Last Updated July 24, 1999; comments to aauw.indiana@yahoo.com

PURPOSE: Recognition of people, publications and activities in the state of Indiana throughout the year by announcement at annual state convention and publicizing via print & other media.

*CATEGORIES: 1) Directly focuses on AAUW issues/public policies, including gender equity in the schools, women in higher education.

2) Focuses on women's issues in the State; could be that a particular newspaper has provided excellent coverage of AAUW activities or other similar organizations; could be a faculty member or an entire university's efforts on women's studies, women's programs.

HOW IT WORKS: All Indiana State branches and C/U reps will submit their recommendations to the [President/Program/Membership/PI]. State Board members may also nominate. The Award program will be announced in Winter Bulletin; reminder in Spring Bulletin. Whenever possible, submissions should include newspaper clippings or other supporting documentation. Submissions can be made by branches or by individual members. It will be up to the branches to decide if they want to participate and have the opportunity to draw attention to their communities. Someone within each branch might be designated to monitor newspapers throughout the year and to be the person other branch members send their submissions to. Then that person could send all submissions at once.

WHO DECIDES: Basically, almost anything submitted could become an awardee. If a huge number of submissions are made, it will have to be an arbitrary but objective decision by the State Women’s Issues Chair, upon affirmation by the State Board at the Board meeting that immediately proceeds the Annual State Meeting/Convention.

DEADLINE: Period covered would be roughly one year from convention to convention, so approximately April - late February/March. Submissions to State board by mid-March so that decision can be made. The publicity announcement will be readied to be sent out immediately before or after the Annual State Meeting/Convention. If no submissions are made, no awards will be given.

AT THE CONVENTION: At first a simple listing/reading of the recipients will be all the acknowledgment. A letter from the State President will be sent to each awardee. If successful, a suitable certificate could be developed.

*Examples: Whoever is responsible (legislature? governor?) for finally setting up the Women's Commission; the Women in the Workplace conference in Indianapolis; the Women in the Legislative Process conference in Indianapolis; ISU President John Moore for announcing a concerted effort to get more women into upper advisory roles; any state-based newspaper columnist who published several articles on "The Year of the Woman"; any company who offers a scholarship for women, nontraditional women, etc.; the city of Fort Wayne and the others who helped put together their great equity roundtable; the South Bend television station for producing the state video; annual women's music festival in Bloomington.

Suggestions about its structure, procedures, etc., should be addressed to the State president.