"Supporting
Students; Encouraging Leadership."
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"Supporting
Students; Encouraging Leadership."
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THE STUDENT
ADVOCATE
VOLUME XV. NUMBER III
SPRING 1996
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
President's Message
Let's Not Coddle Visually-Impaired Students
The Old Dominion Alliance of Blind Students Is Within Sight
Are You Interested in Starting a Chapter of NABS in Your
State
The Invisible Person
A Great Year...
FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT
Velanche Stewart
It's hard to believe -- even if it feels like it's otherwise around your neighborhood
-- that spring time is here! Many of you east of the West Coast would laugh
at me if I were to say something trite (and perhaps, not at all true) that the
sun is shi ning, the flowers are blooming, and the birds are singing.
But I can tell you that we know that spring is here just by the busy calendar
that many of us are keeping in terms of school. This tends to be the busiest
time of year for many of us -- filling out financial aid forms, applying for
internships and awards, taking care of last minute endeavors before graduation,
and so forth.
For those of you who will be graduating this year, congratulations! You've finally reached that long-fought journey to the mountaintop. But keep in mind that the world out there is one that's more challenging than anything in life you might have experienc ed -- be prepared for the rigors of everyday life as blind and visually impaired graduates embarking on your next journey. That journey could be graduate school, or it could be the workplace. Whatever your direction will be, best of luck to the Class of 1 996!
For those of us who are still pursuing our degrees, let's keep up the hard work we've fought so hard for. Let's do our share to not only help ourselves, but to reach out and help other fellow blind and visually impaired students in need. There are blind a nd visually impaired kids in school who will follow our generation, and we need to do our very best as students, citizens, and people to try and pave a road in which the college students of tomorrow will not have to endure the struggles as great as the on es of yesterday and today.
In keeping with that thought, please stay politically astute. 1996isthe year in which each of us can make a difference -whether it's atthe ballot box or contacting your local representative, you need to be aware and informed. There is currently a Congress whose aim -- they say -- is to let individuals take care of themselves instead of having the government do so. Be very wary of the words between the words -- there are events happening behind the scenes that the general public isn't even aware of that co uld have a dramatic impact on the lives of those who could not take care of themselves otherwise.
Blind people are not the helpless. defenseless folks that the stereotype embraces from timeto-time; rather, they are citizens. too. We are the people who must speak -- and must continue to speak -- for fairness, equality. and justice. We must use our voic es and influences to make change -- even when change seems to be an impossibility. We must not remain silent -- we must remain strong. Strength comes from knowledge -- the ACE Washington Connection has been an effective weapon against ignorance for the bl ind and visually impaired community. NABS-L has also been a very important tool in keeping students inf ormed of issues and legislation that could affect them. Without these tools -- and that of the hardworking staff at the ACE national office -- we could not arm ourselves.
As the term of the 1996 NABS Executive Board approaches a conclusion. I look back on our term and take with it a learning experience which will stay with me. It wasn't easy to try and do what we were doing -- being that we're all in distant places and mee ting the rigors of our respective class schedules -- but we came in wanting to make changes. What we've learned is what history has taught us -that the most profound changes are incremental.
I've also learned that in taking this position, one will not always be popular with everyone. That is that nature of the position -- it has to be. No one enjoys conflict, but constructive conflict can yield benefits for all of us in the long run. My hope is that the next board will not only continue the incremental changes in which the current board is presently working on, but that they also have vision and the leadership to carry NABS forward. We ARE the largest blind student organization in the United States, and don't you ever forget that. Don't ever forget, fellow members, that it's you who makethe difference -and it is you who we strive to serve.
I'd like to thank the members of the board for all of the hard. challenging, and difficult work which waslaid upon usthese last few months. Mike, you've gone above and beyond in establishing a NABS chapter in Virginia. Charles, your shuttling back and for th via E-mail and phone calls with members, the board, and the ACE staff kept things more or less on course. Roland, I wish you nothing but thanks -- for the year has been trying for you, but I know you can get through the hard times. Carolyn, thank you f or your willingness to become editor and for your support. Rob, the amount of work I've seen you do over the past few years for BSC and NABS is incredible -many thanks for your support. and friendship.
The NABS governors, the ACE staff, the many members whom I've spoken with, the NABS chapter presidents, and others that I would like to thank as well for their time and support. But there's one person who's kept everything together -- she's worked hard be hind the scenes when we were otherwise occupied or lacked the resources that the national office has. She's the person I've turned to when things got rough, and we've managed to work things out in the end. From the bottom of my heart, a big thank you to o ur liaison, Jessica.
As I wrap up my last words as president, I urge you to try and attend the NABS seminars and workshops at the ACE national convention in Tulsa in July. We have a really good program that the team is continuing to put together for you. We have topics rangin g from relationships to internet access to financial aid. Please try and attend this year -- we would very much like to meet as many NABS members as possible. Make your reservations if you have not already done so. Registration materials are available by calling the ACE national office.
It's been an honor to have served you, and I'm sure that each member of the board feels the same of their respective positions. Please attend the convention -- we are searching for a new board with leadership drive. You cannot become a board member if you 're not in attendance, so make it a point to attend if you wish to become one.
All the best-- and have a prosperous spring!!
LET'S NOT CODDLE VISUALLY-IMPAIRED STUDENTS
By Dr. Grace D. Napier
Many college campuses have what is called Services for Disabled Students or
a similar designation, with paid employees to organize, supervise, and execute
many kinds of services for students with disabilities: deafness. dyslexia, orthopedic
impairment s, visual impairments, etc. I want to restrict my comments to the
visually-impaired.
Services are securing textbdoks from professors, having them brailled or tape
recorded, securing readers, having specialized equipment and supplies available,
providing orientation to the campus community, excluding students from registration
procedures. encouraging special arrangements for test taking, agreeing to less
than full loads of courses each semester, and providing preferential housing
or human guide service when students have had neither cane nor dog guide mobility
training. I oppose pampering students with so many ready-made solutions to problems
imposed by visual impairment.
From preschool years through twelfth grade, visually-impaired students have had special education teachers hovering over them and meeting their needs even before students realize specific needs existed. When are these students going to achieve adulthood, and anticipate the problems peculiar to visually-impaired individuals and find appropriate solutions to those problems and assume responsibilities for their own autonomy?
When I was teaching on the graduate level, undergraduates not enrolled in my major field would contact me to supply them with braille paper and a Perkins Brailler or textbooks -just because they knew I was blind and for no other reason. They had no idea w here to purchase braille paper but expected it to be supplied free of charge. They did not know the location of the state library for the visually-impaired as part of the national network. They left their Perkins Brailler at home not in the dormitory but in their parents' home--and expected the university to supply one. They arrived on campus having done nothing all summer about determining which textbooks would be needed, fully expecting all their textbooks to be stacked in their dormitory rooms! encount ered even one student who, directed by me, wrote a letter to the Library of Congress for a free music manual but did not mail that letter, BECAUSE I had not specifically said, "Address the envelope. Seal it. Put a stamp on the envelope. Drop it in the mai lbox!" Why had neither the special education teacher nor the rehabilitation counselor prepared these students for the realities of college life for visually-impaired students?
Students who are that immature do not belong on a college campus. In the first place, the special education teacher (and parents) had not prepared these students for the realities of college living for visually-impaired students, no matter how high the 1. 0. or the grades on the report cards. When special education teachers have been derelict in their preparation of adolescents, those students need to become clients at a rehabilitation center prior to becoming college freshmen.
Prior to arriving on campus, visually-impaired students need a comprehensive course in analyzing a variety of needs that wilf arise. Which ones should be attended to long before registration day, while still at home? These problems include which courses t o take the first year, which textbooks are available from which sources, and what to do to be assured that one can use them on campus. For readers of large print, is a large print edition available, or is there equipment available to enable the student to read them with appropriate magnification and illumination!
Does a student have to be spared the crowd during registration by having an employee register for himlher? If the student is uncertain about the procedures, let himlher inquire of other students or dormitory assistants, and if heishe needs a guide to fill out cards and accompany the student through the line, let himiher seek that assistance rather than avoiding the whole experience.
When a student is not already prepared to travel independently with a cane or dog after basic orientation to campus, the student should secure such preparation before launching a college career. He/she should not expect a human guide to be available at an y hour of the day or night. Nor should the student expect someone to take notes for himiher and then read them into a cassette recorder. Note-taking skills should have been mastered years earlier.
I think that you can see the weaknesses in most of the other services." In fact, many of them are disservices. All of these combined carry the inherent message, "We know you cannot survive on campus without our helping you every step of the way. After all , you are visually-impaired and incapable of managing college life without our supervision. Just lean on us. We'll get you through."
Is that the message colleges and universities really want to communicate? Then these "graduates" will be no more prepared for the world of employment and independent living than they had been for college in the first place. When do we say. "You have had t welve or more years of special education. Now demonstrate to yourself and others that it has prepared you to be on an equal basis with other college students.
I have known visually-impaired students who enroll in only two or three courses each time, "because I am visually-impaired." How long then will a four-year college program take to complete! How much more money is involved in a protracted attendance at col lege?
If these students cannot handle a full load or even extra credits, how will they manage a full load of work when employed? Will they want exemptions made so that they receive full pay for half of the work? When an interviewer notices that the program took six or seven years, he will certainly wonder. He may ask, "What kind of employment did you do while a student!" When told, "I was not employed. As a visually-impaired person, I couldn't manage a full load." he will be disinclined to consider this applica nt, regardless of impressive grades and honors. He is likely to conclude, "This visually-impaired applicant cannot carry a-full load of responsibility in my business or profession." So the applicant can kiss that job and others good-bye! I have discussed this point with students who refuse to take a full load of courses. The response has been, "By then, I will be different and can assume full responsibility. remain unconvinced.If hired, will the employee expect the employer to find housing for him/her, or provide orientation to the neighborhood or transportation to the work site, or exempt him/her from a job-related responsibility or a chore that is distasteful to the new employee? When does the buck stop here--right with the employee!
This article was reprinted with permission from the newsletter NABT--The Blind Teacher. February 1996.
THE OLD DOMINION ALLIANCE OF BLIND STUDENTS
IS WITHIN SIGHT
By Mike Gravitt, President Old Dominion Alliance of Blind Students
Ever since I met fellow NABS members at the ACE convention in Greensboro, North Carolina, I have been excited about the goals of the organization. At that time, I had just recently become involved with NABS. wanted to be as active as possible in the or ganization and still be in a position to learn more about NABS. For these reasons, I pursued the position of secretary and one of the first' things that NABS President Velanche Stewart and I discussed was starting an affiliate of the National Alliance of Blind Students in the state of Virginia. I thought it was a good idea. However, to someone who has never attempted to form a group, at least not one at a state level, this task seemed somewhat intimidating. Starting a state affiliate of NABS is one of the most challenging, yet rewarding, tasks I have set out to accomplish.
Early in November, I received a call from Boy Ward, a board member of the Commonwealth Council of the Blind in Richmond and an active member of the Old Dominion Council of the Blind and Visually impaired (ODCBVI). He had heard that I was on the board of N ABS and that I was interested in starting an affiliate in the state of Virginia. Boy told me that ODCBVI was interested in getting more young people involved with the organization. As we talked, it became clear to me that we had similar goals and that wor king together could be mutually beneficial.
At that time, ODCBVI was getting ready for its annual convention in Arlington, Virginia. Boy Ward told me that any student could attend the conference in order to discuss plans for a state affiliate of NABS and would have their registration fees and hotel room paid for by the Commonwealth Council of the Blind. This sounded like a great deal and I was elated. However, there were only a couple of weeks between the time Poy called me and the time of the conference.
Luckily, I had a list of NABS members and scholarship applicants from the state of Virginia. I immediately wrote a form letterto go out to everyone on the list. In the letter. I gave a little backg round information about NABS and some information about t he conference in Arlington. I also told them of my interest in starting a NABS affiliate and that any person interested in creating an affiliate could attend the conference at virtually no cost.
I received responses from several students and got commitments from two to be at the conference in Arlington. Things were beginning to look great. I began to come up with an outline of what I would like a state NABS affiliate to do and what I wanted to di scuss while at the conference. I also drafted a constitution for people to look at. The draft was based on the national constitution and tailored to the state level where appropriate. I also gave copies of the draft to the president of ODCBVI, Ken Jessup, and to Jessica Beach so I could get as much input from them as possible.
In addition to writing the form letter, making the agenda, and drafting the constitution, I also stayed in contact with Boy Ward and RoseAnn Ashby, the coordinator of the ODCBVI convention. They gave us all the information we needed, took care of any need ed paperwork, and made us feel very welcome.
The conference was very productive. In addition to meeting with new people, there were four additional people at the Arlington conference who seemed very interested in helping out with the affiliate. There were two college students, three recent graduates , and two people who were planning to go back to school. I also got assistance from Jessica Beach. We sat down, shared ideas of what we wanted to do, and formed a great base for the state NABS affiliate.
Roy Ward also had many ideas on where he thought the affiliate should go. He helped come up with the unofficial name of the affiliate: Old Dominion Alliance of Blind Student (ODABS). However, he was mainly interested in making sure that more students beca me involved with ODCBVI. To further this goal, while at the conference, Boy proposed two resolutions. The first was that anyone that joined the Virginia affiliate of NABS would automatically be a member of ODCBVI at no additional cost. He made a similar r esolution for the Commonwealth Council of the Blind. Both resolutions passed. This means that anyone who joins the Virginia affiliate of NABS will not only be a part of the Virginia NABS affiliate, NABS, and ACE, he or she will also be a member of ODCBVI and the Commonwealth Council fo the Blind! Five organizations for the price of one! And for 1996, membership dues are only $5.00!
Since the conference, I have been in contact with many people on the board of NABS and the state affiliate presidents. I have also kept in touch with Boy Ward. I wrote an article for the Commonweaith Council of the Blind's newsletter, which will be publis hed in ODCBVl's newsletter as well. In the article, I outlined what the purpose of the organization is in my eyes and asked for support andior ideas for the organization.
So now that the constitution is drafted, support exists, potential members are interested, and a game plan is formed, what is the next step! I, in coordination with Jessica Beach, am going to try to get the names of as many blind and visually impaired stu dents in the state of Virginia as I can. As soon as I have accumulated a list of students, I will send out another form letter. The letter will introduce students to each of these organizations and tell them of the $5.00 deal to join in 1996. 1 hope that each person I reach will take advantage of the benefits that they could receive for the small investment. I would also like to send out a "mini" newsletter to go along with the form letter. hope that by July my game plan can be officially labeled a succes s story.
Anyone who is in a state that does not have a NABS affiliate, I urge you to try to pull together some fellow blind and visually impaired people to help you to start one. If Virginia becomes approved at the next convention, that will make a total of only f ive states that have a NABS affiliate (Alaska, California, Illinois, Texas, and Virginia). There are plenty of people to help you start an affiliate. Jessica Beach will do all she can to get you the names of fellow blind and visually impaired students in your state. The NABS board members will be glad to give you assistance and ideas. You can ask your state chapter of ACE for input. You can ask the DSS coordinators at colleges in your area for support, as well as state agencies. There is so much more that a state affiliate of NABS can do than NABS, as a whole, and it is up to people like you to make it happen!
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN STARTING A CHAPTER OF NABS IN YOUR STATE?
The National Alliance of Blind Students has recently published the "National
Alliance of Blind Students Chapter Development Manual." This manual provides
useful information on how to start a chapter of NABS, write a constitution,
design brochures and newsletters, fundraising, advocacy, and much more.
If you are interested in starting a chapter of NABS in your state andlor would
like a copy of this manual, contact Jessica Beach in the ACE national office
at 800-424-8666. The manual is available in large print, braille, and IBM compatible
computer disk.
If you are interested in becoming a member of a NABS State Chapter contact:
Alaska:
Richie Gardenhire, President
3200 Turnagin Street, #5
Anchorage, AK 99504
California:
Warren Cushman. President
1035 Fulton Ave., Unit 373
Sacramento, CA 95825
916-482-2183
Illinois:
Keith Wessel. President
902 E. Shurts St.
Urbana. IL 61801
217-344-5604
Texas:
Melissa Mann, President
625 Braden Street
Mesquite. TX 75149
214-285-6477
Virginia:
Mike Gravitt, President
108 Ratliff Drive
South Boston. VA 24592,
804-575-7408
THE INVISIBLE PERSON
by Mary K. Hamby
In the winter issue of The Student Advocate Carolyn Tyjewski had a quote in
her article from the book, The Invisible Man, "I am invisible, understand,
because people refuse to see me." This phrase struck a chord with me. My
husband, Charles, lo st his sight at the age of 41. He had spent nearly 30 years
with poor eyesight but it was correctable. He was "normal." I still
think he is. I have found that there are many out there who do not agree with
me. He has become the "Invisible Man." I have tri ed to help him find
employment so he could continue his studies to get his doctorate. This man,
who is bright. articulate, with a strong work ethic and a wonderful resume cannot
get hired to even answer the phone. You see, as a blind person, he is conside
red unemployable.
He has worked as a Red Cross Volunteer in my organization for over two years.
He has managed the supply section, and developed forms and programs that I could
not get done because of a hiring freeze in my section. His organizational skills
and his fresh o utlook on the problems facing a medical organization have saved
thousands of dollars and have improved the efficiency of the organization. Don't
think for one moment I have him work for me because I feel sorry for him. I
don't. have the same expectations of him that I have for all of my other employees.
He is one of my best workers and I am lucky to have him working here.
For all that, he cannot find someone willing to hire him. He has even offered to work for free for a pay period to prove himself but they won't take the chance. They are afraid it might be disruptive to have a handicapped person working in their building. You see there are no handicapped people working on the Air Force Base where I work. They aren't hired, they aren't even interviewed. I am ashamed of the shabby treatment that my husband has received. I am ashamed of the people who he used to know who won 't talk to him, as if they're afraid that blindness is contagious.
In many ways he has become the "Invisible Man" but he refuses to let them affect him. He says that if they had been his friends, his blindness would not matter. He also says he will find employment and finish his degree. He holds his head up high and goes on being an active member of the community.
Many thanks to the 1995-96 National Alliance of Blind Students Officers and Board of Directors for the outstanding leadership and service they have dedicated over the past year!
PRESIDENT: Velanche Stewart
VICE-PRESIDENT: Charles Hamby
SECRETARY: Mike Gravitt
TREASURER: Roland Manning
EDITOR: Carolyn Tyjewski
GOVERNORS: Rob Cook. Stephen Speicher.and Otis Stephens
The accomplishments made this year could not have been reached without you...
COMMENDATIONS TO YOU ALL FOR AN OUTSTANDING JOB!
Copyright © 1995-2008 National Alliance of Blind Students. All Rights Reserved.