Dear NOMC, Since July, 2018, I have been in conversations with a number of individuals who represent the field of O&M, including COMS and guide dogs. These individuals are interested in creating a national membership organization whose purpose is to advance the field of O&M. As part of this association, they seem to be dedicated to the notion of including NOMC as an equal member of the profession. Attached is a document that explains the purpose and scope of this proposed new organization. I, like many of you, have doubts, concerns, and questions. Yet, I have been involved in the drafting of the attached document and have been in conversation with leaders in our field about the pros and cons of NOMC participation in this process, and so I am currently moving forward with cooperation. Because I know that many of you will have similar concerns, questions, and advice, I am scheduling a conference call for next week to discuss this proposal and what it might mean for our profession. The conference call will be Thursday, October 18 beginning at 7:00 p.m. CDT. I will be sending out information on Monday on how to join this conference call. I will plan to record the call if I am able. One additional piece of information that you should know right now is that the persons leading this effort, (including myself) will be attending the SOMA conference in Tampa, Florida, December 8-11, at which time this proposal will be brought to the conference for consideration of adoption. This new organization, if formed, could potentially be of no value to us on the NOMC side of the field, however, there is potential for us to have meaningful input, meaningful control, and a foot in the door of the profession we have not had before Look forward to sharing more with you all next week. Edward C. Bell, Ph.D., CRC, NOMC, Director, Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness Louisiana Tech University 600 Mayfield Ave / 210 Woodard Hall PO Box 3158 Ruston LA 71272 Office: 318.257.4554 Fax: 318.257.2259 ebell at latech.edu www.pdrib.com ************* "I am somehow less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein's brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops." -- Stephen Jay Gould