AAMC NEWS & NOTES A Message from the AAMC President Dear Alumnae Community:
new ways to sustain or evolve Mills College with the Board
It is wonderful to welcome students, staff, and faculty back to the
of Trustees. You can read more about the organizing of these
Mills campus after such a long time apart. The beauty of Mills is
groups and other alumnae on the Mills Quarterly website:
reflected all over the campus and I feel lucky that we are finally
quarterly.mills.edu/alumnae-fight-to-save-mills. A basic time-
able to gather here on the grounds, even if in a limited capacity.
line of events runs at the bottom of this spread.
This August, the Alumnae Student
To say this year has been unprecedented is an
Relations Committee (in partnership with
understatement. Those of us who relished our
the College’s Alumnae Relations Office)
time at Mills, who have supported our alma mater
welcomed students new to campus from
through the years, and who want the best for all
both 2020 and 2021 with our annual Taco
Mills constituents have had several challenges pre-
Tuesday, including raffle prizes and spe-
sented to us this year.
cial desserts. It is always a fun and cel-
To be on the opposing side from people I value,
ebratory event, and students enjoy being at
respect, and have worked with for these past five years
Reinhardt Alumnae House and engaging
has been incredibly painful and challenging. I know
with alumnae.
that Mills alumnae have strong and differing views,
In addition to connecting alumnae to
and I have received many emails and letters express-
students, it is always such a pleasure to
ing those perspectives. Amidst it all, I have been sus-
recognize alumnae who have made sig-
tained by your writing and phone calls in expression of support, as well as financial gifts to the AAMC to
nificant contributions to the AAMC, Mills, and the professional world. The Alumnae Awards Committee
aid in its pursuit of clarity and longevity for Mills College.
has announced the awardees for 2021. Congratulations to Carol
Many others have walked before us in paths of adversity
Alcalay ’52, Outstanding Volunteer; Amanda Page Harper ’09,
amidst uncertainty, standing up for what they believed was
Recent Graduate; and Joan Millar Lincoln ’66, Distinguished
right. They left us an example to follow:
Achievement. Awardees from both 2020 and 2021 will be honored at this year’s Reunion Awards Ceremony. You can read about this year’s awardees on the facing page. The College’s closing announcement this spring was a shock, but as a result the alumnae community has been more engaged
The time is always right to do what is right. –Martin Luther King, Jr. Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better. –Maya Angelou
than ever. The Board of Governors (BOG) has met monthly since March, with many giving very generously of their time
By the time you read this letter, I hope and pray that Mills stu-
and resources, filling their lives with all things Mills!
dents, faculty, and staff are on a sustainable path towards the
Many alumnae have been vocal and visible in their sadness,
future and that Mills can be saved for generations still.
with protests and organizing to support Mills and the BOG.
In strength,
Two groups, the UC Mills Campaign and Save Mills College
Viji Nakka-Cammauf, MA ’82
Coalition, worked with the BOG and shared their proposals for
AAMC President
see the fuller picture at aamc-mills.org
June 25, 2020: In a video conference with donors, President Hillman mentions partnership discussions with UC Berkeley
March 24, 2021: The AAMC holds a town hall to discuss the future of Mills and the AAMC; more than 600 alumnae participate
June 30, 2020: Amidst talk of the UCB partnership, Lisa Kremer ’90 and Jennifer Gallison ’97 start the Strong Proud All Mills Facebook group
April 2, 2021: The AAMC BOG issues a position statement in an email to alumnae, outlining their demands for the trustees to consider
March 17, 2021: The College announces its anticipated closure as a degree-granting college
April 2, 2021: The campaign to create a standalone UC Mills emerges on Facebook and ucmills.com
March 17, 2021: Paige Chamblin, MBA/MPP ’21, starts the Save Mills Facebook group, from which the Save Mills College Coalition grows 22
M I L L S Q U A R T E R LY
April 23, 2021: The Coalition’s lawyers send a memo to the California attorney general asking for an investigation into the decision to close Mills
