Position Description: State President

Position summary: As the official representative of the state in the activities of AAUW, develop,
implement, and oversee all AAUW activities in the state; conduct the business of AAUW in the
state; and serve as the primary AAUW liaison to the state, National AAUW and external
communities.

Please keep a record of your activities during the year and upgrade this description as needed.

Leadership skills: This position requires team and coalition building, mentoring, public
speaking, planning, communications and goal setting, consensus building, intercultural
sensitivity and understanding, and dealing with the media. The president should be familiar with current technology tools that AAUW of Oregon uses, i.e. Google Drive, MS Word, pdf files,
Excel, Zoom and email.

Major duties:

  • Serve on the AAUW of Oregon Executive Committee and the Board of Directors.
  • Represent the state in all work with organizations, and at meetings and conferences.
  • Be familiar with and adhere to all AAUW state and national bylaws, policies and procedures.
  • Convene state executive committee and board of directors to plan, implement and monitor
    AAUW activities in your state.
  • Communicate with your executive committee and board of directors your goals and vision
    for the state, having them set their own goals for commitment and expectations.
  • Working with state leaders, evaluate previous state efforts and develop a state strategic
  • Plan that supports AAUW’s current priorities.
  • Support state officers in carrying out the strategic plan and achieving its measurable goals
    and objectives, including but not limited to membership recruitment and retention,
    program, public policy, C/U relations including Student Affiliates, the AAUW Fund and
    leadership development.
  • Appoint, after consultation with the executive committee, all appointed officers and chairs of committees except the nominating committee.
  • Select members of standing and special committees, in consultation with the respective
    chairs.
  • Serve as an ex-officio member of all committees except the nominating committee.
  • Encourage collaboration and teamwork, and leadership training that links membership
    development and all programming, and weave diversity into all that you do.
  • Participate in state coalitions that advance AAUW’s mission.
  • Serve as the liaison between branches in your state, your state officers and National AAUW.
  • Review and monitor the state’s fiscal health and sign off on expenditures as appropriate.
  • Introduce yourself to the branch presidents; ask the branches when/if they’d like you to visit
    them, and what they’d like you to talk about.
  • The summer leadership conference comes in either late July or August; you and the board
    will set the date; the event coordinator will find the site.
  • Write a column for the summer, fall, winter, and spring annual meeting editions of the Oregon News newsletter; deadline set by the editor.
  • Branch dues reports will come out in June and July; discuss with the state membership vp.
  • Executive committee meetings are usually held just prior (same day if possible) to a state
    board meeting: usually in the fall by conference call, before the annual meeting, and
    before the state summer leadership conference.
  • Read the Branch Presidents’ Calendar published in the state directory for important dates.
  • Preside at all state executive committee and board meetings and state annual meetings.
  • Establish a communications schedule with branch presidents.
  • Submit reports as required by AAUW; the national office sets the dates.
  • Be responsible for bringing the state bylaws into conformity with the AAUW Bylaws.
  • Perform all other duties usually pertaining to this office, or those designated by the
    executive committee or the board of directors.

Annual meeting:
The date and location of the annual meeting are usually set two years ahead.
The president is responsible for the following tasks, but is free to delegate as much as possible, especially if there is a president’s assistant.

  • With the board, establish the agenda for state meetings.
  • With the board, approve the general meeting budget.
  • With the program vice president, approve the programs for state meetings.
  • With the board, set and approve the general meeting schedule.
  • With the event coordinator, sign all contracts.
  • Confirm appointments: registrar, workbook editor, credentials, readers of minutes of the
    business sessions (usually 3 people), others as needed.
  • Prepare the business session agenda.
  • Prepare board and leadership team agendas, as needed.
  • Arrange special banquet table seating plan, if desired.
  • Write an invitation message, if requested.
  • Send invitations to special guests.
  • Prepare annual report for annual meeting workbook.
  • Submit names of appointees to workbook editor and parliamentarian.
  • Send copies of the workbook/program to the branches not attending the annual meeting.
  • Write thank you notes.

Time commitment:
Along with the time necessary to accomplish the above responsibilities, this position requires
time to serve on the state executive committee, the state board of directors and other
committees as assigned. Attendance at state executive committee meetings, board meetings
and conventions/annual meetings is required. Attendance at the AAUW National Convention is
strongly encouraged.

Resources: Consult with your predecessor; AAUW of Oregon Bylaws and Policies; AAUW of
Oregon Directory; state website aauw-or.aauw.net ; national website AAUW.org. Appoint a
president’s assistant to help as needed.

(Revised April 2020)