ELECTED OFFICERS (2 year term–2 term maximum)

President

• Develop agendas for meetings, distribute pre- and post-meeting materials, and preside at board meetings and the annual meeting. Set meeting dates and venue/s.
• Write a monthly column for the newsletter or a message on the cover letter for the newsletter email (optional).
• Welcome remarks at meetings, including encouraging non-members to join and audience contributions to pass-the-hat fundraising (when appropriate).
• Appoint nominating committee annually (usually at January meeting)

Secretary

• Attend and take minutes at the annual membership meeting (June) and all board meetings.
• Send draft minutes to President for her revision as necessary, distribution to board members, and posting on website.
• Time commitment is greatest after annual membership meeting (June) and board meetings.

Treasurer

• Collect national and local dues each year by June 30. Send dues, along with dues report form, to National office. As new members join, submit dues and supplemental forms to National office.

• 1. Maintain Branch membership listing on the National website). Update and correct listings. Send a copy of membership list to Communications Chair and President.
  2. File 990–N annually.
  3. Receive checks (and/or deposit receipts) for scholarships, theater fundraiser, social luncheon, and any other donations or income for the Branch. Often times checks will come in a batch from the appropriate chair. Endorse and deposit all checks and other money (such as cash from pass-the-hat donations).
  4. Maintain checking account; reconcile bank statements monthly.
  5. Provide Branch President with quarterly financial reports, including an income/expense report (cumulative) and an account of fund balances. Provide a similar report to the board at board meetings.
  6. Participate on the ad hoc Budget Committee.
  7. Pay authorized expenses of the Branch. All expenditures need written backup. Some expenditures are pass-through, i.e., all funds collected for the LAF were remitted to the National office with the appropriate Contribution form.
• After board elections in June, make sure signatures for banking are up to date. Signatories have traditionally been, at the least, the Treasurer and President.

• Time commitment is greatest in March (social luncheon and LAF), June-July (membership) and September/October (Silent Angels and theater fundraiser).

APPOINTED OFFICERS 

Communications Chair

• Maintains website (in conjunction with the Newsletter Editor).
• Maintains membership email list (in conjunction with Treasurer and Membership Chairs).
• Builds email cover for newsletter distribution.
• Creates and distributes membership-wide email blasts as requested by other board members.
• Assists and substitutes for Newsletter Editor.

Corresponding Secretary

• Write and mail correspondences as directed by the President, including, for example, personal notes to members on occasions appropriate for recognition (e.g., congratulations, sympathy, get well).

Diversity Officer  (Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Definitions)

• Work with board to incorporate inclusive practices into branch activities. (Including: member engagement, training, public events, communication).
• With the board, develop initiatives for the recruitment and retention of diverse members, working towards the goal of creating a branch membership that is diverse, inclusive and reflective of our community.  (Creating an environment where all members feel included, engaged and valued.)
• Serve as key contact for external diversity partnerships, and National AAUW Inclusion and Equity committee.
• Take on other diversity projects as assigned.

Media Liaison/Publicity Chair 

• Keep in touch with Program Committee to determine upcoming public meetings.
• Watch for other publicity opportunities regarding the Branch (such as election of officers).
• Research and gather information about the speaker or program, dates, time, place, etc.
• Write press release about the upcoming program.
• Send press release to area media outlets in a timely fashion.
• Supply quotes for officers as requested.
• Update and maintain press list and cultivate media contacts.

Membership Chair 

• Enrolling new members—This involves mailing our membership packet to the prospective member.
  • The membership packet includes four items: our Branch brochure (which has application form), National brochure, self-addressed stamped envelope to be mailed back to Co-chair, and personal note with instructions and welcome.
  •  Once the Co-chair receives the application form and dues payment, she provides Newsletter Chair/s and President with the new member’s contact and college information for the newsletter and President for a letter of welcome.  The Co-chair also mails the application form with dues check to the Treasurer.

• Maintaining name tags—These are worn at private meetings.  New members get a small green ribbon attached to their name tag for the first year.
• Maintaining guest notebook:—The notebook is brought to every meeting, along with copies of our brochure, informational material from National, and extra pens.    The Co-chair then contacts anyone who has expressed an interest in joining or in learning more about our programs.
• Recruiting prospective members—Talking about AAUW to people you meet in other situations (neighborhood, work, church, other organizations) who you feel may be interested in becoming members. Giving them a brochure and inviting them to come to a meeting as a guest is a good first step.

Membership Directory

Compiled by President, Treasurer, Communications and Membership.

Newsletter Editor 

• Send out a “call for copy” to program chairs and other board members each month, requesting information about upcoming programs, calendar items and other content, and setting a deadline for material to be included in the next issue. Members should write the copy for their stories so that the editor can focus on assembling and editing the newsletter.
• Create structure for each month’s newsletter using the AAUW Bennington website.
• Assemble the newsletter and draft columns as needed.
• Include calendar of events with dates, times, and venues.
• Send newsletter to members once a month from August through June. Members receive an email with a link to the current issue, which is stored on the AAUW Bennington website.

Program Committee Chair 

• The Program Committee consists of a Chairperson, two to three members, and representatives from other committees that are needed to carry out programs, usually Publicity, Hospitality and the Newsletter. The chairperson calls meetings, chairs them, often takes minutes, sends updates to the board and attends board meetings.
• The Committee’s responsibility is to identify and arrange for monthly programs from September to June. This is separate from the meetings of interest groups, such as the Scribble Sisters and the book group, who arrange their own meetings. Annual programs include a potluck picnic in September, a holiday party in December, a public meeting in April, and an annual meeting in June with a potluck picnic or other luncheon. In the past there has been a luncheon in March, but this has not happened in the past three years due to COVID. Meetings are usually scheduled during daylight, either on weekday evenings during DST or on weekend afternoons during EST.
• Programs on Saturdays must be aware of the schedule of the Metropolitan Opera, which several members enjoy attending.
• The committee has wide leeway to design programs for the other six months. We try to balance programs on matters of public interest with others that promote members following their own interests and getting to know each other. Committee members collectively plan and carry out programs.
• Venues we have used include the Barn, the Bennington Free Library, the Left Bank, and the Unitarian Universalist Meetinghouse. All have ample chairs and tables that can be rearranged as needed, are accessible, and have kitchen facilities. The hospitality chairperson usually arranges for the venue. There have been no meetings at members’ homes since the beginning of the pandemic.

Scholarship Committee Chair

• Scholarships are awarded twice a year to Community College of Vermont Students (CCV).
• Each spring and fall semester review and update scholarship forms.
• Work closely with CCV Coordinators of Academic Services to distribute applications to qualified students. If necessary, follow up questions about students.
• Work closely with CCV Financial Aid Counselor to determine applicant’s financial needs before application review committee meeting.
• Maintain contact with applicants throughout application process for questions and receiving of varies application papers.
• Chair Committee meetings
• Review applications and determine allocation of Scholarship Fund money and Book Fund money.

Following Committee meeting:

1. Applicant’s phone call
2. Applicant’s official letter
3. Letters to Coordinators of Academic Services
4. Letter to Financial Aid Counselor with allocation amounts
5. Individual checks to CCV Financial Aid Counselor
6. Newsletter write up of recipients
7. Send recipients a monthly Newsletter 

Silent Angels

In order to provide sustainable funding for our Bennington Branch Scholarship Fund, the 2010 board members each pledged to give $100 annually.  Since that time additional AAUW members have joined this group, while some have had to drop out.  Although a few contribute less than $100, Silent Angels have been able to maintain an average of $2000 in support of the Scholarship Fund on a yearly basis.   Because providing non-traditional women students with scholarships is a mission of the AAUW Bennington Branch, all AAUW members are welcome to become Silent Angels.  (The names of all Silent Angels are kept strictly confidential by the coordinator.)

• August: Coordinator sends messages to Silent Angels re the September 1 deadline to submit their checks for the Scholarship Fund.  Checks are made out to AAUW with “Scholarship Fund” in the memo section and sent to the coordinator.
• August and September: Coordinator deposits checks to our AAUW bank account.  She sends bank receipts to the Treasurer with a note designating “Silent Angels.”
• October: Coordinator acknowledges receipt of contribution to each Silent Angel.  

Theater Fundraiser Co-chairs

• Co-chairs together select a play from the Oldcastle Theatre’s fall schedule. Input is sought from other board members.
• Co-chair contacts the theater to confirm a date, the current group rate, and commits to an estimated number of attendees.
• A 50% deposit may be requested.  Co-chair acquires this from the Treasurer.
• The Program Chair is informed of selection and date.  Often the Program Committee can arrange a Branch meeting to tie into the play.
• A write-up of the play is prepared for the Branch newsletter and submitted to the Newsletter Co-editors. An order form for the number of tickets and an optional donation to the Scholarship Fund is included.  
• The price charged to members for the ticket is generally the box office price; the Scholarship Fund receives the difference between the price charged to members and the group rate.
• One Co-chair receives reservations and checks, regularly depositing said checks.
• Before the performance, an email is sent to all attendees notifying them that their tickets will be handed out by a Co-chair 30 minutes prior to curtain.
• On the day of the play, the balance due for the tickets (a check from the Bennington Branch Treasurer) is paid to the box office and tickets are handed out to members as they arrive.
• After the play, and at the next board meeting, the President, Treasurer, and Scholarship Committee are notified of monies collected.

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