Conference Evaluation

2003 Southern School for Union Women, July 13-17

Center for Labor Education and Research

University of Alabama at Birmingham

1. How would you rate the overall quality of the 2003 Southern School for Union Women?

1. How would you rate the quality of the plenary sessions?

Monday — Successful Struggles in the South

Tuesday — Building International Solidarity

Wednesday — Gender Issues in Collective Bargaining

2. I learned a lot from this conference.

3. I would recommend the Southern School to others.

4. What do you like most about the Southern School?

• I liked the variety of speakers at each plenary session instead of listening to one speaker.
• I liked the variety of food.
• I liked the fact that cultural classes were scheduled everyday.
• I think these type of classes build solidarity and understanding faster than most any other type of education and certainly produce interesting results.
• The newsletters were outstanding.
• The participants
• The instructors
• The food was wonderfully diverse.
• I think the international women added to our conference by their sharing stories
• The newsletter was great
• Salsa and African dance was great
• The Civil Rights museum was a definite high point!
• Women sharing women's issues
• Listen and learning so much from area of the AFL-CIO
• Best food I've ever had at a conference
• Great field trip
• The women were grand coordinators, instructors as well as students
• Solidarity for everyone
• Too many speakers
• Believe that we need to connect with participants
• Support and common struggles that are shared
• Diversity-women from different organizations sharing information
• Learning opportunities
• Sharing information
• The positive attitude of everyone
• The information I learned, things I did not know
• Meeting so many powerful women, young, middle age strong powerful women of all races and backgrounds
• The sharing of experiences
• Hands on learning
• Tracy's energy and humor!
• First time through it was very good
• If and when it's possible this type of school should happen at least twice a year
• Meeting new sister,
• Remembering everything I have learned in the past, "where we came from and who helped me get there or held me back"
• Very education
• Inspiring
• Uplifting
• Meeting different people
• Learning about other unions
• Value of what people's needs are
• Fellowship
• Info shared and learned
• Variety of classes
• Opportunity to meet people from different unions
• Compare the differences and common things we all share
• Meeting of all the women from other unions
• Meeting the women from other countries
• The strong themes presented
• Great teachers
• Organizing was present here
• Being with women from different parts of the country and different unions
• The information was great
• Most of the teachers were very good
• Great sessions
• Wonderful instructors
• Instructors were well prepared and informative
• Quality of info given
• A lot of information
• Everything
• Everything
• The interaction with others
• Solidarity across the borders
• Education
• The teachers were wonderful, well prepared
• Not enough time
• Instructors
• Mostly women, very helpful liked everything
• I wish the classes could have been longer
• The art classes — Gary and Elise
• Knowledgeable people and the interest they have in doing what they do
• I met some very nice people.
• Classes were informative
• Arbitration class
• Chant class
• Art & Music
• Ms Elise' class

6. What changes would you suggest to improve the Southern School?

• I understand the need to cram everything possible in whatever time allotted, but it would have been nice to eat meals without speakers.
• Too many speeches -very interesting- just too many
• Personal stories from participants would bind women tighter
• Perhaps generate more discussion
• Keep Tracy Chang ! ! !
• I would keep it to one workshop in the afternoon
• I like to have the number of different workshops
• Have it in a place where a reasonable walk to get something to eat
• Have a variety of food available because some people have allergies
• Need longer class hours
• More time for classes and breaks
• Don't let Tracy plan the menu (smile)
• Start at 9 a.m. and end at 4 p.m.
• Get more federal unions involved
• Classes be shorter
• The cost of registration be _______ our w/ or w/o the lunch and dinner, or just dinner (Tracy this is #11)
• None
• The days are too long
• Burn-out comes very quickly
• Less classes with more time in them so we will have longer breaks
• Add theatre
• None
• Sunday thru Friday and shorter days
• Needs to be more accessible to shopping areas, restaurants and city limits
• Very disappointed with hotel housekeeping
• A different location at least one with shuttle transportation for the people who flew and closer to restaurants
• Classes need to be spread out more — not all day classes
• Ask more about the food
• Too much fish
• More time for classes
• More time for speakers with interpreters
• Better food menu
• More sightseeing time one afternoon
• I think Tracy did an excellent job at organizing and carrying out the school
• Great job!
• Less hectic schedule
• Menu where food was recognizable
• No; maybe menu
• Menu need to have some more fruit and veg and less fish
• More class time
• Spread out into more days and more time for certain classes like labor law, steward training, and political with women, I was unable to sit in on these classes
• Really had no down time
• Too much in the little time, over scheduled
• Since class subjects are intense, I would like to see more time for each subject, a possible 5 day school
• Awesome instructors
• More time for classes
• Complete class on 1 day
• Better food
• More American food
• Wind down time on Monday and Tuesday before or after dinner.
• More time, extend the number of days
• None
• The international food was a nice gesture, however more "down home food" would have been better!
• Clearer about class assignments
• Need more time in the class Judi King teacher, she is wonderful, helpful, funny, interesting, informative GREAT ! ! ! ! !
• Longer classes
• Changing some of the food, chicken
• Make it one day longer
• Would like to see a class on public union bargaining (federal)
• More time in order to cover more facts and information
• Better food
• More time to socialize with people
• Less time in meetings or class
• No speakers during meals
• Increase the length of the school so we could be done approx. at 3 or 4 p.m. each day
• Accommodations
• Too long of a day
• I would like to see 1 day added or cut something so that we could stop around 4 or 6
• Not going from day-light to dark