September Program

As we start the new year, Jane Winston and Stephanie Hays have planned a “getting to know you” session using the results of the survey that you were asked to complete. Come to Lowe Toyota September 14, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. for refreshments followed by the program at 7:00 p.m. It is always good to see everyone after a summer off from monthly meetings. By the way, it’s time to pay your dues if you haven’t already. Carrie will be happy to take your money. The dues are $77 for the year with $46 now tax deductible.

Annual Pool Party

President Marlene Humphy continues the annual pool party tradition for the first board meeting of the program year.  Saturday, August 28, the board will meet at 11:00 a.m. followed by a cookout and a dip in her pool.

One Member One Vote

Every member of AAUW will be able to vote for candidates, propose bylaws changes, resolutions, and Public Policy program amendments. This represents a significant change from the older bylaws. AAUW notified all members with email addresses on file of the new system. The AAUW website will be the best resource to keep updated on the developments.
In addition to frequent website and other online updates, key information will be available to all members in the Fall, Winter, and Spring/Summer issues of AAUW Outlook as well. Please log in, explore the One Member, One Vote online system, and familiarize yourself with the process. A Frequently Asked Questions document (FAQ) is available to assist you. To access the online system from the AAUW home page, click on Member Center (in the top right corner), log in with your member ID, and then select One Member, One Vote.
As a reminder, members can find their member ID on the AAUW Outlook mailing label or by using the Member ID Lookup link, which is also available from the log-in page of the Member Center.

State Leadership July 24

Four members of the Warner Robins Branch will be attending the State Leadership meeting Saturday in Riverdale, GA. Marlene Humphry, Wilhemenia Silbey, Evelyn Merk and Ann MacKay will car pool to the event.

The agenda includes sessions on the computer training for the AAUW website, the membership services database and  the membership pilot project as well as public policy considerations for state and branch actions. The new state co-presidents, Debbie Karvey and Marcia Capriotti will chair the meeting.

Humphry New President

Marlene Humphry

Welcome to the new branch president, Marlene Humphry. She is no stranger to leadership in the branch having served as President in 1994 – 1996 and 1998 – 2000. She most recently served as the Program Vice President for the branch and also for the state. In 2001 she received the AAUW GA Woman of Achievement Award Community Service.

Marlene retired from a civilian career as a contract specialist at Robins Air Force Base in 2007. During that time she completed a master’s degree Logistics Administration. She has been recognized for her work with the Albert Berger Award National Contract Management Association Outstanding Leader Award (Chapter and National Level) in 2006. Her first career was in education as a teacher.
The Lions Club of Byron has also benefited from her leadership  and many years of volunteer service. She served two years at  the first women President.  Her long standing volunteer activities and leadership were recently recognized by the Business and Professional Women Club. She received the Woman of Achievement Award this year at the chapter and state level.
Other new officers are Wilhemenia Sibley, Recording Secretary, and Stephanie Hays, Corresponding Secretary. They were installed into office at the May meeting.

Implicit Association Tests

The Gender-Science IAT that was discussed at our April meeting is not the only test of its kind offered by Harvard. These tests may also be of interest to our members:

  • Disabled – Abled
  • Black – White
  • Young – Old
  • Fat – Thin
  • Gay – Straight

The tests take no more than ten minutes to complete and a full list can be found here.

Implicit Association Test

In our April meeting, someone brought to our attention that Harvard has a website dedicated to implicit association tests (IAT). The Gender – Science IAT was discussed as part of the Why So Few? report.

I recently took the test, which can be found here. The results of my test follow:

Your data suggest a moderate association of Male with Science and Female with Liberal Arts compared to Female with Science and Male with Liberal Arts.

I found my results slightly confusing. Even though I wrote my first short story at the age of 4 and have always loved reading, the liberal arts was not my first career path. In fact, the first career paths I chose as a child were (in order and also starting around the age of 4): Astronaut, Mission Control person, Veterinarian, something else regarding animals and Attorney (with possibility of running for Judge or moving to another political office).

I now invite you to take the test and post a comment with your results.

Now Houston-Peach

After 48 years as the AAUW Warner Robins Branch, the membership voted to change the name to Houston-Peach. The new name is more reflective of the geographic make-up of the branch membership. The name change becomes official after approval by  the state board and the AAUW Governance Chair

Article  I Name now reads, ” The name of the organization shall be the American Association of University Women, Houston-Peach Branch, hereinafter called the branch.”

Macon Author Lunch

AAUW Macon Branch is holding a Book and Author Lunch April 10 at 1:00 p.m at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at 753 College Street, Macon, GA 31207. The proceeds from the event fund scholarships for non-traditional students.

This year’s book is Tell Them We Are Singing for Jesus: The Original Fisk Jubilee Singers and Christian Reconstruction, 1871-1878, by Dr. Toni Anderson. Dr. Anderson is professor of Voice and Chair of the Music Department at LaGrange College, GA. She didn’t know much about the Fisk Jubilee Singers until she started teaching at Morris Brown College in Atlanta, a historically black institution

“Being on the music faculty, of course the story of the Fisk Jubilee Singers came up, and I was intrigued,” she said. She was so intrigued that she made the group the topic of her doctoral dissertation at Georgia State University. And now, 15 years later, she published the book.

The book tells the story of the Fisk Jubilee Singers. Between 1871 and 1878, the Jubilee Singers presented concerts featuring the Negro spirituals that won the applause and admiration of the Western world. The rise and renown of the original Fisk Jubilee Singers form one of the most celebrated stories of post-Civil War America.

If you are interested in attending, call Joyce Hudson, Co-President and Treasurer at 478-745-8637. Joy Bernard can also tell you if there will be space. Call her at 478-714-1000.  The $40 book will be available for sale for the special price of $25 at the luncheon. The luncheon tickets are $10.00.

April Program

Dr. Melody Carter, Fort Valley State University’s vice president of external affairs will be the program speaker on April 13. Carter and former FVSU president Dr. Kofi Lomotey co-edited “The Encyclopedia of African American Education,” released by Sage Publishers, a reference guide about African-American contributions in academia.

She was also invited to speak in Brazil at Federal University of São Carlos’ Center of the Education and the Humanites, Department of Methodology last year.