[nabs-l] Finding a niche in campus orgs

Mon Apr 7 18:20:47 UTC 2014

I hated campus organizations altogether.  I joined mainly because of 
political motives, but none of those orgs were accessible, and could not 
accommodate me at all.  Anyway, I couldn't rush for sororities because 
of blindness and the nonacceptance on campus.
Beth
On 4/7/2014 10:52 AM, Julie McGinnity wrote:
> 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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>>>
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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
>>
>


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