May/June2009

Presidents’ Message

AsDawnandIreflectedonourtwo‐yeartermasco‐presidents,wearemostproudofhowwelltheBranchmembersworkedtogether.Membersralliedtoassistwiththebooksalesandtheproceedswereunprecedented,andwemettheBranch’scommitmenttosupportscholarships.Weusedthepayequityeventstohelpraiseawarenessofthestatusofwomenintheworkplace.Wehadtwowell‐attendedsoupandfilmgatheringswhereweshareddelicioushomemadesoupsandthoughtfuldiscussions.Membershipremainedstable.Wehostedthe“ThreeCupsofTea”presentationbyJereneMortensonandhadoutstandingBranchandcommunityparticipationandraisedalmost$3500tosupporttheCentralAsiaInstitute.WehadstimulatingpresentationsfromguestlikeCathySultandiscussingherlatestbookandKateBowmanexplainingthethreewavesoffeminism.WecelebratedtheBranch’s50thanniversarywithagrandeventatFannyHill.AllofthiswaspossiblebecauseofYOU.WewouldalsoliketoexpressourappreciationtoeachandeveryoneofyouforyoursupportandespeciallyourfellowofficersandtheBoardmembers.YouparticipatedinBoardandBranchmeetings,offeringwonderfulguidancetotheorganization.WerepresentedtheBranchandmadeourpresenceknownattheStateConventionandhavetwovery

abledelegates(LoisHellandandDonnaWeidman)slatedtoattendtheNationalAAUWconferencethissummer.Wehaveacommittedslateofofficerstostepinandassumetheirrespectiverollsforthecomingyear.WehaveawebpresencewithourBranchwebsiteandournewsletter,Foliagehasalsomovedintothedigitalworldwithelectronicdistribution.BasedonthediscussionattheplanningmeetingonMay17,weknowtherewillmuchtolookforwardtoin2009‐2010.WealsoanticipatetherewillbesomemajorchangesinAAUWinthecomingyearsandhaveeveryconfidencewewillcontinuetohaveastrongAAUW‐EauClaireBranch.Thankyouall!!WepledgeoursupporttoournewPresident,KateHinnantandherBoardsothatwemaycontinuebreakingthroughbarriersforwomenandgirlsforatleastanother50years.CleoPowers(powerscj@uwec.edu)834‐0794DawnBosold(dbosold@hotmail.com)835‐4055

BookGroup:BookgroupwillmeetTuesday,June2at7:30PMatGinnyJordan's.OurbookisBloodofFlowersbyAnitaAmirrezvani.OursummerbookisAhab'sWifebySenaJeterNaslund,soournextbookgroupwillbethefirstTuesdayofSeptember.Bringideasfornextyear'sreadingsowecanstartworkingonournextreadinglist.ChrisKondrasuk835‐1683chris@chrisray.org

Reminder:DuesbyJune20thYourannualAAUWMembershipDuesareduefor2009‐10.Theduesamountforregularmembersif$70.PleasePayDuesPriorToJune20,2009.IneedtoremittheduestobothstateandnationalbyJune30,2009.Theduesscheduleisasfollows:Regularrenewingmembers...............$70Lifemembers.............................$21Studentmembers.........................$33PleasemakeyourcheckpayabletoAAUW‐EauClaireBranchandmailitto:DonnaM.Weidman3112MercuryAvenueEauClaire,WI54703‐0909

AuthorandAAUWmemberCathySultanwasoneofthreefinalistshonoredinthepoliticalsciencecategorybytheMidwestIndependentPublishersAssociation(MPIA)forherbook'TragedyinSouthLebanon:TheIsraeli‐HezbollahWarof2006.'Congratulations,Cathy.

Thethree"greenbaskets"fromourbranchbroughtin$154attheLAFauction!Thetotalforallbasketsattheauctionwas$2571.

theRowdy Branch: AAUW­EauClaireatConventionbyKateHinnantInApril,IwenttotheStateConventionforthefirsttime.AfterhavingbeendraggedintotheorganizationsomesevenyearsagobythelikesofMaryHaydenandKarenPope,IdecidedtomakethetrektoWisconsinRapids.Thecarridethereandbackwouldhavebeenworththetripalone–wehadconvivial,spiriteddiscussionsaboutAAUW,EauClaire,politicsandIevenlearnedalittlebitaboutmyfellowtravelers’earlyromances.Atconvention,Iwasabletoconferwiththestate“Webminder,”whohasdonealotofworktomakethestatewebsitemoreusefultomembers.IalsoattendedafascinatingpanelonScience,Technology,Engineering,andMatheducation,whereschoolofficialsfromtheareaspokeabouthowtheywereabletoprioritizeSTEMeducationeveninatimeofdecliningbudgets.AndIgottobrushuponmyRobert’sRulesofOrder.Weearnedthemoniker“therowdybranch,”anhonorificIhopeweupholdnextyear.Anyguesseswhywegotthename?

MargotandLoishamitupasStateBoardMembers;EauClairedelegatesclockwisefromtopleft:CleoPowers,LoisHelland,MaryHayden,LindaSpaeth,MargotBouchard,KateHinnant,andKimWellnitz.

ConventionHaikubyMaryHaydenBarriersbreakingChangeandoptimismthriveEauClairegroupalive

MeetinganActivistandBecomingOnebyMaryHaydenAAUWmemberssaythatthegreatpartofattendinganAAUWconventionismeetingmanyvibrantandintelligentpeople.Well,thislastconventionwasoverthetop!Iwassittingatbreakfastwithotherpublicpolicychairs,whensomeonesaid,“HerecomesLisa!”LisaMaatzsatnexttome,andIaskedwhoshewas.ItturnsoutthatsheisournationalDirectorofPublicPolicyandGovernmentRelationsandarealdynamoofawoman.Shewasjustcomingoffanaction‐packedweek,chockfullofEquityDaypromotions,testifyingonCapitolHill,andtheAAUWevaluationofPresidentObama’sfirst100days.Whew!LisaralliedtheentireconventiontobecomelobbyistsonthespotandtocallSenatorHerbKohl.Asindividuals,wearenotalwayssoeasilymovedtoaction,butsheinspiredustocallKohl’slocalrepresentative—andhisWashingtonoffice,tofillhisvoicemailboxes.ShesaidtothankhimforhispastsupportofAAUWissues,(hescores100%insupportofourissues),andtoaskhimtosignonasaco‐sponsorofS.182,abilltoamendtheFairLaborStandardsAct.Thisbillwillprovidemoreeffectiveremediestovictimsofdiscriminationinthepaymentofwagesonthebasisofsex.AsofMay18,SenatorKohlhadnotsignedonasaco‐sponsor,soyoucanbeanactivist,too,bycallinghislocalrepresentativeat832‐8424,calltheWashingtonofficeat202‐224‐5653,orusetheTwoMinuteActivistatwww.aauw.orgMaryHaydenPublicPolicyChair

LisaMaatzAAUWDirectorofPublicPolicyandGovernmentRelations

“bepolitelypersistent”

‐LisaMaatz’sinstructionsforcontactinglegislators.ShecreditsthislongtimeAAUWapproachforourstatureinWashington,D.C.

Women’sStudiesatUW‐EauClaire:25Years!SarahHarderhonoredThewomen’sstudiesprogramatUW‐EauClairerecentlyhonoredSarahHarderattheprogram’s25thanniversarycelebration.Aportionofthecelebrationfocusedonanoralhistoryprojectconductedbyapublichistorygraduatestudent,andfiveundergraduatesinDr.KatherineRhoades'"FeministAnalysisandPractices"course.ThestudentsrecordedinterviewswithsevenaccomplishedwomenandonemanwhohavemadesignificantcontributionstoUW‐EauClaire'swomen'sstudiesprogramandtofeminismintheChippewaValley.InadditiontoSarah,theoralhistoryprojectincludesinterviewswithAAUWmembersDr.Rose‐MarieAvinandKatieBowman,plusBarbaraBlackdeer‐Mackenzie,CarolFairbanks,Dr.DavidJones,Dr.SusanTurellandKayingXiong.Theyallhadstoriestotellaboutwomen'sanddiversityissuesand/ortheirpersonalstrugglestoachievetheirgoals.OurbranchisproudtoseeSarahfeaturedinthepublicationthatwasproducedaspartoftheproject,andinanexhibit.BothofthesedocumentSarah’slifeasafeminist.ThecoverofVisionsfeaturesherasshemarchedinsupportoftheERAin1980.AnonlineversioncanbefoundatVisionMagazine,completewithvideoandimages.TheexhibitcanbeviewedonsecondfloorofUW‐EauClaire’sMcIntyreLibrary.SarahhasbeenanAAUW‐EauClairebranchmemberformanyyears,andfrom1985to1989sheservedastheAAUWnationalpresidentandboardchairmanoftheEducationalFoundation.ShecurrentlyservesaspresidentoftheNationalPeaceFoundation.WhenyouseeSarahatbranchmeetings,pleasecongratulateherandthankherforheractivisminsupportofwomen’sissues.

AAUW VISION STATEMENT - AAUW will be a powerful advocate and visible leader in equity and education through research, philanthropy, and measurable change in critical areas impacting the lives of women and girls..

AAUW MISSION - AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education and research. FOLIAGE - Newsle t ter o f the American Assoc iat ion o f Univers i ty Women - Eau Claire Branch Send or call items of interest to Kate Hinnant, kate.hinnant@gmail.com, 831-0182, 220 Roosevelt Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701

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TBA–Staytunedforanemailannouncingthebranchsummersocialevent:dinneratHaymarketGrillandmusicataPhoenixParkSoundsLikeSummerConcert.HaveawonderfulsummerandstaytunedforthefirstfallissueofFoliage.

220 Roosevelt Ave

Eau Claire, WI 54701