Tech-Savvy in the Branches Special Interest Group
AAUW Convention, June 24, 2001 - Austin, TX
Overview
The Special Interest Group was coordinated by Wendy Armour Dickinson,
AAUW-PA past state president (warmourdickinson@hotmail.com)
and Nancy Shoemaker, AAUW-NC technology coordinator (shoemaker@acm.org).
The session was convened as a tool to assist branch members and state organizations
in using computer technology. In other words, we want AAUW and its members to
set a tech-savy example for women of all ages. A handout
was used to frame the discussion.
Here is a summary of the comments in the session. About 40 members
from across the country participated. Thanks to all!
Issues, Examples and Strategies for Tech-Savvy in the Branches
Board positions focusing on Technology
- Is the web manager position part of "Communications" team?
- Is there separate job description needed for the web manager?
- What about a Technology Chair? What would be included in a a job description for this position?
- Do these individuals need to be on the Board? This is a question for branches and states. Perhaps Association can suggest structure and job descriptions.
Sharing software
- How can we share information about what software works for particular jobs?
Some have been successful with MS FrontPage 2000 for Websites, MS Publisher for newsletters
Are there good solutions for creating documents in PDF format? (service bureau?)
- Templates needed:
Website: From webspace provider (e.g. homestead?) or Association?
Branch/state surveys
Newsletters (some information in style guide, and on Web site)
Membership database: what data should be collected?
Sharing information with the Association
- C/U program needs to get AAUW contacts in eligible institutions who are
not currently C/U members
- Membership database: what data to collect? Can it be in a common format?
- Database of history -- state, branches
Web sites
Mailing lists
- Should one be set up to carry on this discussion from Convention?. [aauw.org? yahoo?]
- Is now the time for an every-member listserv? [The League of Women Voters
has used a ListServ for its members successfully.]
- Set up list to have distinctive "Subject" and train everyone to use Subject line appropriately since the "From" address cannot be used to evaluate the safety/relevance of the message.
- How are policies set for lists and websites? [The AAUW-PA draft policies
document addresses this.]
Miscellaneous ideas
- Use an intern (Emerging Leaders program) to help with the website
- For board members without e-mail, scan in their reports to put them online
to redistribute them easily.
- Is it possible to establish volume purchasing of software through the Association?
- Put branch newsletters (or at least portions of them without personal information)
onto the state website?
- Use a web-based solution for sharing of project files: e.g. yahoogroups.com,
www.eproject.com
Training
- What’s the right venue for hands-on training? Some states have had success
with workshops at state meetings. What’s needed at Association convention?
- 1-2-3, Step by step training progression is needed
- Tech Short Courses offered at the branch level generated strong interest.
There were questions on logistics, curriculum, materials. Information needs
to be sent to all members via various ListServs and Outlook.
- Workshops on AAUW, State and Branch websites.
- Check out online Q&A lists:
http://www.computer-lynx.com/Articles.htm is a good one maintained by
an AAUW member.
Cross-platform issues
- Translating PC instructions into Apple-speak: honoring diversity?
- What’s the cost/benefit of providing services suggested above for more than
one form?
- PDF is a good compromise for publishing "print format" items for
multiple platforms without rewriting things for the Web. The Association uses
it for longer documents (Convention program; Recognition program application)
and the IRS uses it for forms. To produce it requires the "full"
Adobe Acrobat or a similar program which is relatively expensive (list c.
$250 but discounts may be available for nonprofits -- suggestions are welcome
here). To read the documents requires the Adobe Acrobat Reader, which
can be downloaded for free (instructions,
courtesy of Joyce Katz, MO)
Association Issues
- Online version of Get the Facts needs to be more Mac-friendly
- Fee based access? There is some demand for Association to be an ISP (or
reseller)
- Can Assocation use aauw.org to provide "standard" URLs for state
web sites? [The answer (Oct. 2001) is no. There are maintenace issues (either
in DNS, e.g. pa.aauw.org, or in the Web site, e.g. www.aauw.org/pa or www.aauw.org/states/pa)
and a chance for confusing users who might think that webmaster@www.aauw.org
maintains www.aauw.org/pa. So state organizations are encouraged to register
their own domains, e.g. AAUWPA is www.aauwpa.org.]
- Enthusiastic support for interactive/dynamic forms: BOR, BDR
- Video tape future speakers/presenters at events. Edit presentations. Broadcast
edited version on website.
Send your comments!
If you have comments expanding or clarifying the notes above,
please send them on to the SIG conveners.
We are particularly interested in descriptions of solutions that have already
been documented and posted on the web -- just send along the URL and we'll list
it here. We hope to have a list of suggestions and best practices posted on
www.aauw.org, but we need to collect it first.
For the time being, the online discussion will move to "WEBMGRS@ELISTS.AAUW.ORG"
since many of the suggestions need to be "advertised" on state/local
Web sites. If you are not already subscribed to that list and you wish to participate
in the discussion, please send a message to "listserv@elists.aauw.org"
and put the line:
SUBSCRIBE WEBMGRS Firstname Lastname
in the body of the message. Once subscribed, you can post your
comments by sending them to "webmgrs@elists.aauw.org".
See http://www.acm.org/~shoemaker/nes/2001AAUWConvention/
for additional links to technology discussions that started in Austin.
Last updated: 17-Oct-01