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As part of its Strategic Plan, AAUW has identified three strategic focus areas: Education and Training, Economic Security, and Leadership. In this and subsequent Bulletins, we will address important and informative data on these three focus areas. We have also included a fourth area, Public Policy and Advocacy, that captures the important work that AAUW of Colorado does at the state level to establish its legislative agenda and priorities for action.
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Education and Training
Carolyn Cooley and Paula Munger
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A staggering fact: Women hold nearly two-thirds of the outstanding student debt in the United States— almost $900 billion as of mid-2018. Because of the gender pay gap, women have less disposable income to repay their loans, requiring more time to pay back their student debt than do men. AAUW is making a difference to help women in education through its significant educational funding programs. AAUW is providing $3.9 million for fellowships and grants to outstanding women and nonprofit organizations in the 2018–19 academic year. Due to the generous contributions of AAUW members, a broader community of women continues to gain access to educational and economic opportunities — breaking through barriers so that all women have a fair chance.
AAUW of Colorado can be proud of its role in actively raising monies for scholarships and grants to support Colorado women in their educational pursuits. Last year, Colorado branches provided over $42,000 in scholarships and grants. To see some examples of the role Colorado branches have played in supporting young women achieve an education and to learn more about their scholarship plans, click here.
DID YOU KNOW: Individuals, AAUW branches and states, and nonprofit organizations may apply for Community Action Grants to fund innovative programs or non-degree research projects that promote education and equity for women and girls.
Funding:
One-year grant, $2,000-$7,000
Two-year grant, $5,000-$10,000
Opens: August 1
Deadline: December 1
This looks like an excellent opportunity for branches to pursue funding for community projects.
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Public Policy
Lindy Reed and Sally Mathewson
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An enthusiastic room of 129 AAUW members and friends were enlightened and enthralled by the Public Policy Day speakers on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Dr. Nita Mosby Tyler brought the group to its feet following her stories of her childhood in Jim Crow country and her thoughts on how to address the issue today. The panel of Linda Childears, Dr. Jandel Allen Davis and Dr. Kristin Waters described progress being made locally in advancing equity. And, as always, former State Senator Betty Boyd brought everyone up to date on current legislation and directed our Call to Action. The audience included 32 first time attendees!
In January, we sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Education on behalf of AAUW of Colorado objecting to the proposed changes to Title IX. The national office was very helpful in doing this.
The Public Policy Committee has established the 2019 Colorado AAUW Legislative Agenda that is documented on our website. This agenda has five bills on the “active” list where we actively support four bills and oppose one. We also have ten bills to which we will add our support (nine) or opposition (one) but will not work on actively. In addition, we have a list of “bills of interest” that may or may not fall under AAUW’s Public Policy Program but which may be of interest to our members. We will try to keep the list updated as new bills are introduced and action is taken.
Click here to join AAUW's Action Network and become a 2-minute activist. You will receive urgent e-mail notices when advocacy is needed. Become a 2-minute Activist Mobile and receive text messages on your cell phone requesting an urgent response. Together we make a difference!
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Economic Security
Amy Blackwell
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In our ongoing efforts to train 10 million women to negotiate their financial futures by 2022, we AAUW members have launched a free online module of our highly successful AAUW Work Smart salary negotiation workshop. This is exciting news, and AAUW CEO Kim Churches and staff urge us all to take this e-course at salary.aauw.org.
As of early February, 66 Coloradans had registered for this online class, with only nine completing the course. Let’s get those numbers up, folks! Take the online workshop yourself and ask 20 women to do likewise. The skills acquired are life changing.
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Leadership
Bev Dare
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Imagine that for 2½ days you are immersed in an awesome event with 1000 excited female college students from around the country. You are invited to more workshops than you can possibly attend, hear stimulating presentations from national leaders, rub shoulders with amazing role models, and get to spend a night out in Washington DC.
Sound good? That’s exactly the opportunity that AAUW Colorado will offer to National Conference for College Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL) scholarship recipients. They will attend the conference May 29-June 1 at the University of Maryland in College Park. Applications to AAUW of Colorado are due by April 1 and are available here. Awardees will be notified April 10 in time to submit their registration(s) before the April 30 deadline at National. Colorado has funds to support three student attendees this year.
Over 60 Colorado students have attended NCCWSL since 2006. Some have been sponsored by their college and some have been sponsored by AAUW. Last year AAUW Colorado and AAUW Branches awarded ten scholarships. NCCWSL offers students an opportunity to develop leadership skills, empowers them to effect change on their campuses and in their community, and prepares them for life after school.
Durango Branch has worked with Ft Lewis College to provide two scholarships for 6 years. Many of the students at Ft. Lewis College are Native Americans. One scholarship recipient was Princess of her tribe. She was the only Native American in attendance that year. She created quite a stir when she wore her full native dress to the formal dinner.
Lakewood Branch sponsored one attendee in 2017. The branch intended to sponsor one attendee in 2018 but was so impressed with the applicants from Red Rocks Community College that they found the means to get 6 full scholarships – 3 from the Branch, 2 from the college, and 1 from the Colorado Chemistry Teachers Association. One of the branch members was so committed to the project that she raised $950 by teaching classes in her kitchen on how to make pickled beets.
Several branches have provided scholarships, and especially enjoy hearing feedback from the recipients. AAUW Colorado scholarships are funded by donations from AAUW members and Branches.
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Colorado NCCWSL participants, Allie Wolfe (left) and Merkin Karr (right) with one of the conference speakers.
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Slate of Officers to Be Voted on at Annual Business Meeting
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The AAUW of Colorado Nominating Committee presents the slate of officers for the 2019 Ballot. More detailed biographies for each of the candidates will be provided in the 2019 Convention Booklet.
President Elect: Paula Munger - Colorado Springs
Paula M unger, retired business woman and educator, has held a number of leadership positions in the Colorado Springs branch including president, president elect, vice president of programs, co-vice president of community outreach, and has served on several committees, attended the National Conference in Washington DC, as well as co-chaired the AAUW CO state conference in 2017. This year Paula joined the Colorado State board as co-chair of the Communications Committee. Paula looks forward to serving as President elect, to get to know members and their talents and skills, and to attend branch meetings throughout the state.
Treasurer: Kathy Singer – Grand Junction
 Kathy is currently VP of Membership for the GJ Branch. She is the owner of Mesa Feed Mart, a retail animal feed store, that has been in operation for 50 years and she has owned it for three. She also prepares taxes for a few clients in her own accounting business, Katherine A. Singer Accounting Office. She believes that she would be an asset to the State AAUW because of her long history of accounting experience ( 34 yrs) and knowledge.
Program Development Co-Vice Presidents:
Susan Brodie – Littleton-South Metro
 Susan Brodie has served as VP of Programs for Littleton-South Metro Branch for 2 years. Susan earned a BA in Sociology from Knox College, and Masters degrees from the University of Denver and Bellevue University in International Studies and in Leadership. Susan worked for Nelnet,Inc. as a trainer and Director of Corporate Training and Development for 26 years. Recently retired, Susan has found a new challenge in committing to the AAUW Strategic Plan and its goals of Economic Security throughout a woman’s life.
Diane Fuchs – Lakewood
 Diane Fuchs joined Colorado AAUW in 1978 upon moving back to Colorado. She grew up in Greeley, Colorado and was introduced to AAUW through her mother in Greeley. She has been committed to AAUW and its mission for all these many years. During this time, she served as President of Colorado AAUW 1988-1990. She served several terms as Program VP and Public Policy Director. She is currently a member of the Lakewood branch and was a member of the Evergreen and Foothills branches until they disbanded. She brings leadership skills, experience, and dedication to AAUW to the office of Co-Program VP.
Public Policy Co-Director: Gail Wilson – Littleton-South Metro
 Gail is a BS graduate of Wittenberg College and her MNM in non-profit management from Regis University. She has held many Branch leadership positions, including President and has served on the State Public Policy committee for several years. Based on her experiences in AAUW and other Boards, she understands the political process and follows issues AAUW supports at the state and national level.
Secretary: Kimberly Lourenco – Boulder 
Kim has a BS degree from Rutgers and a Masters in Public Administration – Non-Profit from Kean University. Professionally, she has worked with diverse communities through two different large nonprofits focusing on maternal and child health and family self-sufficiency. In her last position, she was responsible for the creation and evaluation of data systems as well as grant writing, program development, program evaluation and organizational management (documents, communication strategies, fundraising efforts, budgeting, strategic planning).
Thank you to the Nominating Committee : Betty Boyd - Lakewood , Marilyn Leist – Boulder, Virginia Brown – Grand Junction, and Wanda Marker - Loveland . Respectfully submitted, Brenda Wolfe – Colorado Springs, Chair.
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Bylaws Changes to be Voted on at Annual Business Meeting
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Jill Smith, Bylaws Chair, will present proposed bylaws changes at the Annual Business Meeting on April 27, 2019. These proposed bylaws changes were reviewed by Jill Smith, Bylaws Chair; Lois Florkey, former Bylaws Co-Chair; Bev Dare, Treasurer; Carolyn Cooley, Secretary; Linda Groth, former Secretary and current Program Co-VP; and President Stormy McDonald. The proposals were accepted at the Executive Committee meeting, February 1, 2019. Changes require 2/3 vote of members attending.
From ARTICLE VIII. Financial Administration
(National eliminated the ½ price offer for New Members Dues when dues were increased in January, 2018. The state Executive Committee suggested state bylaws eliminate it as well.)
Section 5. New Members. Dues of new members may be paid at any time. The AAUW portion of dues paid by new members between January 1 and March 15 shall be one half the annual AAUW dues. New Member Dues, paid starting March 16, will cover the following year’s annual dues requirement. The state board of directors may set a reduction for state dues.
From ARTICLE IX. Affiliate Officers
(This will increase the number of eligible state members for the office of President-elect.)
Section 4. Qualifications for Office. All officers, elected or appointed, shall be members of AAUW and the state, and shall be chosen with regard to geographical representation when feasible. The president-elect shall have served on a state committee or board of directors.
From ARTICLE X. Duties of Elected Officers
(These changes bring responsibilities to standard, conventional and up-to-date practices)
Section 5. Secretary. The secretary shall:
a. maintain a record in hardcopy format of the proceedings of the Organization Affiliate, of the board of directors, and of the executive committee, and shall keep on file all written reports presented at Organization Affiliate meetings.
b. have available at all meetings have access to a copy of the AAUW Bylaws, the Colorado Bylaws and Operating Policies, and Working Rules, an updated Colorado Leadership Manual, and a listing of current resolutions in force at all meetings.
c. compile a complete roster of the Affiliate and branch officers for distribution to all branches and Affiliate officers (This will be added to the state Operating Policies as a responsibility of the President, who has access to the national database for member information.)
Section 6. Treasurer
f. be bonded and insured in an amount to be determined by the executive committee, purchase and maintain adequate insurance to protect the Affiliate, and any director or officer, with fees to be paid by the state.
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Loveland Branch Supports Local Sculptor
Jody Shadduck McNally
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The Loveland branch requests our fellow Colorado branches’ interest in Loveland sculptor’s monument, Every Word We Utter, that connects present day women with those courageous women who fought for the woman’s right to vote. Click here to see a video of sculptor, Jane De Decker, describing this exceptional monument.
 A team of women, including Jane De Decker and Loveland branch member, Jody Shadduck McNally, have embarked on the 24 Step Commemorative Works Act process to place the monument in Washington DC. The first 10 steps require that Congress pass a bill allowing the placement of the monument. Colorado U.S. Representative, Joe Neguse, rallied bipartisan co-sponsorship from the entire Colorado representative delegation. House Bill, H.R.473 (To authorize the “Every Word We Utter” Monument to establish a commemorative work in the District of Columbia and its environs, and for other purposes...) is awaiting a vote in the Natural Resource Committee. We’d like to see it approved by the House, Senate and President in time for the 19th Amendment’s 100th anniversary, 18 August 2020.
We ask our fellow branches to thank the sponsors of this bill and to encourage our two senators to support this monument. In addition, if you have other groups that can support this, we’d love that help too.
There are upcoming activities this spring related to this project:
- Open house March 30th at the sculptor’s studio 1508 W. 8th Loveland 80537
- April 6th 10:30 am Boulder AAUW meeting
Go to the following links to learn more about this exciting project: Every Word We Utter, Reporter Herald Article.
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Lael F. Porter, Colorado State AAUW President 1992-1994, died November 14, 2018. A Celebration of Life service, led by her daughter The Reverend Paula Porter Leggett, was held in Lakewood, November 24, 2018. The first AAUW study on sexual harassment was released in 1991. Lael worked tirelessly to share this information with local school districts, organizations, and businesses throughout her tenure.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
April 2, 2019, All Women's Equal Pay Day
March 26, 2019, Convention Hotel Reservations Deadline
April 16, 2019, Convention Registration Deadline (No refunds after April 22)
June 30, 2019, Leadership Fund Application Deadline (Application Form to be available online May 1, 2019)
August 1, 2019, Eugenia McClure Grant Application Deadline
August 23 - 24, 2019, Fall Leadership Conference, Holiday Inn Lakewood
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For all state events (State Convention, Fall Leadership Conference, and Public Policy Day), the State Secretary maintains on the website a "Mailbox" of items from these events and state wide messages from branch leaders. If you have information that is to be presented at these events or have information to pass on to the branches, please submit the data to the State Secretary who will then "put" the files in the "Mailbox." This way meeting participants and members not in attendance will have access to all the information. Click here to leave a message for the secretary.
To access the Mailbox, click on the BOARD page and then click on the mailbox. You can't miss it. |
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BRANCHES: TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE YOUR LATEST INFORMATION FOR THE BULLETIN, STATE FACEBOOK, AND STATE WEBSITE, PLEASE SEND CURRENT INFORMATION TO YOUR COMMUNICATIONS CO-CHAIRS, CAROLYN COOLEY AND PAULA MUNGER (click here to leave a message)
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Public Policy Day in Review
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The keynote speaker for this 
