GOVERNING DOCUMENTS REVIEW
1. Governing
documents shall be reviewed as needed by a board committee appointed by the
President and chaired by the Parliamentarian.
2. Following
any amendment of Bylaws in accordance with Article VII or Article XVI of the
Bylaws, the President shall submit the revised Bylaws directly to national
AAUW.
3. Amended Bylaws
shall be posted on the branch website within 60 days after approval by national
AAUW.
4. The Policies
and Procedures can be amended or revised by a vote of the Board.
5. Following
amendment of the Policies and Procedures by the Board, the updated copy, with
the date of approval noted, shall be posted on the branch website within 60
days.
I. MEETINGS / PROGRAMS / SECTIONS / INTEREST
GROUPS
1. Prospective
members may attend no more than two functions (general meetings, sections,
interest groups, etc.) before being asked to join. An exception is made for
partners in groups such as gourmet and hiking.
2. General
membership meetings shall not be scheduled on the dates of district leadership
training meetings or state or national conventions.
3. No meeting
shall be held on days of the following major religious observances: Easter,
Passover, Rosh Hashanah (two days), Yom Kippur, Hanukkah, Christmas or major
holidays of the significant religious or ethnic groups within the relevant
geographic area of the branch. All Jewish holidays begin at sundown of the previous
day. This policy is in accordance with AAUW’s Diversity policy #600.
4. Section
meetings shall not be scheduled at the same time as the general meeting or
board meetings.
5. All branch
general meetings, special meetings and events shall be accessible to persons
with disabilities.
6. With the
approval of the Board, any member may form a new section providing it is open
to all members.
J.
MEMBERSHIP DUES
1. Information
on dues for members and student affiliates is posted on the branch website.
2. Students
attending a school that is an AAUW College or University Partner (“e-student
affiliates”) may join the branch for free.
3. Paid Life
Members are exempt from national AAUW dues but must pay state and branch dues.
4. Fifty-Year
Honorary Life Members are exempt from national, state and branch dues.
5. A member
whose dues remain unpaid after September 30 shall not be included in the Gold
Book.
K.
MEMORIAL GIFTS
1. Upon the
death of a member, the branch may make a memorial gift to:
a. The Sonoma
County Library, earmarked for the Petaluma Library, or
b. A fund,
project or scholarship of national AAUW, AAUW-CA, or AAUW Petaluma.
2. Money for the
gift shall be taken from the membership budget and the amount, not to exceed
fifty dollars, shall be decided by the Board.
3. A gift may
also be made in the name of a non-current Petaluma branch member who has served
the branch with distinction in the past, upon approval of theBoard.
4. The gift
shall be arranged by a member of the Membership Committee.
L. OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS
1. No outside
organization shall be allowed to promote its fundraising activities or sell
tickets at branch meetings.
2. Information
concerning any organization other than AAUW shall not be published in the
monthly newsletter or sent via the branch email network without Board approval.
3. In collaborations with other organizations:
a. The branch
must retain control of the use of the name AAUW.
b. The
objectives must not be in conflict with AAUW’s Mission Statement.
c. Financial
support can include dues or a commitment to participate in the on-going
financial support of the common objective.
d. The decision
to join the coalition and the amount of financial support must be approved by
the board.
M. POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS
1. Campaign
Contributions
a. The branch
shall not contribute to the campaign of any candidate for elective office,
either directly through contribution of money or materials, or indirectly through
publication of endorsements or political announcements in any means of communication
controlled by the branch.
b. The branch
may not accept paid political announcements for inclusion in any AAUW
publications, whether in electronic or paper format.
2. Endorsements
National AAUW policies allow for endorsement of
candidates and positions under
certain circumstances.
a. Generally,
Petaluma AAUW chooses not to endorse any candidate.
b. The Board
may choose to take a position on an issue, provided that the issue is
non-partisan, the position is consistent with AAUW policy, and the Board decides
there is a compelling reason to take a position for the good of the community.
N. PUBLICATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS
1. All
publications of the branch shall conform with the AAUW
“Use of Name” bylaw, which provides that any such publication shall not be in
conflict with the policies and programs of AAUW.
2. Content of
the branch newsletter shall be reviewed and approved by the President or a
board member designated by the President.
3. The Gold
Book (membership directory) is for use only by the membership and may not be
used for recruiting or solicitation.
APPENDIX A
ELECTED OFFICERS’ JOB DESCRIPTIONS
Table
of Contents
A. President
B. President-Elect
C. Program Vice
President
D. Membership
Vice President
E. Finance Vice
President
F. Funds Vice
President
G. Secretary
A. PRESIDENT
The President is the branch’s chief executive officer.
To qualify for this position the nominee must have served on the Board of
Directors of AAUW Petaluma.
The President:
1. Serves as an
ex-officio member of all committees.
2. Serves as
the official representative of the branch in activities of AAUW at all levels.
3. Is an
authorized signer on branch bank accounts.
4. Works
closely with the President-Elect.
5. Presides at
all branch and board meetings.
6. Reserves
meeting rooms for board meetings.
7. Prepares and
distributes board meeting agendas.
8. Upholds the
Bylaws and the Policies and Procedures.
9. Calls
special meetings of the branch in accordance with the provisions of the Bylaws.
10. Appoints the
chair of the Nominating Committee and any other committee without a designated
chair.
11. Interprets
the objectives of AAUW to the members and to the public.
12. Submits the
names of branch officers and any required reports to AAUW CA and AAUW
National.
13. Writes a
monthly President’s Message for the newsletter.
14. Approves the
newsletter draft prior to publication.
15. Approves
changes to website content and social media postings.
16. Submits the
documentation for the current AAUW-CA branch recognition program.
17. Ensures that
the Branch Bylaws are in conformity with the AAUW Bylaws whenever notified of
mandatory amendments by national AAUW or AAUW CA.
18. Ensures that
the branch has enrolled in the state liability insurance program.
19. Attends
district meetings or sends a representative.
20. Represents
the branch at state and national AAUW conventions and other meetings to the
extent possible, and reports the results of these conventions and meetings to
branch members.
21. Keeps an
experience notebook.
22. Organizes a
Board Retreat to set goals and plan the year.
23. Reviews
monthly financial reports and meeting minutes prior to submission for approval
at board and general meetings.
24. Appoints a person at the end of the fiscal year to
review the branch’s financial records.
25. Maintains the
branch history files if there is no Historian.
26. Requests
an annual report from all officers at end of the year.
B. PRESIDENT-ELECT
The
President-Elect:
1. Serves as an
ex-officio member of all committees.
2. Acts in
place of the President in the case of absence or disability.
3. Assists the
other chairs and vice presidents with such activities as requested by the
president.
4. Attends
district meetings with the President or as the branch representative.
5. Writes
newsletter articles as necessary.
6. As incoming
President, chooses the installing officer for the installation event.
7. Performs
other duties as requested by the President or Board of Directors.
[Note: If there
is no President-Elect, these duties should be apportioned among the
elected officers.]
C. PROGRAM VICE PRESIDENT
The Program Vice President:
1. Chairs the
Program Committee and is a member of the Budget Committee and Public Policy
Committee.
2. Incorporates
AAUW and AAUW CA program mission, themes and priorities into the branch
programs.
3. Coordinates
program committee members’ activities and delegates responsibilities for each
program, including but not limited to:
a. Securing meeting space
b. Coordinating
with Publicity and Hospitality
c. Submitting
newsletter articles
d. Getting
board approval for speaker honoraria
e. Providing
for speakers’ equipment needs
4. Presents the
program plan to the Board.
5. Sends a
calendar of programs to Publicity, Hospitality, Sections, Newsletter Editor and
Gold Book Editor prior to the September general meeting.
6. Submits a
program budget to the Finance VP to assist with the development of the upcoming
year’s budget.
7. Reviews and
approves vouchers for program-related expenses submitted by Program Committee
members.
8. Is an
authorized signer on branch operating accounts.
9. Presides and
acts in the absence of the President and the President-Elect.
10. Keeps
an experience notebook.
11. Performs
other duties requested by the President or the Board of Directors.
D. MEMBERSHIP VICE PRESIDENT
The office of Membership Vice President is generally a
shared position having two main responsibilities: a) to recruit and retain
members, and b) to deposit and record dues and members’ information on the
National member database.
a) To recruit and retain members, the
Membership VP:
1. Co-chairs
the Membership Committee and is a member of the Budget and Program Committees.
2. Initiates
and coordinates branch recruitment efforts.
3. Submits the
budget for the branch’s membership activities to the Finance VP prior to the
development of the upcoming year’s budget.
4. Works with
the New Members chair to plan orientation and new member meetings, keeping the
chair informed throughout the year as new members join the branch.
5. Writes a
monthly newsletter article focusing on membership and new members.
6. Reviews web
page information for membership information accuracy and recommends updates to
the President.
7. Presides at
meetings in the absence of the President, President Elect and Program Vice
President.
8. Performs
other duties requested by the President or the Board of Directors.
9. Keeps an experience notebook.
b) Regarding
dues and recording responsibilities, the Membership VP:
1. Co-chairs
the Membership Committee and is a member of the Program and Budget Committees.
2. Follows up
with dues renewal notices to members by July 1st of each year, using the
national Member Services Database.
3. Promotes
online renewal of membership, which involves online payment of dues.
4. Is the
authorized debit card holder and an authorized signer on the branch checking account.
5. Handles
membership dues payments made by check.
(a) Deposits or
oversees the deposit of said checks and forwards deposit information to the
Finance VP within two days.
(b) Submits
voucher to the Finance VP for authorization to pay national AAUW and state dues
via the branch debit card, and then pays said dues.
(c) Records the
payments and pertinent information regarding new and renewing members on the
national Member Services Database.
6. Keeps track
of branch members who have paid their dues online and provides updated
membership information to the Finance VP, Membership Database and President.
7. Regularly
checks the branch’s member list against the national Member Services Database
list to identify and correct discrepancies.
8. Records
address changes and deaths on the national Member Services Database and reports
the same to the Membership Committee and Membership Database.
9. Identifies
members who qualify for Honorary Life Membership status and sends HLM
applications to national.
E. FINANCE VICE PRESIDENT
The Finance Vice President:
1. Chairs the
Budget Committee:
a. Calls
meetings of the committee.
b. Presents the
proposed budget to the Board for review at the August Board Meeting.
c. Sends the
proposed budget to the membership at least 14 days prior to the September
general meeting.
d. Leads the
branch discussion of the proposed budget before the branch vote at the
September general meeting.
2. Receives all
monies submitted to the branch except for those administered by the Funds Vice
President, Membership Vice President or Tech Trek Coordinator, all of whom must
report receipts and disbursements to the Finance Vice President monthly.
3. Pays all
bills approved in the budget and verified by the officer responsible for the
respective budget category. Any single expenditure over $100 and not approved
as part of the branch budget, must be approved in advance by the Board.
4. Manages the
branch’s bank accounts.
a. Is an
authorized signer on all bank accounts.
b. Keeps
separate ledgers and records for the branch general account, savings account,
and any other accounts required by the IRS and reconciles them monthly.
c. Oversees
ledgers and records for Funds.
5. Reports the
branch’s financial status at all board meetings, at the annual meeting, and at
other times as requested.
6. Presents the
mid-year financial report to the Board and suggests any necessary revisions.
7. Retains all
branch financial records for a period of seven years or in accordance with IRS
regulations.
8. Presents the
branch financial records for an annual review.
9. Pays
premiums for insurance policies on or before renewal dates.
10. Orders
the past president’s pin for presentation at the May meeting. If the President
has already received a pin, purchases a gift.
11. Performs
other duties as requested by the President or the Board.
F. FUNDS VICE PRESIDENT
The Funds Vice President:
1. Chairs the
Named Gift Committee and is a member of the Program Committee.
2. Develops a
budget for the Funds activities and keeps an accurate record of all monies.
3. Oversees all
financial matters concerning Funds monies:
a. Maintains
Funds monies in accounts separate from the branch general monies.
b. Maintains
and reconciles Funds bank statements.
c. Submits a
monthly worksheet to the Finance Vice President noting the Funds account
balance and all deposits and disbursements.
d. Reports on
all Funds monies at each board meeting.
e. Ensures all
fundraising meets legal requirements.
4. Educates the
branch and the community about national AAUW Fund programs.
5. Maintains a
list of all members who contribute and sends them written acknowledgment of
their donation.
6. Presides at
meetings in the absence of the President, the President-Elect, the Program Vice
President and the Membership Vice President.
7. Performs
other duties requested by the President or the Board of Directors.
8. Submits a
monthly newsletter article.
9. Reviews the
accuracy of information on the web page for Funds and recommends updates to the
President.
10. As chair of
the Named Gift Committee:
a. Maintains a
file of nomination letters dating back at least five years.
b. Confirms
with national AAUW the amount that they have received and that can be used for
Named Gift(s).
c. Calls for
Named Gift nominations in December and January in newsletter articles and at
general meetings. The request for nominations shall:
(1) State the
deadline for submission of nominations
(2) Require that
nominations should:
(a) be in writing;
(b) be signed by at least two current members;
(c) state the nominees’ exemplary contributions to the branch.
(3) Include any
outstanding community service and professional activities, which shall be of
secondary importance in the selection process.
(a) After the
deadline for nominations, distributes nomination letters to committee members.
(b) Coordinates
committee meetings to select the branch’s Named Gift Honoree(s).
(c) Notifies national AAUW of the Named Gift Honoree(s) by the
designated deadline.
(d) Presents the
honoree(s) to the general membership at the branch’s Annual Meeting, and
presents a gift to the honoree(s) that memorializes the honor (e.g., engraved
plate).
G. SECRETARY
The Secretary is the recording officer of the
organization and the custodian of all records except those specifically
assigned to others. This position is often shared by a Board Meeting Secretary
and a General Meeting Secretary.
The Secretary:
1. Takes
minutes and records attendance at all board and the business meeting portion of
general meetings.
2. Advises the President if a quorum is present
a. The quorum
for a board meeting is 9, including 4 different elected positions, per Section
B (6) of the Branch Policies and Procedures.
b. The quorum
for general meetings is 15% of the branch members per Article XII, Section 5 of
the Branch Bylaws.
3. Provides a
synopsis of the Board’s actions in the monthly newsletter.
4. Sends a copy
of the minutes of the previous board meeting to the President and board members
for review prior to the next board meeting.
5. Keeps
minutes of board and branch meetings in a binder, as they are the legal record
of the organization.
6. Performs
other duties requested by the President or Board.
APPENDIX B
APPOINTED OFFICERS’ JOB DESCRIPTIONS
Table
of Contents
1. College
Liaisons to SRJC and SSU
2. Email
Contact
3. Gold Book
Editor
4. Historian
5. Hospitality
6. Member
Concerns
7. Membership
Database
8. New
Members
9. Parliamentarian
10. Newsletter
Editor
11. Publication
Advertising
12. Publicity
13. Public Policy
14. Sections
Coordinator
15. Social Media
16. Tech Trek
Coordinator
17. Website
Manager
1. COLLEGE LIAISONS TO SRJC AND SSU
a. Serve on the
Membership Committee.
b. Review the
branch goals for the year (e.g., higher community visibility, more diverse
programs, new members, etc.) and plans ways to liaise with the college to
promote those goals.
c. Use the
College Liaison’s binder as a resource and add details and suggestions.
d. Meet in
person with the faculty or staff members (usually two) who represent AAUW on
campus to develop ways to work with them to increase awareness of AAUW
membership and the varied programs that are available through AAUW, such as the
National Conference for College Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL), Start Smart,
and Work Smart.
e. Promote
AAUW’s visibility directly on campus and through the use of social media and
may coordinate efforts with other AAUW branches. (See the CL binder for
specific ideas.)
f. Help
promote voter registration and education by partnering with various campus
groups and departments during election years.
g. Become
involved with our annual AAUW scholarship winners by joining the Funds Vice
President in attending the campus award ceremonies and inviting the awardees to
branch functions.
h. Submit
articles to the newsletter about upcoming campus events specific to AAUW’s
mission and goals of continuing education.
i. Regularly
attend board meetings to keep members informed of college liaison activities and
to enhance the branch partnership with the colleges.
j Invite the
recipient of our NCCWSL scholarship to a general meeting to share her
experience.
k. Stay in
touch with past recipients.
2. EMAIL CONTACT
Sends branch newsletters and email blasts to members
after approval by the President.
3. GOLD BOOK EDITOR
a. Works with
the Membership VP and Membership Database to update the Gold Book in the fall.
b. Works with
Publication Advertising to place ads in the Gold Book.
c. Delivers the
Gold Book to the printer and distributes after completion.
d. Ensures that
all invoices related to the Gold Book are sent to the Finance Vice President
for payment.
4. HISTORIAN
a. Maintains
branch records that are not maintained by other officers, such as:
(1) Scrapbooks
with photos and clippings of newspaper articles about branch events of current
and past years
(2) Copies of
printed newsletters
(3) Gold books
from all years
b. If there is
no Historian, the President shall maintain the records.
5. HOSPITALITY
a. Is a member
of the Program Committee.
b. Arranges for
beverages, snacks and decorations for branch meetings when requested by the
Program VP.
c. Obtains and
keeps on hand basic supplies such as paper goods and serving ware.
d. Solicits
members to help set up and clean up at general meetings and special events.
6. MEMBER CONCERNS
a. Serves on
the Membership Committee.
b. Sends cards
and/or phones members to support them in times of sickness or death of a loved
one or when good news is learned.
c. Publishes
said information in the newsletter with the consent of the affected member.
d. Visits the
affected member when possible.
e. Handles
memorial tributes and any “in memoriam” branch donation and informs the
member’s family of said donation.
7. MEMBERSHIP DATABASE
a. Works with
the Membership VP to ensure that members’ data is accurate and that new members
are added to the database for all mailings.
b. Notifies the
Membership VP of members who have reached 50 years of membership in the
organization, so that they can be provided with an honorary life membership.
c. Provides
reports and labels, either electronically or in hard copy, to the Membership
VP(s) and to other board officers who have a need for them.
8. NEW MEMBERS
a. Is a member
of the Membership Committee.
b. Welcomes new
branch members with a phone call and helps them participate in branch
activities.
c. Holds “new
members section” meetings to foster friendships and to learn about AAUW
Petaluma.
d. Recruits new
members to be board and committee members.
9. PARLIAMENTARIAN
a. Counsels the
President on questions related to Branch Bylaws, Branch Policies and
Procedures, and Roberts Rules of Order.
b. Chairs the
Governance Committee.
c. Keeps the
Branch Bylaws current, making changes as mandated by national AAUW or AAUW
California, and arranges to have the updated Bylaws sent to the appropriate AAUW
office.
d. Coordinates
non-mandatory changes to Branch Bylaws by taking these steps:
(1) Convenes a
Governance Committee to review and recommend additional updates of Branch
Bylaws.
(2) After branch
review and approval, arranges to have the newly amended Bylaws sent to the
appropriate national AAUW office for approval.
(3) Following
approval by national AAUW, sends the amended Bylaws to the Website Manager for
posting on the website.
e. Coordinates
changes to Branch Policies and Procedures by taking these steps:
(1) Convenes a Governance Committee to review and recommend
changes;
(2) Presents the
committee’s recommendations to the Board for approval;
(3) Following
approval by the Board, sends the amended Branch Policies and Procedures to the
Website Manager for posting on the website.
f. Performs other duties as requested by the
President or the Board of Directors.
9. NEWSLETTER EDITOR
a. Publishes a
monthly newsletter from September through June, or as specified by the
President and the Board.
b. Establishes
and publishes a schedule for article submission.
c. Collects
articles and edits to fit format.
d. Prior to
publication, consults with the President if there are controversial articles
that might be in conflict with policy.
e. Emails a
draft to the President for review and approval before the final draft goes to
the Website Manager.
f. Notifies
the Website Manager when the issue is ready to be distributed and posted on the
website.
g. Designates a
newsletter mailer who:
(1) Reformats the e-newsletter into a format printable on
standard-sized paper;
(2) Prints and
mails copies to members without email accounts who have paid for hard copies;
(3) Submits
vouchers for printing and mailing expenses to the Finance VP.
10. PUBLICATION ADVERTISING
a. Solicits ads
to offset the cost of publications.
b. Forwards
payment for the ads to the Finance Vice President within 10 days of receiving
said payment.
c. Contacts
advertisers beginning in July regarding renewal of ads.
d. Submits
appropriate ads to the Gold Book editor before the publication deadline and to
the Newsletter Editor for inclusion in the newsletter.
11. PUBLICITY
a. Is a member
of the Program Committee.
b. Evaluates
previous branch publicity efforts and assesses current needs.
c. Works with
other officers and committees to help gain visibility for branch priorities
including:
(1) Fall Social
(2) AAUW
mission-based programs
(3) Voter
forums, programs and events that are open to the public
(4) Local
scholarships funded by the branch
c. Develops and
maintains:
(1) Newspaper
and Internet calendar listings and deadlines (i.e., Petaluma 360, Petaluma
Patch, and event listings in the Argus Courier and the Press Democrat)
(2) A list of
local reporters and columnists
(3) Public
service announcements
d. Writes press
releases, calendar notices and public service announcements and, following
review and approval by the President, distributes to media.
f. Posts
notices of upcoming branch events and other news on the branch’s social media
page(s).
g. Keeps copies
of press releases and advertisements in the publicity experience binder and
provides electronic copies of press releases to the incoming publicity chair
for future use.
h. Performs
other duties as requested by the President or the Board.
12. PUBLIC POLICY
a. Chairs the
Public Policy Committee:
(1) Selects
branch members to serve on the committee along with the Program Vice President.
(2) Organizes
committee meetings to plan events.
(3) Coordinates
and facilitates committee members’ activities and communication.
(4) Serves as
liaison with forum co-sponsors, such as the League of Women Voters and the
Argus Courier, inviting them to committee meetings.
b. Serves on
the Program Committee.
c. Educates
members of the branch about AAUW’s national and state public policy priorities
through newsletter articles and branch programs.
d. Coordinates
the branch response to AAUW CA and AAUW Action Alerts.
e. Attends
public policy events.
f. Arranges
interviews with local legislators regarding AAUW-supported issues.
g. Maintains
public policy files and a procedure notebook.
h. Performs
other duties as requested by the President or the Board.
13. SECTIONS COORDINATOR
a. Serves on
the Membership committee.
b. Prepares a
sections handout describing the content, meeting times and dates, and contact
persons for the current year’s sections and has these handouts and signup
sheets available at the Fall Social and at appropriate other times (such as new
members meetings).
c. Serves as
the contact person for members who want to start a new section.
d. Brings the
request for the new section to the board for review and approval.
e. Reminds
section chairs that only current branch members may attend sections.
f. Reminds
section chairs that guests may only attend twice, except in sections where
partners are allowed at each meeting.
g. Coordinates
with section chairs to update the monthly sections article for the
newsletter. The update should include:
(1) Section
names, section chair contact information, meeting time, date, location and
other pertinent information (e.g., book or play title, discussion topic, or outing/event).
(2) A list of
sections that are full or on hiatus.
h. Performs
other duties as requested by the President or the Board.
14. SOCIAL MEDIA
a. Regularly
updates the branch’s social media platforms with:
(1) Information
on branch and AAUW programs and events.
(2) Current
information related to joining.
(3) Items of
interest and information about collaboration with groups sharing the AAUW
mission and values.
b. When adding
new items of interest and new information about other groups:
(1) Complies
with AAUW’s requirements regarding use of name.
(2) Promptly
notifies the President for purposes of social media oversight.
(3) Promptly
makes changes to the social media platforms as requested by the President.
15. TECH TREK COORDINATOR
a. Organizes
fundraising activities for Tech Trek camp scholarships, including soliciting
past campers’ families and local organizations:
(1) Submits cash
donations to the Finance VP. Up to $200 may be held in the branch checking
account to cover administration expenses (photo copying, mailings,
get-acquainted party for our scholarship awardees, etc.), and the balance shall
be forwarded to AAUW-CA SPF.
(2) Forwards
donations made by checks to AAUW-CA SPF on its required form within 10 days of
receipt.
(3) Submits an
itemized report of all donations to the Finance VP on a monthly basis.
(4) Sends thank
you letters to all donors.
b. Coordinates
the selection of Tech Trek campers:
(1) Selects
members to serve on the Tech Trek Committee.
(2) Follows
AAUW-CA’s rules for selection of campers.
(3) Solicits
nominations from Petaluma’s 7th grade math and science teachers.
(4) Invites
nominated students to interviews.
c. Writes
newsletter articles reporting on fundraising and camper selection results.
d. Invites the
branch’s sponsored campers to speak at a general meeting.
e. Conducts
follow-up interviews or sends questionnaires to girls for up to five years
after they have attended camp (through high school), in order to determine the
success of their Tech Trek experience. Frequency and content of questionnaires to
be determined by AAUW-CA.
f. Makes
records regarding the Tech Trek program available for review by AAUW-CA for up
to three years after termination of the Memorandum of Understanding.
g. Provides
standardized information about Tech Trek participants to camp directors and
State Project Coordinator in the format requested by AAUW and/or AAUW-CA. Data collection must adhere to federal and
state laws pertaining to privacy and confidentiality.
16. WEBSITE MANAGER
Develops and maintains a website to meet the
information needs of the branch, based on content provided by the President or
appointed individuals.
APPENDIX C
COMMITTEE JOB DESCRIPTIONS
Table
of Contents
1. Budget Committee
2. Community Projects Committee
3. Governance Committee
4. Membership Committee
5. Named Gift Committee
6. Nominating Committee
7. Program Committee
8. Public Policy Committee
9. Tech Trek Committee
1. BUDGET COMMITTEE
Composition:
Finance Vice President, President, President-Elect, Membership Vice President,
Program Vice President and Publication Advertising. The committee chair may add
other members as needed.
Chair:
Finance Vice President
Length of Service: One year
Duties of the Chair: Are listed in the Finance Vice
President’s job description
Duties of the Committee:
a. Ensure that
budget planning maintains the fiscal health of the branch and takes into
account all fiscal obligations as specified in Bylaws and Policies and Procedures.
b. Use
realistic estimates of expected income.
c. Consult past
budgets and year-end financial reports.
d. Consider
branch goals in setting funding priorities.
e. Review the
budget mid-year and present the revised budget at the January board meeting.
2. COMMUNITY PROJECTS COMMITTEE
Composition:
Members who volunteer to serve on the committee
Chair:
Appointed by the President
Term of Service:
For the duration of the project
Duties of Chair:
a. Call
meetings of the committee for planning purposes.
b. Report on
the progress of the project at board and/or general meetings.
Duties of the Committee:
a. Reach out to
the community in response to specific needs that fit the vision and mission of
AAUW Petaluma. Examples of past projects are: School & Student Support
during COVID-19, Discovery Days, COTS Transition Home,
Choices & Challenges (mothers and middle school daughters).
b. Define
specific goals.
c. Organize
branch support for the project.
3. GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE
Composition:
Parliamentarian and at least two other members
Chair:
Parliamentarian
Term of Service:
One year or as needed
Duties of Chair:
Are listed in the Parliamentarian’s job description
Duties of Committee:
a. Review and
update Bylaws and Policies and Procedures in accordance with Section E of the
Branch Policies and Procedures, “Governing Documents Review.”
b. Develop a draft of proposed amendments of
branch governance documents for presentation to the Board by the
Parliamentarian.
4. MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
Composition:
Membership Vice President, President, President-Elect, New Members Chair,
Member Concerns, Sections Coordinator, liaisons to Sonoma State University and
Santa Rosa Junior College, and any others deemed necessary by the Membership
VP.
Chair:
Membership Vice President
Term of Service:
One year
Duties of Chair:
May convene a Membership Committee as needed for membership events.
Duties of Committee:
a. Develop
plans to recruit new members and retain current members.
b. Help with
social events and new member orientations.
c. Welcome new
members.
d. Review
Membership Concerns’ recommendations for In Memoriam donations.
5. NAMED GIFT COMMITTEE
Composition:
Funds Vice President, two prior honorees, a past president, and another branch
member for a total of five members. A member who signs a current nomination
letter may not serve on the committee for that year.
Chair: Funds
Vice President
Term of Service:
One year
Duties of Chair:
Are listed in the Funds Vice President’s job description.
Duties of the Committee
a. Meet at a
time and place arranged by the Committee Chair. A majority of the committee
must be present to select the honoree(s).
b. Consider all
nominations submitted in the current year and previous five years.
c. Select one
or more honorees, based on exemplary contributions to the branch and the amount
of funds available.
d. May award
this highest honor of the branch to a past honoree.
6. NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Composition:
Two Board members plus three additional members. See Branch Bylaws, Article V.
Chair: The
President appoints the chair.
Length of service: Approximately three to four months and not more than 3 consecutive
terms
Duties of the Chair:
a. Call
meetings of the committee.
b. Instruct the
committee on the elected positions to be filled and the desirable
qualifications for each office.
c. Set deadline
for finalizing the slate.
Duties of the Committee:
a. Become
familiar with the duties of the elected positions for which they are selecting
candidates.
b. Develop a
slate of officers and sends the slate to the Newsletter Editor(s) in time for
it to be published at least 14 days prior to the election at the April general meeting.
Members considered for President must have served on the Board of Directors of
AAUW Petaluma.
c. Respect the
confidentiality of the committee’s work.
7. PROGRAM COMMITTEE
Composition:
Program Vice President, President, President-Elect, Membership Vice President,
Funds Vice President, Public Policy, Publicity, Hospitality, and any others
deemed necessary by the committee chair
Chair:
Program Vice President
Length of Service: One year
Duties of Chair:
Are listed in the Program VP’s job description.
Duties of Committee:
a. Create a
calendar of branch programs that fulfill AAUW’s mission.
b. Ensure that
programs are scheduled in accordance with the provisions set forth in the
branch Policies and Procedures in Section I, Meetings / Programs / Sections /
Interest Groups.
c. Arrange for
photographs of general meeting and special meeting events to be sent to the
Newsletter Editor(s) and Social Media Chair.
d. Set program
budget, including honoraria and speaker’s fees.
8. PUBLIC POLICY COMMITTEE
Composition:
Public Policy, President, President-Elect, Program Vice President and any
others deemed necessary by the committee chair
Chair:
Public Policy
Term of Service:
One year
Duties of Chair:
Are listed in the Public Policy job description
Duties of Committee:
a. Organize and
promote voter forums.
b. Help
formulate questions for the forum moderator to ask the candidates.
c. Help
distribute flyers and other materials to local businesses to promote the voter
forums.
d. Assist at
voter forums with setup, timekeeping, collecting and sorting of audience
questions and other tasks.
e. Send
invitations to potential forum participants.
f. Send thank
you notes to forum participants.
9. TECH TREK COMMITTEE
Composition:
Tech Trek Coordinator and members selected to serve on the committee
Chair: Tech
Trek Coordinator
Term of Service:
One year
Duties of Chair: Are listed in the Tech Trek Coordinator’s job
description.
Duties of Committee:
a. Raise funds
for Tech Trek scholarships.
b. Solicit
nominations for Tech Trek campers from 7th grade science and math teachers and
follow up.
c. Interview
students who have been nominated by their teachers.
d. Select
campers on the basis of rules established by AAUW-CA for the selection process.
Petaluma Branch
American Association of University Women
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