Mississippi University for Women

Alumni Association

HTTP://LONGBLUELINE.MUW.EDU/ALUMNI/ALUMNI-ASSOCIATION

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MUWAA WINTER BOARD MEETING

Saturday, January 23, 2016

Rescheduled for February 13, 2016

Cochran Hall

UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT’S UPDATE (Rose Room, Cochran 3rd Floor)

10:00 – 10:30 a.m.

DESEGREGATION COMMITTEE UPDATE (Rose Room, Cochran 3rd Floor)

10:30 – 11:00 a.m.

LUNCH (Limbert Assembly Room, Cochran 1st floor)

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

BUSINESS SESSION (Rose Room, Cochran 3rd Floor)

12:00 – 2:30 p.m.

I. Call to Order & Adoption of the Agenda

II. President’s Welcome

III. Roll Call

IV. Approval of Minutes

V. Alumni Office Report

VI. MUWAA Officers Reports

VII. Standing Committee Reports

- Nominations Committee

- Elections Committee

- Bylaws Committee

- Recruitment & Retention Committee

- Chapter & Constituency Groups Committee

- Special Events Committee

- Finance Committee

- Public Relations Committee

- Former Presidents Committee

VIII. Special Committee Reports

- Southern Grace Committee

- Strategy & Support Committee

IX. Unfinished Business

X. New Business

XI. Open Forum

XII. President’s Closing Comments/Adjourn

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MISSISSIPPI UNIVERSITY FOR WOMEN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ FALL MEETING

Stark Recreation Center

Saturday, October 24, 2015

I. CALL TO ORDER

The fall quarterly meeting of the Mississippi University for Women Alumni Association

was held on the MUW campus at the Stark Recreation Center on October 24, 2015, at

2:52 p.m. with President Amy Strickland Tate presiding. A quorum was present.

President Tate called the meeting to order. Malinda Mabry-Scott moved to adopt the

agenda. The motion carried.

II. PRESIDENT’S WELCOME

President Tate extended her welcome to all the board members present in person and

those participating via teleconference. She encouraged the board members to continue to

work on the Back to Blue campaign by increasing our active alumni percentage.

III. ROLL CALL

The roll was called. MUW Alumni Association Board Members present:

Amy Strickland Tate, President Sue Simmons Freeman, Secretary

Deborah Stockman Hodges, President-Elect Malinda Mabry-Scott, Treasurer

Jenny Katool, Immediate Past President Wanda G. Ray

Troy J. Lewis Katherine Shell Benson

Elizabeth Whittington (via teleconference) Carrie V. Pate

Chris Halbrooks (via teleconference) Courtney Ballard Murtaugh

Kristi Hipp Mosley (via teleconference) Erica W. Woodard

Sunshine Burgess (via teleconference) Stephen Taylor (via teleconference)

Barbara Austin (via teleconference)

MUW Alumni Association Board Members absent:

Wesley Garrett, Parliamentarian

Donna E. Marrero

Brandy Burnette

Ralph W. McLain, MUW Foundation Chair

Ex-Officio Members of the MUW Alumni Association Board present:

Dr. Jim Borsig, MUW President

Lyndsay B. Cumberland, Director of Alumni Relations

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Guests present:

Andrea Stevens, Exec. Director of Development and Alumni

Katy Canion Pacelli

Erin Gioia

Amy J. Lewis

IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

As there were no corrections to the July 25th minutes, Courtney Ballard Murtaugh moved

that the minutes be approved as presented. The motion carried.

V. ALUMNI OFFICE REPORT

Lyndsay Cumberland, Director of Alumni Relations, reported that the Alumni Board’s

insurance has been renewed at a cost of approximately $900.00. The active membership

of the Alumni Association as of September 30th is 1,106 members. The active

membership was 1,264 for calendar year 2014. Lyndsay detailed recent gatherings –

both Freshmen Send-off parties and Alumni chapter meetings since the summer Board

meeting. Information regarding those and upcoming meetings and events can be found

on the university website: longblueline.muw.edu/alumni/alumni-association. As part of

the Back to Blue Campaign, Lyndsay and Andrea Stevens are sending letters to alumni

that attend any alumni gatherings that are not current active alumni. The telefund

student callers are also encouraging non-active alumni to become active by making a

minimum $40.00 yearly contribution. Lyndsay also announced that there will be a

televideo conference available for the Board’s next meeting in January for those that

are not able to attend in person. Courtney Ballard Murtaugh inquired as to how many

attendees at various MUW functions are not active and Andrea and Lyndsay estimated

approximately 25%. Discussion ensued about encouraging alumni to become active.

VI. MUWAA OFFICERS’ REPORTS

Malinda Mabry-Scott, Treasurer, provided the following fund balances as of September

30, 2015. Alumni Restricted Account - $16,178.78; Alumni Association Activities Fund:

$11,174.75; Alumni Association Faculty Award Fund - $0.00 (moneys were transferred

to the Legacy Scholarship Fund); Alumni Association Legacy Scholarship Fund -

$12,679.65; and Southern Grace Fund - $3,709.68.

VII. STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS

Nominations Committee – Jenny Katool, Chair, reported that the committee will be

reviewing the policies and procedures for the nominations and elections to the Board of

Directors. A conference call is planned during December to review the process in detail.

The nominations process will begin during December with a last call to activate

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MUWAA membership for the coming year. The deadline for write-in candidate petitions

is December 1st. The call for Board recommendations will begin the week of

January 4, 2016. The two-week process of deliberating and selecting the slate will begin

the week of January 18th.

Recruitment and Retention Committee – Katherine Shell Benson, Chair, reported that the

committee met via a teleconference call on August 25th at 6:00 p.m. The New Faculty

Orientation Lunch was held on August 13th and was attended by MUWAA President

Amy S. Tate, who welcomed the new faculty members. It was also attended by

Katherine Shell Benson and Laura Tubb-Prestwich of the Recruitment and Retention

Committee who also welcomed and greeted the new faculty members and presented them

a welcome gift of a Southern Grace cookbook. From a list of current university faculty

alumni, the committee has chosen a short list of alumni for consideration for membership

on the Faculty Scholarship Committee. They will be asked to serve by Chair Katherine

Shell Benson via an email/letter that Lyndsay Cumberland, Director of Alumni Relations,

will send to those under consideration. Faculty Enhancement Grant reports were received

from Dr. Dorothy Kerzel, Dept. of Sciences and Mathematics, and Dr. Marie Byrne,

Professor of Speech Language Pathology, that detailed the uses of the grant moneys

received. Dr. Caroline Payne-Purvis’ grant report will be presented during the January

winter meeting. Dr. Malkin declined her grant. 100th Night will be held on February 4,

2016. The committee has chosen to repeat last year’s popular Hot Chocolate and Sweets

Station for the 2016 seniors. The committee is finalizing a gift selection to present to the

senior participants from the MUWAA. The committee is working with Lyndsay and her

office on encouraging better attendance/participation by the alumni for the Homecoming

MUWAA Awards Recipient Reception. Katherine indicated that there will be

advertising in the Visions Homecoming edition regarding the reception.

Chapters & Constituency Groups Committee – Katy Canion Pacelli, Chair, presented an

update on the recent Back to Blue campaign to increase active membership in the MUW

Alumni Association. As of September 30, 2015, there are 1,106 alumni who have made a

gift of $40.00 or more. She detailed the following: of the current Board members, 89%

are active and 11% are not active; of the current Committee members, 71% are active and

29% are not active; and of the Past Presidents, 69% are active and 31% are not active.

Katy reminded the board members that President Tate’s goal was 2500 active members

and to continue to push for additional memberships through the end of the calendar year

to reach that goal.

Special Events Committee - Kristi Hipp Mosley, Chair, reported that her committee met

via a teleconference call on October 6th. She reported that the Silent Auction Committee

will continue to use the same BiddingOwl.com software, Long Blue Line Auction logos,

and Donation form from last year. All have been updated for use in 2016. The new

email for the 2016 auction is longbluelineauction2016@gmail.com and the online auction

website is www.biddingowl.com/MUWAA2016. Emails have either been sent or are in

the process of being sent to all MUWAA Board Members and Chapter/Constituency Area

representatives that include the donation form and letter. Board Members are asked to

provide one donation item valued at approximately $100.00 or to provide a table/auction

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sponsorship of $100.00. Chapter/Constituency areas are asked to provide one gift basket

representing their respective area. The dates for the online auction will be March 14 –

25th. The onsite Silent Auction will be held on Friday evening, April 1st. An ad for the

upcoming Visions edition has been developed with the help of Lyndsay Cumberland and

her office to ask for donations and announce dates/times of both the online and onsite

auctions. The auctions will be advertised via email and social media campaigns as well.

Finance Committee – Malinda Mabry-Scott, Treasurer, reported that the Finance

Committee met via email to approve the following suggestions. Malinda moved that the

Board transfer $8000.00 from the Legacy Scholarship restricted fund to the Legacy

Scholarship endowed fund. This will leave 2 years’ worth of Faculty Award funds. The

motion passed.

Public Relations Committee – Carrie Pate presented for Chair Elizabeth Whittington and

detailed that the committee promoted via press releases and social media (1) the Back to

Blue campaign; (2) various new MUWAA Board Members’ bios; and (3) the three (3)

MUWAA award recipients for the Legacy Scholarship, the Culinary Arts Advisory Board

Scholarship, and the Southern Grace Scholarship.

Former Presidents Committee – Jenny Katool presented for Chair Sherrie Jackson

Cooper and reported that the committee met via a series of emails from October 5 – 15,

2015. The committee reviewed the history of the Former Presidents Committee.

Discussions are ongoing concerning the role of the former presidents and how they can

best serve the University.

VIII. SPECIAL COMMITTEE REPORTS

Southern Grace Committee – Courtney Ballard Murtaugh, Chair, reported that her

committee met via email correspondence on August 10, 2015. The committee discussed

various ways to reduce the Southern Grace cookbook inventory (approximately 1800

copies). Previous suggestions to sell the remaining inventory have encountered

problems. The committee proposes that the Alumni Association remove the sale of the

cookbook inventory from bookstores and rather give the remaining Southern Grace

cookbooks as gifts in the following three (3) ways.

1) Gifts for Alumni pledging at least $120.00 a year from a monthly draft

2) Gifts to Graduates that walk and turn in their cap and gown

3) Gifts from the MUWAA Board to new faculty, Welty speakers, Graduation

speakers, and other VIP

Malinda Mabry-Scott moved that the Southern Grace Committee’s recommendation for

reducing the inventory of the cookbook be accepted. Stephen Taylor seconded. The

motion passed. Courtney reported that there is approximately $3,700.00 in the Southern

Grace account. She made a motion that we move $3,000.00 from that account to the

Culinary Arts Advisory Board Scholarship. The motion passed. Discussion ensued as to

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whether the Board should explore an online subscription for recipes from the Southern

Grace cookbook and from the Culinary Arts Department. Stephen Taylor suggested that

the Board first discuss this with the Culinary Arts Department for their interest and

approval. He also suggested that the Board check if funds can be generated in

conjunction with our affiliation agreement with the University.

IX. UNFINISHED BUSINESS

X. NEW BUSINESS

XI. OPEN FORUM

President Tate recognized and welcomed our guests: Andrea N. Stevens, Erin Gioia,

Amy J. Lewis, and Katy Canion Pacelli.

It was noted that today is the Mississippi Day of Giving and the Board members were

encouraged to give to the University via online at ms.dayofgiving.org.

XII. PRESIDENT’S CLOSING REMARKS

President Tate thanked all on the board for their continued efforts for the alumni

membership drive campaign and encouraged them to continue to push for

additional active memberships through the end of the calendar year. She reminded

the Board members that our next meeting will be held on Saturday, January 23rd and that

discussions will involve the upcoming renewal of the Affiliation Agreement with the

University and future strategic planning.

As there was no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 3:41 p.m.

Sue Simmons Freeman, Secretary

MUWAA Account Balances

As of December 31, 2015

Alumni Association Activities Fund: $11,504.75

Southern Grace: $3769.68

MUW Alumni Association Legacy Scholarship: $10,630.40

Alumni Restricted Account: $16, 178.78

Lyndsay recently updated the Funds Agreement for the Legacy Scholarship to

include the faculty grants, which we approved merging these funds at our last

board meeting.

MUWAA Elections Committee  

 

Chair:  Troy Lewis  

Members:   Barbara Austin  Elaine Evans  Mary Libby Payne  Pam Rhea  Nathan Wilson   

The Elections Committee received the slate of 6 MUWAA Board nominees (5 directors and 1 President‐

elect were nominated) on February 1st, 2016 from the Nominations Committee.  The Elections 

coordinated virtually between February 2nd and February 11th, 2016 to prepare a biographical packet on 

the nominees and preview the Elections email to be sent out by the Alumni Office.  After making 

recommendations for changes to the email, the Elections Committee coordinated with the Alumni Office 

to have the voting period open between February 15th and February 29th, 2016.   

 

Respectfully submitted, 

 

Troy Lewis, 2015‐2016 MUWAA Elections Committee Chair 

 

Mississippi University for Women Alumni Association

www.muwaa.org

MUWAA STANDING COMMITTEE REPORT

WINTER, 2016

Committee Name: Bylaws Committee

Committee Chair: Brandy Burnette

Committee Members: Chris Halbrooks, Kym Gore, Kristie Metcalfe, Rebecca Bradley Dates of Committee Meetings: Email exchanges began among members on January 7,

2016, to present and discuss proposed options. A telephone conference was held on January 10,

2016, to further discuss options and address any additional ideas. Follow-up email messages

were exchanged among members between January 11-12, 2016. Actions of Committee: Following the Summer Board Meeting in 2015, with the

incorporation of the Nominations and Elections Policies and Procedures, there was some

confusion related to the interpretation of certain provisions of the Bylaws and how it related to

the current nominations and elections procedures. The Bylaws Committee was charged with

clearing the confusion within the two (2) governing documents. In order to do so, the Committee determined that there were several ways to alleviate the

confusion and drafted four (4) Options for consideration by the MUWAA Board. Option 1: Removes the write-in petition provision from the Bylaws and the December 1st

date from the Policies and Procedures. Bylaws change: Yes. Allows for write-in

nominations: No.

Option 2: Interprets the write-in provision as another form of a traditional nomination;

therefore the Bylaws are untouched. The Policies and Procedures are modified to

state that the write-in petitions would be held for consideration and vetting by the

Committee just as any other nominee. Bylaws change: No. Allows for write-in

nominations: No.

Option 3: Modifies the Policies and Procedures to state that the write-in petitions would go

to the Nominations Committee for consideration, but that even if the nominees

were not selected for the slate, they would still be on the ballot if eligible. Bylaws

change: No. Allows for write-in nominations: Yes.

Option 4: Modifies the Bylaws to move write-in petition from under the Nomination

Committee to the Elections general section. Modifies the Bylaws by removing the

December 1st date and requiring write-in petitions to be received after the slate is

announced. Modifies the Bylaws by requiring publication of the slate to all

MUWAA members at least 7 days before elections begin so that write-in petitions

may be received, verified, and write-in candidates can be put on the ballot.

Bylaws change: Yes. Allows for write-in nominations: Yes.

Final Thoughts of the Committee: The Bylaws Committee had several members who were

very uncomfortable with the idea of the complete removal of any write-in process, especially

once the full nominations and elections procedure was explained. Also, the Committee felt that a

true write-in process would be more rational if it came after the announcement of the slate, in

order to know if you supported or did not support the full slate. Hence, Option 4 is the most

complex option, but I believe it is the option that the Bylaws Committee would recommend based

on the consensus of its members, as no formal vote was taken.

Our main goal is to make sure that whatever steps are taken the governing documents of our body

do not conflict with each other, and that we are following the procedures set out within. To do so,

we must all understand and agreed on the interpretation of the language within these documents.

Our goal as a Board should be to make sure that the Board of 2031 is not asking these same

questions.

OPTION 1

Removal of Section IV. B. 1. c. from the Bylaws which states as follows:

c. Write-in candidates may be received for consideration by this Committee from the voting

membership upon petition signed by ten percent or thirty voting members, whichever is less.

The candidates must be voting members of the Association and must consent in writing to the

nomination. The write-in nomination must be submitted to this Committee in writing by the

first day of December of each year.

Removal of the sentence:

"The Deadline for write-in nomination petitions is December 1st."

from the NOMINATIONS/ELECTIONS TIMELINE of Appendix E. MUWAA Nominations

and Elections Policies and Procedures, of the Policies and Procedures.

Consequences:

• Option 1 states the nominations and elections procedures in the Bylaws and P&P in the

manner in which they have actually been happening for the last several years.

• It essentially "ditches" the write-in procedure from nominations and elections from ever

being possible.

• Option 1 requires a modification to the MUWAA Bylaws, which would require review

by and approval from Dr. Borsig before a vote could be taken by the Alumni Board.

OPTION 2

Amendment to the section, NOMINATIONS/ELECTIONS TIMELINE of Appendix E.

MUWAA Nominations and Elections Policies and Procedures, of the Policies and Procedures, as

follows:

- Under paragraph First Week of December on page 17:

The Deadline for write-in nomination petitions is December 1st. The Nominations

Committee will hold any write-in petitions to be vetted with other candidates in

preparation of the slate of nominated candidates.

Consequences:

• Option 2 causes there to be no change in the nominations or elections process as it

currently stands, only allows for an additional way to nominate someone for the slate, by

the method spelled out in the Bylaws.

• Option 2 does not address the discord that having one nomination process in the Bylaws

and one outside the Bylaws seems to.

• When you look at the terminology used, "Nominee" seems to refer to someone who has

been picked to go on the ballot. So, when the Bylaws says that the write-in process is a

write-in "nomination" process, but then you send them to be considered with other

"candidates" (one who is just up for nomination), it makes things confusing when it

comes to the language that is used. One of the goals of this process is to keep from

having anyone 5 or 15 years from now not understand what we are talking about.

Consistent terminology is really key.

OPTION 3

Amendment to the section, NOMINATIONS/ELECTIONS TIMELINE of Appendix E.

MUWAA Nominations and Elections Policies and Procedures, of the Policies and Procedures, as

follows:

- Under paragraph First Week of December on page 17:

The Deadline for write-in nomination petitions is December 1st. The Nominations

Committee will hold these write-in petitions to be considered with other nominees in

preparation of the slate of nominated candidates. The Nominations Committee may include

the write-in nominees on the slate of nominated candidates; however, any eligible write-in

nominee who is willing to serve shall be placed on the ballot.

- Under paragraph Third Week in January (Weeks 3 & 4) on page 18:

Submission Process Closes

Nominations Committee reviews all nominations, further vets the candidates as necessary,

and deliberates. Upon completion of committee discussions and deliberations and upon a

decision based on a majority vote, the slate of nominated candidates for the offices of

President-Elect and Board of Directors, as well as the list of any write-in candidates to

appear on the ballot, will be conveyed in writing to the MUWAA President.

Consequences:

• It addresses the discord in the two Nominations procedures from the P&P and the

Bylaws.

• It would open the election system up to people who could be chosen by popular vote of

the MUWAA.

• Option 3 would require that any eligible, willing candidate be allowed on the ballot, even

in opposition to the slate.

• Could potentially be the downfall of the slate system being the deciding factor for

elections.

• This requires that write-in nominees come before the slate is announced, so that write-ins

are not in opposition to the slate, necessarily but are an early guarantee that a person will

be on the ballot - whether on the slate or not.

• There is a slight fear that if write-in Candidates are submitted directly to the Nominations

Committee, especially on a rolling calendar year period when the Nominations

Committee may change during that time, a person may in advertently not be properly

considered or have their name passed along to Elections to be placed on the ballot.

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- 01/12/2016

OPTION 4

Bylaws Modifications

Move and Edit the following section in the Bylaws that states:

c. Write-in candidates may be received for consideration by this Committee from the

voting membership upon petition signed by ten percent or thirty voting members, whichever

is less. The candidates must be voting members of the Association and must consent in writing

to the nomination. The write-in nomination must be submitted to this Committee in writing by

the first day of December of each year.

Currently in Section IV. B. 1. c. from the Bylaws, Nominations Committee.

to

E. Write-in candidates shall be received for placement on the ballot from the voting

membership upon petition signed by ten percent or thirty voting members, whichever is less.

The candidates must be voting members of the Association and must consent in writing to the

nomination. The write-in nomination must be submitted in writing following the publication of

the slate of nominated candidates.

Will move to Section VI. E., Elections.

Policies and Procedures Modifications

Under the heading "First Week of December", removal of the sentence:

"The Deadline for write-in nomination petitions is December 1st."

Under the heading "Third Week in January (Weeks 3 & 4), and following the term "MUWAA

President", the addition of the sentence:

"The MUWAA President must then coordinate with the MUW Director of Alumni

Relations in order to publish the slate of nominated candidates to the MUWAA voting

membership and announce the date elections are scheduled to begin. This communication

must also announce that voting members have seven (7) days to submit write-in nomination

petitions for verification from the date of the announcement."

Under the heading "First Week in February (Weeks 5 & 6), the second sentence will be modified

to state:

"Elections Committee prepares the ballot and biographical packet with pictures of the

nominees, both from the slate of nominated candidates and any eligible write-in candidate,

to be attached to the election survey."

Upon review by the Bylaws Committee, nothing within Section 4 of Addendum E, Privacy in

Confirmation of Candidates and Announcement of Results, is in conflict with this Options.

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- 01/12/2016

Consequences:

• Continues a write-in process that has not really been used recently.

• Places the write-in process after the slate is announced, so truly in opposition to the slate.

• Option 4 requires a modification to the MUWAA Bylaws, which would require review

by and approval from Dr. Borsig before a vote could be taken by the Alumni Board.

• It opens the nominations up to more of a popular vote depending how often this is

used/popular this option becomes.

Mississippi University for Women Alumni Associationwww.muwaa.org

________________________________

MUWAA STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTJanuary 23, 2016

Committee Name: Recruitment and Retention

Function of the Committee: This Committee shall support the University in coordination with the Vice President for Student Services in the University recruitment and retention of students and faculty. This is accomplished by overseeing the nomination and selection process with which the MUWAA identifies and recognizes recipients of sponsored scholarships and special awards, including but not limited to scholarships, alumni achievement awards, and the faculty award and grants. Chair of Committee: Katherine Shell Benson

Committee Members: Sue Freeman, Joy Gardberg, Laura Tubb-Prestwich, Cindy Stearns-Guttman

Faculty Scholarship Committee : An email was sent from Katherine Shell Benson and Lyndsay Cumberland and the following W Faculty/Staff Alumni have accepted to serve on the 2016 MUWAA Alumni Scholarship Committee:

Bridget Pieschel – ChairJennifer BoxTowanda WilliamsDustin Nolan

New Faculty Award Report: Please see attached for Dr. Caroline Payne- Purvis' report.

Faculty Awards and Grants Process: On November 30, 2015 an email along with a copy of the updated MUWAA policies concerning Faculty Awards and Grants was sent to Provost Thomas Richardson for him to officially begin the process of selecting 2016 recipients. He will provide us with the Winners by March 2, 2016 so that we may announce them at Homecoming 2016 Convocation.

100th Night and Homecoming Award Reception: 100th Night will be February 4, 2016. The R+R committee has chosen to repeat the Hot Chocolate + Sweets Station for 100th Night guests that was so popular last year. The gifts for the students this year is a blue tumbler with a University Relations approved logo of Ody the Owl designed by Laura Tubb Prestwich. They have been ordered by Lyndsay Cumberland.

The R+R committee has worked with Lyndsay Cumberland to change the place for the MUWAA Award Recipients Reception during Homecoming. It will now be directly following Convocation on April 2 in the Rent Atrium of Whitfield Hall. Convocation will be in Rent Auditorium. We encourage all Board Members to attend as ample time in the Homecoming schedule has been allowed for travel to Four Year Club Reunions after this event.

Laura Tubb Prestwich designed a wonderful ad for this reception that will appear in the upcoming issue of Visions to invite everyone attending Homecoming to attend as well. We would really like a full house to show our support for our chosen MUWAA Award Recipients.

Submitted by: Katherine Shell Benson

Caroline Payne-PurvisNew Faculty Award

The funds provided by the MUW Alumni Association New Faculty Award were used to purchase

supplies to enhance the education of students enrolled in Public Health Education courses. Pubic

Health Education is a field of study in which hands-on learning is essential to the comprehension and

growth of the students. The supplies purchased will be used through programing events completed by

Public Health Education students. Items such as the scales and measuring tapes will be used for the

students to calculate Body Mass Index (BMI) in the spring during health screenings for MUW faculty,

staff, students, and community members.

In addition to programming events and activities that will use supplies purchased, statistical

software was also purchased. This software will be used with both undergraduate and graduate

students within Public Health Education and Health Education. Aside from hands-on experience with

programming, graduates also must have a basic understanding of research methods and data analysis.

The use of the software will allow the students to practice these skills and participate in research within

the department.

Chapter and Constituencies Committee Report to the Board of Directors

January 23, 2016

Members: Katy Canion Pacelli, Chair, Sally Wells Black, Sunshine Bradshaw Burgess, Joey Barnes, Amy

Harris, Kacey Keeton, Erin Boozer Zimmer

Back to Blue Membership Drive

Year Number of Active Alumni Percentage Increase

2010 801 -29.5%

2011 884 10.3%

2012 1017 15.0%

2013 1042 2.4%

2014 1206 15.7%

2015 1261 5.8%

2016 1536 21.8%

Number of alumni who were active for 2015 (Gave equal to or more than $40 in CY 2014 and includes

Life members without duplication): 1,408

Number of alumni who are active for 2016 (Gave equal to or more than $40 in CY 2015 and includes Life

members without duplication): 1,681 (a 19.39% increase!)

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Active Members

Other interesting/important numbers:

Number of alumni who gave any amount for the first time in CY 15:202

Number of alumni who have given any amount in the past but did not give in CY 10,11,12,13,14 and

made a gift of any amount in CY 15: 203

Life Members

We have 264 living Life Members. A letter was mailed to 130 Life Members encouraging them to make

the minimum $40 contribution, even though they are Life Members. This mailing received no

responses. For CY 14 there were 113 Life Members who made a minimum $40 contribution, and in CY

15 there were 114.

Mississippi University for Women Alumni Association

www.muwaa.org

MUWAA STANDING COMMITTEE REPORT

January 2016

Committee Name: Special Events

Function of the Committee: This Committee shall assist in coordinating the participation of Association members in support of

formal programs and special activities planned by the Association President or the University. The committee will consult with the

University’s Executive Director of Alumni Relations regarding these events.

Chair of Committee: Kristi Hipp Mosley

Committee Members: Shelly Morris Davis, Monique Jenkins, Brandi Pannell, Wanda Ray, Beth Reed- Richardson, Kim Swartz and

Gail Laws

Dates of Committee Meetings (In Person, Telephonic and Electronic):

Email Exchange: (all committee members)- December 9, 2015 and January 10, 2016

Silent Auction at 2016 Homecoming

Donations and Event Donations/Sponsorships are beginning to roll in! The Special Events committee is soliciting items and event

donations. During January and February there will be a social media push to secure items and event donations/sponsorships. Our

goal is to have all/most donation forms /event donations completed and turned in by the last week of February. This will allow time

to determine which items will be appropriate for online auction or Homecoming Silent Auction.

Times and Dates for Auction Events:

Exclusive Online Auction: Kickoff Monday, March 14, 2016 at 8am and End Friday, March 25th, 2016 at 8pm.

Homecoming Silent Auction: Friday, April 1, 2016 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm in Shattuck Hall.

The email address for the 2016 auction is longbluelineauction2016@gmail.com.

Please send all questions, donation forms or leads for donations/event donations/sponsorships to this email.

Online Auction website: www.biddingowl.com/MUWAA2016

Please remember, all MUWAA Board Members are asked to donate an item(s) or make event donation/sponsorship of $100.

Thank you to Amy Strickland Tate and Elizabeth Whittington for their donations.

The Silent Auction Committee is still looking for items/donations that are: Vintage/Nostalgic/Gently Used MUW, MUW Alumni or

Staff Created Items/Art/Services, Items that C elebrate Cities/Regions of our MUWAA Chapters (especially the Chapter Baskets),

Vacation Donations (Bch House/Cabin Rentals/Etc.), Event Donations/Sponsorshipsof $100 or more. Event Donors will be recognized

on the Website, at the Event, and in Social Media. Every little bit helps! Please remember that all item donations and event

donations are tax deductible and benefit the MUWAA annual scholarship and grants, including The Legacy Scholarship, Faculty

Enhancement Grants, and New Faculty Awards.

Submitted by: Kristi Hipp Mosley

Mississippi University for Women Alumni Association

www.muwaa.org

________________________________

MUWAA STANDING COMMITTEE REPORT

Jan 11, 2016

Committee Name: Public Relations

Function of the Committee: This Committee shall, in coordination with the University’s Executive

Director of Alumni Relations, create, produce and disseminate information on behalf of the Association

and work to project a positive image of MUW, the Association, and former students.

Chair of Committee: Elizabeth Yoste Whittington

Committee Members: Clemmie Phillips, Heather Fasciocco Stone, Kimberly Griffin, Carrie Pate

Meeting: Series of emails, Dec. 20 - Dec 28

1. Meet the Board series continued

a. Finalizing remaining board bio submissions for Facebook

2. Spectator advertisement

a. Homecoming edition $126

b. Full color, half-page advertisement

3. Silent auction promotion

Mississippi University for Women Alumni Association www.muwaa.org

________________________________

MUWAA STANDING COMMITTEE REPORT

Committee Name: MUWAA Former Presidents Committee

Function of the Committee: This Committee serves as a support and advisory group for the

current

President and Board of Directors

Chair of Committee: Cheryl “Sherrie” Jackson Cooper

Committee Members: Anghaard Teague Dees, Emily Myers Garner, Ricki Garrett, Betty Lou

Jones, Jenny Katool, Gail Laws, Andy Thaggard.

Dates of Committee Meetings: Series of E-mails, January 2016

Items Undertaken by the Committee:

● Committee Members were informed of the University’s invitations issued to past

Presidents for events during Homecoming 2016. Members were gratified by the plans for a

special breakfast at the President’s Home for MUWAA past Presidents and MUW Foundation

past Chairs. The consensus was that MUW, the MUW Alumni Office and MUW President Dr.

Jim Borsig are demonstrating appreciation for the service of Former Presidents in a way that is

meaningful and gratifying.

● Committee Members addressed possible ways make this committee more viable and

more meaningful for the MUWAA and for the former Presidents. Although the MUWAA

Bylaws define the committee in this way: "The Former Presidents Committee: This Committee

serves as a support and advisory group for the current President and Board of Directors," that has

not been the role up to this point. No doubt the Members are all willing to support and advise,

but there is no defined method for that to be the work undertaken by the committee.

The Former Presidents Committee has approved a three-step action plan to both address

the current duties of the Committee as proscribed in the MUWAA Bylaws as well as to identify

possibilities for the future which would allow past Presidents to contribute to the MUWAA and

MUW in meaningful ways:

1) A survey of all Former Presidents will be conducted and will used to satisfy the

committee's responsibilities as currently identified. Questions will solicit advice for the President

and Board, as well as personal challenges and achievements faced during the tenures of Former

Presidents. Committee Chair Sherrie Cooper will draft the survey and after review and approval

by the Committee, the survey will be conducted in coordination with the MUW Alumni Office;

2) The Committee will explore ways the MUWAA Bylaws should be amended to

identify the responsibilities of the Former Presidents Committee in a more realistic and

meaningful way. Just what that would mean would have to be determined, but will include

continued inclusion of past Presidents and the contributions they can make to the MUWAA and

MUW;

3) The Committee will identify ways to expand active roles for past Presidents beyond

the few who can serve on this committee. One suggestion is a Former Presidents "club" to be

established with annual dues of $100 which would be used in a manner to be determined,

including the possibility of an annual project and/or covering costs associated with on-campus

meetings.

Items Completed: None at this time

Budget Requirements: Not currently included in the MUWAA budget; nor requests at this time

Recommendations: None at this time

Other Comments: It is intended that the survey report would be presented at the Homecoming

meeting of the MUWAA Board of Directors. The other action items will be addressed after the

survey and will consider the results when making plans and recommendations.

Submitted by: Cheryl “Sherrie” Jackson Cooper Date: 1/28/2016