[NFB-Kzoo] WMU Testimonials

[Robert Earl Parsons]

Good Afternoon Friends

This message is an update on our initiative to meet with Dr. Montgomery of WMU about the removal of the accessibility student tech position that Taylor once held at the university. Just to reiterate the messaging I received from our WMU staff allies on the issue of accessibility and the position that was removed, the administration feels that the overall message of the testimonials are very disjointed. This is due to such a large amount of different realms of accessibility that are being discussed. Ideally, the better action in order to get a meeting with Dr. Montgomery would be to come in with one request, which would be to talk about the position, and then also converse with him and his office while there of the other issues that are creating barriers to accessibility, preferably with a document to look polished and organized.
I am requesting that you all refine your testimonials to reflect the feedback we received. If you have never used the service that the position provided, then it would be a testimonial about another accessibility barrier you have faced in the classroom and you could just impress the importance of access in higher education and advocate for how the position that Taylor held was one of the last safeguards that the university had for its blind students. If you need assistance with this endeavor, Victor and I have both volunteered to edit testimonials or provide feedback. I have to set a deadline of next Friday for these testimonials so that we can get them submitted to Dr. Montgomery's office. In the meantime, I will be working on a cover letter, from our chapter, that will be attached to these testimonials requesting an official meeting with Dr. Montgomery. I will send this letter to each of you so that you can review it. It will be signed with all of our names as students of the university. If you have any questions, please feel free to call or text me at (804) 801-7674.

Thanks

Robert E. Parsons, Jr.
President| Kalamazoo Chapter
Vice President| Michigan Association of Blind Students
Board Member| National Federation of the Blind of Michigan
Board Member| National Associaition of Blind Students
Western Michigan University '21
Pronouns: He, Him, His
P: 804.801.7674