May 25, 2011
COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
5:00 PM
City Hall, Room 408
Members Present Staff Present
President Kay Gulbengay Executive Director Emily Murase
Vice President Julie Soo Senior Gender Policy Analyst Anu Menon
Commissioner Alicia Gamez Grants Administrator Carol Sacco
Commissioner Nancy Kirshner- Commission Secretary Cynthia Vasquez
Rodriguez UC Berkeley Graduate Intern Katherine Ray
Commissioner Stephanie Simmons UC Berkeley Graduate Intern Fatimah Simmons
Excused: Rebecca Prowda and Andrea Shorter
I. CALL TO ORDER/ AGENDA CHANGES
President Gulbengay called the meeting to order at 5:08 pm and requested to amend the agenda to move New Business up in the agenda.
Action: To approve the amended meeting agenda.
m/s/c (Simmons/Gamez/Unanimous)
No public comment.
II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
President Gulbengay asked Commissioners to review the minutes from April 27, 2011.
Action: Approve minutes from April 27, 2011.
m/s/c (Soo/Gamez/Unanimous)
No public comment.
III. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT
A. Executive Director's Report
Dr. Murase directed Commissioners to her written report. She explained that Symantec, a founding partner for the Gender Equality Principles Initiative (GEP), conducted the one-line self-assessment with high-level executives. The group provided critical feedback on the tool. Dr. Murase acknowledged the work of Cecily Joseph of Symantec who facilitated the valuable exercise.
Dr. Murase reported that the Steering Committee for the Fifth UN World Conference on Women met for the first time on May 11. Twenty women leaders, including Commissioner Kirshner-Rodriguez participated. The group discussed strategies for approaching the United Nations to convene the women’s conference here in
The Friends of the Commission will be hosting the CEDAW Awards Luncheon on Monday, October 17 at the Julia Morgan Ballroom. President Gulbengay serves as the liaison to the Friends.
B. Presentation by Fatimah Simmons, MPP
Fatimah Simmons, who graduated from the UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy last week, gave a presentation on her report The
· Sustainability
· Transparency
· Quality standards
· Concurrent Treatment U& Lethality
· Coordinate Community Response
· Defining and Tracking Success
Some short term recommendations included reconvening the BIP Community Advisory Committee, organizing victim advocates training for BIP facilitators, and having the Adult Probation Department conduct public hearings to assess the need for additional culturally competent BIPs. For example, there are no programs for Chinese-speaking clients. Long term recommendations included establishing a system to track recidivism of local probationers, strengthening the BIPs penal code standards and enforcement, and identifying alternative funding sources.
Beverly Upton, Executive Director of the Domestic Violence Consortium, explained that the BIPS are not funded by the Adult Probation Department. Ms. Upton added that the trial process can be a long, and the end result is that only 20% of perpetrators are being convicted. Ms. Upton concluded by stating that there was a need for additional services for limited English speaking or monolingual batterers.
Commissioner Soo expressed concern over the lack of services for Chinese-speaking clients, considering the demographics of City which is 30% Chinese ancestry. Commissioner Simmons reemphasized the need for to track the rate of recidivism, so that funding can be deployed strategically. Commissioner Kirshner-Rodriguez suggested meeting with the Adult Probation Department to discuss the report and the findings.
IV. CONSENT AGENDA
All matters listed hereunder constitute a Consent Agenda and are considered to be routine by the Commission on the Status of Women. They will be acted upon by a single roll call vote of the Commission. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a member of the Commission so requests, in which event the matter shall be removed from the Consent Agenda and considered as a separate item. Members of the public may speak on each item listed on the Consent Agenda.
A. Resolution Recognizing the Late Mechthild Schroer
B. Resolution Recognizing Claudine Cheng on the Occasion of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
C. Resolution Urging the Governor to Reinstate the
D. Resolution Recognizing the 10th Anniversary of the Mission Girls Young
F. Resolution Recognizing the Contributions of Lt. Mary Petrie upon her Retirement
Action: To approve the Consent Agenda.
m/s/c (Simmons/Gamez/Unanimous).
Pastor Andreas Pielhoop of St. Mathews Lutheran Church in
Gloria Romero, Ana Maria Corral, and Imelda thanked the commission for honoring the Mission Girls Young Queens, a program that has provided services to at-risk young women for 10 years.
A. Juvenile Probation Department
Chief William Sifferman of the Juvenile Probation Department, Toni Powell, Director of Juvenile Hall, and Sara Schumann, Senior Probation Supervisor, provided a status of girls at the Juvenile Probation Department (JPD). Chief Sifferman expressed his commitment to promoting women into leadership positions and to their success. He reported that there has been a slight increase of 25% to 27% of girls in JPD today as compared to 6 years ago. Of all referrals to JPD, 40% are non-San Francisco residents, the majority coming from
1. Center For Young Women’s Development
Executive Director Marlene Sanchez will provide an overview of the work of the Center. Ms. Sanchez thanked the Commission for the opportunity to present before the Commission. The Center provides gender responsive services for formerly incarcerated young women to prepare them to become leaders, policymakers, and activists. While providing job training and internship opportunities, the Center expects to hire back some participants. The Center collaborates with many community-based organizations to certify some alumni as peer counselors to continue to provide counseling services at various sites. The Center also works very closely with the Juvenile Probation Department in providing services to those clients.
A. Corporate Work Study Program, Immaculate
Rachel Evans, Corporate Work Study Program Coordinator with the Immaculate Conception Academy, provided an overview of the program. The Work Study Program matches students with companies for a work-study program to fill full-time administrative positions. Students not only gain work experience, but the companies pay part of their tuition.
The program helps to empower low-income young women of color who are mentored by successful business women.
Commissioners Gamez and Gulbengay thanked Ms. Evans for her presentation and suggested that she stay in contact with the Commission for recommendations of additional companies to partner with and Commissioners provided leads on various companies.
B. Nominations of Officers for 2010-2011
The Commission nominated candidates for President and Vice President of the Commission for 2011-2012. The election will take place at the June 22 Commission meeting.
Action: To nominate Commissioner Gulbengay for President for 2011-2012.
m/s/c (Soo/Simmons/Unanimous).
Action: To nominate Commissioner Soo for Vice-President for 2011-2012.
m/s/c (Kirshner-Rodriguez/Simmons/Unanimous).
VI. REPORTS
A. Women’s Human Rights
Executive Director Murase referred Commissioners to her written report.
B. Family Violence Council
Vice President Soo and Commissioner Simmons both attended the Family Violence Council meeting on May 18. Commissioner Simmons reported that Judge Ron Albers has replaced retried Commissioner Marjorie Slabach as the designee from the Superior Courts. The Family Violence Council is scheduled to make a presentation to the Board of Supervisors Public Safety Committee on Thursday, June 2, 10:30 am, City Hall, Room 263. The Council heard a presentation from the
C. Justice & Courage
Dr. Murase reported that the Justice & Courage Oversight Panel met on May 4 and discussed the work of the Housing Committee to improve conditions for domestic violence survivors in Housing Authority complexes. The Panel was also provided an update on the Claire Joyce Tempongko domestic violence homicide case. Susan Giffin, newly appointed Chief Technology Officer of the Police Department, reported on the state of the department’s technology and a strategy for addressing deficiencies. Police Captain Antonio Parra, newly assigned to a re-organized Special Victims Unit which includes the Juvenile Division, the Domestic Violence Response Unit, and the Elder Abuse inspectors, was introduced to the Panel. The next meeting of the Oversight Panel is scheduled for Wednesday, August 4, 9 - 12 noon, City Hall, Room 408.
D. Human Trafficking
Senior Gender Policy Analyst Anu Menon reported that she and Linda Janourova from the Human Rights Commission facilitated the strategic planning session for the San Francisco Collaborative Against Human Trafficking (SFCAHT) to discuss the future direction of the group. A work plan is being developed and will focus on 1) data collection on trafficking in
E. Other Reports by Commissioners
Commissioner Soo reported that she and Executive Director Murase participated in a national conference call with Labor Secretary Hilda Solis to mark the release of a new report entitled Women’s Employment During the Recovery.
VII. PUBLIC COMMENT
Ms. Upton thanked Graduate Intern Fatimah Simmons for her work with the community in developing her report on batterer intervention programs in San Francisco. She urged that Ms. Simmons present her report and findings to the Adult Probation Department.
VIII. ADJOURNMENT
Motion to adjourn.
m/s/c (Soo/Kirshner-Rodriguez/Unanimous)
The meeting adjourned at 7:00 pm
City Hall is accessible to persons using wheelchairs and others with disabilities. Assistive listening devices are available and meetings are open-captioned. Agendas are available in large print. Materials in alternative formats, American Sign Language interpreters, and other accommodations will be made available upon request. Please make your request for alternative format or other accommodations to the Department on the Status of Women at 415-252-2570. Providing at least 72 hours notice prior to the meeting will help to ensure availability.
The nearest BART station is
Know Your Rights under the Sunshine Ordinance (Chapter 67 of the
Government’s duty is to serve the public, reaching its decision in full view of the public. Commissions, boards, councils and other agencies of the City and County exist to conduct the people’s business. This ordinance assures that deliberations are conducted before the people and that City operations are open to the people’s review. For more information on your rights under the Sunshine Ordinance, or to report a violation of the Ordinance, contact the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force at 415-554-7724. To obtain a free copy of the Sunshine Ordinance contact the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force, City Hall, Room 244, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102-4689, phone: 415-554-7724, fax: 415-554-7854. Copies of the Sunshine Ordinance can also be obtained from the San Francisco Public Library and on the City’s website at www.sfgov.org. If any materials related to an item on this agenda have been distributed to the Commission after distribution of the agenda packet, those materials are available for public inspection at 25 Van Ness,
Lobbyist Registration and Reporting Requirements
Individuals and entities that influence or attempt to influence local legislative or administrative action may be required by the San Francisco Lobbyist Ordinance [SF Campaign & Governmental Conduct Code § 2.100] to register and report lobbying activity. For more information about the Lobbyist Ordinance, please contact the San Francisco Ethics Commission at
