[nabs-l] The "state of the student divisions"

Wed May 6 23:32:49 UTC 2009

Nathan,

Are you saying that you're learning that I don't know everything, or 
that we are all learning and therefore not expected to know 
everything?

Either one looks correct to me.  *grin*

Joseph

On Wed, May 06, 2009 at 04:13:42PM -0400, Nathan Clark wrote:
>Dear Joe
>We are learning. You don't know everything.
>
>
>On 5/6/09, T. Joseph Carter <carter.tjoseph at gmail.com> wrote:
>> They do.  It was private enough that I hadn't noticed it.  *grin*
>>
>> Joseph
>>
>> On Mon, May 04, 2009 at 10:48:22PM -0700, Bill wrote:
>>>Might it be helpful for the nabs state presidents to have a private list
>>>like the state affiliate presidents do.  This would make it easier for
>>>things like this to be sent to the people who really want to see it.
>>>Bill VP
>>>Oregon Association of Blind Students
>>>503-768-8982
>>>cassonw at gmail.com
>>>
>>>On Mon, May 4, 2009 at 10:07 PM, Mary Fernandez
>>> <trillian551 at gmail.com>wrote:
>>>
>>>> I cannot agree with Arielle more. Blind students are a minority, and
>>>> as such we should strive to help and support each other rather than
>>>> argue and accuse each other. It is true that this grant came out, and
>>>> some took advantage, some did not. It was mis-information, or lost
>>>> information. But that's not what really matters: now we know that
>>>> vital information can be lost in the list-serve, so instead of making
>>>> such a big deal out of it, lets figure out a better way of
>>>> disseminating important announcements, and there already have been
>>>> suggestions, and get on with it. This is not the last grant for which
>>>> we'll have an opportunity to apply. Next year, we will be more aware
>>>> of what is going on, and take full advantage of it, if it is a
>>>> reasonable goal for our individual state divisions. so lets work
>>>> together, and learn to learn from our mistakes, take constructive
>>>> criticism, and add it all up, so that our individual states become
>>>> stronger and better organized, thus making our national presence also
>>>> stronger.
>>>> Mary
>>>>
>>>> On 5/4/09, Arielle Silverman <arielle71 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> > Hi all,
>>>> >
>>>> > Having watched this thread unfold over the past few days, I don’t feel
>>>> > it is necessary or appropriate for us to be sending emails back and
>>>> > forth with such an accusatory tone. The grant opportunity did go out
>>>> > on the list, but as others have pointed out, many of us simply missed
>>>> > it. This isn’t anybody’s fault but just something that happens on
>>>> > high-traffic email lists. In the future we may want to set up a page
>>>> > within the NABS website to post such grant opportunities, and/or
>>>> > repost it a few times.
>>>> >
>>>> > I also don’t feel it appropriate for us to be putting down student
>>>> > divisions who knew about the grant but who didn’t follow up on it.
>>>> > This should be seen as a learning opportunity for the future rather
>>>> > than a chance to tear each other down.
>>>> >
>>>> > Our student divisions are all in existence because of the motivation
>>>> > and drive of their leaders, but as we’ve discussed frequently here and
>>>> > at NABS events, many of our state divisions are small, young, and/or
>>>> > struggling to establish or maintain basic structure. Again, much of
>>>> > this is just a result of being part of a small community, and being
>>>> > students. There simply aren’t a huge number of blind students in any
>>>> > state, and student organizations in general tend to be transient at
>>>> > times. For these reasons, it can be difficult for many state divisions
>>>> > to get organized quickly enough to decide what kind of project they
>>>> > would want to do with grant funding, let alone writing a proposal and
>>>> > being  able to commit to pulling it off. For example, when I was
>>>> > president of  the Arizona student division we wanted to organize a
>>>> > camping/hiking trip, but we simply couldn’t get enough students to
>>>> > make a commitment to participate to go forward with planning the
>>>> > logistics. In this kind of situation a grant may or may not have
>>>> > helped to bring more students into the event—money is nice, but isn’t
>>>> > everything.
>>>> >
>>>> > That’s not to say that we should just accept inactivity from our
>>>> > student divisions, however. Let’s see Joe’s message as a challenge
>>>> > rather than an attack, and all go back to our states to decide what
>>>> > new projects we’d like to initiate, and make a real commitment to
>>>> > spearhead these projects. It doesn’t have to be anything big, or even
>>>> > anything that requires outside funding, but just something new to get
>>>> > more students in or at least to motivate and inspire our existing
>>>> > members.
>>>> >
>>>> > Remember that the NABS board members are all here to offer support and
>>>> > guidance, and feel free to email any of us if you have questions, or
>>>> > even if you’d just like one of us to sit in on your next division
>>>> > conference call.
>>>> >
>>>> > Respectfully,
>>>> > Arielle Silverman
>>>> > First Vice-President, NABS
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> > On 5/5/09, T. Joseph Carter <carter.tjoseph at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> >> Jim,
>>>> >>
>>>> >> I think it's a fair concern.  There are lots of reasons why students
>>>> >> divisions may not be doing well, but if they are not, we need to know
>>>> >> about it.  Certainly, Joe cannot be expected to do more--and we all
>>>> >> have our own circumstances that may reduce what time we can give to
>>>> >> the organization.
>>>> >>
>>>> >> Even so, if more is needed, need to be honest with ourselves about
>>>> >> the nature of the problem or else we cannot solve it.  I don't know
>>>> >> if Joe's concern is founded or not, since I can speak only for
>>>> >> Oregon.
>>>> >>
>>>> >> Joseph
>>>> >>
>>>> >>
>>>> >> On Mon, May 04, 2009 at 01:22:48PM -0700, Jim Reed wrote:
>>>> >>>Joe,
>>>> >>>I am somewhat offended by you questioning the state of the state
>>>> >>> student
>>>> >>> divisions, simply based on the poor turnout for your grant.
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>>I will tell you what the state of the state divisions is:
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>>As students we are all still learning.
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>>As students, we are all busy.
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>>We are all hear as volunteers because we want to be. We are hoping to
>>>> make
>>>> >>> a better life for ourselves and others; but, as vollenteeers, we are
>>>> not
>>>> >>> obligated to do anyuthing.
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>>As volunteers, not all of us will have the all the requisite skills
>>>> needed
>>>> >>> to serve our organizations, thus serving in a state division is also
>>>> >>> a
>>>> >>> learning oppertunity. It is incumbent upon national and state
>>>> leadership
>>>> >>> to make sure we have the oppertunity to learn the  requisite skills.
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>>So Joe, next time, instead of threatening to call people out for being
>>>> >>> lazy
>>>> >>> if they don't fill out your grant application, offer to teach us the
>>>> >>> grant
>>>> >>> writing process. If you truely think we are incapable to manage a
>>>> grant,
>>>> >>> then do something to fix that situation.  Otherwise, please keep your
>>>> >>> judgemental comments to yourself.
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>>The state of the state divisions is not one of appathy; given the
>>>> >>> right
>>>> >>> conditions and oppertunities, it is one of desire, energy, and
>>>> >>> willingness
>>>> >>> to learn.
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>>Respectfully,
>>>> >>>Jim Reed
>>>> >>>President, Montana Association of Blind Students
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>>"Ignorance killed the cat; curiosity was framed."
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>>
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>>>> >>
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>>>> >
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>>>> >
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Mary Fernandez
>>>> Emory University 2012
>>>> P.O. Box 123056
>>>> Atlanta Ga.
>>>> 30322
>>>> Phone: 732-857-7004
>>>> In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that
>>>> greatness is never a given. It must be earned.
>>>> President Barack Obama
>>>>
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>
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