Convention 2008: Public Policy Briefing (Saturday, April 5)

Charlotte Newhart, AAUW CA's legislative advocate, presented the briefing.

Briefing background: California is the sixth largest economy in the world, and we have a $6M deficit. This is the CA budget process:

• The governor proposes a budget by January 10 and gives to the California Legislature.
• The legislature designs its own budget and returns it to the governor for approval.
• Unlike the federal budget, California law requires that the state budget be balanced.
• Budget approval requires a 2/3 vote of the legislature. Unfortunately, the legislature is currently short on moderate members; most are far left or far right, making consensus very difficult.
  

Republicans fight tax increases, so where would money come from to balance the budget? Money is likely to come from the three largest budget items:

• Education: music, arts and class sizes are at risk.
• Health care: 50% of babies born are on Medical; cuts tend to be dental, podiatry.
• Prisons: California has some of the strictest sentencing laws in the country.

Charlotte urges us to talk to our legislators about our priorities. Solutions don't always have to be cuts. E.g., a vehicle tax, an alcohol tax, and/or increased fees are all possibilities for increasing income.

The AAUW CA bill package [handed out at the briefing] includes two statements crafted by the AAUW CA Public Policy Committee and approved by the AAUW CA Board. Charlotte urges us to make copies and give then to our local legislators. California has a professional legislature, meaning they work full-time. Typically they are in session Monday noon through Thursday noon, and they are in their home office on Fridays, waiting for our visits.

Of particular note in the new AAUW CA bill package:

• SB1712 (Midgen): Adulterated Cosmetics. This "lipstick bill" is one of our most important bills. The bill would permit the marketing of only lead-free lipstick in California. Lead is a neurotoxin which could have a variety of negative side effects.
• SB1578 (Florez): California Title IX - support if amended. This would be an audit bill to see if public institutions are in compliance with Title IX. This may lead to an additional bill next year: requiring that public universities have gender equity offices.
• AB2159 (Brownley): Education Funding. This bill proposes fewer strings on money allocated to school districts.

These are priority bills. Charlotte works on lower priority bills, too.

AAUW CA President and Director of Public Policy added this: The following bills, listed in our public policy handout, were both killed in the CA Assembly Education Committee last week - AB2085 (Huff) and AB2086 (Huff).

Convention 2008: Advancing Equity through Research (plenary, April 5)

Presented by Catherine Hill, Ph.D., AAUW Director of Research

"Don't believe everything you think." What we know to be true changes. Years ago, everyone knew women couldn't be doctors. Ha.

AAUW's first research report confirmed that higher education did not hurt a woman's health. This was the beginning of AAUW's tradition of examining evidence. Later research included:

• 1913 - AAUW's first study on pay equity.
• 1953 - AAUW's study on the use of media in forming public opinion. We had 140K members at the time. The report examined the new media of the day.
• 1988 - The Eleanor Roosevelt Fund was founded, producing 25 reports in 20 years.
• 1992 - "How Schools Shortchange Girls." A murmured complaint followed: that our research was hurting boys.
• 2008 - [to be released] "Where the Girls Are: the Facts about Gender Equity in Education."

Along the way, 100K people downloaded "Behind the Pay Gap," showing the power of the Web.

Our research keeps AAUW in the limelight, and people want to hear from us. AAUW has made recent headlines at cnn.com, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, NPR, and other media outlets.

As AAUW members, we need to make these reports our own for our one-on-one connections with other people. It's a great way to start a conversation.

Three points the new study shows:

• When girls' scores go up, so do boys'. The report looks at high school graduation rates, SAT and ACT scores, and other sources.
• In states where girls do well, boys do well. There is no evidence that girls are hurting boys' achievement.
• A majority of low income girls are low in math proficiency in high school. Higher income girls are proficient. Therefore, family income remains important in the achievement of proficiency.

We are asked to make our general branch membership aware of new reports. Share the reports, then ask for responses from membership. The research reports have served as the basis for AAUW programming for the last 15 years.

Catherine asks us to recommend a topic to be the next AAUW research project on the AAUW blog.

Convention 2008: AAUW Educational Foundation/Legal Advocacy Fund Luncheon (Saturday, April 5)

Attendees were greeted by Eleanor Roosevelt (sometimes called Carolann Ford) and the Honorable Sandra Day O'Connor (sometimes called Dana Cox).

The luncheon provided attendees the opportunity to see the benefits achieved through their donations to the AAUW Educational Foundation (EF) and AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund (LAF).

AAUW Educational Foundation Speaker Abby Enscoe

Abby Enscoe, an AAUW Selected Professions Fellow 2007-08, was the first to speak. Abbe is a master's student in the Structural Engineering Division of the UC Berkeley Department of Civil Engineering. Her talk was called "Green Engineering: A Structural Approach." She introducted us specifically to fly-ash concrete (improved concrete that uses a byproduct of the coal industry) and post-tensioned columns (useful in earthquake country).

After studying physics at Harvard, an interest in architecture led Abby to work as a volunteer carpenter for two years with Habitat for Humanity. Abby reports that she loved the feeling of accomplishment that she had at the end of each day. She also credits Habitat with giving her an introduction to sustainable living structures. Her program at Cal is a perfect coupling her spatial skills with her mathematical skills.

AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund Speakers Michael Terhost and Paul Thein
The LAF side of the program featured two speakers: Attorney Michael Terhost, representing three Feather River Community College litigants, and Paul Thein, a former administrator at Feather River and one of Terhost's litigants. Michael outlined the three cases, after which Paul told his personal story.

Beginning in 1999, Paul served as Vice President of Student Services, Athletic Director and Dean of Students at Feather River. His 2007 contract was not renewed, no doubt a result of his complaining about the release of an outstanding woman basketball coach (the college president said the coach--a basketball All-American herself--did not fit in) and the college's refusal to report to the U.S. Department of Education inappropriate behavior with minor students by a staff member whose position was funded by the Department of Education. Paul has sued the college for retaliation for complaining of sex discrimination in violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Regarding the woman coach who was let go, the college now says, "We may not have treated her right."

Part of the impact of Paul's firing is his inability to find work in academia. Rumors spread quickly, even when they are not based upon fact. Paul sent applications to 90 institutions and had one interview. He now works in construction in Alabama. He hopes that he will be able to return to academia once the court hears and decides on his case next year. Though the financial and personal impact on his family has been considerable, Paul says: "I don't want to go away quietly because then nobody wins."

Convention 2008: Achieving Equity through Advocacy (Plenary April 5)

• Moderator: Chris Winter, Past AAUW Director of Public Policy
• Beth McGovern, Legislative Director, CA Commission on the Status of Women
• Jenny Erwin, Regional Administrator of the Women's Bureau, U.S Department of Labor, Region 9
• Jacque Page, member of the Executive Council of AARP
• Helen Grieco, Executive Director, National Organization for Women (CA NOW)
• Patricia Dilks, National Women's Political Caucus (NWPC) board member
  

McGovern: The commission was founded by Gov. Ronald Reagan. Last year, the commission held hearings around the state, where they heard about real problems facing women in the state [partial list]:

• Unmet needs of women veterans
• Sexually exploited teen girls
• Needs of caregivers, giving care to young children and the elderly
• Sexually exploited female farm workers

The hearing had the effect of energizing the commission. They have developed a public policy agenda, available online. More hearings are coming up. Sign up for the commission's mailing list. An important project for the commission this year is:

• Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act: Important for women's access to reproductive health clinics. It's a federal act; the commission is getting active in bringing effective implementation, especially enforcement, in California.

Erwin: Her topic was "The Face of Older Women Workers in Today's Labor Force." Have you seen the 1943 guide to hiring women? It was written for male supervisors and included the admonition to hire married women and to try to hire older women who have worked outside the home in the past because they are less cantankerous and fussy.

The workplace of the 21st century is in major change. Fewer people are in the pipeline to become workers. The "silver tsunami": Baby boomers became eligible for Social Security this year. Attrition is a huge threat to our economy. But there are opportunities for older women in the workplace.

The Women's Bureau advocates for increased flexibility in policies in the workplace. The bureau offers resources for women's financial literacy.

Page: AARP's founder, a retired high school principal, advocated for educational opportunities for diverse members of the community, including women. AARP's motto: "To serve, not to be served." AARP is now 50 years old. AARP provides advocacy, education, philanthropy, and service. Elderly women are twice as likely to be poor as elderly men. AARP's new public effort is called Divided we fail. See dividedwefail.org.

Grieco: CA NOW has 55,000 members and donors. CA NOW has both a PAC for non-partisan public policy advocacy and a foundation for education. Feminism (and NOW) wants every woman to be educated, safe, and healthy. CA NOW's new campaign: I [heart] consensual sex.

Dilks: She's issues chair of NWPC of California. Its primary mission is to identify, recruit, and promote pro-choice candidates for office. NWPC partners with AAUW, League of Women Voters and other organizations in California. A parental notification bill is coming up for the third time in the California legislature. These organizations are working against it--again. In Washington, DC, NWPC's focus is fairness for women who are in politics. E.g., the media has criticized Hillary Clinton's hair and clothing. Another focus: Anti-choice activism, which is on the rise. NWPC's goal: 50/50 by 20/20.

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.

- o -

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!