[Oabs] Committee feedback

[Kaiti Shelton]

Hi all,

I've said before that if there is a problem with OABS that I hoped the
individual(s) who felt it to be a problem would come to me.  I've
mentioned that I can only fix something if I know that it is
bothersome to someone, and I am holding that to myself as well as you.
Communication is the key to any organization's success, so I'm taking
this opportunity to do with you as I hope you all would do with me and
your committee leaders.

There is a problem with attendance.  We've heard that time and time
again, especially since Emily and Aleeha have been vocal about it as
well in the past few months.  Both committees are struggling to
achieve quorem, and I mentioned in a previous email that our business
meeting on Thursday had to be canceled for the same reason.  Emily,
Macy, and I were the only ones there.  Elif tried to call in but
somehow could not get through, and Aleeha had an emergenc come up.

The problem I see in this is that the board is not OABS.  The monthly
meetings are not meant to be conducted between the five of us, and
though we hold officer positions and some chair committees, we can't
do the work of OABS by ourselves.  For a long time everyone in OABS
was on the board because we barely had enough people to fill the
cabinet, but now the board makes up less than half of the division.
The board has its own time to meet separate from the monthly calls.

According to our constitution, meetings can be conducted with just 25
percent of active members present.  While this would be perfectly fine
and normal if we had even 20 members, this means that having just 3 on
the call like we did is a judgement call, since one can't have part of
a person to constitute a proper 25 percent.  While I trust the board
to advise in decisions related to the division, it isn't right for the
board to have to make all the decisions without input from general
members on calls.  That would be akin to congress men and women never
taking the concerns of their constituents into account by never
inviting them to speak before senate committees, or discuss matters
with them.  I know Emily and Aleeha especially are offering several
opportunities for members to provide input on membership and
fundraising efforts, but they're just not getting any feedback to
assist them in their work.

So, I'm asking you, and I hope that this email will not fall on deaf
ears as my last one has appeared to. What is difficult or challenging
about the committee meetings and the general set up of OABS as it
stands now?  Everyone said they could make the calls on Thursdays, so
I'm a little puzzled by the poor turn out not just at this past
meeting, but at committee meetings where Emily and Aleeha have also
checked with everyone involved for times that would work for everyone.
Any ideas on why this is happening would be very useful to Emily,
Aleeha, and I, and would give us the chance to rectify any problems
that are keeping these committees and general meetings from being
successful.

One last piece of food for thought.  If you paid dues you are
considered an active member of this organization.  If you pay dues and
then don't show to meetings, you're counted against quorem.  If
multiple people pay dues and remain on the periphery of involvement,
it seriously damages the group's ability to do work because by not
showing to meetings you're striking a blow to our quorem.  The message
I'm trying to send is not one of a "get on one side of the fence," but
I just hope you will consider why you joined, and why you said you
wanted to be involved.  Everyone seemed so enthusiastic about OABS in
our meeting at convention in November, so I'm wondering where that
enthusiasm has gone.  Another way to look at it is that you paid for
membership, so shouldn't you get the most out of it by attending?

I'm looking forward to any feedback you may be able to provide.
Emily, Aleeha, and I all want the committees and general meetings to
be successful, and with feedback we can address any problems which we
do not yet know of.
-- 
Kaiti Shelton
University of Dayton 2016.
Music Therapy, Psychology, Philosophy
President, Ohio Association of Blind Students
Sigma Alpha Iota-Delta Sigma