[nabs-l] Finding a niche in campus orgs

Julie McGinnity kaybaycar at gmail.com
Mon Apr 7 16:52:07 UTC 2014


Ah "the agenda".  I have been officially federationized...  I mean if
you could have some time in a meeting to talk about how you access
documents and such.  Lol

On 4/7/14, Julie McGinnity <kaybaycar at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Kaiti,
>
> This sounds like my undergrad experience completely.  Of course, my
> small liberal arts school didn't have fraternities, but when I tried
> to get involved with organizations on campus, I had similar
> experiences.  I agree completely with Arielle.  Finding one or two
> people to hang out with in the organization will make the experience
> so much better for you.  Have you asked the leaders if you could have
> a few minutes on the agenda to speak about how you do things like
> access documents?  Maybe if they understand that google docs is
> inaccessible to you, you will come up with some sort of accomidation.
>
> I also was friends mainly with those older and younger than I, so I
> seriously understand this.  I would recommend talking to someone in
> the organization you trust about your concerns and then consider
> dropping it if you can't get anywhere.
>
> On 4/7/14, Carly Mihalakis <carlymih at comcast.net> wrote:
>> Good morning, Justin,
>>
>>          Good advice, if you are of a belief that working within the
>> system which is, it sounds like, already stacked against you will be
>> somehow, effective.
>> So-called leaders will always have political strings manipulating
>> their limbs so none of their  actions ought to be taken at face value.
>> for today, CarAt 01:28 AM 4/7/2014, justin williams wrote:
>>>Have you approached the leaders of the fraternity? I'm sure you have, but
>>> I
>>>just have to at least ask.  If so, it does not sound as if they are
>>>responsive.  If not the leaders, then maybe the advisor.
>>>
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kaiti
>>> Shelton
>>>Sent: Sunday, April 06, 2014 6:31 PM
>>>To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>>Subject: [nabs-l] Finding a niche in campus orgs
>>>
>>>Hi all,
>>>
>>>For the past 2 years I've struggled to find my place in organizations on
>>>campus.  I felt the same way in high school, but here is my situation
>>> now.
>>>
>>>Freshman year I was in a club for my major, as well as a community
>>> service
>>>fraternity.  I ended up leaving that fraternity at the end of my freshman
>>>year because of a few things, but mainly because I felt the chapter was
>>> run
>>>in a very beaurocratic style, and the same people always did everything
>>> and
>>>never let those of us who were on the outside do much.  The elections
>>> seemed
>>>more like a popularity contest, with really personal digs made by current
>>>exec board members against candidates who they did not want to see in
>>> future
>>>exec board positions.  Though I didn't run for anything, even as an
>>>outsider, a member just watching and casting my votes, it left a bitter
>>>taste in my mouth.  If that was how it was going to be run, I didn't want
>>> to
>>>be a part of the organization.
>>>
>>>That spring semester I pledged another fraternity that I liked a lot
>>> better.
>>>This one is a professional organization more geared towards my major.  It
>>> is
>>>smaller, and still does service, which I like.
>>>However, I have increasingly felt like I am not a part of the group.
>>>One of the main problems this year has been a lack of communication and
>>>access to the google docs resources.  Of course, these things work fine
>>> for
>>>the other 20 members of the chapter who are sighted, but they do not work
>>>for me.  I feel that when I miss a piece of information that was posted
>>>online, or when I don't know to do something because I can't see it,
>>> people
>>>are like, "Well, she screwed up again," rather than thinking, "Oh, I
>>> wonder
>>>if she didn't see it."
>>>
>>>This all sounds much more bitter or dramatic than I really feel, but I am
>>> a
>>>bit frustrated by this.  I have good ideas, and can do my job very well
>>> if
>>> I
>>>know what is expected of me and have the accessibility to do it.
>>> However,
>>>with the google docs system, and the lack of communication I receive from
>>> my
>>>sisters about visual things they just pick up on naturally, I am unable
>>> to
>>>contribute in the way I want to.
>>>
>>>I think my struggles with these things has also impacted me socially.
>>>We had elections a few weeks ago, and I was the only junior who was not
>>>elected to an exec board position.  I ran for 2, and really wanted the
>>>recording secretary position.  I feel like the issues I had this year
>>> have
>>>made me seem like I am uncapable of carrying out these responsibilities
>>> to
>>>my sisters, when they really don't know my situation and never asked.  I
>>>specifically chose to run for recording secretary because I have
>>> particular
>>>experience with this position, and I also know that the minutes are taken
>>> in
>>>Word Docs and member standing is kept track in a spreadsheet.  I would
>>> have
>>>run into no technological glitches whatsoever, so this position would
>>> have
>>>been great for me.  I also gave up membership in other clubs and musical
>>>ensembles in order to make time for an exec board position should I have
>>>gotten one, so I'm thinking false social perceptions have gotten in my
>>> way.
>>>
>>>I also feel socially left out sometimes because not all members of the
>>>chapter will talk to me.  I mean, I'm certainly not expecting to be best
>>>friends with everyone, but some of them just don't even speak to me,
>>> which
>>>isn't a good feeling.  And yes, I do try to speak to them.
>>>They don't openly shun me, and it's not nearly that bad, but unless I say
>>>something to them they won't say hi, or ask how I'm doing even when we're
>>>sitting next to each other.  This is not just a chapter issue; the people
>>>this happens with also don't really socialize with me in classes, and I'm
>>>one of those awkward people who gets along more with people who are older
>>>and younger than her than with students in my year.
>>>
>>>I really don't want to sound whiney, because that was not my intent at
>>> all,
>>>but I'm wondering how people in similar situations got through these
>>> issues.
>>>
>>>--
>>>Kaiti
>>>
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>>>
>>>
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>
>
> --
> Julie McG
> National Association of Guide dog Users board member,  National
> Federation of the Blind performing arts division secretary,
> Missouri Association of Guide dog Users President,
> and Guiding Eyes for the Blind graduate 2008
> "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that
> everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal
> life."
> John 3:16
>


-- 
Julie McG
National Association of Guide dog Users board member,  National
Federation of the Blind performing arts division secretary,
Missouri Association of Guide dog Users President,
and Guiding Eyes for the Blind graduate 2008
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that
everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal
life."
John 3:16




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