COLLABORATION: THE RIGHT PEOPLE, THE RIGHT ATTITUDE, AND THE RIGHT EXPERTISE Below are the highlights

and personal interpretation in regards to the importance of collaboration during the grant writing process: Some team members do not clearly understand the concept of collaboration; they do not know how to embrace it. Furthermore, these members do not have the ability to lead discussions nor are they open to constructive criticism that comes from dialoging. This is a potential challenge that grant writers face frequently. People with diverse points of view can help project managers and coordinators think outside the box. They can view the target needs with different lenses; thus, identifying more than one viable solution to a problem. Bringing different people to the table is a key to developing partnerships with other organizations and/or community resources. In some instances, these community resources can serve as marketing tools in the dissemination/deployment stage of a project. Collaboration is all about agreeing to disagree sometimes. Collaboration involves combining multiple ideas as a means of finding the best solution which will yield the greatest benefit to an entire society - in this case, a particular target population. Authors state that all not-for-profit organizations of any size, like TCCs Education Access Center, should be reaching out to other organizations in their field of interest and/or in their community, even if these organizations have been competitors in the past. They should be working together productively to address issues of mutual concern (Karsh & Fox, 2011). On the other hand, the broader and more diverse the representation within a community, and the more convincing the coordination and integration among partners, the stronger the proposal and the better the chances for funding (Karsh & Fox, 2011).

Regarding the PALs program: Stakeholders: collaborators, consultants, and possible co-applicant Tulsa Community Colleges Administrative Cabinet (President, Vice-President of Academic Affairs, Dean and Director of Student Development). These individuals must be consulted for final approval in the implementation of the PALs program.

Counselors of the Education Access Center. EAC Staff members will be responsible for providing support to project coordinator, Miguel Llovera Da Corte. o EAC Director, Lonni Williams, will be a possible co-applicant in the grant proposal. She has managed the daily operations of the EAC for approximately 30 years. Lonni is well versed in disability laws and academic accommodations, has participated in numerous Human Rights Committees in the State of Oklahoma, has 10+ years of administrative experience, and recently received TCCs Faculty Award for Excellence. Her experience in the area of student services and human development, added to her strong advocacy skills for students will ensure that the PALs program yields the desired results in terms of goals and objectives. Faculty and Staff working in different student services areas. Faculty and staff members working in different areas of students services must be informed of the availability of the new program so that they can refer and encourage students to take advantage of this allinclusive program. Disability offices from other colleges and universities interested in modeling the new instructional system that will be developed and executed by TCCs Education Access Center. For the development of the PALs program, I have initiated conversations with Michael Shuttic, Disabilities Coordinator at Saint Gregorys University. Michael is currently in charge of the PIL (Partners in Learning) Program at Saint Gregorys, and he will serve as a collaborator in the implementation and execution of the PALs program at Tulsa Community College. Michael has served traditional and non-traditional students at a 4-year college for approximately 30 years. Miguel Llovera and Lonni Williams (EAC Director) have a total of 35 years of combined experience in higher education at the community college level. Working together with Saint Gregorys University will ensure that the preparation students receive at TCC, allows students to successfully continue, transfer, and/or graduate with an annual increase of 1 percent. Additionally, EAC Counselor, Miguel Llovera, plans to communicate with the office of Undergraduate Student Success at Nova Southeastern University to find out how NSUs coaching program has contributed to the universitys retention rate and students G.P.A. Office of Civil Rights: this federal agency, with representatives at the state level, will ensure that the PALs program is programmatically accessible (e.g., closed-captioned videos, educational materials provided in more than one format, classroom equipped with assistive technology software) to all the students with documented disabilities that attend Tulsa Community College. Therefore, OCR will be a consultant in the development, implementation, execution, and evaluation of the Education Access Centers new initiative.

Expected benefits of this collaboration/partnership: Assistance in complying with Federal and State Disability Laws. Provision of a campus in which cultural, educational and extracurricular activities are physically and programmatically accessible. Creation of policies and procedures that encourage the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in education and employment.

Reference: Karsh, E., & Fox, A. S. (2011). The only grant-writing book you'll ever need. (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Basic Books. Miguel Llovera Da Corte