[Tn-talk] John Harris (Partners grad and one of Stones River's founding members!) to retire after 27 years

[Sheri Anderson]

http://www.dnj.com/article/20130813/NEWS/308130039/MTSU-s-Harris-retire-after-27-years
MTSU's Harris to retire after 27 years
Aug. 13, 2013 1:17 PM   |  Written by  Middle Tennessee State University
[A framed photograph titled 'Window of Opportunity' is located in the
office of John Harris, director of Disabled Student Services. Blind
since birth, Harris always has looked forward to the opportunities he
has encountered. He calls his job 'the best thing that ever happened
to me.' Harris, an MTSU alumnus and native of Munford, Tenn., will
retire Thursday after 27-plus years on the job.]
A framed photograph titled 'Window of Opportunity' is located in the
office of John Harris, director of Disabled Student Services. Blind
since birth, Harris always has looked forward to the opportunities he
has encountered. He calls his job 'the best thing that ever happened
to me.' Harris, an MTSU alumnus and native of Munford, Tenn., will
retire Thursday after 27-plus years on the job. / MTSU News and Media
Relations

MURFREESBORO - Blind since birth, John Harris attended MTSU in the
late 1970s and later returned to become the university's first
Disabled Student[http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png]<http://www.dnj.com/article/20130813/NEWS/308130039/MTSU-s-Harris-retire-after-27-years>
Services director in 1985.

This week, Harris will be retiring from the job he
calls<http://www.dnj.com/article/20130813/NEWS/308130039/MTSU-s-Harris-retire-after-27-years>
"the greatest thing ever to happen to me" after 27-plus years of
service as an iconic member of the university staff.

A native of Munford in Tipton County, Harris officially will retire
Thursday, but will stay on in a part-time capacity while a replacement
is found. The university held a celebration for Harris on Tuesday in
the Keathley University Center.

One of the most treasured people on campus because of his outgoing
personality, attitude and how he treats others, Harris said it was
time to leave.

"Sometimes you kind of need to know when it's time to do something
different or move in another direction," he said. "Two questions I
kept asking myself were, 'Do I have enough money to live on and could
I wake up every morning at 7 or 7:30 and not have anywhere to go?' For
27 years, I had this job. How am I going to manage that?"

Factoring into his decision was changing
technology<http://www.dnj.com/article/20130813/NEWS/308130039/MTSU-s-Harris-retire-after-27-years>.

"What I do best is sitting down with students and mapping out a
strategy for life," he said. "You don't have a lot of time to do that.
Things just move too fast."

Harris, who turns 62 on Oct. 27, leaves a lasting impression on his
superiors and colleagues for his efforts in administering the
Americans with Disabilities Act and his being in the corner for
students<http://www.dnj.com/article/20130813/NEWS/308130039/MTSU-s-Harris-retire-after-27-years>
with disabilities. The MTSU program recently had 770 students with
disabilities that range from vision, hearing, physical, psychological,
learning and others.

"John is like an ADA celebrity within the state," said Watson Harris,
ADA coordinator and director of MTSU's Academic Technology Planning
and Projects. "And he deserves this celebrity status. He is an
excellent advocate for students with disabilities. His heart is in
helping these students survive not only college, but pushing them to
be successful in life."