Advancing Gender Equity for Women and Girls

NOVEMBER 2025 NEWSLETTER

edited by Cherie Sorokin, Dottie Burk, and Ann Vercoutere

AAUW Opposes the Administration's Higher Education Compact: In mid-October AAUW issued a statement opposing the administration's proposed Compact for Academic Excellence in Education. The draft compact originally offered preferential federal funding to 9 universities in exchange for sweeping policy changes to admissions, hiring, academic governance, grading, athletics, foreign students, and campus speech, all of which the institutions would be required to endorse and monitor. AAUW is also working with institutions of higher education directly on coalition building to oppose the compact. You can read AAUW's statement HERE.

As of this writing, none of the original nine institutions that were sent the draft compact have agreed to sign it, mainly citing the challenge to academic freedom, free speech, and the incursion of politics into the operation of academic institutions.

At least 3 other institutions that subsequently received the draft also indicated they would not sign. Only one institution has indicated it would sign and actually wants to be “first in line,” even though it might not even have actually received the draft compact. That institution, the New School in Sarasota Florida, has been undergoing a “conservative overhaul” since Governor Ron De Santis appointed six political conservatives to the institution’s board. Changes at the New School have included the elimination of gender studies programs, removal of LBGTQ materials from the campus libraries and significant additional hiring of conservatively oriented academics.

So far, no California based institutions have signed the compact. Governor Newsom has indicated that he would withhold state funding from any California school that accepts the compact.

AAUW Fellows Hold Forth on the Impact of Trump's Agenda on Education.

Last Monday, AAUW conducted an excellent webinar with four former fellows who are currently professionally engaged in K-12 and university level education. If you missed it, you can see the recording HERE. This webinar will give you important info and insights you might not be able to obtain elsewhere!

AAUW CALIFORNIA NEWS

Still Undecided on Prop 50?

AAUW California's Proposition 50 and Get Out the Vote (GOTV) 2025 Guide  includes important information on the potential impact of Prop 50. See page three of the document, in particular re how Prop 50 may help in combating the Project 2025 goals of the current administration as well as help prevent further erosion of values and actions important to AAUW and our members. Be sure to vote and remind others to do so as well!

AAUW CA's Statement on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

With all the noise around DEI these days, it can be helpful to take a minute for self-reflection. AAUW California's strong statement of support for DEI invites members to do just that. Consider:

• What biases have you observed in AAUW or in other organizations to which you belong?
• How have you contributed to these biases and perpetuated them?
• How can you heal from these biases and their impact?
• How can you help others in AAUW and in our communities to avoid or stop perpetuating these same biases? 

The challenges we face as a county aren't just about what "other people" are doing or saying. What about us? How might we need to change ourselves?

AAUW Marin News

Saturday, November 22, 10:30 - noon

Join us for our annual visit to Book Passage.

Learn what books are hot for the holidays.

Please respond to the program invitation coming next week so we know how many to expect. There is no charge but $5 donations at the door are appreciated

NOTE: If you have any extra 2026 calendars, bring them to Katherine at the meeting. She distributes them to folks who appreciate them.

Our Fall Fundraising Campaign is on Now!!

Fall is the time we raise money for our own AAUW Marin Scholarship Fund. The branch board has set a fundraising target of $26,600 this year to support our local college scholarships and awards at Dominican University and College of Marin, Tech Trek sponsorships, sponsorships for two 2 women to attend the National Conference for College Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL) and to provide funds for our Tech Trek Alumnae Group (TTAG),

Four Ways You Can Help

• Respond generously to the appeal letter from Scholarship Chair Laura O'Malley. Look for it in your email next week.

• Donate an item to the online silent auction or direct buy sale at the Holiday Luncheon. Thanks to member's efforts we are building a nice selection of tickets, gift cards, experiences, jewelry, gift baskets and handmade items. We could still use a few more merchant-donated gift certificates. Contact Leslie Zimring for information.

• Bid on items in the Bidding Owl online silent auction which opens on November 28 and/or buy an item or two or more at the luncheon on December 6. Bidding directions will be sent later in the month.

• Share the Bidding Owl link with Marin friends, relatives, neighbors, etc. when the auction opens on November 28. The more bidders, the more money we raise!!

Want to know more about the AAUW Marin Scholarship Fund?

Nancy Lubamersky tells you all about it HERE.

Meeting with Damon Connolly!

Branch Public Policy Chair Cherie Sorokin, Barbara Strong and Kathleen Clark went to the Marin Civic Center and met with Assemblymember Damon Connolly. As Kathleen reported in her recent Mid-Month Message, Damon is a big supporter of the mission of AAUW. We discussed the upcoming election and reminded him of AAUW National and State Public Policy principles and priorities, and we talked about ways we could work together - including giving him specific areas to consider for future bills in the CA legislature. Ideas anyone? Contact Cherie Sorokin with your thoughts.

On October 13, twenty plus branch members visited College of Marin. President Dr. Jonathan Eldridge greeted us and gave us an overview of the college’s exciting plans for their new Center for Student Success. He also highlighted CoM's landmark $10,000,000 matching grant from the Jay Pritzker foundation to establish an endowment for students’ non tuition related expenses. Then Nicole McIntyre, director of the MESA program, led a tour of the Science, Math and Nursing building. The MESA program helps educationally disadvantaged community college students prepare for a career in math, science, engineering, computer science and technology. We have been funding awards to MESA students for several years now. Many thanks to Nancy Lubamersky and Deborah Lerner for organizing this program. 

"Excellent meeting, really impressed with all that COM is doing to provide higher education opportunities for all. I'm proud of what AAUW contributes to COM."

-- Katherine Brinnier

"...really brought to life how valuable every $ is to these students."

-- Mardi Diamond

Dr, Jeffrey Tador-Reeder, Interim Dean of Math & Science and Keith Rosenthal, Director of Advancement welcomed us.

We toured the Science Math & Nursing Building (SMN) including labs like the well-used Math Lab.

Members explored some of the specimens on display in the laboratories in the SMN building. Geology anyone?

A panel of MESA students (2 current and 1 former) responded to Nicole McIntyre's questions.

On October 9, several members of the AAUW Marin Scholarship Fund board attended the College of Marin Annual Scholarship Awards Celebration. This year's ceremony was held at the college's delightful Indian Valley Organic Farm and Garden. The outdoor event honored scholarship recipients and donors including the AAUW Marin Scholarship Fund. At the event, we were pleased to donate $1,000 from our branch to the Pritzker matching grant. Just a start, we hope.

Note the '100' on the image above. College of Marin will celebrate its centennial in 2026. Stay tuned for more information about centennial activities starting with the opening of the David Wain Coon Center for Student Success Ribbon Cutting ceremony on February 4.

Gretchen Leavitt got her BA in music from Mills College. She worked in an office but has since retired. She keeps busy volunteering with her church, attending plays and walking around the neighborhood (she lives not far from downtown San Rafael).

Interest Group News

Ready to join a new interest group?

All groups welcome new members. Just contact the group leader for information or to be added to the group email list. For a list of all Marin branch interest groups with leader contact information, click HERE. Note: Interest Groups are just for members of AAUW Marin, but guests who may be thinking of joining are welcome to visit an interest group twice before being asked join.

Bocce

The next big event will be held November 11 at the Albert Park Courts in San Rafael at 10am. You don't need to know how to play! Come for the fun. Contact Ann Vercoutere if interested.

French Conversation

Chères Francophiles, au mois de novembre notre heure d’amitié et de conversation en français sera mercredi le 12 chez Rulli Larkspur a 1:30. Salut! Janet Lynn or 415/755-8486

The Movie Group enjoys dinner and discussion at Sorella Cafe in Fairfax after the October movie.

Keep Educated!

• Watch the 2025 AAUW Alumnae Recognition Awards honoring Yie-Hsin Hung, President and CEO of State Street Investments! She was a Selected Professions Fellow in 1985-86 and has been recognized by Barron's as one of the 100 most influential women in finance. The program is November 20 at 1:30 Pacific time. Here is the link.
• Learn how to build coalitions! Register for the AAUW national webinar "Working in Coalition: Building Power through Partnerships" on November 6 at 4:00 pm Pacific time. Learn how strong partnerships can amplify your advocacy with real-world examples and first steps for building coalitions. Here is the link.  
• Watch the AAUW CA webinar "Project 2025 Impacts on AAUW Values--One Year Later and How to Stop Implementation." Here is the link. The substance starts at about the 4-minute mark if you want to skip all the intros. This is a great overview!
• Read a banned book and share It! Banned Book Week was actually last month, but it's never too late to resist censorship! Wikipedia has a comprehensive list of the most banned or challenged books as of 2020 and the American Library Association posts annual lists. Check these lists out to see how challenges have changed over time. Now most challenges are from organized groups, not individual parents or commentators.

Be Active!

• Write our Senators and Congressman about the impact of the government shut down on students at universities. AAUW's Two Minute Activist has suggested language. Not yet a Two Minute Activist? Join using this link.
• Help get out the vote for the upcoming election. Encourage your friends to vote. Give someone a ride to the polls.

Take Time Out for Some Culture!

• Visit the Manet and Morisot Impressionist Exhibition. It's at The Legion of Honor until March. Morisot was the sole woman among the founders of the Impressionist Movement. The fascinating collaboration between Manet and Morisot is the focus of this show. Entrances are timed and there is a charge for non-members.
• Admire Some Crafts! November 7-9 is the Marin Arts and Crafts show at the Marin Center Exhibit Hall. Admission is free. Check out the candlemakers, ceramicists, weavers, jewelry makers, woodworkers and other crafters who will be displaying their wares.

Volunteer Opportunity

AARP is looking for friendly and service-oriented people to join their volunteer Tax-Aide team. Counselors work directly with taxpayers by filling out tax forms. Client facilitators welcome taxpayers, organize their paperwork and manage the overall flow of service. No experience necessary. Here's a flyer.

Member Angela Nuckles has volunteered for seven years and can tell you all about it.

Contact her at Angela Nuckles or (415) 686-8394 if interested.

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