AAUWNY

One NIght Only--International Women's Day

2009-02-09T21:19:00.002-05:00

This year celebrate International Women's Day, March 5, with a special event for one night only. There will be a presentation of a documentary called A Powerful Noise at 7:30 p.m. followed by a live panel featuring Madeleine Albright, Nicholas Kristof and Dr. Helen Gayle of CARE. A Powerful Noise follows the lives of three women in three different countries as they struggle confront issues of HIV/AIDS, work to educate girls and to unite their divided communities. The outstanding panel will discuss the issues involved.

This will be held at various theaters around the country including, in New York, theaters in the Bronx Buffalo, College Point, Farmingdale, Holtsville, Ithaca, Manhattan, Port Washington,New Rochelle, Port Washington, Rochester, Syracuse, Victor, Westbury, White Plains, Williamsville and I am sure I missed some.

For more details put "A Powerful Noise" into your web browser.

Let's make a powerful AAUW noise and gather with friends at theaters around NY state,

Diane

Child Brides--Making the World a Better Place

2009-02-09T10:49:00.005-05:00

Do you want to make the world a little better?
A very special program, the work of AAUW's Catherine Moore (and many others) is coming to the UN but the deadline to register is February 14; if you are interested you must act right away.

I would like you and your friends to know about a program on Child Brides: Stolen Lives, sponsored by the Working Group on Girls of the NGO Committee on UNICEF to be held on Wednesday, 18 Febr. in the ECOSOC Chamber. Perhaps you saw the PBS program in the fall of 2007. We will have a 10-minutes segment from the film and then speakers. Catherine Moore is the chair of the planning committee.

It is possible to get passes for the public who are interested in this topic. To get a pass, follow the below. Passes are picked up at the visitor's entrance between 45th and 46th. Take photo ID.

A Dialogue on Early Marriage:
Establishing Girls’ Visibility
Date: Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Time: 1:15-2:30 p.m.
Place: ECOSOC Chamber, United Nations
Featuring NOW on PBS
“Child Brides: Stolen Lives”
Moderator, Ann Scholz, Working Group on Girls
Panel:
Sunita Rathore, Tutor and Mentor - Veerni Project,
Jodhpur, India
Maria Hinojosa, Senior Correspondent, NOW on
PBS
Connie Taracena Secaira, Minister Counsellor,
Permanent Mission of Guatemala (invited?)
Carolyn Hannen
Carolyn Bacquiet-Walsh

RSVP by Feb. 14th to wggrsvp@gmail.com
Seating is limited. Please indicate if you do NOT have a UN grounds pass.
Audience members are encouraged to preview the entire film “Child Brides: Stolen Lives” at:
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/341/index.html (We will screen an excerpt at this event.)
Rosa - “Child Brides: Stolen Lives”
Courtesy of NOW on PBS
SAVE THE DATE!

RSVP by Feb. 14th If you don't have a grounds pass, be sure to email your name, address and phone number to wggrsvp@gmail.com by Febr. 14. There will not be any extensions.

RSVP by 14 Febr.

-----------
Carolyn Donovan
UN Representative AAUW
American Association Univ. Women
Email: acdonovan@optonline.net
Tel: 516-551-0993

submitted by Diane Haney

SUPREME COURT UNANIMOUS DECISION

2009-01-25T11:47:00.003-05:00

The U.S. Supreme Court delivered a ruling that strengthened the legislative and legal protections available to victims of sexual harassment and gender discrimination. In Fitzgerald v. Barnstable School Committee, the Court ruled unanimously those persons who sue under the landmark Title IX statute may simultaneously do so under another civil rights statute known as Section 1983. As Justice Samuel Alito's opinion stated, "We conclude that Title IX was not meant to be an exclusive mechanism for addressing gender discrimination in schools, or as a substitute for Section 1983 suits as a means of enforcing constitutional rights."

The case was brought by the parents of Jacqueline Fitzgerald, a kindergarten student in Massachusetts who was forced repeatedly by an older boy to remove her clothes during bus rides to school. Upon hearing this information from their daughter, Jacqueline's parents asked school officials to intervene, proposing either that the harassing student be transferred to a different bus or that the school assign an adult monitor to ride the bus. The school board declined both options, and took no disciplinary action against the perpetrator. The Fitzgerald family then sued the school district alleging violations of both Title IX and the Equal Protection clause of the Constitution. The latter is enforced by Section 1983 of the United States Code, a statute put in place by the 1871 Civil Rights Law, which in some cases offers additional protections not included under Title IX.

The Court heard oral arguments for the case in December 2008 - and AAUW signed an amicus brief in support of the Fitzgerald's position. AAUW is committed to eliminating significant boundaries to educational opportunities that women and girls encounter, including sexual harassment. Read the AAUW study on sexual harassment in schools, "Drawing the Line," and learn what AAUW is doing to help eliminate sexual harassment and discrimination.
MPD
AAUW NYS LAF VP

National Popular Vote - Among the lively interest group meetings I have attended recently was one devoted to the National Popular Vote (NPV).

2008-12-05T16:01:00.009-05:00

Now that the elections are over, perhaps it is time to consider a different way of electing the president and vice president of the US.

Among the lively interest group meetings I have attended recently was one devoted to the National Popular Vote (NPV).

What is it? NPV is a compact between the states which must be passed by the legislature of each state joining the compact that agrees that all of the votes of that state will go to the candidate securing the greatest number of popular votes in a presidential election.

Why is this important? Because as it stands only the handful of “battleground” states receive the attention of presidential candidates, and only issues of concern in those states receive concern. As noted on the National Popular Vote web-site, (http://www.nationalpopularvote.com/pages/explanation.php#exp_1page, “This means that voters in two thirds of the states are ignored in presidential elections. In 2004, candidates concentrated over two-thirds of their money and campaign visits in just five states; over 80% in nine states; and over 99% of their money in just 16 states.”
Haven’t you noticed how quiet it is in New York during presidential elections?
The speaker I heard on this topic noted that the only reason we hear about corn ethanol is because of the Iowa caucuses. New York, meanwhile, does not rate much attention.

Why use a state compact? Because according to the constitution and the Supreme Court, the states control the appointment and “mode” of appointment of the electors.
What should AAUW do about this? As an organization devoted to education and equity for women and girls, action on this issue may not be a good use of our resources, but as an organization long devoted to education in the broadest sense, this would appear to be an issue we should be informed about.

Salary Equity? NOT!

2008-11-11T23:22:00.003-05:00

A story in our local paper was headlined "Base pay of female CEOs tends to be higher than men’s". Looking further, though, the subtitle told the real story - "However, women getting short-changed on total compensation".

It turns out that only 3% of the CEO's in the study were women (based on 3,242 Canadian and US companies). Their base salaries were about 3% higher than those of their male counterparts. But - when total compensation was reviewed, the women only earned 85% of their male counterparts' income.

There's always more to the story...

GOOD NEWS FOR LAF

2008-08-06T12:48:00.002-04:00

I have just had word that Claire Schuster received a favorable decision from the appeals court on her case, Schuster vs. Berea College.

Visit the aauw.org website, to read the entire case. Claire was our keynote speaker at the LAF Luncheon, AAUW New York State Convention in April of 2008.

As details on the decision become available I will post the information at the AAUW NYS website.

CARE Initiative Against Maternal Mortality

2008-07-04T18:16:00.002-04:00

A woman dies each minute from complications during pregnancy or childbirth. Nearly all of these deaths occur in the developing world. The leading cause of death is bleeding, for which there are simple, cheap solutions. For every woman who dies, 30 others are injured, infected, or disabled.

CARE, one of AAUW's partners, launched an initiative in September, 2007 to mobilize a global coalition to reduce maternal mortality and child malnutrition in 10 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The program will train health care providers, work with ministries of health and local partners, and establish policies and procedures. An pilot CARE program in Peru reduced mortality rates by 49% in less than 4 years.

The program will include access to contraceptives to avoid unintended pregnancies; access to nutritional support and basic medical care during pregnancy; skilled care during delivery; quality emergency obstetric care; and information to ensure optimal breastfeeding and complementary feeding.

CARE began in 1945 when 22 American organizations came together to send lifesaving US Army surplus food parcels to survivors of World War II. It expanded in the 1950's to send US agricultural surpluses to developing countries. The organization added primary health programs in the sixties, agroforestry in the seventies, small business development in the eighties, and family planning in 1990.

LEGAL ADVOCACY FUND

2008-06-30T19:59:00.003-04:00

As the AAUW New York State Legal Advocacy Fund Vice President, I want to remind everyone that we still have work to do. Equity Is Still An Issue.

We are pleased with a settlement in the Chichilnisky case but our fight for gender equity and the end of pay discrimination still goes on. Graciela had to stand up to a fleet of lawyers and a university with funds available to pursue their case.

In most cases this is exactly what women have to face. Long term legal battles up against large institutions, academia or corporate, with very deep pockets.

We owe these women a great deal of gratitude for the their fortitude in pursuing difficult law suits for many years. Most cannot work in their chosen profession after pursuing a court case against the institution they worked for.

My work with AAUW in leading our branches and members to support the Legal Advocacy Fund is most important and rewarding to me.

As we enter the second half of 2008, I am asking all of you to remember Graciela Chichilnisky and think of all the others who are still pursuing their suits. Claire Schuster is still awaiting a judges decision on her appeal.

By supporting LAF you give positive evidence that you believe in the AAUW mission of Equity for women and girls through advocacy, education and research.

CHICHILNISKY VS. COLUMBIA SETTLEMENT

2008-06-27T17:32:00.006-04:00

Thursday, June 26 the case of Graciela Chichilnisky vs. Columbia University was settled. AAUW advocates for equity for women and girls. We work to pass legislation that will enable them to fight for their rights through the legal system, as Graciela did.
These are Chichilnisky's comments about the setlement:Yes, it is wonderful, the law suit is over I keep my tenured appointment etc and the university had to pay a substantial amount of money in settlement.
I am ready and pleased to move forward to the future! I am ready and pleased to move forward to the future! Graciela will be able to continue her work of making this a better planet for us all.As I mentioned in a previous blog, this was my first experience in court supporting a litigant. I knew Graciela briefly before the trial. However as the trial progressed I came to greatly admire this courageous woman. She was fighting for justice for herself and the other women who are being discriminated against at Columbia.
The next comments are my thoughts about that justice system. (An aside, when I came into the public seating section of the courtroom one day, a little late after being held up in traffic for an hour, Graciela, also in that public area, leaned over and gave me a kiss, she was reprimanded for doing so.) I saw that the money that allows the hiring of a fleet of lawyers and the power of a large entity can seemingly subvert the intent of the law. Also that judges bring their own partiality to the bench with them. We will continue to preserver in seeking what is right and fair for all our citizen. We must applaud Graciela for fighting to stop pay inequities and retaliation.

Nancy Mion

SETTLEMENT

2008-06-26T23:15:00.002-04:00

I am pleased to report that a settlement has been reached between Graciela Chichlinisky and Columbia University. This happened today, June 26.

AAUW supporters were present in court today as they have been since the start of the trial.
I want to thank everyone who answered the call of the AAUW New York State LAF VP in asking for members to be there. Many thanks to Manhattan, Westchester, North Shore, New Jersey and Islip Branches for stepping up to the plate when called upon.

Graciela was most grateful to all who took the time to go to court and showed their support for her case. She is ready to get back to work and to move on with her work in global warming.

Today in Court with Graciela Chichilisky vs. Columbia University

2008-06-26T00:12:00.002-04:00

Today In Court with Graciela Chichilisky vs. Columbia University Wednesday June 25, 2008.
The first witness was positively received. She was articulate, poised and knowledgeable. Her testimony as to Graciela’s role and position was positive. . An expert witness analyzed salary data given him by Columbia University. His findings about all salaries of staff with PhD’s and similar responsibilities, etc. appeared to show a significant difference between males and females. Significant meant that it was greater than chance or coincidence. When factors like length of employment, age, and seven other factors were analyzed separately a significant difference in less pay for females was found for each item. The Judge refused to admit testimony on pay loss in increases in salary on a technicality .On cross examination I thought I heard the attorney for Columbia say that if you agreed to work for the salary offered then it is not discrimination.

An observer is amazed at the power the judge has in accepting objections, denying them and interpreting happenings..

Two members of AAUW Manhattan Branch, One member of AAUW Islip Area Branch and myself were there supporting her. Another woman was also there. She is filing suit against Columbia for sexual harassment and retaliation.

Graciela will be on the witness stand tomorrow, Thursday June 26. Court starts at 9:30. She needs our support. She is fighting a battle for women everywhere and especially at Columbia University.

Nancy Mion, AAUW NYS Public Policy Director.

AAUW MEMBERS SUPPORT GRACIELA CHICHILNISKY

2008-06-22T16:22:00.002-04:00

As the first week of court closes in the trial of Graciela Chichilnisky v. Columbia I am proud to say that many AAUW members from various branches answered the call of the AAUW NYS LAF VP to attend the trial. Members from Manhattan, Weschester, Islip and New Jersey spent time in court to show their support for our LAF Supported Litigant.

Examinations and evidence will continue into next week and we have several members attending on those court days. Graciela has been involved in this case for years, taking a toll on her family life, career and her future. We as AAUW members can give our time over the next t weekto be present at the trial and show the court and Graciela that we support her in this law suit.

Updates will continue to be posted by me during the next week as we "fight the good fight" for women and girls because......EQUITY IS STILL AN ISSUE.

Look for me in court and wear your AAUW LAF stickers to show all that AAUW is present and concerned.

Sexual Discrimination Case Update-Chichilnisky vs. Columbia

2008-06-21T12:24:00.004-04:00

The wheels of justice grind slow. The case of Graciela Chichilnisky vs. Columbia Univ. started in 2000 is finally being heard this third week in June 2008. AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund has supported her since 2002. Wednesday slowly almost the entire day was spent cross examining Prof. Chichilnisky’s Administrative Assistant. Photos of her office and the boxes of her articles, papers, books that were thrown in complete disorder into them were shown, unseen was the violation and destruction of research . There was a half hour video conference with a witness for Graciela from California who established her expertise. Check her credentials at www.chichilnisky.com

Columbia University’ is represented by the firm of Proscauer and Rose. Each day 4-5 women and men from the firm sit at the table in front of the Judge and there are an equal number or more from the firm sitting in the courtroom. On the other end of the table sits Robert Felix, Graciela’s attorney. An unequal battle of might vs. right. Eileen Skaggs, AUW NYS Adminstrative Director, and I were there from AAUW supporting her and her fight for Equity.

The media have published information about her and this case. June 16 http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS54203+15-Jun-2008+PRN20080615 The New York Post has two articles. You can read June 16, 2008 at: http://www.nypost.com/seven/06162008/news/nationalnews/prof_hits_columbia__with_2nd_bias_suit_115711.htmJune 17 at: http://www.nypost.com/seven/06172008/news/nationalnews/columbia_rips_bias_prof_115878.htm

The trial begins again on Wednesday, June 25 at the NYS Supreme Court Room 438. I’ll be there with other AAUW members.

Nancy Mion

LAF SUPPORT - CHICHILNISKY V. COLUMBIA

2008-06-20T08:34:00.005-04:00

I attended court yesterday. Court began at 9:30. Nancy Ferer was also in attendance. There was further work on bringing documents into evidence.

Testimony was heard from Christopher C. Barton, now of Wright State University, Dayton OH. Retired from the U.S. Geological Survey. Dr. Barton was involved with the early creation of CCRM--Center for Risk Management, on loan to Columbia from the U.S.Geological Survey.

Cross-examination of Peter Eisenberger then took place. Dr. Eisenberger apparently was the immediate supervisor of Graciela during that period. I left around 3:15, before this phase of the trial was complete.

During one of the table sessions the judge and attorneys were trying to work out where they are in the schedule. They were saying that plaintiff will begin testimony on Wednesday, 6/25 and this is expected to continue for approximately three days. My feeling is that Dr. Eisenberger may be called back to complete the cross-examination and redirect, if they didn't finish yesterday. Wilma Gitchel, Westchester Branch

The NY Post printed an article on Monday, June 16, 2008. I will continue to update on the progress of this trial.

LAF LITIGANT SUPPORT - GRACIELA CHICHILNISKY

2008-06-20T08:34:00.003-04:00

I attended court yesterday. Court began at 9:30. Nancy Ferer was also in attendance. There was further work on bringing documents into evidence.

Testimony was heard from Christopher C. Barton, now of Wright State University, Dayton OH. Retired from the U.S. Geological Survey. Dr. Barton was involved with the early creation of CCRM--Center for Risk Management, on loan to Columbia from the U.S.Geological Survey.

Cross-examination of Peter Eisenberger then took place. Dr. Eisenberger apparently was the immediate supervisor of Graciela during that period. I left around 3:15, before this phase of the trial was complete.

During one of the table sessions the judge and attorneys were trying to work out where they are in the schedule. They were saying that plaintiff will begin testimony on Wednesday, 6/25 and this is expected to continue for approximately three days. My feeling is that Dr. Eisenberger may be called back to complete the cross-examination and redirect, if they didn't finish yesterday. Wilma Gitchel, Westchester Branch

The NY Post printed an article on Monday, June 16, 2008. Continuous updates on the progress of the trial will be posted here.

AAUW LEGAL ADVOCACY FUND - LITIGANT SUPPORT

2008-06-18T19:21:00.002-04:00

Our LAF supported Litigant, Graciela Chichilnisky started her trial here in New York City on June 16, 2008. Here are the dates and details for those who would attend and support her.

Economics and Mathematics Professor Graciela Chichilnisky’s suit against Columbia University for gender discrimination will be held in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Judge Carol Edmead. The firm Proscauer and Rose will represent Columbia. Robert Felix represents Graciela.The building is at 60 Centre Street, Part 35, Room 438, on the fourth floor starting June 16 and scheduled for 6/18, 6/19, 6/25, 6/26, 6/27, 6/30, 7/2, 7/3.

Dr. Graciela Chichilnisky, an extraordinarily gifted scholar, is UNESCO Professor of Economics and Mathematics at Columbia. Her vitae and accomplishments are too extensive to be easily summarized here: please see her website, www.chichilnisky.com.

Dr. Chichilnisky, is an AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund supported litigant. She has spoken at many AAUW functions and many of us know how long and how difficult this lawsuit has been. The fact that she stands up for women and girls is to be commended and we need to support her at this trial.

AAUW members attending will be wearing stickers that say AAUW-LAF or I AM THE FACE OF PAY EQUITY. Look for other members at the trial. As your New York State LAF VP I am encouraging members to attend.

The N Y Post was present on opening day and took pictures but printed articles have yet to appear. Posts to this blog will be posted with updates as they come in.

My First Day in Court for beginning Chichilnisky vs Columbia Trial

2008-06-17T18:27:00.006-04:00

Monday, June 16, 2008 was the day of the trial of Graciela Chichilnisky vs. Columbia University for gender discrimination . This is the statement Graciela made on the steps of the NYS Supreme Court Building in NYC.

"As I stand here before you this morning, on the verge of what I hope is the final phase of what has been a difficult--but worthwhile struggle--I can't help but reflect on the accomplishments and contributions women and Latinos have made in this great nation. From politics, to music, athletics, science, architecture, education, and economics, women and Latinos have continuously persevered in the face of impossible odds. Every day Latino women like myself contribute their effort and brainpower to the problems that face humankind - and have earned the credit and recognition we deserve for making extraordinary contributions to society. And that is why I am pursuing this lawsuit. This is not about smearing the reputation of a great Ivy League University, or trying to elevate myself at the expense of others; this is about fairness, equality, respect, and most importantly, allowing all of us to make the unique and powerful contributions we can make. That is what Latino women - all women - have fought for for centuries, and when all is said and done with this case, I hope to attain.

Latino women have come so far over a long period of time, and my contributions and accomplishments are an indication of that. To all who continue to support and believe in me, I want to express my most heartfelt thanks and appreciation; I am forever in your debt." - Graciela Chichilnisky, UNESCO Professor of Mathematics and Economics Director, Columbia Consortium for Risk Management Columbia University, New York www.chichilnisky.com

This is the first time I’ve ever been in a real live courtroom. Previously it has been through the eyes of the camera. I realized the Judge has a grave responsibility to determine a just verdict. I had met Chichilnisky before at the AAUW NYS and AAUW National Conventions. I also heard her speak at both. Graciela is not a character in a book or play but a flesh abd blood woman fighting for her rights. This is a battle that will effect her life and other women in academia. It is a first hand human struggle. Diane Haney, AAUW NYS President and I were there to support her. A photographer came from the NY Post to take her picture that was to be run with her story in the next edition. Also she was to be interviewed later in the day. It sem to me that the day covered the judge approving documents to be presented, then the opposing attorneys gave their opening statements, along with visuals, presenting what they intended to prove. A witness for Graciela told of Columbia’s intent to harass her and the price of his decision to disagree with them.

Court will reconvene Wednesday, June 18. I’ll be there with AAUW members supporting her in her fight for equity.

Nancy Mion

New York Liberty Basketball Team

2008-06-11T21:06:00.003-04:00

In March 2008 the New York City, Westchester, Manhattan and Rockland branches of AAUW met at Madison Square Garden with Erin Dabe, a representative of the New York Liberty Basketball Team. The Liberty is a professional all women's basketball team. The discussion included young women in sports including educational status for women players, title IX, and leadership in women's sports. The steering committee, composed of a representative of each branch and four 7/8th grade girls has developed a program that is beneficial to both the team, youth and their families. The program is a Sister to Sister - Family Day. It will be held on Sunday, September 14, 2008 and starts at 1:00 in Madison Square Garden followed by a game between the NY Liberty and the Detroit Shock at 4:00 The event will include an AAUW representative who will speak on Title IX and AAUW's support for women in sports. There will a guest appearance by NY Liberty Legend Kym Hampton. The $10 ticket includes admission, fan tunnels-slap hands with the Liberty players as they enter the court, and a private Autograph Session and memorabilia of the game.

The branches are encouraging 7th and 8th grade girls and their families to come an participate in this event. We hope that other branches encourage their members, family and friends to join us in supporting women's basketball. For information please contact Pamela Njapa-Minyard at 914 438 5627 or email info@tomorrowleaders.org Ticket are already available at the participating branches.

AAUW Poughkeepsie Member Chosen for Spirit of Dutchess County Award

2008-06-08T12:43:00.002-04:00

Betty Harrel was chosen from many nominees to receive the Spirit of Dutchess County award from the United Way. She was nominated by Poughkeepsie Branch of AAUW for the award for her community project Leading to Reading. The United Way acknowledges individual volunteers and service organizations for the work they do to make the community stronger.

Leading to Reading, one of Poughkeepsie AAUW community projects, had another banner year. Under the leadership of Betty, AAUW enthusiastic volunteers and generous donors, the following were accomplished:
Put together reading kits to support the summer program at the Catharine Street
Community Center
Provided a book as a holiday gift for each child at the Tubman Terrace After School program
Delivered books to The Children’s Home of Poughkeepsie
Provided adult books to Hudson River Lodging residents
Made reading kits for the pre-schoolers at the Astor Head Start program
Wrapped hundreds of gifts for children living at Hudson River Lodging
Said “thank you” to Lisa Libraries by helping them sort books and pack shipping cartons

Sexual Trafficking, continued

2008-06-04T11:15:00.002-04:00

Old issues continue as we prepare for the new membership year. On June 3, 2008, some AAUW members (Diane Haney, Barbara Kaim, Julie Kleszczewski) attended a panel discussion at the United Nations on New York State’s “toughest anti-human trafficking law in the United States.” It was a proud day for New York and for all of the organization which worked so hard to pass the legislation especially Equality Now but including AAUW.
Things mentioned by the speakers:
One of the problems is the persistent belief that this is a victimless crime. There is a persistent belief that it does not happen in our neighborhoods—very much not true in New York which is a major gateway into the country. When they cleaned up Times Square, prostitution moved onto Long Island.
Progress can and has been made. For instance in a New York neighborhood, the residents wrote down the license plates of the John’s cars and drove the prostitutes out. In San Francisco first time customers are required to take instruction in how prostitution actually works and recidivism has declined.
Other countries with successful programs are Mexico with effective ads, Denmark and Madagascar which have effective programs targeting the customers. There is a need to empower women and reduce poverty which makes women vulnerable, but we also need to work to control the criminal element.
Many needs remain. We need to rehumanize those whose dignity has been compromised, Victims have been treated as less than human. We need to stigmatize the customer not the victim. Pimps should be held accountable. Civil society needs to work to change minds, stigmatize customers, punish criminal elements who recruit and enslave children.
Since the victims of this crime are not an organized group by their very nature (poor, sometimes not speaking English, often not citizens) the action of organized citizen’s groups is extremely important
We are asked to support The William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, H,R. 3887 which has passed the house (last December) and just been introduced into the Senate—no Senate number yet.
In New York there is no minimum age at which a child can be charged with prostitution. Thus a child can be a victim of statutory rape and also charge with prostitution.
Although we have an exemplary bill, there are some fixes needed. We are asked to support the legislation described below to give our citizen children protection.
It is the plight of American children under 17 who are coerced into prostitution in NYS. They are victims of sex trafficking. I ask you to create and support an Assembly Bill, like the already passed Senate Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Act (S6747). A Bill that would provide for these child prostitutes to be treated as victims of trafficking giving them those services that will enable them to reenter society, rather than treating them as Juvenile Delinquents. They need assistance not incarceration. For more information see www.aauw-nys.org and click on public policy.

Chichilnisky and AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund Support

2008-06-03T18:37:00.004-04:00

AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund has supported Graciela Chichilnisky in her suit against Columbia University for breach of settlement agreement, retaliation, sex discrimination, and pay inequity for six years. The following is from the Fall/Winter 2002 LAF Update when the case was first adopted.

Columbia Breaches Pay Equity Agreement
Graciela Chichilnisky should feel vindicated. She has been a tenured professor at Columbia University since 1979, has held numerous academic positions at notable institutions around the globe, served as a UNESCO chair, and is well recognized in the fields of economics and mathematics. When Chichilnisky had to contend with the prestigious university once before for sex discrimination and pay inequity, she came away with a substantial settlement agreement. But the economics professor has had a difficult time achieving a sense of vindication in the years following the settlement, and now she’s suing the institution again: this time, for failure to keep the promises it made under the agreement.
Chichilnisky filed the second lawsuit in New York state court on March 1, 2000, alleging breach of the settlement agreement, retaliation, and sex discrimination. The filing came on the heels of an incident that occurred just days before, when Columbia began aggressively dismantling the office space of its Program on Information and Resources, of which Chichilnisky was the director. When she entered the offices on Feb. 28, she found three workstations destroyed and six computers that contained critical records and research disconnected, stacked precariously, and rendered inoperable. This episode was the culmination of numerous retaliatory incidents that occurred since the initial settlement agreement in 1995.
The basis of her first suit surfaced in 1984, when she became aware of a gross disparity between her salary and those of her male counterparts. About a year later, she obtained information revealing that she earned roughly 30 percent less than the median salary of her male colleagues at the same rank in her department. After futile attempts to remedy this salary discrepancy, in 1991 Chichilnisky filed suit in federal district court as the lead plaintiff in a class action lawsuit against university. The complaint alleged that Columbia had violated both Title VII, which outlaws sex discrimination in employment, and the Equal Pay Act by maintaining a policy of compensating female faculty members considerably less than their male counterparts. The class action portion of the suit was eventually dropped, and the suit was ultimately settled in Chichilnisky’s favor. The terms of the settlement agreement are confidential.
Despite Columbia’s promises in the settlement agreement to provide Chichilnisky with certain resources for herself and the programs she directs, the promises have been either unfulfilled or retracted. In her lawsuit, Chichilnisky says the instances of retaliation and breach of the settlement agreement intensified in 1999, when Vice Provost Michael Crow was appointed interim head of the Earth Institute, the umbrella unit that administered Chichilnisky’s program. Following Crow’s appointment, the school froze research funds intermittently and withheld payments to Chichilnisky and her staff and consultants, increasingly hampering her program’s ability to function. In 2000 Columbia announced that it would dissolve the UNESCO chair—the position Chichilnisky held.
Since filing her second suit, Chichilnisky agreed to mediation and engaged in a number of discussions with Columbia and her attorneys regarding enforcement of the settlement agreement, all of which have proven unsuccessful.

The following quotes from the LAF Update 2003-2006 indicate AAUW LAF continueous support:
Fall 2003-Graciela Chichilnisky sued Columbia University in 2000 for breach of settlement agreement, retaliation, sex discrimination, and pay inequity. Her case, pending in New York state court, is in the discovery stage.
Fall 2004-Chichilnisky’s suit, pending in New York state court, is in the discovery stage.
Winter 2005-Chichilnisky’s case is currently in discovery, which is expected to conclude before the end of 2005. A trial date has not been set.
Winter 2006-Chichilnisky’s attorneys have submitted to the New York Supreme Court a motion to amend the complaint, including new retaliation claims for recent activity. The faculty elected Chichilnisky to the Columbia University Senate, which in turn selected her to serve on the prestigious Faculty Affairs Committee. (Last issue of LAF Update.)

Note: In 2003 Chichilnisky spoke at the NYS Convention and the AAUW Convention.

Pay Equity Case in NYC: Chichilnisky vs. Columbia University

2008-05-30T12:52:00.006-04:00

Now is your chance to make a difference for Pay Equity

You are needed to help Graciela Chichilnisky win her AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund(LAF) supported case against Columbia University for breach of settlement agreement, retaliation, sex discrimination, and pay inequity. Read the material below and you will be committed to her cause.

Please plan to come to be with her in court. Trial location dates and times are below. Her trial starts June 16. Give any time you can. Let me know when you can come and we will set up a schedule of days to insure AAUW members and friends will be there supporting her.

Join AAUW-LAF Litigant Graciela Chichilnisky in Court

Be There to Let Her and the Judge Know You Support Her Gender Discrimination Suit

Economics and Mathematics Professor Graciela Chichilnisky’s suit against Columbia University for gender discrimination will held in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Judge Carol Edmead. The firm Proscauer and Rose will represent Columbia. Robert Felix represents Graciela.The building is at 60 Centre Street, Part 35, Room 438, on the fourth floor starting June 16 and scheduled for 6/18, 6/19, 6/25, 6/26, 6/27, 6/30, 7/2, 7/3 so far. There will be no trial dates 7/7-11, 2008, Times are 9am or 10am through 3:15pm. Come for whatever time you can, your presence is important, even if you don’t have all day to spend in the courtroom. We need to be there. AAUW members’ presence will be noticed (we’ll wear stickers) by Graciella and the court to serve as a reminder of our support and of the importance of such struggles for all women’s equality.

Dr. Graciela Chichilnisky, an extraordinarily gifted scholar, is UNESCO Professor of Economics and Mathematics at Columbia. She is the architect of the Kyoto protocols, which have been adopted world-wide. Her research on the global environment, including her concept of Basic Needs as a strategy for sustainable development (adopted by 150 countries in the U.N. Earth Summit), has been recognized world-wide as yielding enormous benefits to mankind. Not only is she a distinguished role model in two fields that typically have not welcomed women, her leadership in these fields has been outstanding. Her vitae and accomplishments are too extensive to be easily summarized here: please see her website, www.chichilnisky.com,

Professor Chichilnisky’s troubles at Columbia intensified when she filed a class action suit in 1991 on behalf of all women faculty, claiming unequal pay and promotions based on gender. Columbia settled with Professor Chichilnisky, but not the class, in 1995 and shortly thereafter released a report on salary equity and raised the salaries of four other female professors. Columbia soon began breaching the settlement and retaliating, asking UNESCO to terminate the UNESCO Chair and dismantling Prof. Chichilnisky’s research program, Program on Information and Resources (PIR): it froze $2 million in funds that she had raised; raided PIR’s office and dismantled PIR’s computers, causing the loss of crucial records and research; and eliminated PIR’s office space. In 2001 Chichilnisky initiated the present suit. In 2003 Columbia fired its own attorney and terminated settlement talks when negotiations were almost complete. For more information about her experience visit www.sexandtheivyleague.com .

If you are interested in learning about the glass ceiling in academia, how and why such a distinguished academic was so badly treated by her institution, why Columbia refused several million dollars of money for her research, why gender discrimination persists even among highly educated people, etc. this case should prove enlightening.

Problem with NPR story

2008-05-20T21:57:00.001-04:00

I just received the following from AAUW:

The NewsHour interview with AAUW Executive Director Linda Hallman was to be a point-counterpoint discussion with gender equity writer Tom Mortensen. The communication lines with Des Moines, where Mortensen is just went down making him unreachable, and no last minute replacement could be found; so the feature was canceled. There is some chance that it will be rescheduled for tomorrow. We will let you know if it is rescheduled.
Sandy Monroe Sr. Executive Associate AAUW

Sorry about that to all,

Diane

Where the Girls Are

2008-05-20T21:49:00.002-04:00

Today AAUW published a new research study, "Where the Girls Are" dealing with the so-called boy problem in education. The study demonstrates that both boys and girls are making progress in education and that the boy crisis is a myth. For more information, go to www.aauw.org. Coverage is beginning with a story on NPR and others in the New York Times and other leading newspapers.

Check it out.

Honoring Women of Achievement!

2008-05-11T21:09:00.004-04:00

I was proud to be at the Buffalo Branch luncheon on May 3 when two outstanding women were honored for their work. Drs. Barbara A. Nevergold Seals and Peggy Brooks-Bertram founded the "Uncrowned Queens Institute for Research and Education on Women, Inc." in 1999. The original goals were to commemorate the history of African and African American involvement in the Pan American Exposition, held in Buffalo in 1901, and to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of African American women during that period and the one hundred years since then. The project has grown into a major local undertaking and has expanded to other locations, notably playing a significant role in the Oklahoma Centennial celebration. More information is available on their website - http://www.buffalo.edu/uncrownedqueens/.

Kudos to president Tamara Brown for this selection of outstanding achievers!