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

Thu May 7 01:00:38 UTC 2009

Good come-back Joe, bravo! 
I personally have been learning since I was a teenager that I don't know
everything. I'm forever learning. (grin) 

-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of T. Joseph Carter
Sent: Wednesday, May 06, 2009 4:33 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] The "state of the student divisions"

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."
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>>_______________________________________________
>>>> >>>nabs-l mailing list
>>>> >>>nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>> >>>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>> >>>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account 
>>>> >>>info for
>>>> >>> nabs-l:
>>>> >>>
>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/carter.tjos
>>>> eph%40gmail.com
>>>> >>
>>>> >> _______________________________________________
>>>> >> nabs-l mailing list
>>>> >> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>> >> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>> >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account 
>>>> >> info for
>>>> >> nabs-l:
>>>> >>
>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/arielle71%4
>>>> 0gmail.com
>>>> >>
>>>> >
>>>> > _______________________________________________
>>>> > nabs-l mailing list
>>>> > nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>> > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>> > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
>>>> > for
>>>> > nabs-l:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/trillian551
>>>> %40gmail.com
>>>> >
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> 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
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> nabs-l mailing list
>>>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
>>>> for
>>>> nabs-l:
>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/cassonw%40g
>>>> mail.com
>>>>
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>nabs-l mailing list
>>>nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> nabs-l:
>>>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/carter.tjosep
>>>h%40gmail.com
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nabs-l mailing list
>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nabs-l:
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/troubleclark%
>> 40gmail.com
>>
>
>_______________________________________________
>nabs-l mailing list
>nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
nabs-l:
>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/carter.tjoseph%
>40gmail.com

_______________________________________________
nabs-l mailing list
nabs-l at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
nabs-l:
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/fowlers%40syix.com