A respectful and inclusive environment is crucial for achieving our mission of advancing gender equity through research, education, and advocacy. AAUW members are responsible for demonstrating civility towards the entire AAUW Community, encompassing both members and staff, ensuring that everyone is treated with civility and respect.
Civility Matters
Advancing Our Mission Through Respect and Inclusivity
As we advance gender equity through research, education, and advocacy, a respectful and inclusive environment remains our cornerstone. Join us in reinforcing civility, understanding, and collaboration at the heart of our mission.
Why Civility Matters
Positive Behaviors to Promote
Civility, which fosters respect, understanding, and collaboration, is essential for our mission. Demonstrating civility towards AAUW members, staff, and the entire AAUW Community involves practicing courtesy, tolerance, empathy, kindness, inclusivity, and respect.
Behaviors to Discourage
Incivility erodes trust and morale, impedes cooperation, and undermines the AAUW mission by fostering divisions and animosity characterized by hostility, racism, discrimination, rudeness, exclusion, and entitlement.
AAUW Member Responsibilities
A respectful and inclusive environment is essential for us to achieve our mission: advancing gender equity through research, education and advocacy. Members have the responsibility to uphold high ethical standards in their interactions with all members of the AAUW Community, and treat others with respect and dignity, free from discrimination, harassment, or disrespectful behavior.
Members are required to fulfill membership obligations, including paying applicable dues. Members are encouraged to make additional charitable donations to AAUW Greatest Needs funds (unrestricted funds).
Members are expected to actively express their opinions, ideas, and concerns by exercising their right to vote on critical AAUW matters, as provided in the bylaws, bylaws amendments, and public policy priorities.
Members are expected to actively encourage and welcome a diverse range of individuals to join our community, to support the AAUW commitment of having an inclusive community, leadership team, board of directors, and membership.
Members are expected to engage with the AAUW community by participating in events, discussions, attending meetings, volunteering, and actively supporting AAUW through their time, talents, and resources.
Members have a responsibility to stay informed by reading AAUW communications and emails, reviewing resources, providing current contact information to AAUW, and maintaining an understanding of the initiatives and goals of AAUW.
Download Member Responsibilities
Prepared by Beth Haynes, Janine Greenwood, Kathleen Marrs, Laurie Hofmann and Sue Shineman; Member Rights and Responsibilities Task Force – AAUW Governance Committee, fall 2023.