Highlights of Board Meeting:  October 1, 2025

Carol Iwanaga, Director of Community Services, on behalf of VVI ,  announced good news:  On October 10, the Tokyo Helen Keller Association will present CWAJ with its annual Helen Keller Sullivan Award. This recognition is especially appreciated as 2025 is the 50th anniversary of CWAJ’s services and support of the visually impaired in Tokyo.  Congratulations!

The Board meeting focused primarily on the implementation of Google WorkSpace.  That discussion resulted in approval of a set of governance rules that CWAJ will follow to achieve maximum organization and efficiency. (see section on Proposals)

Brief Summary of Board Reports

• In June, CWAJ received the Women’s Support Challenge Award and in September, CWAJ received the Commendation by the MInistry of Foreign Affairs. Then we received the Helen Keller Sullivan Award.  Visibility and appreciation of CWAJ  is growing. Here’s to all the members!
• The organization is continuing to implement Google Workspace for organization and efficiency purposes.  Many thanks to Amy  Fujii and Momo Kamimura for leading the way and to all Directors for helping their teams start to use their CWAJ .org email addresses.
• The Expo event went smoothly and did not result in a deficit. 
• Scholarship will hold another scholar alumni gathering at  the Print Show. 
• Membership renewals were officially due on September 1. We expect total membership to approximate 350. Next new coffee membership will be held on November 20.
• Print Show organization is moving forward. The kickoff of the Special Exhibit at the Tokyo American Club was successful.
• Community Service (VVI in conjunction with Cultural Programs) is focused on the VVI 50th Anniversary Concert.  It is going to be an exciting, elegant affair.  Tickets are available on Peatix.  We would like 200 attendees.  Every member is encouraged to attend and to share the flyer. See the enews. A special VVI 50th anniversary booklet is under way and will be ready for distribution at the Concert.
• The General Meetings team reported that the September General meeting was attended by 78 in person, 53 registered by zoom , including 15 Overseas Members. The October GM will be on zoom and the results of the election will be announced.
• Friends of CWAJ has been officially established in the United States. The IRS recognition will permit Americans to make tax deductible contributions to CWAJ.  Many thanks to Silvia Wilson.
• The Development team has developed a first touch packet for donation requests. This packet was used to make several asks to support the VVI concert.  While the asks were not successful, they have opened up new leads for potential sponsors. 
• Communications continues to provide valuable services that we often take for granted. Thanks to the webmasters team for updating websites , the WA Data Base Manager for setting  up event pages and the Newsletter Editor for preparing the monthly CWAJ eNews. 
• President’s request for the Board to have a  short discussion about the value of starting a longer conversation about an increase in membership dues. No formal proposal was made.  No vote was taken. The objective was to “test the waters” and see if there is interest in looking at membership dues as a source of much needed revenue. There are pros and cons to such a decision and time would be needed to conduct an analysis of the pros and cons.  Heidi Sweetnam concluded the discussion that she will pass this issue on to the next President for consideration. 

Proposals 

1. Should CWAJ become a corporate member of HIllside Club Salon?  This proposal  was discussed at the September Meeting. The Board’s general sentiment was in opposition. The proposal was withdrawn. 

• GWS Governance at CWAJ- see below for English and Japanese

PROPOSAL “Google Workspace Governance at CWAJ” 2025/10/01

Establishing Rules and Roles for Google Workspace

The Communications Committee proposes that operating rules and procedures, as well as roles, be established for CWAJ Google Workspace.

Submitter: Momoyo Kamimura, Director of Communications Committee
Date: October 1st, 2025

Background:
Three months into our Google Workspace transition, establishing clear rules, procedures, and roles is essential for our volunteer organization with more than 300 members. These guidelines ensure secure, consistent, and efficient operation, streamline collaboration, and protect organizational data. All volunteers are strongly encouraged to immediately follow these protocols to stabilize our digital environment and focus on our core mission.

Rationale: 
Formal protocols are immediately necessary to mitigate the risks inherent in a rapid, large-scale transition. Without clear roles and consistent procedures, we face potential data loss, tool misuse, and organizational inconsistency that distract from our mission. These guidelines establish the essential framework for security, accountability, and effective teamwork, ensuring uniform and efficient tools to protect our non-profit’s integrity and continuity during this critical phase.

• Operating Rules and Procedures for CWAJ Google Workspace

Compliance Necessary in Order to Make CWAJ Better Organized and Efficient

1. Extended board members use cwaj.org emails set by position and group emails as requested.
2. Emails will be automatically passed on to elected or appointed directors at the end of the term.
3. Email addresses accessible by multiple people are not permissibleーas such addresses violate Google Policy.
4. Only the GWS Central Administrator can create and manage CWAJ email accountsーfor efficient organization.
5. The GWS Central Administrator is responsible for setting up each Director’s Shared Drives on Google Workspace and assisting with handovers at the end of each year. This concept is aligned with the centralized management of the CWAJ Library at the Center.
6. Directors have total control of the folders and filing system within their own Shared Drive and related permissions.
7. Each Director has a GWS Liaison volunteer, who is responsible for communicating extraordinary requests to the GWS Central Administrator and vice versa.  (GWS expertise is not necessary.)
8. The GWS Central Administrator shares best practices; oversees the handover process for email accounts and shared drive; and provides training in conjunction or make an arrangement with each Director’s GWS Liaison.
9. The GWS Central Administrator oversees Google Workspace and compliance with the rules and procedures. Decisions by the GWS Central Administrator can be appealed and rules can be changed upon a hearing and approval by the Board.  (Appeals Process) 
10. Appeals Process:  There is a set procedure for changing the GWS rules and procedures whereby the issue is presented at a Board meeting and the Board approves a change in the rules/procedures.  
11. Roles & Responsibilities of Elected and Appointed Officers in CWAJ Google Workspace*

New CWAJ Vocabulary

• GWS Central Administrator: Google Workspace Central Administrator, appointed officer
• GWS Liaison: Google Workspace Liaison, mission critical volunteer
• Above two roles to be established in SP&P

GWS Central Administrator

• Appointed officer reporting to the Communications Director
• Assigns cwaj.org accounts
• Makes an overarching shared drive for each director
• Assists with training, best practices and handovers
• Decides on extraordinary GWS requests from GWS Liaison
• Participates in appeals process before the Board
• As appropriate, gives GWS Liaison rights for her committee only
• Super Admin access will be given to the GWS Central Administrator and the Board Member she reports to (Communications Director, as of 2025).

Directors

• Uses CWAJ email
• Sets filing system for their area team (folders, permissions, sub-shared drives)
• Ensure team uses GWS for documents and handover 
• Appoints GWS Liaison for their committee

GWS Liaison(not necessarily be an Extended Board Member)

• One per committee and rReports to each Director, serves as liaison/point of contact point for GWS Central Administrator. The Director can appoint herself.
• Uses cwaj email
• Communicates questions and requests for change in rules to the GWS Central Administrator
• Provides/arranges for training; technical support and sharing of best practices
• Participates in appeals process as necessary

Appointed Officers & Mission Critical Volunteers

• Use CWAJ accounts 
• Store documents in folders and files in conjunction with their Director 
• In-person meeting to review GWS with successor

Committee Members

• Committee members do not need to use CWAJ accounts

以下は機械翻訳です。編集しておりませんので、多少の不自然な表現が使われていることを予めご理解とご了承のほど、お願いいたします。

提案書案：「[CWAJ]におけるGWS（Google Workspace）ガバナンス」2025年9月27日

Google Workspaceの規則と役割の確立

広報委員会は、[CWAJ]のGoogle Workspaceに関して、運用規則、手順、および役割を確立することを提案します。

背景

Google Workspaceへの移行から3ヶ月が経過しましたが、300名を超えるボランティア組織である当団体にとって、明確な規則、手順、および役割を確立することは不可欠です。これらのガイドラインは、安全で一貫性のある効率的な運用を保証し、連携を合理化し、組織のデータを保護します。デジタル環境を安定させ、私たちの核となる使命に集中するために、すべてのボランティアがこれらのプロトコルを直ちに遵守することが強く奨励されます。

根拠（理由）

迅速かつ大規模な移行に伴う固有のリスクを軽減するため、正式なプロトコルが直ちに必要とされています。明確な役割と一貫した手順がなければ、データ損失、ツールの誤用、および組織的な一貫性の欠如といった、私たちの使命から逸脱させる可能性のある問題に直面します。これらのガイドラインは、セキュリティ、説明責任、効果的なチームワークのための必須の枠組みを確立し、この重要な局面において、私たちの非営利組織としての誠実性（インテグリティ）と継続性を保護するために、統一された効率的なツール使用を保証します。

1. [CWAJ] Google Workspace 運用規則および手順

[CWAJ]をより組織化し、効率的にするために必要な遵守事項

1. 拡大理事会メンバーは、役職ごとに設定された[CWAJ].orgメールアドレス、および必要に応じてグループメールを使用します。
2. メールアドレスは、任期終了時に選任または任命された役員へ自動的に引き継がれます。
3. 複数の人物がアクセス可能なメールアドレスは、Googleのポリシーに違反するため許可されません。
4. 効率的な組織運営のため、[CWAJ]のメールアカウントを作成・管理できるのは、GWS中央管理者のみとします。
5. GWS中央管理者は、Google Workspace上に各ディレクターの共有ドライブを設定し、毎年末の引継ぎを支援する責任を負います。この構想は、センターにある[CWAJ]ライブラリの集中管理と連携したものです。
6. ディレクターは、自身の共有ドライブ内のフォルダおよびファイリングシステム、ならびに関連する権限について、完全な管理権限を持ちます。
7. 各ディレクターは、GWS担当窓口ボランティア（GWSリエゾン）を持つものとし、このリエゾンは特別なリクエストをGWS中央管理者へ、またその逆も同様に伝達する責任を負います。（GWSの専門知識は不要）
8. GWS中央管理者は、ベストプラクティスを共有し、メールアカウントと共有ドライブの引継ぎプロセスを監督し、各ディレクターのGWSリエゾンと連携してトレーニングを提供します。
9. GWS中央管理者は、Google Workspaceの全体的な監督と、本規則および手順の遵守を監視します。GWS中央管理者による決定に対しては、理事会での聴聞と承認をもって異議申し立てが可能であり、規則の変更も可能です。（異議申し立てプロセス）
10. 異議申し立てプロセス：GWSの規則および手順を変更するための所定の手順は、問題が理事会で提示され、理事会が規則/手順の変更を承認することによるものとします。

2. [CWAJ] Google Workspaceにおける選任および任命役員の役割と責任*

[CWAJ]における新しい用語

• GWS中央管理者（Google Workspace Central Administrator）：任命オフィサー
• GWSリエゾン（Google Workspace Liaison）：極めて重要な任務を担うボランティア
• 上記の2つの役割は、SP&P（規定集など）に確立されるものとします。