November 8, 2016

NYSDSC Business Meeting – Albany, NY

  1. Opening remarks by President Sudi Shayesteh
  2. Showed history of NYSDSC
  3. Now starting next 5 year plan
  4. The mission of the council: strengthen professional knowledge, to be a resource, to advocate equity, address emerging and current issues, facilitate communication
  5. Sudi formally recognized Planning Committee
  6. Nancy Carr announced the Spring Conference in Clayton, NY. It’s a good opportunity for a vacation to Canada, the interest rate is 40% in America’s favor. There will be a boat trip as a side event.
  7. President Sudi Shayesteh calls the meeting to order
  8. Review of minutes from June Business meeting.
  9. Catherine Carlson moves to approve minutes
  10. Tamara Mariotti seconds
  11. All in favor, 0 nay, and 1 abstention. Minutes are approved
  12. Treasurer Report – Annette Jenner-Mathews
  13. Not posted on the website, but an electronic copy can be requested from
  14. $20,000 in checking account, $10,000 in savings. Membership - collection was not open last November. Number are for 2016, and Annette will amend the report to reflect that. We will collect $6,00 in membership fees, and there is $7,000 oustanding. The June conference was typical for expensies. Registration fees were raised to counteract the rising food costs. Membership fees were raised by 10%. Half of the cost of the cost of the conference is covered by registration fees, and half is supplemented by membership fee.
  15. Committee reports
  16. Access Technology Committee – Sumana Silverheels, Chair. Gabby Vasta reporting
  17. Committee met and created goals: to develop a subcommittee for captioning and procurement best practices guidleines, to develop a lunch-and-learn virtual session. It could be promoted to faculty nd staff on campuses. VR session would be moderated by the AT committee.
  18. Achievements of the committee were: a subsection on NYSDSC website was developed
  19. Awards Committee – Judy Bornner Chair, Carolyn Malloch reporting
  20. Most of the word happens in the Spring semester, and Carolyn urged members to email nominations when the call comes about in January. Self-nominations are allowed and encouraged.
  21. Planning Committee – Loren Nowak, Chair
  22. The change in venue for the Spring conference allows more concurrent sessions, growth. The committee is hoping to swing the venue around the state, including downstate, Buffalo, etc.
  23. The sectors have donated money to support a big name keynote speaker.
  24. The committee will meet at the end of the day to discuss plans for the 10-year anniversary of NYSDSC.
  25. Elections Committee – Alissa Shugat-Cummings, Chair, Catherine Carlson reporting
  26. Spring semester is when most of the work happens. In 3 months there will be a call for nominations. Please look to colleagues to nominate someone for AHEAD affiliate, and President.
  27. Government Relations – Merrill Parra, Chair
  28. Reader’s Aid is primary focus. New program who can utilized – do not have to be ACCES VR, blind or deaf, but expanding to print disabilities. Chapter 219 task force good chance of succeeding – potential funding stream. Need help from membership, legislative initiative like ADA TAP, statewide election – changes to local area. Find out who represents you. Will develop templates follow up local officials. Need more members, especially from 2 year schools.
  29. Professional Development – Carolyn Boone, Chair
  30. JaminTotino working on mentor program, but thoughts are that informal mentors may be best. The New Professional manual will be ready by June.
  31. The 2H2 form is due by December 30, and will go live after Thanksgiving. If IR people are doing the form, make sure to talk to them. Staffing numbers on form still. The information is sent to college Presidents and IR they decide if we have access.
  32. Website Committee – Tamara Mariotti, Chair
  33. WIP, building. Formally recognizes Kala Rounds. She did a lot of the work. Committee needs more people to join.
  34. AHEAD – Loren Nowak, affiliate
  35. Loren moves to include AHEAD under committee reports on official agenda
  36. Carolyn Boone seconds
  37. All in favor,
  38. Motion approved to amend the agenda
  39. AHEAD position open. Acts as a liaison, pays dues, resources. If not a member, you should be. Professional development. Access to Wiley database to look at case law. AHEAD Conference is in Orlando in June. Resources – information through listserv. AHEAD National Center for NCCSD – resources for students and service providers.
  40. Sector Updates
  41. CUNY – Merrill Parra, Chair
  42. Opportunity for student group collaborations. It was an enlightening conversation. They also talked about the election, and student concerns.
  43. Independents – Loren Nowak, reporting
  44. Focused on talking about membership. Only 18 of 95 campuses that aren’t members. They created a fund to try to get members. $300 reimbursement and donation for speaker in June.
  45. SUNY – Catherine Carlson, Chair
  46. Liz Droz and Nazely K* came to talk about SUNY initiatives. We’re lucky to have them champion for students with disabilities at the state level. SUNY diversity plan – a Chief Diversity Officer for each campus, and we need to insert ourselves in diversity conversations. We are formulating a data collection formula for level of need and staffing that will help Liz and Nazely paint a picture. Approved to donate funds to key note speaker.
  47. Proprietary – Beth Gifford, Chair
  48. No Report
  49. Executive Committee – Sudi Shayesteh, President
  50. Detailed conversation regarding strategic plan. We also worked on the constitution and bylaws. Discussed structure of NYSDSC, become more inclusive. Working with new goals involving student groups. Physical distance makes it difficult, but we’re always on the phone, and emailing. Use the listserv, don’t be shy and keep momentum going.
  51. Old Business
  52. Proceed with changes by the ad hoc committee to review election procedures. Changes were made to the bylaws.
  53. Motion to approve bylaws – Carolyn Boone
  54. Seconded by ????
  55. Motion approve
  56. New NYSDSC logo
  57. A certificate of appreciate for the designers of the logo (need names)*
  58. New Business
  59. Voting on bylaws passed
  60. Open Forum
  61. Catherine Carlson states that we need to do a better job of organizing consortia
  62. Annette Jenner-Matthews urges everyone to update their profile on the website, including which consortia they belong to
  63. Motion to Adjourn – Carolyn Boone

Submitted by Megan Riedl