Position summary:
The state public policy chair is responsible for managing AAUW of Oregon public policy
priorities and for representing AAUW public policy priorities to elected and appointed officials,
AAUW members, the public and the media.
Please keep a record of your activities during the year and upgrade this description as needed.
Leadership skills: written and verbal communications, program planning and development,
supervision, team and coalition building, conflict resolution, consensus building, public speaking
and media relations.
Major duties:
• Serve on the AAUW of Oregon Board of Directors.
• Regularly assemble and convene a public policy committee to plan and implement statewide
public policy actions.
• Communicate regularly with the state board and branches.
• Monitor and encourage activism regarding AAUW of Oregon legislative priorities, under the
guidance of state bylaws, policies, resolutions and board advice.
• Develop statewide e-mail, other electronic media, newsletter, and/or telephone network to
regularly disseminate voter education and public policy information to branches and
coalition partners.
• Conduct research in and analyze legislative proposals and bills, and/or ballot measures in to
determine whether they fall within national and state public policy guidelines and develop
a legislative agenda for advocacy during Oregon’s legislative sessions.
• Communicate with and advocate on behalf of AAUW of Oregon public policy measures to
legislators, coalition members and other participants in the legislative process.
• Spearhead and actively participate in state and local coalitions to work on AAUW public policy
priorities.
• Evaluate previous public policy efforts and develop a public policy action plan with measurable
goals and objectives.
• Create a lobby corps consisting of branch public policy chairs, or presidents, if the branch has
no public policy chair, and those members who have expressed an interest in public policy and maintain an email list to coordinate activities with them.
• Serve as a resource for members, branches, standing committees and the state board as to
public policy positions and events.
• Produce and circulate state Action Alerts when action is needed.
• Provide training and other pertinent resources as needed to branch public policy chairs, state
leaders and members.
• Submit articles for the Oregon News and the AAUW of Oregon website as necessary.
• Draft a proposed public policy program for convention and board of director’s action in even
numbered years.
• Facilitate a Lobby Day event for AAUW of Oregon members.
• Ensure that the AAUW and AAUW of Oregon names are used by members in accordance with
National and state guidelines.
• Regularly file reports of lobbying activities with the State Ethics Commission. 1• Maintain files regarding expenses made on behalf of AAUW of Oregon public policy.
• Develop and oversee the public policy budget for the state.
• Be familiar with the state bylaws and policies pertaining to public policy.
• Encourage, support, and provide training to members in promoting AAUW of Oregon’s public
policy agenda.
• Maintain regular contact with the branches, Lobby Corps members and state leadership.
• Disseminate information received from the AAUW National Public Policy Committee and staff
regarding federal legislation important to AAUW of Oregon.
• Perform such other duties as may be assigned by the president, the executive committee or
the board of directors, or as specified in the bylaws.
Time commitment: Attendance at the Capitol in Salem during the legislative sessions as
needed to advance AAUW of Oregon legislative priorities. Convening and attending meetings
with coalition partners, legislators and other legislative and political stakeholders. Holding and
drafting agendas for meetings with the state public policy committee. Publishing a regular Public Policy Update for dissemination to the membership. Developing a public policy and legislative agenda. Preparation of articles for the Oregon News. Providing information and making presentations to branches about AAUW of Oregon public policy. Serving on the state board of directors. Attendance at state meetings and conventions/annual meetings.
Resources: Consult with your predecessor; AAUW Public Policy Committee and
staff, AAUW Washington Update, AAUW Action Alert, AAUW Two-Minute Activist, AAUW public
policy brochure, AAUW position papers and research, the state public policy program, National
and state bylaws and policies, AAUW Leadership Programs, Oregon News, state legislative and
bill tracking websites.
Also use Email Blasts – Salsa Knowledgebase
It’s the vehicle by which emails are sent to legislators from member-constituents.
Makes the 2-minute activist communications system work.
https://help.salsalabs.com/hc/en-us/sections/205164167-Email-Blasts
(revised April 2020)