CT AHEAD

Contents

Membership Meeting Minutes

Date: October 11, 2002
Location: Central Connecticut State University - Founders Hall
Chair: John Jarvis

2002 - 2003 Executive Board
President: John Jarvis
Vice President: Jill Angotta
Secretary: Carol Young
Treasurer: Barbara MacKay

Treasury Report

As a result of the increasing costs of presenters, refreshments and interpreters, at the last meeting of the 2001-2002 year, the membership voted to support an increase in the annual membership fees from $25 to $50 per individual, and from $50 to $100 per institution. The new fee schedule went into effect on September 3, 2002.
Per Barbara MacKay, John Jarvis reported that the current balance of the budget is $1327.72.
Members present were encouraged to forward their 2002-2003 membership form (attached) and dues, reflecting the new membership rates, to Barbara MacKay as soon as possible.

Business Meeting/News

Update on the Proposed Interagency Agreement: John Jarvis reported that the document, which was voted on and approved by CT AHEAD members and CT VR during the summer 2002, has been undergoing revisions at the higher levels within the CSU system and the Community College system, as well as with the private institutions. Based on the feedback John has been receiving, it appeared as though the CSU Commissioner made revisions after receiving advice from Jeannie Kinkaid, indicating that our draft was too rigid and too prescriptive. He presented copies of this revised agreement to the members present. Pam Starr indicated that this agreement has already undergone a few rounds of revisions since this printing. However, the inclusion of a 50% split fiscal responsibility between IHE and VR remains in the revised agreement, as does the omission of VR responsibility to cover the cost of personal care assistance. To date, there may be several different drafts of the Proposed Interagency Agreement floating around the state for consideration. John reported however, that he was able to penetrate the Community College system and request a hold on the sharing of their version. John noted that he plans to speak with Jeannie Kinkaid within the upcoming weeks to discuss the rationale for the alleged revisions.
Download the proposed interagency agreement
Review of Association Bylaws: John Jarvis presented copies of the Association Bylaws for review and invited members to prepare suggested revisions, additions, and/or deletions for the next CT AHEAD meeting. A revised document will be presented and voted upon by the membership at the April 2003 meeting. Please see the attachment entitled CT AHEAD Bylaws.
Summer Survey Follow-up: Based on the results of the summer survey on membership preferences, John Jarvis reported that the second Friday of the month was the preferred meeting day.
Proposed Research Grant - Joe Madaus: Joe Madaus reported that he has applied for a one-year research grant through the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) to study the Employment Outcomes and Experiences of College Graduates with Learning Disabilities. He invited interested members to contact him for more information and possible collaboration.
Listserv & CT AHEAD Web Site: John Jarvis reported that the CT AHEAD Listserv is up and running, thanks in large part to Steve Robillard of Southern Connecticut State University. Steve is also interested in setting up a CT AHEAD web site and members offered ideas on what they would like to have included, such as the meeting schedule and topics, officers, Bylaws, membership list, and the membership application.

Presentation:

Attorney Shawn Smith, speaker and consultant from Harrison, New York, presented on the requirements, expectations and actual practices of employers when hiring individuals with physical, psychiatric or learning disabilities. She also described the fears and experiences some employers have had with employees with disabilities. She hopes these experiences can be used to create practical guidelines for transition planning to the workforce for graduating students with disabilities. Shawn’s presentation handout and contact information are provided in an attachment entitled “Employment and Disabilities.”.

Important reminders to all members:

Barbara MacKay is collecting CT AHEAD membership dues for the 2002-2003 academic year. Please print the attached membership form and forward it, along with your check, to Barbara MacKay at Briarwood College as soon as possible. You will find her mailing address on the membership form. Please feel free to share this information with your colleagues who may also be interested in membership.
Steering committee meetings occur immediately following every membership meeting. The executive board encourages all interested CT AHEAD members to join in on discussions around meeting outcomes and planning for the future.
Carol Young is compiling a current list of member’s e-mail addresses. Please be sure to notify her if you are not receiving emails or if your email address has changed. Forward concerns or changes to Carol at youngc@ccsu.edu.
The following is the meeting and presentation schedule for the remainder of the 2002-2003 academic year. All meetings are tentatively scheduled at Central Connecticut State University and will run from 8:45 – 12:15 PM, approximately.
Friday, December 13, 2002: Laurie DiGalbo of BRS on Psychiatric Disabilities
Friday, February 14, 2003: Loring Brinckerhoff on ETS Testing Accommodations
Friday, April 11, 2003: TBA

In attendance: Jill Angotta, Kathy Baris, Linda Copney-Okeke, Susan Duques, Deb Frattini, John Jarvis, Lynn Langella, Jennifer Lucia, Joseph Madaus, Mark Myers, Laurie Novi, Toni Page, David Ryan-Soderlund, Pamela Starr, Karen Stigliano, Carol Young

Steering Committee Notes

An issue was raised regarding the recent increase in membership dues. It was noted that some members unknowingly paid dues to the treasurer according to the old fee schedule after the announcement was made that the membership dues have been increased. John Jarvis agreed to ask the treasurer to contact CT AHEAD members who paid the old membership dues after September 3, 2002, and request the appropriate adjustment.
The idea of forming a formal affiliation with the National AHEAD organization was briefly discussed. Jill Angotta agreed to investigate this option and report on her findings at the next meeting.
The summer 2002 membership surveys that were returned (approximately 14) will be presented by John Jarvis and discussed at the next Steering Committee meeting.
Regarding the April 2003 meeting, Toni Page agreed to look into arranging for a speaker on the topic of Asperger Syndrome.
Effective transition planning for students with disabilities from high school to college, especially around ADA education and documentation, continues to be a concern for DSS professionals. The Steering Committee will consider options on addressing this concern at future meetings.
The CT AHEAD Bylaws were reviewed and suggested revisions were noted. Carol Young agreed to retype the Bylaws indicating the recommendations in preparation for the next CT AHEAD meeting.

In attendance: Jill Angotta, Linda Copney-Okeke, John Jarvis, Laurie Novi, Toni Page, David Ryan-Soderlund, Carol Young