Board Meeting Minutes
April 2, 2025 BITS Board Meeting Minutes and Reports Packet
Call to Order – Jeff Bishop
President Bishop called the meeting to order at 8:00 PM ET.
2. Roll call – Secretary Robin Frost
Present:
President
Jeff Bishop
Vice President
Brad Snyder
Secretary
Robin frost
Treasurer
Diane Scalzi-absent
Directors:
Michael Babcock
John McCann
David Edick
Mervin Keck
Members present:
Chanelle Allen, Chris Duffley, Alex Stone, Jim O’Neill, Karen T, Sunni Ricks, Sarah Edick, Peggy Carpenter, Londa Peterson, Jamaica Miller, Juliana-Belle Mills, Ryan Mann, Tammy Robbins, Linda Byers, Amber Steet, Paul Miller, Michael Doise, Rosanna Beaudrie, Toni Cuttill, Jason Castonguay, Debbie Ralston, Taylor Arndt, Doug Hunsinger’s iPhone, Omar AlRakhaimi, Jessica Dail, Marvin Hunkin, Daveed Mandell, Nicolette Noyes, Mike, Janice, Karen Hughes, Terrie Terlau, Lauren Burger, Kolby Garrison, Larry Watkinson, Nicki Keck, Kayla Bentas, Mary B Ritter, Martys iphone, Marie Nelson, Renee Zelickson, Miriam’s iPad, Brian B, Donna Pomerantz, denise colley, Marcia Moses, Scott Edwards, Ryan Mann, Tony Thurman, Herbie Allen.
3. Adoption of proposed agenda and Approval of Consent Agenda – Jeff Bishop
Vice President Brad Snyder moved; David Edick seconded.
The motion carried unanimously.
4. Adoption of March 5, 2025, Board meeting minutes – Robin Frost.
John McCann moved; Mervin Keck seconded.
The motion carried unanimously.
5. Treasurer’s Report – Diane Scalzi
At the time of the meeting none was furnished, will be added upon submission.
As such it appears in full having been added to the Minutes upon receipt.
BITS Treasurer’s Report – Mar 1-31, 2025
Checking:
Beginning balance: $30,493.77
Credits:
transfer from PayPal: $509.55
Stripe deposit: $ 2,423.78
Total credits: $2,933.33
Debits:
Pneumasolutions.com/ RIM subscription 1 year: $6,000.00 *1
Name- Cheap. Com/2 domain names for learning management system work 1 year: $19.12
Microsoft/10 monthly subscriptions for Office 365 for business: $470.04
Zoom monthly subscription/Increased meeting size: -$53.00
Sendwp monthly subscription for web email: -$9.00
Payment to ACB for BITS table at Nebraska convention: -$40.00
DC corporation filing fee (2 years): $80.00
Total debits: -$6,671.16
Ending balance: $26,755.94
PayPal:
Beginning balance: $234.24
Credits:
4 regular member dues payments: $80.00
2 BITS life member dues payments: $400.00
1 international member dues payment: $20.00
Total Credits: $500.00
Debits:
PayPal fees: -$13.69 *1
Transfer to checking: -$509.55
Board approved reimbursement to Kayla Bentas for RIM subscription: $211.00
Total debits: -$734.24
Ending balance: $0.00
Stripe (Feb 25, 2025-Mar 24, 2025)
Beginning Balance: $0.00
Credits
Amount collected less Stripe fees: $2,433.78
Total credits: $2,433.78
Debits
Bank deposit: -$2,423.78
Fees: -$10.00 *2
Total Debits: -$2,433.78
Ending balance: $0.00
Savings account:
Beginning balance: $61,132.03
Credits:
Interest: $0.51
Total credits: $0.51
Debits:
No debits
Total debits: $0.00
Ending balance: $61,132.54
Total for all accounts: $87,888.48
*1 For information on PayPal fees, visit https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/paypal-fees.
*2 For information on Stripe pricing, visit https://stripe.com/pricing
Submitted for audit
Prepared by Diane Scalzi, BITS Treasurer April 10, 2025.
6. President’s Report – Jeff Bishop
Renewals are complete. A huge thank you!
Encouraging everyone to read the Presidential Report – Everyone
Education, conventions, and communication are top of mind.
A visit to Nebraska and representing BITS in their exhibit hall.
See packet appendices for full report.
7. Committee reports:
Budget and Finance:
Auditing and Budget: Taylor Arndt
See packet appendices for full report.
Fund Raising: Ann Bacon
See packet appendices for full report.
Membership:
Membership Committee – John McCann
Current membership stands at 789 with 780 certified before the close of AMMS.
See packet appendices for full report.
Technical Infrastructure and Organization:
IT Infrastructure Committee – Larry Watkinson and Michael Doise
Michael Doise indicated Google services that non-profits can take advantage of are being explored but only if they suit the needs of BITS.
See packet appendices for full report.
Communication:
Email Management Committee – Mervin Keck
See packet appendices for full report.
Publications Committee – Rosanna Beaudrie
See packet appendices for full report.
Chat Management Committee – David Edick
He highlighted special chats summarizing events at CSUN.
See packet appendices for full report.
Presentation and Outreach:
Convention, Presentations and Scholarship Committees – Brad Snyder
Convention:
Vice President Snyder indicated that tickets to enter into drawings related to the BITS reception will be sold at the event 1 for $5 3 for $10. And the $15 ticket for the reception itself will also come with a drink coupon.
As has been customary in years past, those who support BITS through convention registration with a $10 donation will be entered into a drawing for an Amazon gift card awarded at BITS annual meeting.
Vice President Brad Snyder moved that the Board approved $100 for the drawing for those who support BITS through ACB National registration; John McCann seconded.
The motion carried unanimously.
See packet appendices for full report.
Presentations:
The Chair highlighted an up-coming presentation Herbie Allen will do on Braille screen input in iOS18.
See packet appendices for full report.
Member Recognition:
The name of the committee has been changed to Member Recognition.
Vice President Snyder the committee’s Chair moved that the Board appropriate seed money of $200 from the general fund to start the grant pilot program; David Edick seconded.
The motion caried unanimously.
See packet appendices for full report.
Education Committee: Debbie Armstrong
See packet appendices for full report.
9. Old Business
None was heard.
10. New Business
Representation of BITS at the Exhibit Hall for Convention:
The IT committee seeks Board approval to purchase exhibit space at the ACB Conference using BITS funds outside of the IT budget for this proposal.
I would like to propose on behalf of the IT Committee and BITS as a whole purchasing exhibit space in the main hall.
We the IT Committee and others would staff this booth to support tech issues (schedule assistance for members), get folks tech ready for the class we are providing, and we could even promote.
BITS and our overall efforts to move tech forward.
We would have a couple of giveaways and stand ready to answer questions, solve tech issues, and recruit new and renewing members and serve as
a social gathering place for those members and friends to gather.
The cost of the booth is $200.00.
Electricity is $200.00
Give away item $100.00.
Estimated total budget $500.00.
Once approved, I would need to register with the conference and pay in advance of the conference.
In informal discussions, we have the staff available and interest from others in staffing would be welcome as well.
John McCann moved that $600 be approved for an exhibit booth at ACB National Convention;
David Edick seconded.
The motion carried unanimously.
Delegates for Convention – Everyone
John McCann will represent BITS at Nominations Committee.
President Bishop will serve as the delegate and Vice President Snyder will serve as the Alternate Delegate. All three will be attending the in-person portion of the convention.
Discuss Advertising on Lists for ACB Affiliate events – Everyone.
This item was tabled and referred back to the relevant committees for further discussion and refinement.
We need to revise our advertising policy to add clarity. In addition, see below:
Below is a draft policy that outlines the submission process for ACB affiliate announcements pertinent to BITS members:
Draft Policy: ACB Affiliate Announcements Submission for BITS Members
1. Purpose
This policy establishes the guidelines for submitting, reviewing, and disseminating ACB affiliate announcements relevant to BITS members. These announcements should support either the ACB national organization or an affiliate while maintaining a clear connection to BITS interests. The goal is to ensure that all communications distributed through BITS Bytes are consistent, on-brand, and compliant with established advertising policies.
2. Scope
This policy applies to all ACB affiliate announcements intended for release to BITS members. It governs submissions from both organization leaders and any BITS member who wishes to propose content, ensuring a streamlined and controlled process.
3. Submission Guidelines
- Relevance: Announcements must support either the ACB national organization or an ACB affiliate and demonstrate a relevant connection to BITS.
- Format: All submissions should be provided in writing.
- Compliance: Submitted content must adhere to BITS advertising policies and overall communication guidelines.
4. Submission Process
- Leader Submission:
- Leaders across the organization are responsible for compiling and formally submitting content for inclusion in BITS Bytes.
- Leaders should review and verify the relevance and accuracy of the information before submission.
- Member Proposals:
- Any BITS member may propose an announcement by submitting the content to the secretary of BITS.
- The secretary and communications team will evaluate the submission and, if deemed appropriate, forward it to the Publications team for comment.
5. Editorial Review and Approval
- The communications team will assess the nature and quality of the proposed announcement after collecting all feedback if required.
- The team holds final editorial authority and may approve, modify, or reject any submission to ensure compliance with BITS guidelines.
- Only material that meets BITS communication standards will be disseminated as part of BITS Bytes.
6. Posting Restrictions
- Direct posting of announcement content by members to any email lists is prohibited.
- This measure is implemented to safeguard the integrity of the email lists and to prevent any deviation from established advertising policies.
7. Effective Date and Amendments
- This policy is effective immediately upon approval and distribution.
- The policy will be reviewed periodically, and BITS reserves the right to amend or update the guidelines as necessary to reflect evolving communication strategies or organizational needs.
This draft should provide a clear framework for the submission and review of ACB affiliate announcements, ensuring that all communications are managed professionally and in line with BITS policies.
Disseminating information discussed and requested during chat:
John McCann proposed reviving the BITS Chat list or creating an announce only list whereby information discussed or sought during chat could be disseminated either through it or through the already existing chat or social lists.
The Chair of the Digital Communications committee embraced implementation of this idea.
Donation to ACB National Auction:
John McCann moved that we purchase the Echo 10 for $249 for donation to ACB National’s Summer Auction;
Vice President Snyder seconded
The motion carried with one abstention.
11. Member Comments and Questions
Member comments and questions were heard and addressed.
12. Date and time of next Board meeting – May 7, 2025
13. Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 9:43 PM ET.
14. Executive Session
The executive session commenced at 9:45 PM ET.
Matters were heard and addressed.
15. Executive session adjourned at 9:55 PM ET.
Respectfully submitted,
Robin Frost, Secretary,
Blind Information Technology Specialists.
Committee Chair Reports
Budget Committee
We have officially begun moving forward with the budgeting process. At this stage, we are actively collecting and reviewing the organization’s bank statements.
and other relevant financial documents. This is an important foundational step as we work toward building a clear and accurate financial picture.
Soon, we will be scheduling a Budget Committee meeting to discuss our findings, determine priorities, and outline the next steps in our planning.
process. Your continued support and oversight are appreciated as we move ahead.
We will keep you informed of further developments and will provide a more detailed report following the upcoming committee meeting.
Fundraising Committee
Fundraising Committee Report March 2025
I wanted to remind the members of the Board and Committees to complete the fundraising committee’s promotional interest survey. If you have not done so, please take a moment to complete it. Our goal is to move forward with the final step—requesting IT to make it available to the full membership during April or by May.
We are currently working on gathering snapshots from the Board and Committee members, preparing them, and forwarding them to IT and Publication between April and May. This is in preparation for the upcoming BITS IN ACTION project, which will take place during the convention on our reception day. I want to thank those who have started sending their images.
Lastly, as another month of gift-giving approaches, treat yourself or a loved one to the delicious delights from Terri Lynn or a stylish brand of apparel from Blind Girls Design. Select your perfect piece and capture a dazzling snapshot for the upcoming website gallery. Additionally, do not forget to feature your pre-selected accessible technology—detailed guidelines on what is needed will be provided.
Bottom of Form
Explore Apparel with Blind Girl Designs
Ann, Chair
Presentations Committee
BITS – Presentation Committee Report for April 2025
Submitted April 2, 2025
The following presentations were held during March:
Saturday Mar 8 – Basics With BITS – Untangling Working with Folders on Windows11.
Wednesday Mar 19 – Mastering Microsoft Teams with Melissa Wolf.
Wednesday Mar 26 – Apple Bytes.
Note: Basics With BITS was not held on March 22, so as not to conflict with the ACB Community 5 Year Anniversary celebration.
The following presentations are scheduled for April:
Tuesday Apr 8 – Mac Bytes
Wednesday Apr 9 – Another Look at Braille Screen Input with iOS 18
Saturday Apr 12 – Basics With BITS
Wednesday Apr 23 – Apple Bytes
Saturday Apr 26 – Basics With BITS
beginning in April, Basics with BITS will begin a series of presentations with a focus on basic skills that are essential to using a Windows computer efficiently. These presentations will be based on some of the material from the BITS MS Office Training course.
Report Submitted by:
Brad Snyder
Presentations Committee Chair
Convention Committee
BITS – Convention Planning Committee Report for April 2025
Submitted April 2, 2025
The BITS Convention Planning Committee continues to move forward with planning for the upcoming 2025 ACB Annual Convention, scheduled to be held July 4 through 11 in Dallas, TX.
On March 20, we submitted to Janet Dickelman the list of titles and descriptions for presentations to be held during the virtual portion of the convention, scheduled for June 26 through 28.
This information is included below the body of this report.
As previously stated, we are planning to hold the 2nd Annual BITS Reception at the convention in Dallas on Wednesday July 9, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM.
Tickets for the reception will be available during the convention registration for $15 and will include one drink coupon.
Due to new rules implemented by the ACB Board, raffle tickets may not be included with event tickets sold during registration.
Raffle tickets will be available to be purchased at the reception check-in table for $5 each, or three for $10.
We are also planning to hold a virtual raffle, with tickets available for purchase through the BITS website.
The prize for each raffle will be a $250 Amazon electronic Gift card.
During the last Board meeting, the Board approved a budget of $1500 to cover expenses for the reception and raffle prizes..
Also included in the convention registration, will be an opportunity for registrants to make an affiliate donation to BITS in the amount of $10.
Over the past several years at our annual meeting, BITS has held a drawing for those who made this affiliate donation and awarded a $100 Amazon gift card to the winner.
At this month’s Board meeting, I will be requesting that the Board approve the expense of $100 for the purchase of this gift card.
The Convention Planning committee continues to meet twice monthly, on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month, and is scheduled to meet again on April 12.
Report Submitted by:
Brad Snyder
Convention Planning Committee Chair
Title and Descriptions for Events at 2025 ACB Virtual Convention
Submitted March 20, 2025
Virtual Sessions – June 26 to June 28
Note: All times are CDT.
Session 1 – Thursday June 26 at 10:00 AM
Unleashing Your inner Slacker
Slack is a communication platform designed for teams and workplaces, facilitating collaboration through instant messaging, file sharing, and integration with various productivity tools. Slack provides channels for topic-specific discussions, direct messaging for private conversations, and supports video calls and screen sharing. But how do you get started using Slack? Join BITS and presenter Jack Falejczyk, as he helps us understand and get started using this popular platform. Jack will explain how to download and install the app on your PC and create an account. Jack will also demonstrate how to begin using the platform, use of keyboard commands for increased efficiency, and more.
Session 2 – Friday June 27 at 10:00 AM
Getting Started with WhatsApp on Your iPhone.
As of January 2025, WhatsApp has approximately 3.14 billion monthly active users worldwide. This marks a significant increase from previous years, solidifying its position as one of the most widely used messaging platforms globally.
Join BITS members Nicki Keck and Melissa Wolf, along with guest presenter Drew Mochak as they explain how to get started using WhatsApp on your iPhone. Our team will show you how to get the app, set up an account, find and join groups, send your first message, and much more.
Session 3 – Saturday June 28 at 10:00 AM
Efficient Messaging Using WhatsApp and JAWS with Brian Hartgen
When we think of sending and receiving messages with WhatsApp, we think of doing so using our smart phones. But a computer-based app exists to conduct the same functionality.
While this is a very accessible application, usage of this app is made far more efficient using JAWS scripts. If you receive many messages each day, you are going to want to process them fast.
In this presentation, Brian from Hartgen Consultancy will show you how to link a WhatsApp account to your computer, describe the application in detail, but will demonstrate how you can be a WhatsApp super user by working with many keyboard shortcuts and abbreviated speech.
Come along to find out how you can send and receive messages and make calls with incredible speed!
Session 4 – Thursday June 26 at 1:00 PM
Exploring AI Apps on your iPhone with iBug Today
AI is taking the world by storm, and there are many apps available for your iPhone that can help you take advantage of this powerful technology. In this session, iBug Today members Sandhya Rao and Brad Snyder look at several apps that can help you put this powerful technology to work for you.
Session 5 – Friday June 27 at 1:00 PM
Solving Your Tech Issues When You Are Not a Wizard.
Do you get frustrated when your devices do not work as expected? Join Basics with BITS presenter Deborah Armstrong as we explore step by step methods for solving many common tech issues. Learn how you need not be a geek to solve the most common tech problems.
Session 6 – Saturday June 28 at 1:00 PM
Introducing BlueSky and Mastodon
Join BITS, and presenter Merv Keck as we look at these exciting and popular social media platforms. We will begin with an introduction to the Skeets app for blue sky, which will be followed by an overview of the Mona app for Mastodon.
3 Day In-person Training at the ACB Convention in Dallas (July 9 – 11)
Mastering AI for Unmatched Accessibility Productivity and Affiliate Transformation
Step into the forefront of digital innovation at the BITS AI & Technology Training! Over three transformative days, you will experience live AI demonstrations, firsthand sessions with innovative assistive technology, and master the art of effective prompt engineering. Discover how to automate everyday tasks, enhance digital workflows, and boost productivity with the latest AI tools. You will:
• Master Essential Tools: Learn to harness AI across platforms like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot.
• Elevate Your Communication: Develop impactful prompting techniques to enhance research, content creation, and affiliate communications.
• Transform Virtual Meetings: Optimize Zoom interactions to drive effective and engaging meetings.
• Expand Content Distribution: Generate newsletters, articles, business documents, and meeting minutes in versatile formats—including phone-based systems and podcasts.
Transform your affiliate with groundbreaking technologies designed to increase engagement, expand outreach, and drive effectiveness. Our expert-led workshops and interactive exercises deliver actionable insights to revolutionize your operations and create a lasting impact on your community.
Post-convention sessions will further empower you to build personalized, optimized solutions for your professional goals and affiliate interactions.
Note: Attendance is exclusive to members of Blind Information Technology Specialists (BITS).
Sign up today—our BITS team will be in touch with pre-convention workshops to set expectations and tailor the experience to your needs. Do not miss your chance to redefine your future—secure your spot now!
BITS Reception
BITS Reception $15
Join all your BITS friends at the 2nd Annual BITS Reception at the ACB Convention in Dallas.
There will be a cash bar and snacks will be provided.
Each ticket includes one drink coupon redeemable at the cash bar.
Affiliate Donation
BITS would like to request a $10 affiliate donation on the convention registration form.
Those who donate will be entered into a drawing for a $100 Amazon Gift Card, to be awarded at the BITS Annual Meeting in December.
Scholarship & Member Appreciation Committee
BITS – Scholarship & Member Appreciation Committee Report for April 2025
Submitted April 2, 2025
The committee has met three times since the last Board meeting, and wishes to report the following items to the Board and Membership:
Item 1:
The Scholarship & Member Appreciation Committee was created at the request of President Jeff Bishop at the January Board meeting.
At our first meeting, it was determined that this committee has dual objectives.
The first objective is to recognize the need for financial assistance to deserving BITS members.
The second objective is to recognize individual BITS members who have gone beyond in their service to the affiliate.
Taking these objectives into consideration, it is the purpose of the committee to recognize our members needs and contributions to the affiliate.
Therefore, the committee members feel that the current name of the committee should be changed to better reflect the purpose of this committee.
With this being the case, we are requesting that this committee be renamed to the Member Recognition Committee.
Item 2:
As was reported last month, the committee has been developing a grant fund to help provide dues payments for members who are experiencing financial difficulties that affect their ability to pay annual dues.
What we have produced is a pilot program for a Membership Dues Grant program, that we would like to implement following this year’s annual convention.
We have been developing a grant application form, which will be available to interested members and potential members, on the BITS website beginning in August.
The first phase of this pilot program is funding for the grants.
To get funding started, we are asking the BITS Board to provide seed money in the amount of $200,.
We would like to request that the treasurer create an account for this fund to keep track of donations to the grant fund, and disbursements to grant recipients.
Once the treasurer has created this account, members and other interested individuals may make donations to the fund.
Our goal is to raise $2000 by October 1, which is when we would like to begin awarding grants.
Please keep in mind that this is a pilot program, and this program is a work in progress.
This is the first time we have attempted anything like this, so please bear with us as we figure things out.
Report Submitted by:
Brad Snyder
Scholarship & Member Appreciation Committee Chair
Education Committee
Membership Committee
BITS Membership Committee Report
April 2025
As of March 31, 2025, our membership count stands at 789, broken out as follows:
2025 expirations: 566
2026 expirations: eighty-eight
2027 expirations: five
BITS life Members: 130
Total: 789
ACB certified members: 780
Nine new members joined after access to ACB’s Affiliate Membership Management System, (AMMS), was suspended on the evening of March 15th, with three of these nine joining as BITS life members. Forty-four of the seven hundred and eighty ACB certified members are ACB life members.
Lastly, of the 623 people who took advantage of last year’s dues moratorium, (as stated in my last report, two of the 625 are now deceased), only two hundred have elected not to join BITS.
Respectfully submitted:
John McCann
Chair: BITS membership committee
IT Infrastructure Committee
Kayla and others are updating media material for the web site.
Going to modify the Fundraiser survey and ready for the front page of the web site.
Submitted a proposal for having an exhibit booth to promote BITS and take folks off to the side for limited tech support in prep for the class as well.
overall
support to help folks stay connected at the ACB Conference.
Have been accepted by Google as a Non-Profit.
Jeff and Michael have been setting readiness for us to start using Google Classroom and setting up some users to see how we can best interact with the
tool with the ideal that Google Classroom would be where we would manage class registration, tracking, and overall support for the learning environment.
Our Google Workspace system also gives us access to Google Groups, which is equivalent to groups.io. The committee is reviewing Google Groups to determine.
if this feature can be used similarly to groups.io since it is included with our free Google Workspace for nonprofit account.
We now have an RIM account and are working on governance policy on overall use to support BITS Members. Currently some IT Team members are using to support.
office hours and other small needs related to members who come with issues in addition to the class work they are trying to accomplish.
Most Committee Members are now posted on the web site with Chairs emails to follow. The emails will be member directed only and not openly available to
the public. Only emails that are BITS licensed through our MS license will be posted.
Planning in near future to move from Dropbox and use OneDrive for all media uploads from the audio and Publications Team as this is a money saver for
All BITS content editors and posters, who have been paying this fee each month and BITS has free accounts with MS built into our license. This will occur.
once we have coordinated with Brad and the audio uploaders team to make it seamless.
The goal for this transition to OneDrive is set for the end of May 2025.
Still working to make sure that all posters to the web site have all access and it is working before we make the One Drive switch.
Publications Committee
BITS Publications Committee Report for the Month of March 2025
The publications committee met on Thursday March 13. Robin gave the mastodon stats. At present, we stand at 269 followers. Right now, Mastodon is the social media platform of choice. Maryann continues to post the BITS events on our Facebook page. We have over one hundred members on face book. New members are always welcome.
The winter bulletin has been completed and will be going out to the membership. Many thanks to those of you who have sent in articles.
The committee talked about topics for the spring BITS bulletin. Topics and suggestions will be announced shortly.
The Publications committee now has a dedicated email address that members can write to if they have any questions, ideas, or information they would like to share with this committee. The email address is: publications@bits-acb.org.
We have met with the IT committee to talk about the Publications page on the website. Once this is completed members will be able to visit the publications page where all publications documents will be found.
Email Management Committee
Email Management Team April 2025 Report
BITS Bytes:
Week Twenty-one of our weekly summary will be posted on April 4, 2025. Moving forward, we will begin by including some special events which are of benefit to our members as they pertain to other ACB Affiliates. Watch for submission guidelines to be posted soon.
Meet Your Officers, Board, and Chairs:
The IT Team has started compiling a list of our fearless leaders. We have enlisted their assistance with sharing resources as we continue to move forward with this project.
Social Media News:
Watch BITS Bytes for updates regarding Whatsapp and other social media platforms. And don’t forget that Social@bits.groups.io is here for the discussion of any social media platform including Mastodon, Facebook, whatsapp, or Blue sky.
The subscribe address for social is social+subscribe@bits.groups.io.
Mentoring:
As our Mentoring Project continues to progress, we are coordinating with Infrastructure as well as other teams as we add Mentors to our teams. We have had several meetings with several groups and individuals while we refined our mentoring policies and begin matching Mentors with Mentees.
This is a huge project, and we are honored to play a role in helping our BITS Family find a suitable volunteer to meet their needs. We are also pleased to be a small part of a colossal vision whereby many volunteers will be needed to come together for ONE BITS. Once our Mentors and Mentees finally begin working together, this will be nothing short of impressive.
You can contact Mervin Keck or David Edick if you have questions regarding the Mentoring program. If you would like to join the Mentoring list the subscribe address is:
Mentoring+subscribe@bits.groups.io.
I would like to thank President Jeff Bishop, Co-Chair, Jason Castonguay, Debbie Hazelton, David Edick, and Nicki Keck for their excellent and essential work on our Team.
If anyone would like to contact me privately regarding issues related to Email Management, or if you have a question and wish to email me privately, my email is:
Respectfully submitted:
Mervin Keck
Email Management Team, Chair
Chat Committee
There has been a lot going on in chat this past month with regular participation and special chats during the week.
We had chat Tuesday through Friday of CSUN week where we had live check in from the floor of the conference giving us a glimpse of what’s going on. We
heard recorded interviews or reports each of those days.
We chatted last Sunday after office hours, and we had an April 1st chat as well.
For the most up to date information on chat as well as other offers from BITS, I encourage all of you to keep up with the Events list for the latest.
details and connection information.
You bring new conversation to the Chat. Chat is not the same if you are not there. So, we hope to see you either Friday or Saturday or at a special chat.
event.
Thanks, you kindly,
David
Inactive Committees
Audit Committee
BITS Bylaws Committee
Nominating Committee
Interpersonal Communications Committee Realignment
Purpose: To create a safe, welcoming, and respectful environment during interpersonal digital communications within Blind Information technology specialists (both written and verbal).
Note: This does not replace the work of the Publications Committee which will still be responsible for web sites, newsletters, policy manuals and other written forms of communication for the organization. This is designed to be a working group as it relates to email, social, and hosting only. Reporting of social media numbers and metrics should still be collected and reported as a part of Publications.
Objective:
Email Management Team, social team members, Chat Management team, and all sub-committee team leaders and members will work together to ensure that all written and spoken interpersonal communication complies with BITS guidelines or the codes of conduct across the organization.
- Team Structure
- Email Management team.
- Chat Management team.
- Chat Hosts team.
- Leadership Structure
- Mervin Keck, Co-Chair
- David Edick, co-Chair
- Jason Castonguay, Team Leader
- Marcy Duty, team Leader
- Robin frost, Team Leader
Explanation of command structure:
- Mervin Keck will chair email Management and continue to take an active role as an advisor in chat Management and chat Hosts. Mervin will continue to actively work with David on the Mentors list. Mentors and Mentoring will move to the education team.
- David will Chair Chat Management and chat Hosts. David will take Team Lead on Mentors which is overseen by education. The IT Infrastructure team will also have input on the mentoring and remote assistance programs we are rolling out as a part of BITS. David and Mervin will continue to work together to ensure that the email guidelines and chat code of conduct are not in conflict and easily accessible to our members.
- Jason Castonguay is the co-Chair of email Management. Jason will continue his vital role as both a co-chair, team Leader, and Member of the email Management team. As a member of IT and a content Editor Jason has knowledge of groups.io and editing that we simply cannot do without.
- Marcy Duty, Team Leader. Marcy is Co-chair of Chat Hosts for David and like Jason performs valuable duties that we simply could not do without. We appreciate Marcy and her enthusiasm as she volunteers both her time and talents to help us achieve our goals.
- Robin frost, Team Leader. Email management currently manages close to forty email lists if you consider the private lists which we manage without viewing because they are for courses or committee work. We have also begun managing WhatsApp. Mastodon and Facebook will be brought into the email Management digital communications umbrella. As a Team Leader Robin will coordinate with the volunteers who are in charge of posting to social media, interact on social@bits.groups.io and on Mastodon. This is not a replacement for Herbie who does a good job as Moderator of Social. This is an additional resource for that list. Robin will also work with the Chair when called upon while evaluating content from Members for BITS Bytes.
Presidential Report
April 3, 2025
BITS Is Thriving
As we continue to grow and evolve as an affiliate, I am excited to share that BITS is thriving! From strong membership numbers to bold experimentation in our educational programming, your dedication and passion are what drive us forward. This report highlights some of the exciting progress we are making together.
Membership Numbers Are Strong – And We Should All Be Proud
John McCann will provide the official numbers, but I want to take a moment to celebrate our success. Thanks to the leadership team and every one of you, our free membership initiative last year brought in a wave of new energy. While not everyone who joined through that initiative stayed with us, many did, and it is proof that our story resonates.
Thank you for believing in BITS. Let us continue spreading the word, growing our family, and showing others what it means to be part of something meaningful.
Education Is Thriving – Experimenting with Our WordPress Course
When we partnered with Microsoft through a grant opportunity, we had a clear vision: expand our educational offerings, implement a learning management system (LMS), strengthen our support capabilities, and highlight our progress at the ACB National Convention.
I am thrilled to say we are on our way. One major step has been the acquisition of Remote Incident Manager (RIM) licensing for our support team. This enables our volunteer tech support specialists to assist you without worrying about time limits when working on your devices. Just to clarify, this benefit applies specifically when you are collaborating with our qualified volunteers, ensuring seamless support during learning, or troubleshooting sessions.
As part of our educational evolution, we are piloting Google Classroom for our WordPress training. This is an exciting opportunity to evaluate an LMS that might meet both our accessibility and instructional needs. It is all part of our ongoing commitment to finding the best, most inclusive tools for our community.
Committee Changes – Focusing on Interpersonal Communication
Effective communication is the lifeblood of any organization, and that includes how we interact in email, chat, social media, our mentoring program, and beyond. We are making a few committee realignments to help streamline communication and collaboration:
- The Mentoring Program is joining the Education Committee, ensuring better constructive collaboration between learning and mentoring.
- Elements of the Publications Committee focus on posting content (to lists and chat, for example) are moving under the umbrella of our Communications Support Team.
This is not about eliminating collaboration. Quite the opposite—these moves help focus responsibilities while maintaining strong connections across teams. The Publications Committee will still collaborate on social media messaging, track analytics, and contribute to public communications. We are simply shining a spotlight on how communication flows throughout BITS so we can strengthen our interpersonal connections.
We will dive deeper into these changes during the upcoming board meeting.
Planning for the ACB Conference and Convention
Work is already underway as we prepare for our presence at the ACB National Convention. As part of that preparation, we will be selecting our delegate, alternate, and nominating committee representative. The board and our membership will discuss and decide these appointments during our next meeting. Your input is welcome and appreciated. Educational opportunities, representation in the exhibition hall and more will also be discussed. Suffice it to say, we are hoping to make a big splash at the upcoming convention.
Advertising on BITS Email Lists Requires Updating
Our current policy is as follows:
• Outside advertising and sales, including content in message headers and footers, is not permitted. This list is not a place for you to advertise your
skills or business, your religious and/or political view. These are not to be in messages, message headers, footers, or signatures. They will not be tolerated.
Anyone continuing to post any of these will be warned first, put on moderated status or banned if this is not corrected. If you believe you can help someone,
invite them to contact you privately.
Having said all of this as far as our policy, I do feel it is vital that we as an organization support the efforts of other ACB affiliates and ACB national and we need to devise guidelines that foster this approach in a way that is also protective our membership as it relates to advertising. I will be raising this as an action item for this month’s board meeting for us to ponder.
Providing Feedback Within BITS
I would like to take a moment to reflect on how we give and receive feedback within BITS. We are a family, and families do not always agree—but it is how we manage disagreement that defines us.
Please remember that we have established procedures for submitting feedback and initiating discussions. While our chat channels are wonderful for connection and conversation, they are not the place for debating policy or challenging leadership. Instead, let us use our meetings, agendas, and committee structures to elevate ideas and resolve concerns constructively.
Committee chairs are encouraged to bring their thoughts to the Chairs List or to reach out privately to discuss concerns. Everyone is welcome to request agenda items for our meetings. It is about timing, tone, and intent. Let us uplift one another and lead with kindness, assuming good intent as we continue to improve.
We all want what is best for BITS. Let us continue to pursue that goal with unity, respect, and joy.
Conclusion
Thank you all for being a part of this incredible journey. Together, we are not only navigating change—we are shaping the future of BITS with purpose and pride.
With appreciation,
Jeff Bishop
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