[nabs-l] Action Plan, Part 1

[Nathan Clark]

no such thing as a fake presidentcy. You are president or not.

On 5/6/09, Ashley  Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
> 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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>>
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