[nabs-l] Action Plan, Part 1

Ashley Bramlett bookwormahb at earthlink.net
Wed May 6 18:04:27 UTC 2009


Joeseph,
I don't think Joe can run for nabs president since he is not a student and I 
think one has to be a student to run.  Maybe Joe is in grad school and he 
could run then.  But I know he already finished undergrad and has been 
working for several years.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "T. Joseph Carter" <carter.tjoseph at gmail.com>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, May 06, 2009 1:25 PM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Action Plan, Part 1


> Joe,
>
> I just don't know what to say--this is an ambitious and carefully 
> considered plan.  It is logical, practical, and a good idea to consider as 
> well.  Based upon it, I urge you to reconsider your decision not to run 
> for the NABS presidency.  I do not know many people in or outside of the 
> organization that I believe have the power to make things a reality in the 
> year or two span of the typical NABS presidency.  You could.
>
> In fact, there has been recent suggestion that I should consider running 
> for a NABS board position myself.  I had discounted the idea primarily 
> because I was not sure enough of the job duties to be confident in my 
> ability to serve in that capacity with any effectiveness.  With a plan 
> like yours, I can see several board positions for which I believe I could 
> serve well.
>
> When we formed the Oregon Association of Blind Students earlier this year, 
> we had five students at the table and one assisting non-student 
> Federationist to make sure the legal aspects were followed properly.  Only 
> three of the students were willing to take on the responsibility of board 
> membership, and two of those three had little idea of what they were 
> getting themselves into back in February.
>
> Fast forward to the present and we're getting the hang of it.  We have had 
> a slow start, for which I am partly responsible.  My time tends to get 
> eaten up by having to work through and around the blatant discrimination 
> and vindictive retaliation happening at my university--that's an entirely 
> separate thread, though.
>
> The time drain is essentially ended (they're pretty much out of obstacles 
> with even transparent excuses), and now we can build the organization we 
> want to have here in Oregon.  Your blueprint will assist with that, now 
> that you've written it.
>
> I think the biggest thing holding our Oregon division is that we haven't 
> really had the kind of communication you've described.  We should be tied 
> in better both to the national students affiliate, and to our state's 
> parent organization.  That tie also should not be a single individual as 
> it is now with our state parent, since that creates a point of weakness.
>
> Just as there are many out there ready to help us, Joe, there are many of 
> us out here ready to help you.  Please reconsider running.  I think NABS 
> needs the organizational skills you'd bring to the position.
>
> Joseph
>
> -- 
> T. Joseph Carter, President
> Oregon Association of Blind Students
> carter.tjoseph at gmail.com
> 503-562-9299
>
> On Tue, May 05, 2009 at 03:30:49PM -0400, Joe Orozco wrote:
>>Dear all:
>>
>>Over the past week there has been discussion about the state of the 
>>student
>>division.  The discussion came about as a result of my urging divisions to
>>apply for grants offered by way of my employer through its partnership 
>>with
>>several corporations.  In some cases I understand divisions did not apply 
>>on
>>account of there not being sufficient time or training or people to design 
>>a
>>program worthy of funding.  In short, I am told student divisions are 
>>simply
>>not ready for this level of operation.
>>
>>, another recent development has been the growing rumors that I am 
>>planning
>>to seek the presidency of the national student division.  The rumors were
>>true.  I did spend several months carefully weighing the pros and cons of
>>running for the office.  In the end the cons took it, and I have 
>>ultimately
>>decided to serve you in a different capacity away from the board.  That
>>said, I will now share the plan I developed had I chosen to run for
>>election.  I offer the plan I would have exercised in my hypothetical
>>presidency in hopes that you will take what you like from my ideas and use
>>them to expand your own divisions.  This installment of my plan focuses on
>>the NABS board, but there is almost nothing here that cannot be applicable
>>at the state level.
>>
>>The plan that follows is a practical one.  I have no use for idealistic
>>nonsense that does not give concrete ideas on how to make a division grow,
>>but because it is a practical plan, it is also a plan that lends itself to
>>criticism.  This is the sort of plan that meets my leadership style, and 
>>so
>>you will need to adjust the plan to serve you in your own leadership
>>capacity.  And, I fully expect you to publicly challenge those ideas you
>>think ridiculous.  This is, after all, mostly an exercise in development
>>strategy, and no great nonprofit successfully evolves according to the
>>notions of one single individual.
>>
>>Finally, my purpose in sharing this plan with you is to motivate you to 
>>aim
>>higher.  I expect there to be dialogue.  At the end of my eight years with
>>the student division I do not want to leave it with the sense that nothing
>>at all has changed since the first day I came into the ranks.  If you’re
>>okay with these expectations, please continue reading.  Otherwise, spare
>>yourself the torture of a long-winded post and move on to more interesting
>>reading.  It was not fair of me to yell at you for not meeting my high
>>standards without providing you a means to get the job done, and so I will
>>try to make the reading for those of you who do follow this series of 
>>posts
>>as beneficial as possible.
>>
>>Let’s begin with the structure of the national board.  Each position from
>>the president down to the fourth board member needs to have associated 
>>tasks
>>to give people an idea of the position they are running for.  Otherwise,
>>people run for positions with only the slate to tell them where they 
>>belong.
>>People who are not on the slate are then left to randomly run against 
>>people
>>with no real concept of what the position involves.  Again, bear in mind
>>that this is true of any state student division board.
>>
>>In my hypothetical national board I would divide the eight board members
>>into two halves.  My first vice president would be in charge of strategic
>>initiatives.  Under this vice president of strategic initiatives would be
>>the treasurer, first board member and second board member, only the title 
>>of
>>these last two would be Director of Online Strategies and Director of
>>Outreach.  The other half would be made up of the second vice president, 
>>who
>>would be the vice president of membership development.  He or she would
>>oversee the secretary, third board member and fourth board member.  These
>>last positions would be my Director of Advocacy and Director of Education.
>>
>>The purpose for giving the positions new titles is twofold.  First, it 
>>helps
>>keep the elected members focused on their responsibilities.  No matter 
>>what
>>happens in the two years of the term, no matter the activity, they will 
>>know
>>the scope of their duty, and the general membership will know exactly who 
>>to
>>contact with their specific questions.  Second, it looks really good on 
>>the
>>resume.  Ultimately I want my board members to use their positions as a 
>>tool
>>to learn new skills and then use those skills to impress potential
>>employers.  The National Association of Blind Students may not sound like
>>much to people outside the NFB, but the title of vice president of 
>>strategic
>>initiatives gives one pause.  It makes one wonder just what it is you did 
>>in
>>that position and what qualified you to hold it.
>>
>>There is no need for constitutional amendments unless the board is
>>interested in solidifying the roles in the exact positions I’ve listed 
>>them
>>in.  I would recommend you maintain a certain flexibility by not 
>>committing
>>yourself to the constitution.
>>
>>Now, I know I must have lost some of you in the layout of the positions, 
>>so
>>let’s briefly examine both sides of this hypothetical board.
>>
>>The vice president of strategic initiatives would oversee the outreach
>>operations of the division.  It would be their responsibility to research,
>>identify and engage new members, partners and potential sources of 
>>funding.
>>He or she would work with the other three members of the team to create a
>>compelling image of the organization and sell that image to our audiences.
>>What they do specifically would depend on the arrangement agreed to by the
>>team, but integral to this position would be the composition of grant
>>proposals, letters of inquiry, brochures, press releases, public service
>>announcements, etc.
>>
>>The following job descriptions are by no means exhaustive, but they 
>>provide
>>a glimpse of what their tasks might look like.
>>
>>Proposed Duties of the Treasurer:
>>
>>* Co-manage registration table at all special events with the secretary to
>>facilitate the collection of registration fees
>>
>>* Work with the Director of Online Strategies to create and maintain a
>>user-friendly online payment collection system
>>
>>* Oversee hard fundraising projects including, but not limited to: 
>>auctions,
>>door prizes, candy sells, Monte Carlo Night
>>
>>* Maintain bank statements and easily produce balances by program upon
>>request to the board and to the membership at large
>>
>>Proposed Duties of the Director of Online Strategies:
>>
>>* Maintain NABSLink
>>
>>* Create and cultivate social networking presences that sync up with the
>>main web site
>>
>>* Use these combined resources to work with the Director of Outreach on
>>highlighting current and prospective partners and/or funding sources
>>
>>Proposed Duties of the Director of Outreach:
>>
>>* Create and maintain database of DSS coordinators, key legislative staff,
>>corporations, foundations, community-based nonprofits and media outlets
>>
>>* Create templates to actively communicate with all of the above as
>>necessary
>>
>>* Use database and other sources like Idealist to recruit volunteers for
>>certain specialties i.e. web development
>>
>>* Promote upcoming events, initiatives, etc.
>>
>>* Facilitate communication between NABS and other NFB divisions, including
>>but not limited to: Sports and Recreation and National Organization of
>>Parents of Blind Children
>>
>>On the other side we would have membership development.  This vice 
>>president
>>would work with his or her three colleagues to take the members, partners
>>and sponsors discovered by the strategic initiatives team and incorporate
>>them into the fold of the division.  What Strategic Initiatives finds is 
>>the
>>job of membership development to keep.  Again, the specific tasks of this
>>vice president would depend on the dynamics of the team.  It is my opinion
>>that vice presidents should maintain a measure of flexibility to oversee 
>>his
>>or her team and work with the president on special projects, but among 
>>other
>>duties the vice president would oversee the development of seminar 
>>agendas,
>>event logistics, mentorship initiatives, newsletter publication and 
>>resource
>>development.
>>
>>Proposed Duties for the Secretary:
>>
>>* Co-manage registration table at special events with the treasurer to
>>facilitate the collection of guest contact information
>>
>>* Oversee the production of Braille agendas for distribution at special
>>events
>>
>>* Work with the Director of Online Strategies to create and maintain an
>>online registration system, preferably tied to payment process
>>
>>* Coordinate the assignment and travel schedule of student representatives
>>to state conventions
>>
>>* Provide final editorial review of all outbound communication, including
>>online and off-line communication
>>
>>* Record board meeting minutes and make these available to the general
>>membership via NABSLink
>>
>>* Maintain membership database
>>
>>Proposed Duties of the Director of Advocacy:
>>
>>* Liaison to NFB governmental affairs office
>>
>>* Use outreach database to cultivate partnerships with DSS and legislative
>>offices
>>
>>* Listen to and make recommendations on cases of alleged discrimination or
>>lack of accommodations, working with appropriate professional staff in
>>Baltimore as necessary
>>
>>* Provide tip sheets and brief guides on dealing with professors, 
>>employers
>>and other common public entities
>>
>>* Create and maintain repository of advocacy resources on NABSLink with 
>>the
>>assistance of the Director of Online Strategies
>>
>>Proposed Duties of the Director of Education:
>>
>>* Liaison to Jernigan Institute
>>
>>* Plan and carry out monthly membership teleconferences with key topics
>>benefiting division development
>>
>>* Provide resources and guidance on writing resumes and drafting cover
>>letters as well as interview skills
>>
>>* Oversee the creation and implementation of resources benefiting
>>age-appropriate audiences i.e. elementary, middle and high school
>>
>>* Tailor specific materials benefiting teachers of blind students
>>
>>* Co-manage mentoring initiatives with the president
>>
>>As the plan unravels we will come back to look at these roles more fully. 
>>I
>>realize state divisions will probably not have eight members on their 
>>board.
>>The positions above are flexible enough so that occupations can be
>>collapsed, and even these eight members are not expected to carry out 
>>their
>>work without assistance.  We will also take a look at the nurturing of
>>volunteers later in the plan.
>>
>>For now, what is important to remember is that the positions need to be
>>balanced in such a way as to create interdependence.  One half cannot
>>function without the completed work of the other.  Membership Development,
>>for instance, cannot put on a successful seminar if Strategic Initiatives
>>did not do a good job of promoting the event.  The Director of Advocacy
>>cannot very well run a good legislative campaign if the Director of 
>>Outreach
>>has not developed a functional database of congressional and state
>>legislative offices.  The examples evolve from there, but try to create an
>>atmosphere of accountability, not necessarily one of hierarchy.  There is 
>>a
>>difference.
>>
>>Now let’s look away from the board at the components that would help 
>>support
>>the work of the directors.  First, each board member, including the
>>president, would be assigned to a seasoned leader in the NFB, preferably
>>someone in the National Board of Directors.  This would facilitate
>>communication between the student division and the organization at large,
>>but it would also provide each board member a means to gain guidance from
>>someone with superior experience in all areas of recruitment, fundraising
>>and general outreach.  More importantly, it would provide each board 
>>member
>>with the philosophical anchor by which to direct all of that member’s
>>assignments.  We want a vibrant division, but we want a division that is
>>well-grounded in the organization’s fundamental principles, otherwise we 
>>run
>>the risk of creating an independent animal.  At the state level the board
>>members could be mentored by chapter presidents and members of the 
>>affiliate
>>board.
>>
>>Second, all state division student presidents would come together to form
>>the Council of Student Presidents, chaired by a person elected by the
>>members of this Council.  This Council would meet quarterly to provide the
>>NABS board with the framework for the board’s activities.  Ultimately it 
>>is
>>the state divisions that provide the front line of communication with 
>>local
>>entities.  It only makes sense that state divisions should have an 
>>official
>>voice in how the board carries out its business.  The Council would pass
>>resolutions similar to those seen at the national level of the NFB and 
>>would
>>be approved or rejected by the general membership at either Washington
>>Seminar or at the annual business meeting at the National Convention.
>>
>>Passing resolutions is a practice of the NFB.  We want to train future
>>leaders, and thus it stands to reason that students should become familiar
>>with the process of writing and submitting resolutions to be debated by
>>fellow students.  These resolutions could not run contrary to the
>>resolutions adopted by the parent organization.  They would simply
>>crystallize the work of the board of directors in cooperation with the
>>general membership on issues pertinent to students.  At its simplest, 
>>these
>>resolutions would give the NABS board clear goals to be accomplished 
>>within
>>a specified length of time.  It would certainly create a level of
>>accountability to the board by the general membership.
>>
>>For this facet of division structure there is not a comparable arrangement
>>at the state level unless the state division has multiple chapters across
>>different campuses.  Texas has been one division to have previously 
>>operated
>>student chapters at three separate campuses.  The idea then was to be able
>>to officially register with the school so that the groups could benefit 
>>from
>>fundraising, meeting space and donations from the school.  Consider
>>incorporating resolutions into your operations only if your membership is
>>large enough and the needs of your state distinct enough to necessitate 
>>such
>>a strategy.
>>
>>You will, of course, notice that I did not include the responsibilities 
>>and
>>expectations of the president.  We’ll get to that office in a future
>>installment of my plan.  It is a position that in many ways warrants its 
>>own
>>installment.
>>
>>What is important to take away from this section is that you will fail
>>miserably if your house is not organized.  You do not have to run 
>>elections
>>according to the positions I’ve listed.  You may continue to run them as 
>>the
>>standard constitutional labels, but keep in mind that you will set 
>>yourself
>>up to attract excellent talent if the positions are defined in advance. 
>>If
>>you apply the specialties after the election, make sure that people
>>understand the full scope of their position.  Writing job descriptions 
>>like
>>a business may seem like overkill, but then again, what is the real
>>difference between a business and a nonprofit?
>>
>>Second, do not overlook the support systems you can create for yourself 
>>with
>>the NFB.  You are not alone, and while I do not want to include any
>>pointless clichés in this plan, there really are people interested in
>>helping you get your student division off the ground, inside and outside 
>>of
>>your state, hence the benefit of mentors per board member.  Something in 
>>me
>>must care enough about you to write a hell of a long post to see you
>>succeed.  I assure you I am only one of many.
>>
>>Now, enough with the fluffiness.  Let’s get down to the real business.
>>
>>To be continued...
>>
>>Joe Orozco
>>
>>"A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the
>>crowd."--Max Lucado
>>
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>>
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