Tapestry, FALL 2006 TEXT ONLY

Fall 2006 Volume2 Issue 2
TAPESTRY Weaving together a vibrant and inclusive community
UNC Charlotte Office of Disability Services
230 Fretwell, tel: 704-687-4355, fax: 704-687-3226, email: dissrvcs@email.uncc.edu website: http://www.ds.uncc.edu

THE OFFICE OF DISABILITY SERVICES:
Jo Ann Fernald, Director: 687-2351 Jill Gosnell, Student Services Coordinator: 687-6026
Kristin Kolin, Assistant Director: 687-3136 Katie Montie, Assistant Director: 687-3102

Did You Know? The Office of Disability Services has compiled a listing of national and regional scholarships specifically for students with disabilities. If you are interested and would like more information, please stop by our office, 230 Fretwell.

Welcome to our new Student Services Coordinator, Jill Gosnell!

The Office of Disability Services is happy to introduce the newest member of our team, Jill Gosnell. Jill joined us in the summer and is the Student Services Coordinator. Originally from Harrisburg, North Carolina, she currently lives in Concord. When she finds the occasional free time away from her adorable 6 month old son, she enjoys camping, reading, and watching movies.
Before joining the Office of Disability Services, Jill served as the practice manager for 13 years for Daymark, a local mental health agency. However, she is no stranger to UNC Charlotte. Jill worked with the Co-operative Education Office prior to her position with Daymark . It was the academic environment and the diverse student body that drew Jill back to UNC Charlotte.
We at the Office of Disability Services are especially grateful for her return.
Please join us in welcoming Jill! (Picture of Jill Gosnell)

A New Breed of Student

While new faces abound on campus with the start of the 2006-2007 academic year, there's one student in particular that stands out. Her name is Gabby and you might have spotted her taking walks around the Cato Building. Her best friend is Bobby Prince who is the Director of Major Gifts in the Office of Development. There were no SAT’s for Gabby or any math placement exams since she will never have to take Algebra. However, Gabby’s skills are constantly being graded and high demands rest upon her like so many. She is here at UNC Charlotte to receive an education unlike any other.
Gabby is a guide dog in training.

Gabby comes from Southeastern Guide Dog Inc. and will hopefully one day have all the skills needed to work with an individual who is blind. Bobby Prince, Gabby’s “puppy raiser,” was inspired to get involved with Southeastern after witnessing the independence a guide dog provided to a student here at UNC Charlotte, “Watching that dog navigate beautifully and seeing that particular guide dog in action amazed me.”

Southeastern provides guide dogs to individuals who are blind free of charge. For two years Bobby will be responsible for Gabby and her “education.” Gabby is brought to campus everyday and most other places Bobby visits. This socialization will help Gabby when exposed to the various environments she is bound to experience when she begins “work.” Gabby’s actual work as a guide dog will not start until after the two years she spends with Bobby is over. She then will attend a different type of “university” where her skills will be evaluated, with hopes of graduating. Upon a successful graduation, Gabby will be matched with an individual seeking the independence that a properly trained guide dog provides.

Being a part of the training process brings great meaning to Bobby Prince and those around him. He is quick to recognize that he feels as though Gabby does more for him than he does for her. In fact, Gabby’s official name is Princess, and considering Bobby’s last name of Prince, there really couldn’t have been a better match. Additionally the attitudes of others on campus and in the community have all been equally supportive. Bobby is always open to questions and is a strong proponent of the Southeastern program, “I know I am not only a puppy raiser, but a representative for Southeastern and an educator as well.”

While Gabby’s sweet temperament and cute face draw a lot of attention, Bobby is always aware that her purpose goes beyond the aesthetic. In order to make sure Gabby is a success in the future, Bobby is responsible not only for her well being but for ensuring she is being trained and raised in the best environment. This means dispensing large amounts of affection and praise, but some hard work and discipline as well. Bobby and Gabby attend at least two meetings a month with other puppy raisers and their dogs for obedience school and to gain exposure to various environments, including public transportation and large fairs.

If you see Bobby and Gabby around, you will notice that Gabby sports a little blue vest, and while it acts as a fetching accessory, it is actually the sign to others that she is “at work.” Guide dogs are never to be petted without permission. If a guide dog’s work is interrupted by others, their assistance is compromised. So if you see Bobby Prince and his Princess, please ask questions, but know Gabby’s attention needs to be focused on her “assignments” in order to graduate one day. The lessons she is learning now might help another student in the future! (Picture of Bobby Prince and Princess Gabby)
For more information about guide dogs and Southeastern Incorporated, please visit the following site: http://www.guidedogs.org/the_school.htm.

Leaders in the Making

For 6 days in May, 55 students built a community where one never existed through a national program called Leadershape. Sponsored by the Center for Leadership Development, Leadershape is an intensive, experiential learning program focused on nurturing diversity and empowering the paths of future leaders. Janet Victor, a senior majoring in psychology, was selected among several applicants to attend this exciting program.
Janet’s interest in Leadershape began simply as a way to connect with other UNC Charlotte students, but she found that the experience resulted in much more than expected. Janet found Leadershape to be incredibly “bonding,” and enjoyed the environment that was comprised of diverse students, many of whom she would have never had the opportunity to meet. While individual differences are not always respected, let alone accepted, Leadershape allowed Janet and her peers to view their differences as strengths that had yet to be unearthed. Janet was most surprised by “finding out how much in common” she shared with her group. An environment arose that allowed people from different back grounds an opportunity to appreciate diversity and to build a community. Besides making connections, Leadershape inspired Janet to “take more of a stand in the community.” Her goals of advocating for those who are usually without a voice were also validated. Janet summed up her Leadershape experience as one that was “exciting and challenging.”
The lessons collectively learned at Leadershape are sure to continue past those 6 days in May, especially for that one little community that left with a larger sense of purpose. (Picture of Janet Victor).
If you are interested in the Leadershape Institute, please contact the Center for Leadership Development for further information or visit the following web site: www.leadershape.org.

2005-2006 Outstanding Faculty and Staff
“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”Leo Buscaglia There is no other environment like that of a university where the smallest acts of caring can have such sustaining effects. The Office of Disability Services is happy to highlight faculty and staff each year who have been recognized by students for their dedication to inclusion and diversity. The annual outstanding faculty staff award exists to express the gratitude and recognition of those who might otherwise go underestimated. Jinny Bradley (OASES) and Kathleen Nicolaides (Criminal Justice) were selected from student nominations as recipients of the outstanding faculty and staff award for 2005-2006. Jinny Bradley, the Office of Adult Students and Evening Services’ office manager for the last 11 years, was nominated by Business Administration Junior, Stephen Behrent, for her dedication and support. In his nomination, Stephen stated, “Jinny is always there to get me back on target.” Her commitment to students and their individual needs is truly outstanding. Jinny believes that inclusion begins by having “open discussions,” in order for an environment to exist which supports students of diverse abilities. Kathleen Nicolaides, Criminal Justice lecturer, was also nominated for her excellence by Criminal Justice Senior, Debra Jones. Debra described Kathleen as a teacher “who shows concern for all students...and seeks out the best in everyone. She believes in giving every student an equal chance.” Kathleen’s open door policy also nurtures an inclusive environment where labels are “irrelevant.” Kathleen teaches the importance of personal responsibility and believes that it is in everyone’s best interest to promote a university devoted to accessibility. While Kathleen admitted, “I learn more from my students than they do from me,” her impact upon the lives of her students are surely not to be underestimated.
If you, like Stephen and Debra, know of a faculty or a staff member whose “smallest act of caring” has helped to “turn your life around,” please nominate them during our next award session in the Spring.
(Picture of Jinny Bradley and Stephen Behrent and picture of Kathleen Nicolaides and Debra Jones)

IMPORTANT DATES
November 11: 5th Annual Multicultural Leadership Conference Contact the Multicultural Resource Center for more information.
November 13: Registration for Spring Classes Begin Check your email for registration times and make sure you meet with your advisor!
November 21: Deadline for Finals in Disability Services Office Notify our office by November 21st if you have been approved and plan to take your finals in our office. Come by 230 Fretwell to verify exams.
November 22-25: Thanksgiving Break
December 6: Last Day of Classes
December 8-15: Finals Finals occurring in the Office of Disability Services take place twice a day: 8-12:30 and 12:30-5:00.
December 16: Fall Commencement Contact our office prior to graduation if you have accessibility concerns regarding the ceremony.
January 8: Welcome Spring Semester 2007 Remember to “check in” at the beginning of the semester to ensure accommodations! Call our main line to make an appointment: 704-687-4355.

Faculty Corner

Last Spring the Office of Disability Services surveyed faculty working with students with documented disabilities to assess the current accommodation process. The majority of responses indicated a need for more information and clarification regarding specific accommodations, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and faculties’ rights and responsibilities. In addition, the email format was selected by the majority of faculty as being the preferred method in which to receive information.
Therefore, in response to the survey, the Office of Disability Services will be sending out two emails per semester which will provide comprehensive information for faculty regarding disability specific topics. Emails will be sent to professors who have been identified as those working with students with documented disabilities within a given semester. The emails will also be sent to college deans and will be available on the Office of Disability Services website: www.ds.uncc.edu.
Faculty will receive the first email, detailing testing accommodations, beginning late October. If you would like to receive a copy of the email and are not currently working with a student with a documented disability, please contact our office, 687-4355. We hope that this information will serve as a quick and handy resource in your work with students with disabilities. As always, your feedback is appreciated and welcome.
“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” William Butler Yeats
Questions or Comments about our newsletter? Please contact Tapestry’s editor, Kristin Kolin: kjkolin@email.uncc.edu