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Office of Equity and Inclusion

Women’s Leadership Alliance

We the members of the Women’s Leadership Alliance will foster the growth of young women and provide them with the effective means to become great leaders and ensure their success. We will become a visible force in inspiring lifelong learning and socioeconomic advancement. We aim to cultivate a foundation where young women can prosper, commit to gender equity, develop their own visions and goals through academia and mentorship: from graduate, undergraduate, and high school students. We advocate on the behalf of women of color through national and local actions and strategic alliances that promote Sisterhood.

Our primary objectives are to: (1) foster the spirit of sisterhood amongst women on campus, (2) promote academic excellence, and (3) connect the WLA members to young women in the Rochester community through our various partnerships to improve the plight of young women in the Rochester City School District. According to New York State’s Education Department, females have a 6% Aspirational Performance Measure–standards for entry into higher education institutions. We aim to help raise these rates by creating quality programming for young women in the Rochester community.

Executive Board

The Women’s Leadership Alliance is administered and facilitated by an Executive Board consisting of the following positions:

2016-2017 Executive Board President

Kanecia Ruiz

Vice President

Dahiana Guzman

Secretary

Joemi Espinal

Programming Chair

Jocelyn Chaidez

Business Manager

William Passalacqua

Community Outreach Chair

Barbara Douglas- Lindo

Publicity Chair

Macey Tam

Faculty Advisor

Sasha Eloi

Responsibilities

President

  • Responsible for all aspects of WLA programming and strategic development
  • Facilitation of all Executive board meetings and general membership meetings
  • Responsible for the preparation of meeting agendas
  • Ensure that all meetings are run within a timely manner
  • Delegates and oversees the completion of tasks among the executive board and general members
  • Lead Community Service initiatives along with the Community Service Chair
  • Oversees WLA correspondence
  • Duties not limited to those above

Vice President

  • Responsible for assisting the President with all aspects of WLA programming and strategic development
  • Shall assume the role of the President in her absence
  • Will take a lead in community service initiative/mentoring along with the Community Service Chair
  • Assist the President in overseeing and delegating tasks
  • Duties not limited to those above

Secretary

  • Responsible for checking the WLA e-mail account at least 3x a week and responding to any inquiries from prospective member’s, partner organizations, alumni, etc
  • Will inform the President and Vice President of important inquires regarding WLA, will forward any time sensitive correspondence to the President and Vice President as well
  • Will maintain a calendar of events for the organization
  • Will manage WLA contact and membership lists
  • Responsible for keeping minutes at all meetings
  • Duties not limited to those above

Business Manager

  • Will be in charge of the receipt, deposit and disbursement of WLA funds as designated by the Executive Board
  • Create financial reports each semester as directed by the Executive Board
  • Act as a financial liaison to the Office of Human Resources and Rochester community as a whole
  • Is responsible for creating a budget and providing updates at executive board meeting which includes; putting copies of all monetary data into a spreadsheet
  • Will write and submit grants on behalf of WLA based on quantitative research

Community Service Chair

  • Is in charge of projecting the goals of WLA to the University and the Rochester community
  • Communicate with program coordinators that have established partnerships with WLA
  • Recruit members for community service projects
  • Shall support and create opportunities for WLA in the community
  • Create reports each semester in WLA community service and mentoring efforts

Programming Chair

  • Responsible for working with the executive board in planning and coordinating events for WLA
  • In charge of selecting invited speakers and approving workshops
  • Creates programs and event operations for WLA
  • Acts as a liaison for WLA when organizing events with partnering organizations on campus
  • Provides updates to the Executive Board in regards to event planning
  • Duties not limited to those above

Publicity Chair

  • Responsible for the design and distribution of advertisement for all WLA events (via email, Facebook, Twitter, posters, flyers, newspaper, TV etc.)
  • Publicize WLA activities by liaison by attending the events of other organizations on campus and fostering meaningful relationships
  • Publish bi-weekly social network posts on future WLA event and/or relevant information

Faculty/Staff Advisers

  • Serve as a liaison between campus involvement and WLA
  • Takes an active role in assisting WLA to achieve its mission and purpose
  • Be a pillar of support and serve as an advocate for WLA
  • Interface with faculty and staff affinity group leadership

General Membership

General Membership in the Women’s Leadership Alliance is open to all staff, faculty and students of the University of Rochester. Further to include members of the campus and community whom support the initiatives of young ambitious women. Community advocates may register themselves as members of WLA by contacting the Secretary via e-mail with the choice of being anonymous members or known members. No prospective membership shall be refused based on sex, races, gender, religion or creed. All general members will have the opportunity to hold office and serve on committees, receive resource material and attend Women’s Leadership Alliance special events.

CONTACT WLA