At our May 2015  branch meeting, Nominating Committee presented the following candidates to serve for 2015-2017:
Board Secretary:  Marcy Nader
Branch Co-Secretaries:  Susan Diffenderfer and Sarah Rondeau
Nominating Committee:
 Karen Ludwig
 Mary Lynn Merkle
 Bea Meyer
 Diana Witt
 Mary Womack

These women were unanimously elected and installed at this meeting.  Please give them your support as we move into a new Branch year.

A piece of unfinished business:  We did not elect a President-elect as there were no candidates for this position.  With all the talented women in our Branch, we hope someone will step up and fill this vacancy.  Please contact any member of the Nominating Committee to offer your services or to recommend a qualified person to be considered.

Patricia Fae Ho has been re-elected as President and Board Chair.  Many of you remember Patricia who has attended two previous AAUW of Georgia annual meetings and has been very supportive of our work in Georgia.  Joining her on the Board are Alicia Hetman as Vice Chair and Janet Bunger has been appointed as Board Finance Vice-Chair.
Elected directors include Susan Barley, Malinda Gaul, Ellie Hill, Traci Jensen, Melissa Johnsen, Dot McLane, Rebecca Norlander, Glenda Price, and Pam Thiel.  Two directors were appointed:  Joanna Amberger and Anthony Hill.  Information about these people was published in the Spring/Summer2015  edition of AAUW Outlook.

Only one of the proposed AAUW Bylaws changes was defeated, the one eliminating degree requirements for membership.  The four Public Policy topics were also passed.  Please see the AAUW website for more information.

Remembering that all AAUW members are eligible to vote for candidates and other business items, it is disheartening that only 12% of national membership voted at all.  This percentage exceeds the 5% minimum quorum required by national bylaws.  So we certainly have work to do in this area before the 2017 election.

The last meeting of the 2014-2015 Branch year will be held at Cross Creek Cafe (1221 Cross Creek Parkway NW, Atlanta) on Saturday, May 16., from 11 am to 1:30 pm.  Your presence is requested as we elect and install new officers for the 2015-2016.  There will be a philanthropy update as part of the business meeting.

You will also enjoy a special AAUW Atlanta Branch fashion show, featuring some of the latest trends in clothing from Talbots modeled by our very own members.  Talbots will also offer a 25% discount on clothing purchases made at their Peachtree Battle location.  Members and guests will order from the Cross Creek menu, so everyone will get an individual check for their meal choice.

It is also time to renew your AAUW membership, and Kay Collins will be collecting  Branch dues from those who have not yet paid for the coming year.  So please bring your checkbooks along as we don’t want you to miss out on the events to be planned for 2015-2016.

Evites have been sent out but if you have not received one, please notify Betty Arden (hospitality@aauw.org).  Please respond by May 13 to ensure your reservation.

See you on May 16th!

The AAUW National Election is now underway!  All members are eligible to elect candidates for President, Vice President, the AAUW Board of Directors and other items, such as the proposed Public Policy Program and amendments to the AAUW bylaws.  Online voting will take place from April 15 through May 26. If you know a member who does not have internet access, tell that member to call 1-800-326-2289 to request a paper ballot.  Paper ballots must be postmarked by May 26.

You may have already received an email linking you to the election site.  You can also go directly to the website (aauw.org/resurces/national-election) and click on the vote button.  You will need to enter your member ID and voter PIN to cast your ballot; both of these numbers are on the back cover of the 2015 spring/summer issue of AAUW Outlook.  This issue also contains all the information you need to vote on the Public Policy Program proposal, the proposed Bylaws amendments, and the candidates seeking office.

Please take advantage of this opportunity to shape the future of AAUW by voting!

Family violence is a subject that is frequently in the news, and to learn more about this topic, we are pleased to have Jenny Azzman, LMSW, from the Georgia Commission on Family Violence help us examine this disturbing topic.  Oglethorpe University is the site of our March 21 meeting.  We will gather in the Turner Lynch Campus Center, Trustee Room, at 11 am to hear Jenny, followed by a buffet lunch and business meeting.

The cost of lunch is $20.  If you have not received an evite, please email hospitality@aauwatlanta.org.  Please respond by March 17.  Look forward to see you there!

Plan to attend our annual legislative issues meeting on Saturday, February 7, 2015 from 11 am to 2 pm.  This year’s meeting will be held at the Ansley Golf Club (196 Montgomery Ferry Drive, Atlanta, GA 30309) and the Cobb and North Fulton Branches will be joining us. Directions to Ansley can be found on their website (www.ansleygolfclub.org); their phone number is  404.875.1687.

This year’s panel of speakers include a representative from Georgia Budget and Policy Institute (either Alan Essig or Taifa Butler), Charmaine Davis from 9 -5, and Dalia Racine, District Attorney. The GBPI representative will speak about Budget issues in the Georgia Legislature. Charmaine Davis will speak on HB 290 (the Family Care Act) and Dalia Racine will speak on “Human Trafficking.”  Lunch will follow the panel presentation; the cost of lunch is $25.00.

This is always an informative meeting with a great lunch in a beautiful setting.  You will receive an evite, so please respond by January 28.  Please plan to attend.

See you on February 7th!