Get Your Facts Right, Washington Post

Today the Washington Post had an editorial, "Backbone for the Board" that expressed the Post's support for the Board of Trustees. This editorial stated: "Contrary to the false claims of protesters, Ms. Fernandes was picked after a careful six-month search by a 17-member committee that included people of color as well as deaf and hard-of-hearing representatives."

One problem with this statement. If the Post was counting from October 11, 2005 when the presidential search committee was chosen, until May 1, 2006, then it could be thought of as six months. However, the formal opening of the application process for the presidential position did not take place until February 2006, meaning that no candidates could formally apply until February 2006! On February 17, 2006 Gallaudet invited nominations and applications for president. (It is no longer linked to from the Gallaudet home page, but http://pr.gallaudet.edu/presidentalsearch/ has these dates.) Fernandes' selection was announced on May 1, 2006. The period from February 17, 2006 to May 1, 2006 is 74 days, or approximately 2.5 months.

The breakdown:
February - 12 days
March - 31 days
April - 30 days
May - 1 day

Furthermore, according to the documents on pr.gallaudet.edu/presidentialsearch, all the presidential search committee did prior to the opening of the formal application process on February 17, 2006, was to interview search firms to assist the presidential search committee. They eventually selected Academic Search Consultation Service of Washington, DC.

Therefore, I believe that the months from October 2005 to February 2006 do not count as part of a "careful six-month search." To me, "careful search" implies that they already had received applications, and were actively interviewing candidates. That is not what was happening between October 2005 and February 2006.