[Oabs] What should we do next?

[Kaiti Shelton]

Hi, OABSters,

Over the past few weeks, especially since August right before school
picked back up for most of us, I've seen something that is troubling
to me.  Attendance at regular calls has slipped, and we're back to
having the same 3 or 4 members doing the majority of helping out when
things need to get done.  Before I continue, I am not pointing fingers
at individuals, this is just what I see.

The membership committee has been in dire straights, and both Aleeha
and I have sent out several emails asking for additional help with
this.  We can beg and plead all we want, but it takes individual
effort to call in to the conference lines.  This is just as much
***your*** division as it is mine, and I don't want to see ground lost
when we've just gotten our heads above water.

Another problem is that the same people seem to be stepping up to help
when something needs to be figured out.  Earlier this week I asked to
have two volunteers help me in testing the conference line which Ryan
so graciously checked for us, so we could make sure all parts of the
line were functioning properly at once.  Aleeha replied and said she
could help over the list for all to see.  I then replied to her over
the list, and said that her willingness to help was appreciated and
other interested volunteers should contact me AS Soon As Possible.  At
5:30, hearing nothing more, I decided to call the test off since no
one else responded.  Aleeha and I both had dinner plans, so we agreed
it would be easier on both of us since, as far as we knew, no one else
was willing to help.  Emily did email saying she could help about 25
minutes later, but she is one of the other people who consistently
steps up to help.  It shouldn't always be the job of specific people
to do tasks that are essential to keeping the division running.  I
wish that someone had not waited to see if someone else who usually
helps out would do it, and would have just replied either to Aleeha's
email or to my response as a willing volunteer.  IN this case, it
would have taken 2 to 3 minutes of time for all involved.

I know we're all busy students.  I know that at least Emily and I are
taking at least 18 credits of courses; some of us are involved in
other groups that meet weekly on our campuses, and some are exec board
members for those organizations; some of us do other things outside of
school with church, or are preparing for major tests or professional
internships in our not-so-distant futures.  But, the reality is that
we're all doing some combination of these things, and if we're all in
OABS than the organization deserves to see fair levels of commitment
from everyone.

So, I'm interested in hearing suggestions.  What is so daunting about
membership committee meetings that no one shows up?  What have we not
done that anyone thinks we should be doing?  I have stated on multiple
occasions that my inbox is always open for discussion of ideas or
suggestions for the division, but hearing none and since the
leadership needs to know what's going on behind the scenes, please
take a few short minutes of your time to tell me what you think.  You
can email on-list if you'd like to generate discussion with everyone,
or if you'd like to email me privately that is perfectly fine too.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend and is starting to get
excited for convention.  I know I am, but we need to pull together to
make this year great.
-- 
Kaiti Shelton
University of Dayton 2016.
Music Therapy, Psychology, Philosophy
President, Ohio Association of Blind Students
Sigma Alpha Iota-Delta Sigma