In attendance: Barb Lundberg, Beth Weatherby, Cathleen Brannen, Cheryl Chatman, Jeanne Markell, Jessica Stumpf, Jo Ann Simser, Maria McLemore-Sklar, Sharon Kurtt

Absent: Anita Rios, Carole Bland, Esther Peralez, Gina Monson, Jo Peterson, Josephine Reed Taylor, Judith Blyckert, Marnie Fischer, Mary Eaton, Michelle Ernst

1. Ann Wynia, President of North Hennepin Community College and former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, was our guest to discuss working with legislators, part of the skill set needed by women leaders in higher education. She stressed the importance of relationship-building and outlined methods for doing so.
    

   Excerpts from her remarks:
    

   Know your legislators. Know the process. Cultivate relationships with the leadership. You need the leadership to know you and your issues.
    

   Much of what happens in the legislature depends on relationships, on who you know. People take stands on high profile issues, but on most issues the votes are more fluid. Personal, trust relationships are critical to the way things get done.
    

   Colleges need friends in the legislature who are there for you, who know when something going on may be detrimental to what your concerns are, friends who look at issues the way you do.
    

   As president, I cultivate the legislators in my area so that they understand how important the college is to their community. I want to be this person’s best friend on higher education issues.
    

   A good place to get to know your legislators is the precinct caucus. This puts you on a list of very important people because you control the endorsement.
    

   When the legislative session is over, volunteer to hold a fundraiser at your home or to go door-knocking with the legislator. This allows chat-time and tells them that you are there for them.
    

   Early in the session, in January, make a call at your legislator’s office. Be ready with the simple information you want them to have. Mostly, though, you want to listen. Connect by sending letters a few times per session.
    

   Spend time watching the legislature. Track an issue over time to learn about the flow of the process.
    

   Invite legislators to campus to speak about your issue. This means that they have to do some research on your position. Don’t tell them about your issue; invite them to come tell you.
    

   Remember that students’ opinions are given extra weight.
    

   Relationship-building is not a one-shot deal but involves cultivation over a long period of time.
    

   Regarding the tendency toward cynicism: Stay in the fight! You have to stay in the fight to have any chance of creating change or supporting what you believe in.
    

2. Web-site update: Barb presented the site to the national board; it clearly came across as one of the most professional sites and was lifted up as an example.
    
3. Fall Conference Theme: There is general agreement that “Making a Difference” would be an effective theme as it can go in many directions on many levels, e.g., Why does it make a difference to have women in leadership positions? Barb asked that we think about keynote speaker possibilities and send ideas to her or to the conference committee.
    
4. AAUW Literacy Project: This is a pilot project on financial literacy. It was decided to make this a pre-conference workshop rather than a stand-alone event and tie it to the “Making a Difference” theme.
    
5. April 15 Institutional Representatives Mini-Retreat: Invitations will be sent by email. Jesse has reserved rooms at Hennepin Technical College- Brooklyn Park and made arrangements for a five-course lunch in the gourmet dining room. The purpose of the retreat is to network, to clarify the representatives’ roles, and to given them ways to go back to the campuses to energize women to participate in the fall conference. (One agenda item will be how to make contact between the board and reps more frequently, possibly using technology.)  Schedule for April 15:  9–11 Board Meeting, 11–12 networking lunch with reps, 12–2:30 program with reps (Jesse and Tina will organize the program).
    
6. Cathleen suggested that we plan a reception for legislators for Jan. 13, 2005. During the mini-retreat, we will invite institutional reps to attend this reception and we will share with them Ann Wynia’s recommendations for working with legislators. (We also plan to weave this aspect of our work into the conference.)
    
7. Board retreat planning: Sharon and Cathleen will scout a location for the June 10–11 retreat.  Possible agenda items: how to work with women presidents, newsletter issues such as the relationship between the newsletter and the web-site, committee sessions, conference planning, general business