The American Association of University Women (AAUW) is a nationwide network of more than 170,000 members and supporters, 1,000 branches, and 800 college/university partner members.
Founded in 1881, the American Association of University Women has championed the rights of women and girls in higher education and the workplace for more than 125 years. During this time, women have gone from a small minority on college campuses to a majority of the student body. College-educated women have achieved positions of leadership in every field of endeavor, including making remarkable gains in traditionally male fields, such as medicine, business, and law. Yet women’s earnings continue to lag behind those of their male peers in nearly every occupation and at every educational level. (from Behind the Pay Gap)
For more than 130 years, AAUW members have examined and taken positions on the fundamental issues of the day—educational, social, economic, and political. Our commitment to our mission of advancing equity for women and girls is reflected in all aspects of our work.
Indiana State University is a partner institution.Undergraduate students of ISU can become e-student affiliate members of AAUW for FREE, which includes a 1-year post-graduate gift of a membership-at-large.
AAUW offers a number of leadership opportunities for college women, including the annual National Conference for College Women Student Leaders.
Locally, the branch is AAUW of the Wabash Valley.
Women in Community Colleges: Access to Success (2013): More than ever before, women are relying on community colleges for higher education and workforce preparation. This report recommends policies and practices to help women succeed in community colleges. In particular, we find that child care is a critical issue for student mothers. Women also need more support for pursuing opportunities in STEM and other male-dominated fields. Report explores an underappreciated part of our higher education system. The report looks at the role of community colleges in women’s education, including challenges women face in completing a certificate or degree, or in transferring to a four-year institution. The particular concerns and needs of student mothers’ and barriers women face in pursuing STEM and nontraditional fields are examined in detail. The report includes recommendations that will strengthen community colleges for all students. 72 pages.
AAUW Position on Balancing Work and Life: Family-Friendly Workplace Policies (6 pages)
AAUW Position on Women and Retirement Security (6 pages)
AAUW Position on Education and Training in Welfare/TANF (4 pages)
Simple Truth About the Pay Gap: semi-annual publication
Graduating to a Pay Gap (2012): explores the earnings difference between female and male college graduates who are working full time one year after graduation. The report, which uses the latest nationally representative data, compares apples to apples by looking at the pay gap after controlling for various factors known to affect earnings, such as occupation, college major, and hours worked. It also examines one immediate effect that the pay gap has on many women: the heavy burden of student loan debt. 64 pages.
Pay Equity Resource Kit: This commonsense guide, updated twice each year, provides key facts about the current state of the gender pay gap in the United States, with explanations and links to additional resources that can help you effectively advocate for pay equity.
Gender Pay Gap: Indiana (April 2013, 2 pages)
In the United States, a woman still typically earns only 77 cents for every dollar a man earns. And just one year out of college, the gender wage gap is still 82 cents to the dollar. Having the knowledge and skills to negotiate their first salaries is one way college women can work to close the wage gap, one paycheck at a time. AAUW and the WAGE Project offer $tart $mart salary negotiation workshops, which provide college women who are approaching the job market the knowledge and skills they need to negotiate salaries and benefits. AAUW and WAGE have already reached more than 125 campuses with this dynamic program
$tart $mart Salary Negotiation Workshops
