Comments on: Social Networks Eclipse E-Mail – NY Times

By: Jakomi

Jakomi — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:19:43 +0000

Companies are frantically trying to keep up with consumer trends and technological developments. Businesses are competing ever-more regularly to ensure profit margins are reasonable within an ever-adapting marketplace.

By: Ned Bigham

Ned Bigham — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:10:11 +0000

I am pleased to hear that Berklee is now in discussion with Robin Millar about the scholarship. I hope that they will honour his request to offer it to a disabled or blind candidate. I understand there may be implementation difficulties with flash technology, but this could also be a great opportunity for Berklee to establish itself at the forefront of online music platform development for the blind and disabled. And that would be something to be proud of!

By: dkusek

dkusek — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:21:03 +0000

From Berklee College of Music

We have students studying online using screen readers and software to enlarge the display. We also have had students study online with movement disorders who use special equipment for typing and navigation. We have wheelchair bound students and those with hearing problems all studying online.

We had one autistic student who took 4 courses with us including Voice 101, even though he could not speak. The course has helped him with sound and pitch recognition. He has a tutor who helps him with the courses and she reports tremendous progress as a result of his taking the online classes.

We have another blind student who has completed a Music Business Certificate with us, taking 9 online courses. He uses screen reading software and worked with a local tutor. We helped his tutor install and make sure the software was operating before he started the courses.

We employ a lot of flash interactions and unfortunately flash is not 100% accessible. We often recommend that people with visual disabilities work with a local tutor or employ some technology to help them with some of these flash interactions. We are constantly making our system more accessible, especially as we develop new courses and new sections of the online school. Still, it is not perfect and there is more work to do.

Berklee does not have a policy of excluding disabled students. We are in communication with Robin Millar and expect to make a joint statement in the near future.

Dave Kusek
VP Berklee College of Music

By: Ann Torday Gulden

Ann Torday Gulden — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 07:21:24 +0000

Robin is a distinguished, multi- talented musical philanthropist who has made a gracious gesture which has been summarily disregarded here. This attitude has no place anywhere, and certainly not in the field of higher education or any field of education in fact, where values such as ethics and inclusivity must be centrally important, at least as much as the transference of academic competence. Indeed, all these things are inextricable in education and should be valued as such. I suggest that Robin be invited to Berklee as patron and guest and given a series of workshops or a seminar series with students ( and staff!) at all levels. This would be massively beneficial to your institution, which evidently needs educating! Music, of all disciplines, must be taught and practiced for all.

By: dkusek

dkusek — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 02:52:15 +0000

From Berklee College of Music

Thank you all for your comments. Please do not jump to conclusions.

This is an unfortunate miscommunication. We do not discriminate. Please don’t flame us without knowing what is really going on.

I have reached out to Robin and we are discussing the situation directly. He is more than welcome to join us as a patron and friend of Berklee College of Music and I do hope that we can work together. We apologize to Mr. Millar for any misunderstanding and would be honored with his participation and involvement.

We have many people with various disabilities studying with us both online and on-campus. It is a major challenge to offer online music instruction that is universally accessible and quite frankly, many of our interactive flash presentations are not 100% accessible. This is an area in which we and others have much more work to do. Nonetheless, we are trying and we welcome all assistance and advice in helping to make the online learning experience better for everyone.

Berklee would love to have Robin Millar’s participation in our online scholarship program, if he would still have us. We have the highest regard for his work and we look forward to collaborating to make things better for all of us.

Our apologies for any distress that may have been caused.

Dave Kusek
VP Berklee College of Music

By: Kevin Patmore

Kevin Patmore — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:50:45 +0000

Sitting in your lofty towers you have no idea how much a blow your decision to withdraw your offer to Robin Millar to be a patron for Berklee college of music will mean to thousands of disabled people and their carers.Down here at ground zero legistlation has been passed to stop discrimination against the disabled but Berklee must have missed it. Who else don’t you want upsetting your perfect world? Perhaps you might publish a list of the unwelcome. I feel I must point out to you one bare fact, YOU CAN CURE YOUR BLINDNESS TO DISABILITY ROBIN AND MILLIONS LIKE HIM CANNOT! Kevin Patmore

By: Clare Kenny

Clare Kenny — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 18:52:43 +0000

I was shocked and saddened when I heard details of the encounter Robin Millar recently had with Berklee College of Music. Berklee has been exposed at its worst. Quite apart from the arrogance and rudeness on display, the dismissive treatment of Robin Millar speaks volumes about the college’s attitude regarding the potential of students with disability. Have those representing Berklee forgotten the incredible talent that has emerged in the field of music despite personal disability? Thank you Dominique Brethes for the reminder.
Those who have had the privilege of working with Robin over the years know that Berklee’s representatives have treated an inspiring, talented and much respected champion of music with complete disregard. Robin Millar’s accomplishments speak for themselves. Can you please explain Berklee’s position regarding the equal opportunity for all, Mr Brown?

By: Chris Tsangarides

Chris Tsangarides — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 14:18:32 +0000

Discrimination of any kind at best is disgusting, so to see it from this establishment fills me with dread!

There are so many better and sensitive ways to communicate with people. I hope the powers that be at Berklee learn from this episode and that they can join with the majority of the human race to stop this type of negativity continuing.

It really is Berklee’s loss in not accepting Robin as a Patron.

By: Dominique Brethes

Dominique Brethes — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 21:00:52 +0000

Discrimination on the basis of blindness?

Amadou and Mariam, Andrea Bocelli, Art Tatum, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Blind Willie Dunn, Doc Watson, Jeff Healey, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder and countless other artists including Robin Millar have made a huge contribution to the world of music, and I find it shocking that in these days of modern technology, this could be used as an excuse to exclude certain disabled people from bringing their wealth of experience to your new courses.

Shame on you, Mr Brown!

By: Richard Evans

Richard Evans — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 19:11:56 +0000

Robin Millar is an example to us all, not just because of his success in the music industry, or his ability to come to terms with a serious disability (my wife met him with me 20 odd years ago when we spent some time together, and she had no idea from that encounter that he was blind so easliy and well did he conduct himsef)but Robin is a true gentleman, seemingly with time and encouragement for all. He has been treated shabily by this organisation, but I guess this is what we have come to expect.
Also if I were still in the music industry I would be praying that the growing market is 35+ because no one under the age of 30 pays for music anymore and no one under the age of 20 knows that they are supposed to