Covention 2008: The Mission - Sharpening our Focus (first plenary, April 4)

Jo Harberson, AAUW CA Bylaws Chair, announced: This is the 20th anniversary of the Eleanor Roosevelt Fund. The fund has produced 24 research reports--the latest being "Behind the Pay Gap"--since its founding. Jo will match all donations to the Eleanor Roosevelt Fund this weekend.

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Ruth Sweetser, President, American Association of University Women, provided a preview of the new leadership development DVD. The DVD introduces AAUW Executive Director Linda Hallman making these points:

• Those who are great leaders are ambitious for the benefit for the organization, not themselves. The DVD is designed to be a training resource for branches. Portions of it will be on the Association Web site. Our shared values were the thing that attracted Linda to AAUW. We believe that education is the door to opportunity, and women are the purveyors of this value. But our work is far from over. We have not done enough. AAUW's value promise includes:

• We expect a fair chance to compete.
• We seek measurable change.

• Equity is not a privilege; it's a right.

Ruth indicates that AAUW is in the middle of a strategic design process. A strategic process roadmap was published in 2006. It's a reinvention of AAUW for the 21st century. The value promise is what we promise to anyone who wants to join us, fund us, or collaborate with us. It answers the question, "What's in this for me?" It's a promise of value. AAUW is a value-based community-based organization (CBO).

What will the strategic design do? It will cause us to change from a federation to an association. AAUW's legacy has been: "Study. Action." We will see ourselves as citizens of AAUW. It includes a responsibility for us to reach out. AAUW will embrace the five Fs: fast/flat/flexible/focused/friendly.

Ruth ended her presentation with this question: "Are you up to it?" Her answer was a resounding Yes!