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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.

 

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