[NFB-Kzoo] Fwd: September minutes

[Amyrillis Payne]

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> October 13th, 2020
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> Meeting begins 8:01 pm
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> Board/Members/visitors present
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> Robert Parsons-President, Rashid Deme-Vice President, Amyrillis/Monet
> Payne-Secretary, Victor Marques-Treasurer,
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> Talia-Member, Jeff Crouch-Member, Jason M-Member, Taylor A-Member Rachel
> P-Member, Lucy-Visitor
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> Meeting Minutes-
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> Minutes have not been going through and Monet is going to re-register and
> see if this works
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> Next topic-treasury report
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> $420 set up at lake michigan credit union, debit card is in place, balance
> before was $415 and
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> Motion made by Monet Payne and Rashid seconds
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> Robert passes motion
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> Next topic-Open floor to Lucy to explain wmu issues and discussion about
> things are being done that are affecting students
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> Lucy says she wants to speak about her internship project with wmu where
> she creates training program for wmu instructors on how to work with blind
> and low vision students. It is being recognized that instructors could use
> room for some help with learning how to best accommodate students. Lucy
> wants low vision or blind students to write letters or answer a survey
> about students’ feedback on what they think instructors should know and do
> to best accommodate students in the future. The end goal is to train these
> educators and to help them better understand what its like to be blind or
> low vision. Sometimes they may feel our accommodations are all the same and
> that we all have the same skills, and this Is not true. Lucy’s supervisor
> also wants to help professors get a better understanding of low vision
> technology and how it works on our end as users. There is no section in the
> WMU policy about working with students with disabilities and they are
> hoping to bring change to this issue. Lucy is asking that if you have a
> story or have experienced an issue with accommodations in class that you
> write about it and send it to her personally.
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> Victor asks-Does DSS do any mandatory disability awareness trainings with
> the faculty and staff on campus.
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> Lucy says that WMU does not provide wmu staff/faculty with any sensitivity
> training/accessibility training.
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> Robert asks is the survey for all disabilities or just for blind and low
> vision students?
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> Lucy says it is for specifically Blind and Low vision students, but Lucy
> has hopes that eventually campus can do this for all disabilities.
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> Jason speaks on his past experience as a student. Professors do need to
> have all course materials in accessible formats at all times and the
> university needs to take accountability for this. Students should still be
> sure that they advocate to the best of their abilities.
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> Taylor says she is a present student at western and agrees with Lucy that
> there needs to be some form of a training program for the university’s
> faculty and staff.
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> You need to place plans for things that are inaccessible. Taylor has
> experienced how other universities have found solutions to these issues.
> There needs to be a structure with individuals who know how to work the
> software and there are other institutions that will not allow their
> instructors to use inaccessible software. Western has many things that
> should be changed, and a training program is a great start.
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> Victor adds that we should have a state level resolution with western to
> admit a training for faculty and staff in universities. There are gaps with
> agencies and there is so much that needs to be standardized with
> accessibility everywhere.
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> Robert suggests we push for this to the NFB state president about this
> issue because it needs to be changed at the State level.
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> Jason says that MSU is already doing accessibility and maybe we should
> reach out to them and get some accessibility training tips from them.
> Students need to be given the proper tools that they need while at college.
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> Lucy is going to send us the survey and is looking for all input that she
> can receive on this issue of inaccessible on campus.
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> Robert is going to get Lucy’s information along with her survey and send
> it to the list serve
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> Next topic- Meet the blind month
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> Civil Coffee House
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> Saturday, October  24th
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> Sunday October 23rd is back up date
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> Victor and Rashid talked about meeting at
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> Braille cards and braille can be used. We do not need permit to accept
> donations so all will be welcomed!
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> Civil Coffee house diagonally across from Kalamazoo ave located on rose.
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> It is voted on 12-4 and victor says he can bring tables
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> Robert is going to print out NFB literature to give out with our local
> contact information and chapter info.
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> Information
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> Chapter meeting info and time along with NFB Michigan Logo and Victor says
> he will print this info as long as he receives it by October 22nd.
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> Jason is going to check with the location if this is available
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> Victor and Rashid are going to put $10 Each in to promote Facebook
> advertising which will be enough to reach about 1000 people.
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> Robert will help with this because he has Facebook access
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> Robert makes motion to close and all are in favor motion passes
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> Next topic- Testimonials about loss of WMU accessibility tech position
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> Robert says all of the testimonials needed to focus on getting this
> position reinstated.
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> Robert only received 2 testimonials and did not submit them because there
> is not that many submissions.
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> Rashid says he did not rewrite his testimonial because he feels that
> although Taylor’s position was what was agreed to write about but he feels
> there are larger issues at hand  right now such as why accessibility is
> important and not just this position.
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> Robert agrees that it this position is not the biggest issue on campus but
> what do we do to get this message delivered the best way, do we use the
> original testimonials and go in on our own to bring accessibility concerns
> to President Montgomery or do we go in with the edited testimonials that
> only focus on Taylors previous tech position.
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> Taylor agrees that we should go forward with the original testimonials.
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> Taylor says she got a new position working remotely for a company called
> Got It A I.  They  will be used in trio programs which are programs at
> colleges to help low income first generation college students. This is a
> tutoring program where students can get step by step solutions to problems
> in college and Taylor is helping them to create this app completing
> accessible for all users.
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> Victor wonders if we can roll all of this into one for of accessibility at
> western into a resolution, like a Western needs an accessibility ombudsman.
> We need to write this all out to bring attention to these accessibility
> issues.
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> Locate past examples of national and state resolutions for victor to
> review.
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> Victor and Taylor are going to work on this ASAP and the deadline is
> November first. The resolution will be written up and ready for us to
> review by this date.
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> Next topic-State convention
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> Is everyone registered?
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> Robert asks if Jason has anything set up for exhibit hall and Jason say s
> there will be a technology breakout but no exhibit hall.
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> Adding convention info to the sheet he is writing up for the info sheet on
> meet the blind.
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> Zoom Lobby during convention
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> Victor says the student division is running a trivia night this Friday at
> 8pm admission is free when you are a student division member, and it is $5
> to join in advance and $ at the door. There will be several door prizes.
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> Robert suggests that all register.
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> NABS REP IS Martha Medah and she w crab climb student division drops crabs
> in a bucket of low expectations and the only way to get up is with $5 big
> supports they have a form you will fill out and you send in money to
> support each crab. At the end the crab with the most bids escape the bucket
> and gets a prize and the highest bidder receives a prize also. Campaign
> speeches for each of the grabs will be sent out soon on why we should bid
> on them and the email will have the donation link at the bottom. What
> effects does substance abuse have on the human brain/brain development?
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> I am choosing this question because many members of my family suffer from
> substance abuse. I want to have a better understanding of how substance
> abuse can affect brain development and functions. I also am interested in
> working with families who struggle with substance abuse in the future and I
> am curious to see how many families could benefit from this information if
> they knew the statistics and proper information regarding substance abuse
> effects on the brain. They take cashapp and PayPal.
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> Next topic- Study being done by Henry T who is a student through Wayne
> state and he is doing a study related to blindness and suicide and if you
> are looking to participate Rashid can forward you the email with more info
> on this survey.
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> Victor motions to close meeting
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> Monet seconds motion granted
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>   meeting adjourned at 9:05 pm
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