On March 31, AAUW of North Carolina passed a similar resolution. See www.aauwnc.org for additional information.

Update: The amendment passed in the May 8 primary election. The long term consequences of the wording which removes recognition of domestic civil unions as well as confirming the state’s law against gay marriage will be worked out through the courts.

The results of the online branch ballot were announced. 71 of 122 members voted.

• The resolution against the constitutional amendment on the NC primary ballot this spring passed: 62 in favor, 4 opposed, 5 abstained
• All candidates for the branch board were elected
• Details of election results.

For more information on other aspects of the branch, see the annual report, which was distributed at the meeting.

We are a membership organization and this branch, in particular, welcomes those who would like to “join the conversation” about equity and education for women and girls. Through April 2, we have a discount on new memberships to celebrate the end of Women’s History Month: $40 instead of the usual $65 for a membership through 6/30/2013.

This discount has expired. Please see our regular Join Now page if you’d like to get connected. If you do need discounted dues in order to join us, please write info@tarheel.aauwnc.org and we’ll see what we can do.

Saturday, March 31
8:15 – 8:50 am
Country Suites, Burlington

as part of the annual meeting of AAUW NC.

We will introduce members of the 2012-2013 board (election of officers going on now), and celebrate another year of growth for the branch. Come and share what you want to get from this branch — and what you might be willing to contribute.

The formal meeting will be short, but there will be opportunities for networking Friday evening and during lunch on Saturday.

Note that the 9:00 speaker for the AAUW NC meeting will be Patricia Ho, member of the AAUW board of directors, with a message about what’s happening in AAUW across the country.

So, if you can’t join us for the whole day on Saturday, please consider coming for the 8:00-10:15 segment.

Online registration is now open:
http://www.aauwnc.org/events/2012-annual-meeting-registration/

The registration fee is $15 for the meeting, but if you are coming just for the THB meeting and Ho’s presentation, contact info@tarheel.aauwnc.org if you’d like me to look into getting that waived.

We will be accepting 2012-2013 branch dues ($5) from members of other branches in NC at the meeting. If you haven’t yet joined our community of members who enjoy the benefits of connecting with other members across the state, consider joining at the event.

Talking points on the resolution were also sent to the list. If you need a copy of those, please check the list archives or contact info@tarheel.aauwnc.org.

A valid election requires a vote from at least 20% of the branch members. As of February 28, there are 124 members, so that requirement will be met if 25 members vote.

Branch members as of Feb. 28 will receive a link to an online ballot by email. Those members who do not use email will be contacted by US Mail, phone, or personal visit about this ballot.

In all cases, the ballot will give “yes/no/abstain” options.

Motion

Here is the text of the resolution opposing the Defense of Marriage amendment that will be on the ballot in the May 8, 2012 North Carolina primary.

Resolution against 2012 NC Amendment One

This was sent to the branch email list for comments or amendments. No one proposed any changes to this text.

Branch members may vote Yes/No/Abstain to pass the resolution. The abstention option might appeal to those who live out of state and haven’t been following the press on the details of the North Carolina amendment. However, nothing in our bylaws prevents such members from voting on this issue and offering their guidance as AAUW members to North Carolinians. Six of our 124 members have addresses outside of NC.

If the resolution passes, members may refer to the position of the branch when discussing the amendment.

If the resolution fails to pass, members cannot cite this as evidence that the branch supports the amendment since that would be contrary to a national position on the issue.

Candidates for branch board

The candidates for election of Tar Heel Branch officers of the Tar Heel Branch  are listed below. Members will vote for one candidate for president, one candidate for treasurer, and up to seven candidates for director-at-large. Write-in candidates are allowed as long as the consent of the candidate has been received in advance. Candidates receiving a majority of the votes cast shall be elected.

Thanks to the 2012 nominating committee: Mari Pino del Rosario and Doris Bernlohr.

Candidate for President: Nancy Shoemaker

Nancy joined AAUW in 1993 and AAUW NC in 1996. She co-founded the Tar Heel Branch as a model to serve AAUW members in North Carolina who wanted a connection to AAUW NC but for whom community-based branches either weren’t an option or weren’t a good fit. She has served the branch as treasurer and web manager and (since July 1, 2011) as president. She is also currently serving on the AAUW Leadership Corps, primarily to help other states understand what we’ve accomplished here with the Tar Heel Branch.

She hopes to lead this branch through another year of growth, solidifying its processes and improving the ways it supports its members in advancing the AAUW mission. Her academic background is in mathematics, her professional life has been spent in a variety of computer support/consulting roles. She also serves on the NC Women United board. She lives in Wake County with her husband.

Candidate for Treasurer: Lyndee Champion Ivey

Lyndee is a native of North Carolina and lived in the Raleigh/Durham area until 2001 when she moved to Charlotte. She attended Duke University and was employed there for 13 years working in graduate student affairs. While living in Durham she was an active volunteer and instructor for the American Red Cross in Health and Safety Services and Disaster Relief. She is now employed at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte as an Executive Assistant to the Provost.

Prior to college Lyndee enlisted in the US Army Reserves where she met her husband, David. She and her husband have one son, Joshua who is six and keeps them both very busy. Lyndee enjoys writing poetry, listening to music, and riding motorcycles with her husband.

She has been serving as branch treasurer since July 1, 2011.

Candidates for Director at Large:

Mari Pino del Rosario

Mari Pino del Rosario was born and raised in Gran Canaria, Spain. She studied music in Germany where she met her husband, pianist John Salmon. John and Mari Pino are the proud parents of twin daughters who attend public school in Guilford County. Mari Pino holds the Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Texas at Austin and the PhD in Spanish from Florida State University. She has been teaching at Greensboro College since 1990. Her interests include women’s and film studies, literature, and language. Right now Mari Pino is concerned that federal, state, and local governments will jeopardize viably educating next generations in an attempt to reduce the deficit or balance the budget. She has served on the branch board since July 1, 2010.

Grace Knechtel

Grace has been a member of AAUW for about 35 years. She held positions in the Syracuse, NY branch as president, program vice president, and newsletter editor. While in New York, she served the AAUW NYS as Region III director, membership coordinator and community representative. Grace was elected to two terms on the AAUW NY board as state secretary. In the brief time Grace lived in Charleston, SC, she was elected branch program VP. She has served the Raleigh branch as treasurer twice and has worked as a director on the governing council. She was elected as AAUW NC state program vice president 2001-2003. Grace has also served as nominating committee chair for both AAUW NC and the Tar Heel Branch. She was first elected to the branch board for 2011-2012 and has served as its fundraising chair.

Monique Stamps

Monique is one of the two North Carolina representatives to the Vision 2020 program of Drexel University whose goal is to make equality a national priority through the shared leadership among women and men.  A 2012 priority of the program is She Rocks the Vote to encourage women to vote and to be engaged in the political process.

Since 2004 she has worked as a Peer Advocate at Disability Rights & Resources in Charlotte, N.C.  She serves a the chairperson of the Gaston County Advocacy Council for People with Disabilities, a monthly advocacy meeting bringing together policymakers, municipal representatives, and people with disabilities.

Stamps has a B.S. from Winthrop University in Social Work, and is also a member of the AAUW Charlotte branch. She lives in Charlotte with her daughter, Camryn, and son, Jordan: Her children are what drive her to remain a woman who is steadfast, confident, strong, and creative.

Cheryl Waters-Tormey

Cheryl is a new member to AAUW.  She is a North Carolina native, and attended Duke University as an undergraduate and UNC for her MS.  She has been on the faculty at Western Carolina since receiving her PhD in structural geology in 2004. She is in her second year as Vice Chair of the Faculty.  She is excited to represent WCU in AAUW NC and the Tar Heel Branch.

Carol Zellen

Carol is a life member of AAUW.  She has been a member for thirty-eight years. She is currently a member of the Chapel Hill Branch and a dual member of the Tar Heel Branch.  Prior to her move to Cary two years ago, she was a member of the Palos-Orland Branch in Illinois.  She served as President, Program Chair and Topic Chair. Carol was also active on the Illinois State Board where she was Topic Chair and Publicity Chair.  In 1989-1990 and 2000-2001, Carol was honored with two named gifts to the Educational Foundation. She also served as founding board member of a shelter for domestic violence victims and their children for thirty years.  The shelter was a product of an EFP grant received during her presidency.Carol is also a licensed multi-engine and instrument pilot and ground school instructor. Carol was also a participant in the teacher in space program. She earned her BA at Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin and her MA at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana.

Our percentage of dual members (those who pay AAUW dues through another branch) is much higher than for most branches, so it may be more useful to look at the growth in the member of primary members.  We had 42 primary members as of 2/1/2011 and 72 as of today — a growth rate of more than 70%.

Tar Heel Branch Membership 2008-2012

• Financial report for July 2011-Jan 2012

The branch continues on a sound financial footing with total cash assets of nearly $800 . If you want more detailed inforamtion, please contact treasurer@tarheel.aauwnc.org.

Our debt ceiling discount program did not adversely affect the branch finances:

• Four people took advantage of the discounts, paying a total of $120
• The branch owed AAUW/AAUW NC a total of $240 for their national and state dues.
• However, the branch used two $49 credits from AAUW to partially cover the dues, and so used only $22 ($240-98-120) from the branch funds to keep those four people connected to AAUW.

Alison Kiser and Becky Mock

The Planned Parenthood of Central North Carolina 2012 Champions of Choice Breakfast was an energizing and inspiring event on January 19.

The highlight for me was seeing Becky Mock receive the PPCNC Margaret Sanger award for lifetime contributions to advancing women’s rights. Alison Kiser, who grew up in Alamance County and considers Becky one of her mentors, presented the award.

Both Becky and Alison are members of the branch. Other AAUW members there were  Anne Mackie and Dana Jennings from the Tar Heel Branch, Lisa Price and Dona Jean Koeberl from the Chapel Hill Branch, and national member Laura Roselle. If I missed seeing you, please let me know or post a comment!

If you’re near enough to Chapel Hill to attend this event mark your calendar for next January and plan to celebrate the anniversary of Roe v. Wade with friends from around the region.

For more information see the event on the Ipas Facebook page.

More than 100 people from a wide range of organizations are expected. Join us for a great evening!

On October 23, along with the Chapel Hill and Greensboro branches we hosted a reception for the AAUW Fellows in the state.

On November 2, we partnered with other NC Women United members (especially NC MomsRising) to staff the NCWU booth at the NC Conference for Women and, in particular, spread the word about the HERVotes project. (AAUW and MomsRising were two of the initial members of the HERVotes coalition at the national level.)

Please check these links for pictures of our members:

• AAUW NC post on the reception
• AAUW NC post on the conference
• Branch Facebook group (members only)