[Ohio-talk] Fw: OSU O&M Advisory Board - Please Respond!

[Dr. Smith]

Read this one carefully and tell me if you are interested in this opportunity because I don't think I will have the time to do it.

jw

Dr. J. Webster Smith
President National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
P.O.BOX 458 Athens, Ohio, 45701-0458
Phone Number - 740-592-6326 
"Changing What it Means to be Blind"
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Kay Clarke 
To: jwsmithnfb at verizon.net 
Sent: Monday, October 26, 2009 1:21 PM
Subject: OSU O&M Advisory Board - Please Respond!


Hi Mr. Smith,

I am an O&M specialist (presently serving as the Infant/Preschool Outreach Specialist at OSSB) and a part-time instructor at the Ohio State University.  I am writing to you with good news and with a request.  The good news is that the Ohio State University has recently received state funding to start an Orientation and Mobility Training Program to increase Ohio's pool of qualified O&M specialists!  We are presently in an organizational phase, preparing to start the first group of university students in the Summer quarter of 2010.  As the O&M Program Director, my job is to develop the program, get it up and running and teach some of the courses.  Other COMSs will teach courses as well.  This is an exciting opportunity that we want to be sure is done right.  This is where the request comes in.

 

Our first task is to pull together a core group of O&M consumers and practicing O&M specialists from around the state to serve on an Advisory Board for the planning phase of the program (now until June 2010).  We would be very interested in having a representative from NFB (such as you) on the Advisory Board to offer feedback as courses are developed and the organization of the program takes shape.  The time and travel commitments will entail:

 

1)  attending 3 or 4 meetings in Columbus (scheduled in evenings or on weekends;

     possibly one or two daytime meetings); and

 

2)  reviewing program materials for comment prior to the meetings.

 

A stipend will be paid to each participating Advisory Board Member to help to defray some of the costs for time spent on Board duties and for travel to meetings between now and June 2010.  Please let me know if you are interested and able to participate on the O&M Advisory Board.  If you are unable to be a part of this Board, I would appreciate it if you could suggest another member of your organization who may fill this role.  Firm meeting dates will be set as soon as our Board has been formed. 

 

If you have any questions, please let me know and I would be happy to talk with you about them.  Please respond to me no later than Thursday, October 29th  about your participation.   Thank you for your consideration of this request and I look forward to hearing from you soon, Mr. Smith.   

 

Sincerely,

Kay Clarke, Ph.D.

Program Director

OSU O&M Training Program

(614) 216-5007