Sorry to be serious Bryan: jokes and frivolity can be good, especially on a
Friday afternoon. They make people smile. Rudeness is bad and always will
be.
Caroline
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bryan Jones" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2007 12:48 PM
Subject: Re: use of language - apology
> Actually Dis-forum was originally set up to be a virtual staff room for
> Disability Officers. In times past we often worked alone with no one in
> our institutions who had a clue what we did, how we did it or why so we
> discussed and let of steam virtually. Dis-forum was a way to speak to
> colleagues, have joke over coffee etc. Now if anyone dared send joke in
> there would probably be a flurry of indignation from people wondering
> why such frivolity was occurring on their in-box.
>
> As to Mr Larg, one still wonders why he feels it necessary to be a self
> appointed champion of the cause, rather than first seeing if the
> representitive organisations involved in the DSA processes, could not be
> asked to look at and raise the concerns that are allegedly being raised
> by students and DOs? If approaches to NADP, NNAC, SKILL, NUS, QAG etc
> were rebuffed or ignored then I would think then would be the time to go
> it alone. Please feel free treat this as a rhetorical question.
>
> Bryan Jones,
> Manager, Disability Support Services
> & North London Regional Access Centre,
> Middlesex University
> Tel: 020 8411 5366
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Caroline Davies
> Sent: Wednesday, April 18, 2007 5:26 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: use of language - apology
>
>
> Sorry, absolutely. Got a bit carried away with the concept. Its always
>
> great when students post to the list - I wish there was more of it.
> Their
> contributions invariably give a different and valuable perspective.
> Caroline
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Felicity Burgess" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Wednesday, April 18, 2007 5:20 PM
> Subject: Re: use of language - apology
>
>
>> But is it supposed to be a 'virtual staff room'?
>>
>> The header of the list suggests that it is a 'discussion list for
>> disabled students and their support staff'; ergo, not a staff room.
>> The feeling that this is in any way a 'staff room' could discourage
>> students from posting.
>>
>>
>>
>> Quoting Caroline Davies <[log in to unmask]>:
>>
>>> Dear Alex,
>>>
>>> I would like to endorse Karen's comments and to say that my complaint
>
>>> to the list owner was not in relation to an email from you.
>>>
>>> I do think it is important that everyone who posts to disforum uses
>>> language that is considered and considerate. I would certainly not
>>> want this to stifle genuine discussion (or controversy) and
>>> information sharing, because
>>> that's what disforum is all about. It is an invaluable 'virtual
> staff
>>> room'. I hope that the list owner will now think it sensible to
> provide
>>> some useful guidance for contributors.
>>>
>>> kind regards,
>>>
>>> Caroline
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Karen Farmer" <[log in to unmask]>
>>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>> Sent: Wednesday, April 18, 2007 2:23 PM
>>> Subject: Re: use of language - apology
>>>
>>>
>>> Dear Alex
>>>
>>> Being one of those named in your message - thank you for the
>>> courteous apology.
>>>
>>> While I may occasionally have not appreciated the form in which you
>>> have expressed your opinions, I have never doubted that you are
>>> committed to supporting students, which is after all what we are all
>>> here for.
>>>
>>> Personally, I look forward to your continued contributions to this
>>> list, and it would be a shame if any of us felt that we could not
>>> properly air a genuine concern, or make reasonable enquiries -
>>> particulary if the topic under discussion is likely to be perceived
>>> by others as contentious or sensitive.
>>>
>>> Regards
>>>
>>> K
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Karen Farmer
>>> DSA Needs Assessor
>>> Learning Support
>>> University of Bedfordshire
>>> Park Square, Luton
>>> LU1 3HZ
>>>
>>> Tel: 01582 74 3422
>>> Internal ext: 3422
>>> Fax: 01582 489349
>>>
>>>
>>> >>> [log in to unmask] 18/04/2007 13:31:55 >>>
>>> Dear Colleagues,
>>> apologies for cross posting this message...
>>> I would like to apologise to Karen, Caroline and any other
>>> colleagues who may have found my messages offensive or inappropriate.
>
>>> They are not intended
>>> to be and my intention is purely to find out whether students are
>>> receiving
>>> the best possible service and are being given value for money and the
>>> excellence of service which they deserve and should be entitled to.
> The
>>> feedback I receive from many students I work with, and I work with a
> lot
>>> of
>>> students, is that they often feel let down by the systems in place to
>>> help
>>> them. That's not to say that a lot of them aren't also grateful,
> thankful
>>> and appreciative - they are. My starting point was to ask for
> evidence
>>> from
>>> students and those who work with students, and take that forward to
> an
>>> appropriate authority. This seems to have been met by a combination
> of
>>> appreciation and praise off list, and sometimes animosity and
>>> discouragement
>>> on list from service providers, assessors and access centre managers.
> I
>>> am
>>> not saying that my opinion is the only opinion and that I am right. I
> am
>>> just saying that I feel that there is room for improvement in any
> sector
>>> and
>>> that the way to achieve that improvement is through encouraging and
>>> gathering feedback, which is seriously considered and acted on and
> not
>>> just
>>> binned and dismissed as ill informed and just a few complaining
> students.
>>> I
>>> believe I can, as any competent disability officer / practitioner
> should
>>> be
>>> able to, tell the difference between substance and distraction. I
> also
>>> find
>>> that the students who don't complain or make little or no noise at
> all
>>> are
>>> the ones often most in need of help. I am copying this message to
> several
>>> forums as I want my apology and my own opinion to be available to
> anyone
>>> who
>>> wants it, needs it, deserves it etc. This is likely to be one of my
> last
>>> on-list postings for a while on this subject as I intend to take my
>>> concerns
>>> and evidence elsewhere. I am still very happy to receive on-list or
>>> off-list
>>> messages with comments, concerns and criticisms. I will also
> participate
>>> where appropriate in disussions where I feel I have something
> positive to
>>> contribute, as I feel and believe is the spirit of these lists.
>>> I would also be happy on this occasion for this message to be
> forwarded
>>> to
>>> the ASASA list as I no longer have rights to post to that list
>>> unfortunately.
>>> Thank you. Alex Alex [log in to unmask] 561 877 or 07916
> 175
>>> 077Freelance Assistive Technology TrainerFreelance study needs
>>> assessorFormer Disability Officer
>>> MNADP
>>> _________________________________________________________________
>>> Express yourself: design your homepage the way you want it with
> Live.com.
>>> http://www.live.com/getstarted
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>
|