Hello Disability Members,
Trust this mail finds you all well
First of all, let me introduce myself. I am Dr. Olaitan Muhammed Faisol (Olaitan for short). I sincerely appreciate you all for the trust you have in me and elected me to serve as the Chair of our amiable Disability division. Please, I seek for your supports to sail through in this challenge, to make disability division a formidable one and move SSSP forward gallantly.
Secondly, I am sorry for just communicating to you members of my division since the announcement as the Chair. There have been series of activities logjams and logistics glitches, but we have to move forward in the face of all these. We can’t not do anything else than to conquer our challenges.  
Thirdly, there have been line of activities that require our deliberations as a team. Though, some deliberations and consultations are ongoing behind the scene, but it is time to bring some of the matters to the fore for your suggestions and contributions on the matters. Below are highlights of some of the pressing/urgent matters: 
> Division Reconstruction
As part of the divisions reconstruction which has been set in motion by the SSSP council, there is need for us to consider a merger to enhance our membership strength and formidability as a division. Thanks to those present at the 74th Annual meeting in Montreal who have suggested some useful tips. Consequently, Society and Mental Health and Disability Divisions had been suggested to be merged which will sum up our membership strength to 139 at present. Therefore, proposed names for the possible restructuring are: Mental Health and Disability OR Mental Health and Disability Justice. The later was suggested by Rose who justified it by the increase in Disability Justice studies. Now, I want to ask, should we go ahead to set up a poll to determine the most preferred name out of the two names or we should still give room for more name suggestions? If yes to the later, suggestions should be made before the roll out of polls to conclude on the name for the merger. This has to be attended to as soon as possible because the conclusion on the name is a causal factor to the submission of titles and call for papers for the 75th annual general meeting. 
N.B: Consequent to our lagging behind already, we quickly need to attend to and finalise this issue on or before Wednesday 25th, September, 2024. 
> Titles for Sessions and Call for Papers
For the titles for the sessions and call for papers, Maconi Melinda and I have been working out on possible titles and we have already, three (3) titles together for both divisional and co-sponsored sessions. Please do not hesitate to send in few more for consideration to widen the scope, accommodate more presenters and make the division’s sessions more robust at the 75th Annual meeting. 
N.B: The theme of the 75th annual meeting is Insurgent Sociology it a Time of Crises  
> Promotion of the 2025 Student Paper Competitions and Outstanding Scholarship Awards
On this subject matter, could any of us volunteer his/her email address to help the divisions (Disability and Society and Mental Health) received paper submissions which can later be merged together after the completion of the merger process to be submitted by the reconstructed division. The email addresses are needed as soon as possible to update our division announcement on the subject matter. Please treat as urgent.
N.B: Melinda Maconi, please take note of this and help act accordingly for those in your division and for the necessary support.
We can all see there are lots on our table to do within a short time. I will appreciate if we all work together as team to attend to these activities. Therefore, let us all swing into action to sort out these activities in the shortest time. 
On a final note, I truly appreciate us all for taking your time out of your busy schedules and supports to attend to the aforementioned.
Please feel free and do not hesitate to contact me for further clarification, questions, observations and suggestions through olaitanfaysal@gmail.com / +2348025101025 (WhatsApp). 

Looking forward to hearing from you. 

Best regards,   
Olaitan