Gallaudet's Graduation Rate. How Bad Is It?

Gallaudet's low graduation rate has been frequently referred to, particularly in the Associated Press article about the Board's decision, with the phrase "persistently fewer than 50 percent of undergraduates get their diplomas."

Wondering how bad Gallaudet's graduation rate is in comparison with other colleges, I did some research. What I found is that first, Gallaudet's graduation rate is indeed low. Second, Gallaudet's graduation rate is apparently not as bad as the graduation rates of some other colleges. A pattern that emerged from my research was that the more "big name" the college, the better the graduation rate was. Public colleges tended to have much lower graduation rates.

What are the possible reasons for the lower graduation rates of Gallaudet and other public colleges? Could it be finances? I asked someone why he thought people did not graduate from Gallaudet, and finances were one reason. Lack of academic readiness? Years ago Gallaudet terminated the prep program after the rubella baby bulge enrollment surge ended. Does Gallaudet need a prep program again, or should students be required to attend community college if they are not academically ready for Gallaudet? The only problem I have with that is that I wonder how well a struggling deaf student can do in a community college with interpreters. Is it transferring out, as there is a lot of back-and-forth transferring between Gallaudet and NTID?

Some transferring out is normal, but I noticed in one of my research sources that transfer rates were reported separately. It looks like transfer students are not counted when calculating the graduation rate. I made this conclusion based on the explanation of graduation rate and transfer rate given by one of the research sites (IPEDS):

Graduation rates are a measure of the success of students in attaining their educational goals. A graduation rate is the percentage of students in a given entering cohort (group) who graduated within a specified period of time. The number of students in the entering cohort is the denominator of the rate; the number of students graduating is the numerator of the rate. The entering cohort of an institution includes all full-time, first-time degree- or certificate-seeking undergraduate students who began in the stated cohort year. The time period is 150% of normal time to program completion (for example, for a four-year program, the graduation rate would include students who had graduated within six years of beginning the program).

Transfer-out rates are the total number of students in the entering cohort who are known to have transferred to another institution within 150% of normal time to program completion, divided by the cohort.

Research Sources and Results

The data from the much-discussed PART report (http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/expectmore/detail.10003306.2005.html) was based in part on data from two other sites, Ed.gov for Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) data and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) (http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/).

Ed.Gov

For Gallaudet University on Ed.gov (http://www.ed.gov/about/reports/annual/2005plan/edlite-eda-gallaudet.html), here is the data for undergradate graduation rates:

1998...41%
1999..42%
2000.. 41%
2001...41%
2002...42%
2003..42%
2004...42%

I compared Gallaudet to NTID (http://www.ed.gov/about/reports/annual/2005plan/edlite-eda-nationaltech.html). Here is the data for undergraduate graduation rates:

1997...50%
1998...51%
1999..53%
2000..53%
2001...54%
2002..57%
2003..56%
2004..56%

I noted that the NTID data was divided into overall, sub-B.S., and B.S. The data above is from the overall column.

The only other college report found on Ed.gov was Howard University
(a historically black college, at http://www.ed.gov/about/reports/annual/2005plan/edlite-howard.html). Here is the data for Howard's undergraduate graduation rates:

1997...49%
1998..40.90%
1999..46.10%
2000..48.70%
2001..51.30%
2002..48.80%
2003...54.80%

IPEDS

Next, I decided to look on the IPEDS site for overall graduation rates for other Washington, DC colleges. This data was for undergraduates who began in 1999 as freshmen. Data was viewed by searching for colleges, then clicking the More Information link at the top of each college's summary page. On the more detailed page that appeared, I clicked on the menu item "Retention/Graduation Rates." Some result pages carried the warning that there is insufficient data for reliable estimates.

DC Colleges

American University..71%

Catholic University of America..70%

Gallaudet University..28%

George Washngton University..78%

Georgetown University..93%

Howard University..67%

University of the District of Columbia..13% (Yes, much worse than Gallaudet)

Other Colleges

I wanted to check for NTID on IPEDS, but there was only Rochester Institute of Technology with an overall graduation rate of 53%.

Finally, I ended my research on IPEDS by looking at one college (usually public) in each of a handful of state capitals. This is when the pattern of public colleges doing more poorly became apparent. Most of the ones I looked at were worse than Gallaudet.

Alabama..Alabama State University..overall graduation rate 23%

Alaska..University of Alaska Southeast...19%

Arizona...DeVry University...37%

Arkansas..University of Arkansas, Little Rock..21%

California..California State University, Sacramento..41%

Enrollment Increase? Skeptical Alumnus Doesn't Think So

A cyberfriend (SkepticalGraduate) messaged me to tell me of his doubts that Gallaudet's enrollment would increase as a result of the increased name recognition. SkepticalGraduate (not his real screen name) is a late '90s graduate, who works for a major retail chain and has struggled financially. He had a lot to say. Our AIM conversation is below:
SkepticalGrad: i read ur blog
SkepticalGrad: i dont know if the enrollment will go up
SkepticalGrad: some of us notice we arent getting jobs
SkepticalGrad: or good jobs
SkepticalGrad: i dont think all the alumni will serious recommened to the younger generation and VR would cuz they arleady have record of our sucsess rate
SkepticalGrad: my old vr in ohio dont really support gally cuz of the success rate is low and too expensive
Me: i know there are problems...
Me: but the increased name recognition may help
SkepticalGrad: they preferred us to go to a local school
Me: what year was that that you old VR said that?
SkepticalGrad: i kinda been telling younger kids to go to local school cuz im not seeing everyone getting good job with our degree
SkepticalGrad: that was last year when i ask about going back for 2nd degree
SkepticalGrad: my old vr said she would reccommend the smart one to go to local school and those who are on boderline to go to Gally
SkepticalGrad: do u remember 94 graduation
SkepticalGrad: clinton spoke there
SkepticalGrad: then washington post wrote an article abt Gally
SkepticalGrad: many business and goverments were not impresss with gally cuz of lack of english skills
SkepticalGrad: that article was painful article telling us we stinks
SkepticalGrad: i do love Gally but just not impress with the education we got I felt we could have gotton better education especially they should required us more english courses and requried some Internships
SkepticalGrad: some major required internship not all .. I think the internship would help some of us for jobs ... That one part lacking us is job experience
Me: bob is taking a computer major at GMU right now..he is learning more than i learned at gally
SkepticalGrad: maybe u can tell that on ur blog what gally is missing that gmu is offering
Me: fortunately the basics that we learned was just enough to help me on the job..ive learned more on the job
[To be fair, Gallaudet Professor Issac Agboola once told my CIS class something I have never forgotten: "It is important to be able to teach yourself. You have to be able to pick up a book and teach yourself new skills." That has certainly proven to be true in my career since then.]
SkepticalGrad: another thing some of the major are total waste of money .. some vr now more picky on rather to support you or not depend on the major.. some major are total of waste of their money like Child Development cuz u can get child delepment job in day care center without a degree at $7
SkepticalGrad: an hour
SkepticalGrad: Some of us who already graduated still need more than just our bs/ba degree some have to go another school for another degree or get master i feel i need another one
SkepticalGrad: some us do go back to gally again for another degree like u did
So some are lucky with the jobs and some aren't .. i beleive only 50% are getting good jobs but what happened to the rest of the 50% .. some end up working in Deaf institution as dorm RA , Teach subs, human service... and the worst of all some are us are working in Retails such as Target , Walmart, Kohls and etc

Out of the Pain..An Opportunity?

Despite all the pain that this protest has caused the deaf community, there is a possible silver lining. (It was indeed painful. It actually drove a wedge between me and some longtime acquaintances who said they supported Fernandes). Before the protest, one of the complaints was that Gallaudet's enrollment was declining. Now, because of the protest, Gallaudet's name recognition has gone WAY UP due to all the media coverage. Both hearing and deaf people who were not aware of Gallaudet's existence, certainly are aware now.

This presents Gallaudet with an opportunity to increase its enrollment. I remember reading that when the DPN happened in '88, Gallaudet had a surge in applications afterwards. The same thing could happen again.

As for the BOT requirement that the protestors do community service in exchange for no PNG, that's a good, if not great, deal! Community service is a normal graduation requirement in many high schools and colleges. There are opportunities for community service in the deaf community. For example, in the DC area, there is the organization Deaf-Reach.

Justice for Danny...11 Years Later

It took 11 years, but now that Jane Fernandes is no longer president-designate, I feel like my son has gotten the justice he deserves for what was done to him (and three other deaf kids) 11 years ago. When the news came out tonight, he was as thrilled as I was, if not more! Here he is, smiling a victory smile.

Fernandes Gone...But Of Course You Already Knew That!

I'm sitting here stunned...the Board of Trustees actually did it! They actually listened to us! I just hope that the FSSA continues to sell those Unity for Gallaudet shirts...the protest is now over, but the shirts are still something that the deaf community may want to keep buying! The message on the shirts is a timeless, universal one...Unity for Gallaudet!!!

We should all e-mail the Board of Trustees again..this time, to thank them!!

Management Versus Attitude

The Washington Post has published a profile of Fernandes that is clearly sympathetic to her. Her life experience growing up deaf and discovering herself as a deaf person, is one that is common to many in the deaf community. Many culturally deaf people started out as former "pure orals."

The Post states that her "no-nonsense" management style has rubbed many people the wrong way, and that she had alienated many faculty and parents with her reorganization of the Clerc Center. When Fernandes denied my child a teacher at the Clerc Center, that was not a no-nonsense "management decision." That was a bad attitude, plain and simple. She demonstrated a lack of caring, and I was a parent, not a child or a Gallaudet student. There is nothing wrong with a "no-nonsense" management style. But the future president of Gallaudet also needs to have a heart.

I wrote early Saturday morning to every member of the Board of Trustees and told them my story. I prefaced it with, "It may have been long ago, but if she didn't care then about the needs of a small group of young deaf children, how could she care for the needs of thousands of Gallaudet students of all ages?!"

In addition, the Post refers to the former Special Oppportunities Program as a "remedial program." This gives me the opportunity to remind readers that the SOP program was not merely a remedial program. The word "remedial" implies otherwise normal deaf students who are just behind academically. Joseph Rainmound's description of the kids who had been in that program (at the end of his blog post), is a must read. I had also found this description of the SOP program on an archived Clerc Center web page from 1996, "Special Opportunities Program (6 to 15 years) Comprehensive program including academic readiness, functional academics, independent living skills, and employment education for deaf students with special needs."

Clarifying Earlier Post

Apparently, some people have misunderstood my feelings that were expressed in my earlier blog posting, "Turning Point." Someone came up to me tonight at the ASL dinner and asked, puzzled, "do you support JKF?" That person was confused by my statement that if I had to choose between a dead Gallaudet student and JKF, I would choose JKF. What I was trying to say is, I don't want to see death at Gallaudet University. If in order to have the hunger strikers live (or to avoid the deaths of any other Gallaudet student), I had to accept JKF, I would.

I had also said JKF was the lesser of two evils. Some people are not familiar with the phrase "the lesser of two evils." An evil is a bad thing. In this case, the first bad (evil) thing is the death of a Gallaudet student. The second bad (evil) thing is JKF. Obviously, JKF is not as bad as the death of a Gallaudet student - therefore, lesser of two evils.

Dissatisfied Hearing Graduate Student

Tonight at the ASL dinner, a hearing person who had been a graduate student at Gallaudet, told me how she was unhappy with her experience there. She said she did not feel challenged enough. As an undergraduate, she said, the quality of her work on one assignment would have gotten an F, but at Gallaudet in graduate school, it got her an A. Her dissatisfaction led her to change her major in graduate school, and she did get a graduate degree but the experience left a rather bitter taste in her mouth.

Tough Administration Versus Outright Cruelty

In today's Washington Post article by Anita Huslin, a former superintendent of the Lexington School for the Deaf is quoted as saying: "The president is the make-nice guy and the fundraiser, and the provost is your tough administrator." Running a college is like running a business, and sometimes there have to be layoffs. The layoffs are a tough management decision. However, as was pointed out by Ridor in his now classic posting, "Where is Jane's Compassion?" cruelty actually took place when Fernandes fired Kitty Fischer, and would not allow her to work at Gallaudet just one more week in order to qualify for a full 30 years of service. That is not prudent management. That is outright cruelty. I asked Ridor if Fischer had sued for age discrimination, and was told Fischer had not sued. In my opinion, Fischer should have sued the pants off Fernandes, in order to get the equivalent of the annuity she so richly deserved after almost 30 full years of service.

"The Toe"

I hadn't yet seen a picture of "the toe" that was injured yesterday at Gallaudet, so I did a google search and found this picture. The toenail had to be removed, and the removed toenail can be seen in the green "dish" held in the picture. I asked someone, "how serious an injury is that?" He replied, "painful..that's like breaking part of your bone."

Obsession and Hunger Striking

Obsession is an experience I would not wish on my worst enemy. I was obsessed in college with a boy. It started out as a normal friendship, but over time, it became an obsession. Most teenage girls just have temporary crushes -- I had an obsession.

That obsession literally took over my life, my thoughts, and my classes. It made dating other boys nearly impossible. Therapy didn't help that much. It is a wonder I did as well as I did academically despite the obsession. It even affected my first marriage (I am happily divorced now). At the time I met my now ex-husband, I was desperate for someone to make me forget the boy I was obsessed with, because although I no longer saw him, he was still in my thoughts and dreams. Over time, the obsession finally faded away although it probably will never disappear totally.

Tonight, while cleaning the cat litter, it occurred to me that the hunger strikers (day 14, nutritional supplements stopped) are obsessed too! They are obsessed with the idea that if they die, Fernandes will resign. They are obsessed with the idea that if they die, the media will report heavily on their deaths. They are obsessed with the idea that if they die, the deaf community will rally strongly behind the Gallaudet protestors. Despite all the pleas and comments from bloggers, they will not stop.

Most of all they are obsessed with what is going to happen if they don't stop their hunger strike...headlines that say, "death at Gallaudet University."

Turning Point

For once, I find myself at a loss for words. At lunchtime today, I was stunned to see the news about what had happened today at Gallaudet. Bulldozers? Bleeding toes and possibly fractured knees? Hospitalization? Fire trucks? What sounds like a battle between students and DPS? A student almost hit by a speeding DPS vehicle? A swarm of Metro police on campus? Confrontation between Paul Kelly and MPD police? More arrests possible? What has happened to the Gallaudet I graduated from?

I don't know whose behavior appalls me the most. The protestors, who started the day by briefly taking over part of College Hall? DPS and PPD for allegedly bulldozing without checking first if anyone was inside the tents? (When my son read that, he exclaimed that someone could have died if a bulldozer ran over them) PPD employees, for allegedly continuing to push a truck's front grille into a student? The police, for allegedly being physical with students and allegedly kicking someone in the groin? The hunger strikers, for refusing to stop their hunger strike despite the risk of death?

The official Gallaudet news release states none of the protestors were injured seriously. That only a toe was hurt. In contrast, bloggers claim there was "a lot of blood" by the MSSD gates.

At this point, even though I do not want Jane Fernandes to be president of Gallaudet University, I am ready to give her my support if that will save a student's life. I am beginning to fear that things could get really out of hand, leading to someone's death. If the choice is between a dead Gallaudet student and Jane Fernandes, I choose Jane Fernandes. It is the lesser of two evils.

We Were Not the Only Ones Told to Leave

This is a true story from 1995 or 1996 told to me by a parent of a former Kendall student. I ran into the family on Capitol Hill on Saturday. The parent needs to be anonymous because the former Kendall student is now a Gallaudet student, and the parent fears reprisals from Jane Fernandes. What follows is the parent's exact words from an instant message conversation we had, but I have substituted the phrase "our child" for the child's real name to protect the parent and Gallaudet student.

****
She told all the Virginia students they could leave.

When we asked JF to help our child, she and Schlepper [I have no idea who that is] said if our child reads our child should write, then they said they would not teach reading until our child could write. They told me the same as they told you. "If you do not like it here you can leave." We packed up our child's things and left that night.

They would do nothing to accomodate our child's disabilities.

We asked for a meeting. The last year we were there, JF changed the school. No more small classes all day. In the morning small groups were put togehter based on writing.

No computer, no help. In the afternoon, all students sat in an open area watching a black and white TV with no captions. All the teachers sat around and watched the students. One teacher taught. We did not know that our child could not even see the signing. In the afternoon there was 30 minutes of math. Our child's class was told that math would be learning how to use a combination lock.

We asked for help and she said nothing would change. Too bad. Schlepper told her if our child could not write, our child could not be taught to read, even though our child was already reading and had been tested by the psychologist.

Washington Post Getting It?

Susan kinzie has written what may be the best article yet on the Gallaudet situation. In one article she has captured just about all of the issues. She has clearly portrayed what is happening on both sides..even states that it was Fernandes who said "not deaf enough."

Hearing People Starting to "Get It?"

In the blog the Third Estate Sunday Review, a group of hearing students has done an excellent analysis of the situation at Gallaudet in the posting "The students of Gallaudet University are standing up." They do an especially good job of tearing apart the public statements made by Fernandes.

Hunger Strike - Please Stop

To the hunger strikers: Please stop the hunger strike. Here are five reasons why you should stop:

1. You have made your point. You got the attention you wanted from the deaf community and the media. Both will lose interest after awhile.

2. You may be putting your health at risk, as many commenters/bloggers have noted. It is getting cold out, and a body weakened by lack of food may succumb. Do you really want to wind up in the hospital or a morgue?

3. It is easy to ignore hunger strikers. Even the crowds at Gallaudet yesterday didn't pay much attention to the hunger strikers.

4. You may be risking embarrassing damage to the deaf community's image. When I was at Gallaudet and saw the hunger strikers' tent all I could think was, "how silly." This is not a cause that merits a hunger strike.

5. Hunger striking may not accomplish anything. At least one of the hunger strikers is a well-known deaf blogger who has accomplished far more with her blog than she will as a hunger striker. The hunger strikers could accomplish more through blogging than through a hunger strike.

Marching, Shirts, and Uninformed Reporters

The March

Yesterday, my legs and feet ached afterwards from all the walking...walking from the NY Ave/Florida Ave metro to Gallaudet, the march from Gallaudet to capitol hill, the walk from capitol hill to union station, and finally walking back to the metro from htGallaudet.

I barely made it to Gallaudet in time for the march. Metro did not open til 8 am, and I arrived at Gallaudet at 9:15 am, after the march had already begun. I was able to join the tail end of the march.

Highlights of the Day

The highlights of my day: talking to reporters from the Washington Post and Channel 9. Meeting Lizzie Sorkin, the first deaf RIT student government president. Meeting Ridor of Ridorlive.com.

Ridor, General of the Deaf Blogger Army

Seeing Elizabeth (MishkaZena) and her husband again for the first time in years. Seeing in person Chris Corrigan ("mayor" of tent city and a protest leader),

Protesting is hard work...an exhausted Chris Corrigan rests in Fowler Hall

and LaToya Plummer (whose arrest picture on the front page of the Washington Post is going to be remembered a long time in the deaf community). Meeting Albert Berke from Alaska, whom I am not related to but have been asked about for years. And of course, seeing some old faces from my Gallaudet and NTID years.

Uninformed Washington Post Reporter

The Post reporter, who I shall not name, surprised me with a question. When I was telling her the "She Doesn't Care" story, she asked me, "why do you say the substitute teachers were not qualified to teach deaf children?" and "wasn't it enough for them to know sign language?" I had to explain to her that to teach deaf children, you have to get training in deaf education! She had a hard time understanding what i meant by that, too, so I had to explain that there are colleges, programs where people who want to become teachers of the deaf go to get special training. The last unqualified substitute teacher my child's class had, was a sweet, young, recent Gallaudet graduate with a degree in communication arts. We parents liked her, but she simply did not know how to teach the children - I can remember her having to go around to the other teachers asking for help.

Work to the Rule

I talked to a faculty member (wearing a sign that said 82% on her back), and asked her what she would do if Fernandes became president. She declared she would continue to teach, but she would stop giving more of herself beyond her job expectations. She would come to class, teach, go home. That's it. She would limit herself to working to the rule.

Homecoming without the Home

Yet, it felt like something was missing. There was no football game and I could not go to the one in Maryland because of lacking a car. Being limited to the front of the campus also made it feel like something was missing. It was homecoming, yet it wasn't homecoming.

It was difficult to be serious about protesting on such a beautiful day. After lunch, I returned to the Gallaudet campus to hang around for awhile. I also wanted to buy a Unity for Gallaudet shirt. They were sold out! I came across a table for the National Association for the Deaf and decided to get a NAD membership instead. Then they brought out more shirts for sale, sending me running to the ATM for more money so I could buy a shirt.

Unity for Gallaudet Shirts

The Unity for Gallaudet shirts are pretty cool and well-designed. No wonder it is so popular and people are asking where they can buy it online. On the back the shirts say "diversity, unity, community." It occured to me on the way home, that if Jane Fernandes wants to start winning hearts and minds in the deaf community, one thing she could do is appear in public wearing a Unity for Gallaudet shirt. Why not? She talks about diversity all the time herself.

Permanently Changed Gallaudet

Another thing that I have realized, is that Gallaudet will never be the same again. No matter how this turns out, Gallaudet will never again be the same. I believe that the FSSA has a future beyond this protest. Gallaudet has long has a Gallaudet University Alumni Association (GUAA), but has it ever had an organization that combined the forces of the faculty, staff, students, and alumni?

The FSSA could serve as a permanent watchdog for the Gallaudet community. It could monitor both present and future boards of trustees. It can act as a communications link between Gallaudet University and the outside deaf community. It can help Gallaudet with future fundraising efforts.

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.

Getting Fernandes to Quit..The Right Way and The Wrong Way

There is a right way and a wrong way to accomplish the goal(s) of the protestors.

Today's Washington Examiner paper reports that Fernandes "has been threatened with being shot." That is the wrong way to get her to quit.

In the same article she says that no amount of protesting will get her to quit. She is in effect ignoring the protests.

Putting together a lengthy, convincing list of examples of past negative behaviors and failures, and publicizing them, is the right way to get her to quit. We need more people who have proof of such to step forward, publicly, not anonymously. That is the right way to get her to quit.

Give Her a Chance? Or: You Reap What You Sow

Brenda Brueggemann told the Washington Post, "she was not even given a chance." Not given a chance? Fernandes has worked at Gallaudet for more than a decade. She has already had plenty of chances to win hearts and minds at Gallaudet. Instead, over the years, she has managed to alienate plenty of parents, faculty, staff, and students. Instead of giving interviews to the media, Fernandes could be working harder to win over her opposition. Instead, she persists in saying "I will not resign." That doesnt' help the situation.

Plus, she is now branding the protestors as terrorists in the Washington Post: "What we are dealing with on campus is anarchy and terrorism." Maybe when I go to the homecoming, I will wear a shirt that says "I am a Gallaudet terrorist." I didn't participate in the seizure of the HMB or blocking of the gates, but if fighting against perceived unfairness in the presidential selection process, and trying to prevent the person who denied my deaf child a teacher from becoming president of an entire university, is terrorism, then I gladly call myself a Gallaudet terrorist.

Inclusion - The Right Way

It looks like Fernandes has dropped the "not deaf enough" theme and is focusing on "inclusion" of all kinds of deaf people at Gallaudet. What would be the right way to include them?

Would the "new" Gallaudet welcome deaf people who are oral and cued speech users, allow them to keep to themselves, and not require them to learn sign language? To stay true to its heritage, learning sign language ought to be mandatory for all oral and cued speech students who enter Gallaudet. All entering students who do not know sign language at a minimum ought to be required to take ASL 101.

Too many years have passed, and I can not remember if I was required to take an introductory sign language class back in 1981 at NTID. I do remember participating in a New Signers Program at Gallaudet in the summer of 1985. Participation was voluntary however.

Deaf culture WILL survive regardless of whether or not future Gallaudet students use cochlear implants or other technologies. The use of sign language does NOT depend on the ability to hear. For instance, hard of hearing people have frequently chosen to use sign language and consider themselves culturally deaf even if they can hear well.

Archives of (Mix of Opinion and Fact) Posts on Gallaudet

(Mix of previous blog postings now deleted from About.com. Reprinted here in reverse chronological order. My personal favorites have an asterik)

True Leadership

Symbols and Identification *

What's in a Name? *

How Far will Gallaudet Administration Go?

Return of Tent City - Right Concept, Wrong Tactics?

Knowing When to Give Up

Gallaudet Protest, Round 2?

FSSA Publishes Booklet

What's Wrong with Just Saying Deaf? *

Row, Row the Boat Right..Or Else *

People Don't Vote Against Their Friends *

Ridor in the Washington Post, and a Letter Too

Patti Durr on Gallaudet in Democrat and Chronicle

Origins of "Not Deaf Enough" *

Gally Protestors Seek Pro Bono Help *

Any Positive Stories About Fernandes?

Should Board of Trustees Member Know Sign?

Hearing World's Reaction to Gallaudet Events

Unity for Gallaudet - Just the Facts, Please *

It is All About Communication

Polarized Deaf Community

Jordan Video Gaffe *

Ordering at Starbucks, No Sign

Just Being Deaf is Not Enough *

Gallaudet Announces New President

Fernandes vs. Stern: Brief Facts *

Deaf Community Reacts to Jane Fernandes

Deaf Community Reacts to Ron Stern *

From October 2006:

True Leadership

What is true leadership? True leadership is being there, reaching out, and
interacting with the people you lead. Making firm statements on the Gallaudet
University website and staying out of sight is not true leadership. Regardless
of whether she resigns or not, Jane Fernandes needs to go out there and actually
talk to the students, faculty, staff, and alumni that she is supposed to be
serving. In fact, I am beginning to think that may be the only way to end this
crisis. Fernandes will have to begin acting like a true leader.

I have said this before and it bears repeating: no government can survive without the support of the people.

Symbols and Identification

What is there about this current Gallaudet protest that all deaf people can identify with? Unlike what happened in 1988, that seems to be missing this time around. In 1988, it was simple - Gallaudet had never had a deaf president, and that was something all deaf people could identify with and rally around. Deaf President Now became symbolic of the oppression deaf and hard of hearing people felt nationally and internationally.

I have talked with several deaf people in my generation (mid 30s through mid 40s) and none of them have expressed enthusiastic support for what the students at Gallaudet are doing. Instead, they have expressed amusement, disgust (with students' behavior), and embarrassment. Even I feel something of a disconnect despite the fact I myself had one bad experience with Fernandes before.

The protestors saying they need alumni support and the support of the greater deaf community. I ask the protestors, explain clearly to us in the greater deaf community outside of Gallaudet why we should be supportive this time around? When I express my confusion and the cynicism that comes with being older to certain protestors, they yell at me, "whose side are you on?"

For example, I discussed with one deaf blogger my confusion over the anger students expressed regarding Brenda Brueggemann, chair of Gallaudet University Board of Trustees, using SimCom (total communication) at the gallery naming cermony. She used both voice and sign language - not ASL alone. I asked, "What's so wrong with that?" After all, that is how I communicate and that's how most deaf and hard of hearing people who use sign language, communicate. Yet the students seemed to feel that because Brueggemann is chair of an ASL department, she should have been using voice-off ASL and not using an interpreter.

So many issues this time around - oppression? audism? personal character? a board not listening? a manipulative president? a flawed search process? manipulation of the outcome of the search process? police not using sign language? police brutality? disrespect? favoring speaking deaf over non-speaking deaf? failure to get a good government rating? and more! It is enough to make one's head spin. I find myself in search of the one clear message that I, and all deaf people out there, can identify with. Where is the symbol this time around?

What's in a Name?

Today at Gallaudet, students protested the naming of the Linda Jordan Art Gallery.
Who is Linda Jordan? The wife of the outgoing president of Gallaudet University.
The students were protesting the choice of Linda Jordan, whom they felt had not
done anything to deserve having an arts building named after her. They wanted
the gallery to be named for a woman who was an art history professor at Gallaudet
for 33 years, Debbie Sonnenstrahl. In addition to having been a professor, Sonnenstrahl
also authored the book "Deaf Artists in America: Colonial to Contemporary."

Even if the name does not get officially changed in the face of the protests, it actually does not matter. Informal names can overtake "official" names. Does anyone remember when they re-named the Ely Center to University Center? After the name was changed to University Center, almost nobody called it that - everyone continued to call it the Ely Center. Gallaudet changed it officially back to Ely Center. [A commenter on About.com corrected me and said that only part of the building had been called University Center. Still, my point is that people can call something anything they want regardless of the official name]

So, if the students want to honor Debbie Sonnenstrahl, they can call it the Sonnenstrahl Art Gallery informally. If they use that name informally, it will overtake the official name, and nobody will pay attention to the "official" name on the plaque.

Blogs reporting on the naming of the art gallery:

• Elisa
  
• Ridor
  

How Far Will Gallaudet Administration Go?

Deaf bloggers reported that Gallaudet University's Student Body Government
had received a warning of suspension. In other words, they were warned that
if they did not cease support of the protest, they would be suspended as an
organization.

I have never heard of an entire elected student government at any college being
threatened like this. It is no longer a protest just about the choice of president-
it is now a protest about freedom of speech. The flawed presidential search
has now evolved into a symbol of how Gallaudet University is being administered.

Return of Tent City - Right Concept, Wrong Tactics?

Following the latest blogs, I see that Tent City is making a return to the Gallaudet campus - or trying to. MishkaZena reported that a liquid fertilizer had been poured on the designated ground area for the revived Tent City. This fertilizer could cause skin irritation. Obviously this is a sign that Gallaudet is not going to tolerate the presence of a Tent City again.

If students persist in setting up their Tent City on the Gallaudet University campus, I fear it could just cause trouble, or embarrassment, for the deaf community. But the students don't have to give up on the concept of a Tent City. I'm a firm believer in "where there's a will, there's a way."

Tent City as a concept could be successful through alternative methods. One method that is already succeeding, is the creation of mini-Tent Cities elsewhere, as they are already doing in the San Francisco Bay Area, where they set up a permitted tent city in Fremont. Another option is for deaf people to set up "tent cities" in their own backyards, take pictures, and send them to the media or post them on blogs. Still another option is to do it virtually, via the web - and last year, they did have a web version of tent city.

I do not know how all this is going to turn out. I do know one thing though: no government can survive without the support of the people. This is a fact supported by historic events. If Fernandes does not have the support of the people, how can she govern Gallaudet effectively?

From September 2006:

Knowing When to Give Up

If the protestors in Mexico could not get their candidate chosen through their protests, what makes the small number of students protesting at Gallaudet think that they can? Judging from the minimal amount of media attention and the firm statement that Fernandes will not step down, perhaps it is time for the protestors to stop protesting and focus their energies somewhere else? People who believe strongly in what they want, can have a hard time accepting that they are not going to win.

Fernandes' every action, and every action of the people she selects for her
administration, is going to be under a microscope. There is now a strong army
of deaf bloggers that will be acting as watchdogs. Any missteps she makes will
be heavily commented on and thoroughly analyzed. She will be the first president
of Gallaudet University to face this level of scrutiny from the deaf
and hard of hearing community.

Gallaudet Protest, Round 2?

I arrived home from work to the news that a group of students marched at Gallaudet today. Reportedly the campus police took pictures of who was participating, allegedly forcing some students to resort to using brown paper bags to hide their identities. Full details on the websites of these deaf bloggers:

• RidorLive
  
• MishkaZena
  

FSSA Publishes Booklet

Tonight I was at an ASL dinner and someone showed me a glossy booklet published
by the FSSA. My first thought was, "what did that cost? what a waste of money."
Just as we in deaf blog land criticized the Gallaudet Board of Trustees for
publishing and sending out a mailing introducing Jane Fernandes, it is only
fair that I criticize the FSSA for spending the money to publish this booklet.
Who needs booklets when you have the power of the internet?

[How prophetic. The internet has certainly turned out to be central to this protest]

From August 2006:

What's Wrong with Just Saying
Deaf?

Arriving home after a long workday, I found in the mail a brochure from Gallaudet
Board of Trustees, "Introducing Dr. Jane Kelleher Fernandes, Gallaudet University's
9th President." I skimmed it and this jumped out at me:

"Thanks to her experiences growing up as an oral deaf person, learning ASL as a young adult, and developing a deep appreciation for deaf history, culture, and language, Dr. Fernandes has a unique ability to understand and communicate with diverse groups within the Deaf Community."

Here is how I would have written it:

Thanks to her experiences growing up deaf, Dr. Fernandes has a unique ability to understand and communicate with diverse groups within the Deaf Community. She grew up oral and learned ASL as a young adult, developing a deep appreciation for deaf history, culture, and language.

The way the brochure has it, it emphasizes her oral background, sending a message that oral skills are more valued than ASL skills. The way I re-wrote it, it emphasizes that she simply grew up deaf, and has had both the oral and sign language background experience.

Readers might be interested to know that according to Ridor, it cost nearly $200,000 to print these brochures...that kind of money would have paid for a lot of scholarships for deaf students at a time that vocational rehabilitation is cutting back on support for deaf college students nationwide.

From July 2006:

Row, Row the Boat Right...Or Else

Jane Fernandes stated this in the NAD Conference Blog (June 30):

A leader is like the coxswain of a boat with the team rowing the boat. My job as the leader is to make sure that everyone is rowing in the right direction. If someone isn't rowing, then I will get them off the boat. In order to be a great institution, the vision must be shared by many people.

***

Do you agree with this perspective on leadership? I talked to three cyberfriends. One cyberfriend saw nothing wrong with this perspective, and the other cyberfriend remarked that throwing people off the boat (i.e., firing them) is not always the right option - that people should be talked to or warned first. The third cyberfriend, after I told him this was a statement by Fernandes, declared this was her way of saying "my way or the highway."

From June 2006:

People Don't Vote Against
Their Friends

Ridor has posted a personal e-mail from one Board of Trustees member to King Jordan and Jane Fernandes. In my opinion, the level of warmth in this personal e-mail demonstrates that most likely a solid friendship existed between this BOT member and Jordan and Fernandes at the time that Fernandes was a candidate for the presidency of Gallaudet University. Most people don't vote against their friends. Read this e-mail, and decide if you feel that the presidential selection was still a fair and impartial process.

Ridor in the Washington Post,
and a Letter Too

Today (Saturday, June 3, 2006) the Washington Post ran two Gallaudet-related items:

• Deaf Students Express Dissent Along a High-Tech Grapevine - About how the availability of blogs, pagers (Sidekicks), and instant messaging has affected this protest.
  
• Lillian Tompkins' Letter to the Editor, "Try Listening to the Gallaudet Protests" - addresses audism in a previous Post editorial column and states, in part: "Read our lips: At the heart of the protest are issues of social justice, empowerment and a university leadership that listens, in the best sense of the word."

From May 2006:

Patti Durr on Gallaudet In Democrat and Chronicle

Patti Durr has written a very accurate
essay in today's Democrat and Chronicle newspaper. Durr correctly identified
"not deaf enough" as a sound bite provided to the media by Fernandes. A quote
from Durr's essay: "If Fernandes didn't have such a turbulent track record among
Gallaudet students and faculty, instead of protests we would see a celebration
for the first deaf female president. Instead, given the vocal opposition to
Fernandes before her selection was announced, some suspect that more qualified
deaf semifinalists had been eliminated." Durr also notes that now that it is
summer, the protest will wane. That is true - at least for active, in-person
participation. There is another way to participate that can be just as effective,
and that is the internet. Some people in the deaf community may blast me for
saying this, but for me, if the choice were to come down to between Fernandes
and a highly qualified hearing person with good sign language skills (say, an
adult child of deaf parents) who is very respected and liked in the deaf community,
I would say "Give me the hearing person for my president of Gallaudet." In other
words - what matters more to me than the ability to hear is character, qualifications,
and attitude - certainly not an attitude like "go ahead and take your child
out of our school if you're not happy."

Origins of "Not Deaf Enough"

I have been asked by some people to explain why I sarcastically called the
Gallaudet protestors those "not deaf enough" people in my blog posting, "Gallaudet
Protestors Seek Pro Bono Help." To answer the question, I went to DeafHotNews.Net
and Google News search, and looked for the "not deaf enough" theme that has
been repeated so much by the media. Note that it all started with Fernandes
herself. The results are below, in forward chronological order:

(For another point of view, check out Patricia Raswant's article, "What
Does Fernandes Imply When She Plays the “Not Deaf Enough” Card?")

"some wanted a "truly deaf" president" - Washington Post, May 3, 2006

"As protesters blocked every entrance to Gallaudet University yesterday, the target of their anger -- Jane K. Fernandes, the newly named president -- said she has no intention of withdrawing and believes she is caught in the middle of a cultural debate over what it means to be 'deaf enough.'"

- Washington Post, May 5, 2006

"In an interview Friday with The Associated Press, Fernandes said some of the
opposition to her selection may be due to disciplinary actions she's taken as
provost. But she said others have questioned whether she is "deaf enough" to
lead the school." WTOP News, May 5, 2006

"But Fernandes said she’s a victim of a deaf cultural war. 'I’m not the right
kind of deaf person,' she said. " Examiner.com, May 6, 2006

"All three finalists were deaf. Although Fernandes was born deaf, protesters
have claimed she isn't 'deaf enough.'" Democrat and Chronicle, May 6, 2006

"Fernandes says she is at the center of a cultural debate in the deaf community."
WTOP News, May 7, 2006

"Fernandes has said that the outcry is about something much bigger than just
her; it's about cultural conflicts, she said, with some people wanting the president
of Gallaudet to define the identity of the deaf community." Washington Post,
May 8, 2006

The newly chosen president of Gallaudet University, the nation's only liberal
arts college for the deaf, received a no-confidence vote from faculty Monday
in a dispute that she said comes down to whether she is 'deaf enough' for the
job." CNN, May 8, 2006 This story was repeated in multiple places May 8 and
May 9, including Fox News.

"This is the second wave of deaf identity politics. Identity politics about
who is deaf who can speak to deaf people." National Public Radio, May 8, 2006

"Q: What about this concern that you may not be “deaf enough?” A: I think
that’s probably at the heart of this matter. I think the other messages that
are being sent out are distractions. Some people think I’m not deaf enough.
There’s a kind of perfect deaf person." Examiner.com, May 8, 2006

"On this campus, where debates focus on whether there are enough college employees
who are deaf or whether sign language is emphasized enough over reading lips,
Fernandes says some do not consider her to be "deaf enough. " ABC News, May
10, 2006

"As one of Mrs. Fernandes' strongest supporters, Mr. Jordan has dubbed the
phrase "deaf enough" to describe why so many are opposed to his chosen successor."
Washington Times, May 11, 2006

"Early in the protest, one flier attacked Dr. Fernandes because "her mother
and brother are deaf" and use spoken language. Dr. Fernandes has dismissed this
as criticism that she was not "deaf enough." New York Times, May 13, 2006

"So what's the problem? "Now," Jordan said, "it's what kind of deaf person
is deaf enough?" Washington Post, May 15, 2006

But what could have remained a relatively minor protest turned into a heated
debate in the deaf world when Fernandes said she was opposed because she was
not "deaf enough." Arizona Republic, May 15, 2006

"But Gallaudet's retiring president, King Jordan, who supports Ms. Fernandes,
says the real reason many students and two-thirds of the faculty disapprove
of her is that -- even though she was born, and is still, profoundly deaf --
she is considered "not deaf enough." Voice of America, May 23, 2006

"Is new provost Jane K. Fernandes "deaf enough" to lead the university?" Fulton
Sun, May 23, 2006

Gally Protestors Seek Pro Bono Help

A new site, www.gallyprotest.org,
has been set up by supporters of the members of the deaf and hard of hearing
community who are upset by the way the new president of Gallaudet was selected.
On this website, there is a plea for pro bono legal help. Why would they seek
legal help? Why would those "not deaf enough" people (as the media has been
incorrectly painting the Gallaudet protestors) seek a lawyer willing to donate
his or her expertise? They are seeking help because it is NOT because Jane Fernandes
is "not deaf enough." Rather, it is because she became president through what
many believe was a flawed or even fixed in her favor, process. Consider these
well known facts:

• She was named provost by the president without consulting faculty. This alone was not a "mistake" as the president has been telling the media. (See
  Examiner.com, May 10, 2006) A college president most likely would be familiar with the process for naming a provost.
  


• When Fernandes received tenure, some people were upset because of when and how she received tenure (According to GallyProtest.org, she received it without having to go through the normal tenure review process). Curiously, when I searched News.Google.com, I found this cached quote: "Gallaudet spokeswoman Mercy Coogan said a procedural error occurred in the tenure process, an unintentional mistake in the dean's office, which was explained," that did NOT appear in the finished article that was published in the Washington Post article of May 12, 2006. That means it appeared in an earlier version then got edited out. [Update June 3, 2006: A commenter on this blog posting says that statement from gallyprotest.org is false and asks that I apologize. I have nothing to apologize for; I was merely reporting what I saw on the internet. The commenter provides facts to refute this statement; I find it interesting that the verifying document has only recently been found. It should have been found much earlier, before the tenure "fact" became established in the gallaudet protest community.]
  
• When Fernandes was a presidential candidate, the deck seemed stacked in her favor. One, she was given the most time to prepare her presentation. Two, she was the author of the points presented on.
  
• According to the protestors, another factor stacking the deck in her favor was the fact performance was not a criterion. If it had been a criterion, she may not have gotten the job. While she was provost, Gallaudet did so poorly that the Federal government gave the university a poor rating ("ineffective") in its PART report. (The PART report summary can be read online at expectmore.gov)
  

  A key detail from the PART Report summary: "For example, Gallaudet graduates who find employment commensurate with their education declined from 90% in 2001 to 69% in 2005." (Fernandes became provost in 2000). Many people have misinterpreted this statistic to mean that the quality of education had declined, when it is actually the percentages of graduates able to find jobs or go on to post-graduate education.
  

  I went into the detailed PART report at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/expectmore/detail.10003306.2005.html and found more explicit statistics in the Program Performance Measures category, reproduced in part below:
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Year	Target	Actual
  2001	77 -- 38	90 -- 38
  2002	78 -- 39	89 -- 49
  2003	79 -- 40	79 -- 40
  2004	80 -- 40	73 -- 38
  2005	81 -- 41	69 -- 35

  
  Explanation of table:
  
  • In 2001, the target was 77 percent of graduates would find jobs commensurate with education, and 38 percent would go on to advanced education. Actual result: 90 percent found jobs, and 38 percent went on to advanced education. Good result.
    
  • But in 2002, the decline began. Target was 78 percent find jobs, 39 percent continued education. Actual result: 89 percent found jobs, 49 percent continued education.
    
  • In 2003, the decline continued. Target was 79 percent find jobs, 40 percent continue education. Actual result: 79 percent found jobs, 40 percent continued education.
    
  • In 2004, the decline got even worse. Target was 80 percent find jobs, 40 percent continue education. Actual result: 73 percent found jobs, 38 percent continued education.
    
  • In 2005, the decline was really bad. Target was 81 percent find jobs, 41 percent continue education. Actual result: 69 percent found jobs, 35 percent continued education.
    

  Clearly something went wrong, and while it probably can not all be blamed on Fernandes, it did happen during her term as provost. From Fernandes' own resume, the provost is: "Responsible for the academic programs and academic support components of all units in the division of Academic Affairs."
  

• Fernandes was NOT the choice of the presidential selection committee. But the board of trustees selected her anyway, claiming they had "confidential information." I wonder what that confidential information was that made them feel justified in disregarding the results of polls and public opinion that made it clear that Fernandes was not wanted by many people, from students to faculty and staff.
  
• Fernandes has a history of upsetting people with her actions. I have already told my own story repeatedly. A few deaf bloggers such as Ridor and Sonny James have told their stories publicly. I have heard that there are many others but people are afraid to come forward, particularly if they work at, or have worked at, gallaudet. I have heard that when she was in charge of mssd and kdes before becoming provost, things went from bad to worse. I still remember one former teacher at mssd that I knew personally, who was driven from her job by the stress she had to deal with on a daily basis.
  

So, this is an open challenge to the media from me as the guide to deafness
and hard of hearing: stop focusing on the "not
deaf enough" thing and start paying attention to the protestors' side of things
and the FACTS. The protestors are representative of all of us in the deaf and
hoh community... Culturally deaf, mainstream background deaf, hearing people,
deaf people of color and caucasian, parents, faculty, students, and alumni.

Any Positive Stories
About Fernandes?

[I considered not reprinting this one, but am reprinting it in the spirit
of fairness, and to give readers of this blog a chance to refute the statements
below]

On May 3, 2005 I asked for positive stories about Jane Fernandes (As a guide
to deafness and hard of hearing for About.com, I am obligated to present BOTH
sides if possible, even if I am myself personally opposed). No one submitted
any positive stories, but after seeing a well-written positive statement on
the Gallynet-L list, I requested and received permission from Shirley Shultz
Myers to reprint her statement, below:

"To the current argument that Jane has not demonstrated leadership, I reply:

One grievance that has become part of the protest against Jane Fernandes is that the Gallaudet community has not listened to the voices of people of color and has not supported the BDSU. I ask you: Who was the first administrator to have given BDSU strong financial and moral support and contributed to building them up as a force to be heard by the SBG and other people on campus? Who paid for and attended their recent spring banquet? Who supported the Step Afrika performance? Jane Fernandes.

Who moved quickly to build a diversity plan to address the campus climate and produce the diversity and multiculturalism almost everyone professes to want? Who made it a priority of her time (although some wanted a slower response which would have meant a more delay in addressing this critical aspect of the campus climate)? Jane Fernandes.

Who began dialogue about audism and racism this year as part of her work on changing the campus climate? Who backed strongly the Safe Zone training after the murders in 2000? Jane Fernandes.

Who wrestled, behind the scenes, with the status quo in terms of financial versus academic cycles in an effort to have the business side serve academic needs, not the other way around and who succeeded? Jane Fernandes.

Who brought us through two murders that could have crippled Gallaudet?

Who brought us through 9/11 and instituted safety plans so well and so quickly that she advised federal agencies? Jane Fernandes

Who led the development of the first ever deaf aesthetics and deaf centric and visucentric concepts? Jane Fernandes.

Who understands the best practices and trends in higher education and can converse with established academic consultants on these topics? Who has supported seeds of change in teaching and learning and now is moving toward a comprehensive and specific plan of actions to realize best practices and current trends at Gallaudet? Jane Fernandes.

Who took the lead to get the Mellon Presidential Fellowship for faculty development and course development in interdisciplinary studies and for capstone support? Jane Fernandes.

Who directed the library after the Librarian vacated his job in order to gain a deeper understanding of the library and gather information for a new Librarian? As part of the information gathering, who set up a library review committee to do an extensive review to address information literacy and technology needs as well as to support our position as leader in Deaf related research? Who then handed the library over to Eileen Matthews for oversight while making plans for a second search after the first one failed through no fault of anyone at Gallaudet? Who hired a librarian from a diverse background with the expectation that the new librarian will work carefully to implement the ideas of the library review committee? Jane Fernandes

Who quintupled the Honors Program budget in order to build a stronger academic culture and higher standards when other administrators let it languish or even tried to cut an already tiny budget? Who has facilitated a budding respect for academic culture at Gallaudet by backing this program and paying for book authors to speak on campus? Who began and continues to seek to address rampant plagiarism and other issues of academic integrity issues? Who dismissed or supported the dismissal of top students for lack of academic integrity although it has meant attacks by arrogant, unrepentant student enemies? Jane Fernandes.

Who had enough integrity and cared enough about Gallaudet to reject the soft corruption of turning a blind eye to limited results and the easy popularity of cronyism. Who cut less successful programs across the campus even though it meant earning long term enemies? Jane Fernandes.

So.

No leadership? No heart for inclusive Deaf life and higher academic standards? No integrity? Maybe we cannot see what we have never experienced. Maybe we cannot understand what have no concept of. Maybe we have no humility about our individual lenses. Maybe Jane Fernandes believes in us more than we believe in ourselves. "

Should Board of Trustees
Member Know Sign?

I discussed the fact that Brenda Brueggermann, interim chair of the Board of Trustees, did not use sign language at the Gallaudet graduation ceremony (although she is deaf herself), with my mother. She disagreed with me on my opinion that a Board of Trustees member for Gallaudet University should know sign language. My mother said, "it is not necessary for people on a Board for Gallaudet to know sign language. For example, there is this senior citizens organization and there are no senior citizens on their management board."

What do you think? Do you agree with my mother that it is not necessary to
know sign language to be on the Gallaudet University Board of Trustees? I look
forward to "hearing" your opinions.

Hearing World's Reaction
to Gallaudet Events

Updated May 13

The hearing blog community has reacted to the events at Gallaudet, and so far, they are still not supportive:

• Rambles - "What the protesters don't seem to get is that the pool as they have defined it is a limited one," and "blinders of political correctness."
  



• Son of Clown Ops: laughing


• Rebuilding Space in the Urban Place - hard to take seriously. He did a follow-up blog posting as well, printing an e-mail from a deaf blogger. A quote from the e-mail: "it has nothing to do with her not being "deaf enough". about 70% of gallaudet's students didn't grow up in deaf schools."


• DCAbloob - "deafness purity test"


• Non Sum Dignus - "spoiled brats"
  

Unity for Gallaudet -
Just the Facts Please

Updated May 13

Before JKF Selection

April

At Time of JKF Selection

After JKF Selection

May 2 - May 8

May 9 to present

Here is a timeline constructed from the many sources on the internet. This document is a work in progress and will be updated as I continue gathering facts, culling them from various blogs and other sources. If any facts are wrong or missing please let me know.

Before JKF selection

Expectmore.gov reports that from 2001 to 2005 the percentage of gallaudet graduates finding jobs corresponding to their education fell from 90% in 2001 to 69% in 2005. People express concern about this on lists and blogs.

He is not the first deaf blogger or website commenter to say it, but in his blog, Joseph Rainmound (surdus.blogspot.com) wrote: "people themselves admit a Gallaudet education has problems and claim a resume with Gallaudet on it gets dumped in the trash." (Comment:I find that statement frightening as *I* am a Gallaudet graduate with two undergraduate degrees earned from Gallaudet. I certainly would like to see proof of this statement being true. I have experienced my share of layoffs and difficulty in the job search, but have no idea if the fact Gallaudet was on my resume made my past job searches harder. )

Television and digital media dept closed by Fernandes decision.

Polls at gallaudet show little support for Fernandes. Graduate student poll..65.9 percent opposed to Fernandes. Sbg undergraduate poll..81 percent opposed. Faculty poll..63 percent opposed.

Ridor reports an early poll in 2002 by the tower clock yearbook, asking who should not be the next president.

Oct to Nov 2005 - presidential search committee chosen. 17 people.

Nov 2005 - 4 search firms interviewed

Dec 2005 - Academic Search Consultation Service selected

Jan 2006 - ASCS visits campus and open forum held

Feb 2006 - Formal opening of application process

March 2006 - Rating form developed. End of March - Applications reviewed and pool narrowed.

Also in March. March 27 Ridor reported that the gallynet discussion list shut down temporarily to protest the censorship of one staff participant who was forbidden to participate..Lindsay Dunn.

April 2006 - Interviews. Mid april - finalists announced, campus presentations by finalists mid to late april. Presentations by Weiner, then Stern, then Fernandes. (Gally). Deaf blog community largely favors Stern.

People (including me) express opinions on blogs and gallynet l discussion list. Concerns expressed about diversity (no finalists of color), audism, deaf culture and asl centric vs reaching out more to oral deaf, etc. Community is very divided over the issues and what direction Gallaudet should take.

Some say Fernandes not deaf enough because she grew up oral learning sign in her early 20s. They want a culturally deaf president meaning someone who grew up with asl and who uses asl as a primary means of communication.

April 6 - Ridor reports that students were asking for the new president to be announced before the semester ended.

April 14 - I post my own bad experience with Fernandes from 11 years ago.

April 16 - Ridor reports that he is aware of problems that had happened at mssd and kendall under fernandes. Also problems at university level such as not allowing the yearbook tower clock to be distributed. He accuses the administration of fixing things. Also recalls a bad experience with JKF regarding a muslim student who spoke negatively about Americans. Ridor rejects Fernandes and endorses weiner and stern.

April 17 - Ridor reports that people in the Gally community were suspicious about the finalists. Also student rallies began that week. Weiner presented that day.

Just before announcement of selection of jfk (april 29) interim chair of board of trustees reports that semi finalists had included candidates of color. (Gally)

At time of jfk selection

May 1 - Fernandes selected. (I am upset at first.) Some students walk out of room. Fire alarms set off. Former student Ryan Commerson arrested and placed on PNG status. Reports that many are upset. Some people criticize student protest behavior as immature. Most anger focused on Fernandes. "Protest" lacks organization and leadership. Ridor reports international students threatened with arrest. Students begin to try to organize.

Ridor reports that Soukup could not vote due to conflict of interest that would have made him pro-Stern.

Late on May1 Ridor reports that sbg president beckman will get to talk to board next thursday.

After JKF selection

May 2 - Ridor reports faculty members becoming involved. Students block gate. More rallies.

Protestors continue. Tent city is born on campus. Organization and leadership established. Focus changes from JFK to the entire process and its fairness or lack thereof.

Initial student demands: reopen search and no reprisals.

Jordan will not back down. Fernandes stays as president. Ridor claims Jordan forced the board to vote for Fernandes.

May 2 - Ridor reports the focus has shifted to changing the system instead of forcing Fernandes out. More rallies. Online petition begins.

May 2 - Elisa's blog reports that the Presidential Search Committee had not recommended Fernandes, but the Board of Trustees selected Fernandes anyway. She also reports that the Professional Education Programs Unit had passed resolutions calling for Fernandes to resign and the search process to restart.

May 3 - Ridor prints study body government letter opposing Fernandes. Sbg letter demands Fernandes resign, search reopen, no reprisals. Elisa publishes similar letter from The Graduate Student Association, SBG, The Coalition of Organizations for Students of Color, and Gallaudet International Students.

Www.GallyFssa.org set up (already have www.notwithoutus.org). FSSA stands for Faculty, Staff, Students and Alumni. NAD issues statement. More rallies. Fernandes talks on washingtonpost.com answering preselected questions.

Ridor reports Fernandes given tenure summer 2004, upsetting some on faculty. Ridor reports jordan had a freudian slip on gallaudet tv (when announcing retirement?), calling fernandes president instead of provost.

May 3 - Elisa states that under fernandes, academic standards did not improve, math teachers had to pass failing students (by order of a dean. Elisa does not say if this dean was appointed by fernandes), and the english language institute (for foreign students) was struggling. I don't know if all that was fact or not but it is significant enough to include here.

Elisa reports that fernandes says she will improve her social skills. Also reports a faculty poll was 2/3 against fernandes. Finally she reports that fernandes had been appointed provost without faculty knowledge.

May 4 - Gates blocked. Trucks used to block. Guaa issues statement. Rallies continue.

May 4 - Elisa's blog reports math dept supports appointment of a different president

Elisa also reports Gallaudet PR dept issues statement claiming Jordan was never involved in search process, and that it is normal for a sitting president to interview finalists in order to provide feedback to the decision makers. (Comment by me: but if that sitting president favors one of the candidates is that fair?)

May 5 - Trucks ordered removed. March around campus. Open forum held at which a professor states she lost confidence in jordan.

May 5 - Elisa's blog publishes anonymous letter from kdes employee supporting protestors. Sonny James writes about his and Deb Skjeveland's own bad experience with Fernandes.

May 6 - Ridor reports staff not permitted to hold a poll. Also reports "many" staff supportive but fearful. Fernandes sets up a myspace.com site.

May 7 - Rallies continue.

More alumni becoming involved including at least two former dpn leaders. Rit/ntid students also involved. Video blogs and regular blogs all follow situation. Washington Post and a few other media carry reports. Democrat and Chronicle newspaper reports some faculty resigned. Theme emeges..."Unity for Gallaudet."

Fernandes had held daily open forums but stopped holding them. Mcconnell's blog says she stopped because the forums were just for "attacks" on her.

Fernandes message to media is that this is because she is "not deaf enough." Protestors say that is not the case, that it has to do with her performance history at Gallaudet and lack of diversity in the finalists. The overall message of the protestors is that the process of selecting a new president is "flawed."

May 8 - May 8 - Faculty Senate meets and votes. Vote result: 1) 96-49 against selection of Fernandes. 2) 85-58 vote to re-open search process. 3) 80-57 no confidence vote in BOT choice. 4) 77-68 vote on question: should Fernandes resign? 5) 97-46 vote on whether to accept Fernandes as president - meaning 97 voted no. Faculty is both deaf and hearing people. Mike McConnell stated that this was only 60 percent of total faculty. (Comment: why didn't the other 40 percent vote?)

May 8 - Board of Trustees releases letter stating they are "standing firm."

Chris and allison kaftan on deafdc.com wrote that they had difficulty getting their sick child off campus due to the blockade. They had also written that students had gone to JKF's private home, and later recanted this statement (it was not true).

Ridor and other deaf bloggers have mentioned that some Gallaudet faculty/staff have been threatened with the loss of their jobs if they do not support the choice of the new president. (Do not know if this is fact or fiction. So far, all indications are that it is fact).

On the other side, Fernandes supporter Jane Norman has accused the FSSA of "terrorizing" students, e.g. forcing them to sign a form. (Fact or fiction? I don't know).

There is now another organization (movement?), more pro-Fernandes, called GFA - the Gallaudet for All organization. I don't know yet if they have a website.

Deaf bloggers discuss the Jordan video gaffe where Jordan is caught on tape
referring to Fernandes as president instead of provost. McConnell insists in
his blog that there was another reason for the "freudian slip."

May 9

- The board of trustees is scheduled to meet May 11 (Thurs). Today, Celia Baldwin
resigned from the Board of Trustees. In her resignation letter, she cited stress,
strain, and "aggressive threats." (Her resignation was actually tendered earlier,
but became public knowledge May 9). Replacing Baldwin is Brenda Brueggemann
(http://people.cohums.ohio-state.edu/brueggemann1/). [Reaction to Baldwin: Ridor
writes that she can not sign. At the same time, her web profile indicates that
she is a coordinator of the American Sign Language program at Ohio State University.]
Also on May 9, protestors handed out fliers outside the National Press Club
in DC where Jordan was at a luncheon. Still on May 9, gallaudet university alumni
association issues statement supporting protestors.

May 10 - Heard and read in blogs that deaf high school students - the future students of Gallaudet - are protesting.

May 11 - Board of trustees meets. According to www.gallyfssa.org, the board of trustees has not backed down. Meanwhile, was able to explore more protest-related sites. Checked out Unity for DeafKids.com - a site by a parent of deaf kids attending Kendall. It is not just students who are protesting, it is parents too! In fact, I just learned that Tent City includes entire families, not just the students.

Interpreters blog Gallaudet. Amanita writes: "Regardless of why the protests are happening, the fact is that after all this she won’t be able to lead the university effectively."

May 12 - Gallaudet graduation day goes smoothly despite bomb threats (not by the FSSA). Gallaudet PR department announces that Fernandes is stepping down immediately as provost, to prepare for the transition to the presidency. In additon, a search for an interim provost, and a search for a permanent provost, are announced. Former Board chairs Phil Bravin and Glenn Anderson release a letter, which says in part: "In any event, we are leaning towards the position that this is not a deafness or a cultural issue, but is emerging as a leadership issue and more importantly, the ability to maintain leadership over time in the next weeks, months and years to come."

May 13 - Ridor announces the Tent City will close and move to the internet. Major newspapers report about Gallaudet. Elisa publishes results of a poll of Clerc Center teachers.

May 13 - Analyzed news articles and the www.gallyfssa.org site to make a short list of each side's talking points:

Fernandes' Talking Points (from published news articles)

• "not deaf enough" due to oral background, learning sign late


• "identity politics."


• "would like to see the institution become more inclusive of people who might not have grown up using sign language.." As deaf community changes due to use of cochlear implants and more mainstream education, "fight for the survival of Gallaudet University...absolutely essential that I stay" (source: New York Times, May 13)
  

  
  (Comment by me: This has always been true of Gallaudet and is nothing new. Gallaudet has always welcomed deaf students who did not grow up using sign language. I was one of them in the '80s.)
  
  

• as provost, had to make unpopular decisions


• "not an election"


• "process was fair."

FSSA's Talking Points (from FSSA website and news articles)

• flawed search process


• leadership lacking


• low campus morale


• Being deaf is not enough - president of Gallaudet must have personality

It is All About Communication

This is in response to Ridor's latest blog posting, "My Own Thoughts."

When the protestors at gallaudet complain about audism, they are not complaining about deaf versus Deaf or "not deaf enough." It is all about communication. How do I understand this, despite my own oral background? How do I understand why Ridor is so upset by "barking, yowling, and abandoning ASL?"

[Ridor complained that Brenda Brueggermann, interim chair of the Board of Trustees of Gallaudet, spoke during graduation exercises. He wrote: "She is deaf, and guess what she did? She barked and yowled. She used her voice, as the interim Chair of Gallaudet’s Board of Trustees, on the property of Gallaudet University, to address the audience."

I had to watch the video of Gallaudet Commencement at http://commencement.gallaudet.edu/video.asp (it may be gone by the time you try to view it) to see for myself why Ridor was upset. When she came on, I was stunned. She did talk without signing! I saw a few gestures...like "Congratulations." They even had to have a split-screen, showing an interpreter to the left!! This is from someone ON the Board of Trustees! It is like having someone who speaks only English address a Spanish-speaking audience!

addendum: Someone e-mailed me to say: She can sign, but not that well. She’s just more comfortable speaking.]

To find the answer, we need to get into a time machine and travel with me back...back to Fall 1983 when I was a student at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf/Rochester Institute of Technology. Until Fall 1983, I communicated primarily orally with what can honestly be called poor sign language skills.

In Fall 1983 I lived on the eighth floor of Sol Huemann Hall (SHH dorm). I met two girls whom I had much in common with. There was just one problem hindering our growing friendship. It was my oralism.

These girls, despite having excellent English skills, were totally ASL-dependent. To my surprise, they told me they could not read lips! If I wanted to be their friend I would absolutely have to improve my signing. With their pushing me, I turned my voice off for awhile to force myself to communicate solely in sign language. It worked. When I had improved enough they let me use my voice again.

Now we leave the past to jump back to the present. I am the parent of deaf kids who do not talk, by their own choice. My kids are totally ASL-dependent. I don't think they can read lips well, if at all. If I talk or yell without using sign language, they simply won't understand me!

That is why complaints about audism are all about communication. Not all deaf people can talk or read lips! It is not about big D deaf versus small d deaf. It is not about deaf culture. It is about communication.

My friends from long ago were just like me..the only difference was that they could not read lips. They were not culturally deaf, yet they were dependent on sign language.

Now me. As I lost more of my hearing as a young adult, I became more dependent on sign language. Reading lips was not enough! I found that I absolutely needed sign language in order to get all information being communicated to me. How would I feel if I were a college student again and the administrators talked or yelled at me without using sign language? I probably would be pretty upset, just like Ridor and others protesting.

It is not about small d. It is not about big D. It is not about who is "deaf enough." It is all about communication!!

Polarized Deaf Community

I thought the "cochlear implant controversy" was divisive for the deaf community, but that pales in comparison to what is going on now with the Gallaudet crisis. I can hardly keep up with things. I gave up writing frequent blogs about what was going on, and now I am just maintaining one very long ongoing blog report, "Just the Facts on Gallaudet Crisis, Please." Every time I update it, I change the time stamp so that it will be at the top of the page. For the record, I have stated previously that I accepted Jane as president, but at the same time I am not happy about it! I have felt very conflicted over this; as a mature adult I felt that I had no choice but to accept her appointment due to her qualifications, but the other side of me, the side that remembers what happened 11 years ago, does not want to accept it. My child paid a high price for her denial of a real teacher of the deaf at a critical time in my child's education - the price was having to repeat the entire first grade.

Jordan Video Gaffe

Bob watched the video for me at http://tv.gallaudet.edu/KingJordanannouncement/ and made this report. I'm currently out of town so I could not do it myself.

Ridor mentioned in his blog about the infamous "New President - Provost" comment. Yes, it's there around 23:15-23:30. That is, 23 minutes and 15 to 30 seconds into the video. He's seen saying;
"Jane Fernandes, JKF, is president (wide-eyed face oops) Provost at Gallaudet University..."
It took a few times to watch that particular clip to get everything. You need a fast line in order to do it right and be paying attention also.
Bob: I'm wondering if it was one of those normal foulups that people make when they're signing and sometimes sign the wrong thing. He could be getting a little mixed up with his signs the way he signs his stuff and talks.

Update: I finally saw it for myself. Jordan laughs a bit sheepishly when he realizes his mistake.

Ordering at Starbucks, No Sign

Jesse Thomas wrote in his blog that Jane Fernandes was at Starbucks ordering but used her voice without sign language and the deaf barista did not understand her. (Warning: the blog uses large letters and may be difficult to read).

Thomas viewed this as an example of Audism. As someone who grew up oral myself and who is still predominately oral even though I use sign language, I think I can guess what actually happened. We formerly pure oral deaf people grew up using our voices instead of our hands, so for us, using the voice is the most natural communication response instead of using the hands.

I work all day with hearing people who do not know sign language (one of my co-workers does know a little bit) and as a result I use my voice far more than I use my hands throughout the day. It is only at home, with my deaf boyfriend who also grew up oral, and deaf children, that I have the opportunity to really communicate in sign language. But even then I find that using my voice is the most natural means of communication for me. There have been several times that I have caught myself talking without signing to my boyfriend. My kids are native ASL users, so I never forget to sign with them although I do use my voice with them as well as sign.

One problem I had with growing up deaf and oral was that it was harder to form a sense of identity as a deaf person. When I was growing up, I felt like a hearing child/teenager trapped in a deaf person's body. After I found my deaf identity during the college years, that perspective changed to one of viewing deafness as just part of me and I no longer felt like a hearing person trapped in a deaf body.

Just Being Deaf is Not Enough

Still bewildered by what is going on at Gallaudet? I just finished reading Anthony Mowl's essay that explains it very clearly. Basically, his point is, when Jordan became president in '88, just being deaf was enough. Today, just being deaf is not enough. The president of Gallaudet needs to have "soft skills" as well as administrative skills.

At the same time, the Gallaudet website just added a page, "Myths and Facts About the Selection of Dr. Jane K. Fernandes as Ninth President of Gallaudet."

Gallaudet Announces New President

On May 1 Gallaudet announced the new president: Jane Fernandes. For more on the Gallaudet community's (mostly angry) reaction, go to RidorLive.com.

I still have misgivings about it because of what happened to me 11 years ago, but I now accept her presidency (after all, she has the qualifications). However, I will be watching closely to see if she makes any missteps, and to see if she really makes an effort to develop a relationship with Gallaudet students, alumni, faculty, and staff.

Update May 13 - After thinking about it and learning more about the situation, I no longer accept her presidency. What happened 11 years ago makes it impossible for me to accept it.

From April 2006:

Fernandes vs. Stern: Brief Facts

I've been asked to provide more facts. Here are mini-resumes for each of the
leading candidates (by deaf community opinion), along with links to more detailed
pages.

Fernandes

Personal Background

• Hereditary deafness in family
  
• Oral background, learned sign later
  

Educational Background

Not a Gallaudet graduate

• Comparative Literature Ph.D and M.A.
  
• French and Comparative Literature B.A.
  

Professional Background

• Gallaudet Provost 2000-Present
  
• Vice President, Clerc Center, 1995-2000
  

Link to Full Resume

Link to Letter
of Application

Stern

Personal Background

• Hereditary deafness in family
  
• Strong in ASL and English
  

Educational Background

Gallaudet graduate

• Educational leadership and organizational learning, Doctoral degree expected Dec. 2006


• Special Education M.A.


• Sociology B.A.

Professional Background

• New Mexico School for the Deaf Superintendent, 2000-present


• California School for the Deaf in Fremont, Director of Instruction

Link to Letter of Application

Link to Full Resume

Deaf Community Reacts to Jane Fernandes

Jane Fernandes has presented (and she was given more time than the other candidates to prepare - fair? I think not). I'm watching the deaf blog community for comments so that About readers can get a real feel for the reactions of the deaf community.

The blog postings are starting to pile up, so I have separated them into three
categories: 1) Positive 2) Negative 3) Mixed.

Positive

Adam Stone has a positive
blog posting on the DeafDC blog. A quote from Stone: "For someone who isn’t
President, Dr. Jane Fernandes sure sounded like one. The position suits her
well, and she looks like she would suit Gallaudet well, too." Another positive
posting was made by Howie
Kent in Howie Talks. Kent wrote that he has had nothing but good experiences
with Fernandes. Mike McConnell has been critical of students' behavior in multiple
postings on Kokonut Pundits.

Negative

TactileJunkie wrote: "dr.
jane fernandes is a human xanax." One of the commenters said she got a headache..
Only Xanga readers can respond, but she does have AIM so you can probably give
her your feedback that way.

From Ridor: "...the Q&A Session left many to wonder if she is the one for Gallaudet?"

A new website just set up, Trimmin' the Fern (title is self-explanatory), posts others' negative experiences.

Patricia Raswant's detailed description of the presentation. Although Raswant attempts to be neutral, the description is unflattering.

Mixed

Another blogger, Ben
in Wham-BAM had something negative to say about each candidate.

Students have set up their own website, NotWithoutUs.org
to provide more detail, including videos.

Deaf Community Reacts to Ron Stern

I was not able to attend Ron Stern's presentation at Gallaudet but Patricia
Raswant attended his presentation and wrote a detailed
description on the ASLCommunityJournal.com website. Another glowing
review of his presentation was done by Adam Stone on the DeafDC blog.

And from Ridor's blog:

"I have yet to receive one negative comment about Ron Stern’s Open Forum Presentation.
Even GallyPresWatch.com’s Ron Stern category exploded with lots of raves with
comments."

If all that is not enough, read 24 (at the time of updating this posting)
pages of comments on Stern at GallyPresWatch.com.

For further proof that the presidential selection has meaning and significance for the deaf community outside of Gallaudet, as well as more statements in favor of Stern, watch Joey Baer's video blog program. It is excellent.

She Doesn't Care

(Originally published on About.com in October 2006. Now deleted from About.com)

If it were not for my one and only experience with Fernandes years ago, I would possibly be a Fernandes supporter.

In spring 1995, my child was a first grade student at Kendall at Gallaudet. The teacher became sick. A series of substitute teachers were brought in, none of which were qualified to teach deaf students. We parents were not happy but hoped things would get better in the Fall. The first day of the Fall, second grade, the assigned teacher did not show up. That teacher continued to call in sick, and again a series of substitute teachers, none qualified to teach deaf students, was brought in. By November we parents were fed up. Our children had learned next to nothing the previous Spring and again in the Fall.

We met with the principal, Nancy Rarus [Yes, this is Tim Rarus' mother]. Ms. Rarus told us we had to meet with Jane Fernandes, who was at the time in charge of all of pre-college programs at Gallaudet. One couple made an appointment with Fernandes, and offered to share their appointment with the rest of us.

On appointment day, we all showed up and Fernandes demanded everyone leave except the couple who made the appointment. By then, I was angry- knowing my son was learning nothing - and refused to leave! Our demands were to either get a real teacher of the deaf for the class, OR merge the students from the class with another class that had a real teacher of the deaf.

Fernandes and I began having a shouting match, and she yelled at me, "If you're not happy/do not like it, you're welcome to take your [child] out of Kendall and go back to [the] county!" I was stunned...and left thinking, "she doesn't care! she doesn't care!" She could have offered to help, she could have offered a real teacher or offered to move our kids to another class, but she demonstrated that she did not care!!

We had no choice. We took our child out of Kendall and went back to the county. One by one, three other students from the class followed us. The last parent to transfer back to the county was very reluctant to do it as she was a Gallaudet employee. But even she had to conclude that her child's education was more important than her loyalty to Gallaudet as an employee. All four kids paid a high price - having to repeat the entire first grade, and it took years to catch up.

***

I know that I am not alone in having had this kind of experience when Fernandes was in charge of pre-college programs. I had known a teacher at MSSD who had experienced terrible working conditions, for example. I am interested in hearing from others who were parents or teachers in pre-college back then. I have a hard time accepting that someone who clearly demonstrated such a lack of caring back then, is now the new president of Gallaudet University.

Jamie

Gallaudet University Class of 1987

My son, now an adult, still remembers that time. It was a bad experience for him as at least one substitute teacher had treated the children badly. But most importantly, he remembers the fact he had learned nothing.

(Update October 18, 2006: After I told this story at last Saturday's 6:00 pm rally at Gallaudet, someone said, "she still doesn't care!")

Is Fernandes Racist?

(Originally published on Deafness.about.com in June 2006. Now deleted from About.com)

From the Washington Examiner, May 8, 2006 interview with Jane Fernandes:

Q: What about the 75 students who went over to the Maryland School for the Deaf from the Gallaudet pre-college program while you were in charge?

A: There was a “white flight.” And at that time, there was a program [here] called the Special Opportunities Program. And of the 50 students were in the program, 49 were African-American. And that was a program that did not have very high academic standards, that didn’t have high expectation for the students. So I restructured the schools so those students would be integrated with deaf white students. And parents who didn’t want to work with that made a decision to move to other schools. And that’s their right to do that. And I hope they’re getting a good education.

****

What do you think of this statement? Was Fernandes just telling the facts or was she playing the race card? Were the parents who fled to Maryland School for the Deaf being racist, or did they have more legitimate reasons for fleeing?

I do know one thing: Fernandes was not telling the FULL truth. The Special Opportunities Program was a program for deaf students with special needs. To prove it, I went into the Internet Archive and pulled up a 1996 web page about Kendall Demonstration Elementary School. This web page stated:

"Special Opportunities Program (6 to 15 years)

Comprehensive program including academic readiness, functional academics, independent living skills, and employment education for deaf students with special needs."

...so, it was not just a program that had low expectations for the students, it was a program for students with special needs in addition to being deaf!

(Added October 2006) I also know something else: When my child was a KDES student in 1995, prior to the closing of this program, the classes at KDES were quite integrated. If white flight were the reason for parents pulling their children from KDES at that time, then why didn't more parents leave as there were many black children in the regular classes too? In addition, there were black teachers at KDES; my child's first grade teacher was African American.

[In June 2006] I was chatting with a group of deaf people and one person there told me that he had heard the following story, which I do not know if it is true or not:

When parents complained to Fernandes about the above, Fernandes reportedly said "deaf people always complain" but these were mostly hearing parents complaining. Fernandes also reportedly told the parents that if they were not happy, they could just leave the school.

Again, I do not know if this story is true or not. It was told to me by someone who had heard it through the deaf grapevine. However, her attitude in the story is remarkably similar to the attitude she had when I dealt with her regarding the lack of a qualified teacher of the deaf for my own child's class.

I keep hearing that there are people out there who could verify stories like these, but they are afraid to come forward. What is there to be afraid of? The very fact that people are afraid is a strong indicator of why Fernandes is not the right person to be president of Gallaudet University. A college president should be someone respected and looked up to, someone people have no fear of.

Are people afraid that Fernandes will retaliate against them or their deaf children? If she does, it will just create an embarrassing black mark on her record. Now that she has been made the president of Gallaudet University through a flawed, fixed process, her EVERY ACTION is going to be under a microscope.

When I was in college, my friends would say to me, "Only you, Jamie, only you would do that!" Well, now I am going to do something else...I am going to get on a virtual platform, flash a virtual light, and urge that those of you who have proof of Fernandes' past negative behaviors come forward with your proof. There is nothing to be afraid of - it is Fernandes who should be afraid, particularly if more people like myself who have had actual experiences with her come forward.

[Update October 2006]
The deaf blog community has commented also, although it got relatively little notice:

1. On October 13, 2006, the FSSA published an anonymous letter from a parent that expressed similar concerns.
2. On May 8, 2006, deaf blogger Joseph Rainmound wrote that there was no white flight and explains the effect that the closing of the SOP program had, which may have been the real reason for parents leaving.
   

In addition, the effect that the closing of the SOP program had on her child, was described in a letter on news.gufssa.com by Patty Snyder.

(These comments were posted in response to the original posting):

Elizabeth:
I totally agree. There are many people with direct negative experiences with Fernandes who are afraid to speak out. It is really unfortunate that they do not realize being possessors of truth, they have a lot of power. This is the time to speak out, not the time to hide. People being terrified to speak out openly is a sign of a ruthless and oppressive leader, an excellent indicator of poor leadership.

Vladimir Petrovic:
There are too many stories about Fernandes’ vindictive nature and unfitness to be President of Gallaudet to mention. But I think we shouldn’t lose sight of the central theme, which is that the process was rigged at birth. This was superbly distilled in Patti Durr’s essay at http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060530/OPINION02/605300310/1039/OPINION

mconnell:
Well, too many unsubstantiated stories. That’s the problem.

ananke:
A “Special Opportunities” Program featuring “independant living skills”? hello - these are code words for a special education program for kids not expected to handle real academics. There is nothing wrong with teaching vo-tech or life skills (believe me, when I reached my twenties I could have used more of these myself). However, by your own account this was a 98% black program ! That sets off all kinds of alarm bells for anyone familiar with the history of school segregation and bigotry in this country. Any objective person looking at this would see de facto segregation in this program and Jane Fernandes as doing the morally courageous thing to dismantle it.

Or it that you are saying that there was nothing wrong with that status quo? That you just know that all those black students simply weren’t capable of college prep work? To me, that is morally equivalent to the position of Larry Summers, the ex-president of Harvard, when he said that the fact that women are drastically under represented in the sciences was due to the fact that they are inherently less capable to do science than men are. Unless you really are a racist - and I don’t think you necessarily are - please notice that your argument about the “Special Opportunites program” defeats itself. When you think this story through and do the math, Jane Fernandes comes out on the right side of history on this, and though I am quite sure many feathers were ruffled at the time and there was upset at the school, it still was the right thing to do.

Many people used to be against school desegregation in the past too and were upset that the courts forcibly ended it. Unpopular decisions may not be a sign of bad leadership at all - when the decision is to end discrimination, an unpopular decision can simply be a sign of moral courage and real leadership.

Watch Out! It is the Coming of a New Deaf Order!

So what is the latest bull Fernandes is feeding the media? She is now talking about the creation of a new deaf order. Quoted from her interview in the Washington Post: "for example, more and more deaf babies now are getting cochlear implants, so that means more deaf children are hearing better and speaking better...that's the change that I represent, and it's scary for a lot of deaf people....It will influence our language. But in turn we will influence them, and we will create a new order of deaf people."

So the coming of the cochlear implant generation means that deaf people are afraid? Afraid of what? We now know that a cochlear implant is like a hearing aid. More culturally deaf people are opting to get one. Furthermore, I belong to two parenting lists for parents with deaf and hard of hearing children, and have observed that: 1. Yes, most parents are getting their deaf babies implanted 2. These parents are behaving like the parents of previous generations of deaf and hard of hearing children - some opt to raise their children auditory-verbal/oral only, some opt for both sign language and oral communication. Both oral and bilingual/total communication schools for the deaf today are filling with children who have cochlear implants. Therefore, when they are college-age, today's deaf babies will be similar to previous generations of orally-raised deaf children, and similar to previous generations of deaf children who have grown up with both sign language and speech.

Classes at Gallaudet are taught in sign and voice. Fernandes has not been very clear about what she envisions for Gallaudet. What exactly does she mean by including "different kinds of deaf people?" Does she envision them teaching only in voice with the help of interpreters, for instance? What would be the impact on the ease of communication for deaf students who rely on sign language, having to take classes together with oral-only communicating deaf students? Or would all classes at Gallaudet continue to be taught with both sign language and voice, meaning things would not change at all?

Find a more believable excuse to tell the media, Fernandes. This "creation of a new deaf order" excuse for your becoming president does not wash. Oral deaf students have been coming to Gallaudet and NTID for GENERATIONS. The important thing is for Gallaudet to stay focused on ASL in order to ensure that deaf culture survives.

Not Just Kids Protesting

Another point that Jordan and Fernandes and their backers keep making in the media is that this is a "student" protest. That it is just kids. But the faculty is also protesting.

That's faculty, as in mature men and women, both hearing and deaf. Fernandes will be their boss (actually she already WAS their boss as provost) and they have a right to protest their future boss.

The faculty has already spoken out twice, first last spring with a no-confidence vote, and again last night when they voted to support a proposal for Fernandes' resignation. Like the students, they feel that they are not being listened to.

They are the ones who have to teach the students. They should be listened to.

No One Else with the Qualifications?

One of the arguments Jordan is making to the media is Fernandes is qualified, get over it, she was the best candidate! But Fernandes had an advantage in that as provost, she was one of the few deaf people in the world with experience in running a university. Gallaudet has had a deaf president only since 1988, so there is not yet a pool of qualified past provosts to choose from.

Should not qualifications to be president of Gallaudet University include personal character? The ability to get along with the people you are representing should count for something. Ronald Stern was wanted by many in the community, but rejected by the board in part because he lacked a doctoral degree. Ironically, in just a matter of weeks, Stern will have his doctorate!

One of the most positive things I have to say about King Jordan is that under his leadership, Gallaudet was able to attract many more donor dollars. I remember reading that he had built up Gallaudet's endowment greatly. Would Jordan have been able to achieve this without having a likeable personality?

If the pool of deaf candidates with qualifications in education is that limited, why not broaden the search to deaf candidates outside of education? What about one of the many deaf people who have been successful in business? Running a university is not unlike running a business! For example, a business needs customers, and a university needs students. Both have budgets to manage.

Stubbornness and Refusing to Accept Reality

Fernandes has consistently said she refuses to quit. I feel, based on my own experience with her, that she does not deserve to be president of Gallaudet! It may have been long ago when it happened, but I feel that anyone who refuses to provide a deaf child with a real teacher of the deaf when the parents are pleading for one, does not deserve to be president of Gallaudet! I will tell my story to anyone who will listen, and if the media wanted to video me telling my story, I will gladly appear on camera.

I did go to Gallaudet last Saturday night to tell my story in person at the 6:00 pm alumni rally. Someone there was filming the rally so there is footage somewhere of me telling my story. When I finished telling the story there was a lot of applause, and I thought a few people looked stunned.

Remember the old adage, in numbers there is strength? Fernandes seems to have forgotten another adage - no government can survive without the support of the people! She has her supporters, yes, and if not for what happened long ago I might support her myself as we have some things in common! But, what she did long ago made an enemy of me when I could have been a supporter. From what I have seen and heard, this woman has made plenty of enemies! Are there enough hurt enemies out there to bring her down?

I know of one hurt person in particular, but I can not use this person's name publicly. This person is a former teacher at MSSD who left MSSD in part due to the stress caused by Fernandes' management policies. The letter on GUFSSA's website from Clerc staff described the same things that that former teacher told me long ago.

Washington Post Reporting Biased?

Is the Washington Post biased in favor of Jane Fernandes? It most certainly is, at least in the editorials. Every editorial in the post about the Gallaudet protest so far, has been in support of Fernandes.

But the Post's reporting also seems biased overall in favor of Fernandes despite efforts to seem balanced. Often in Post articles, when student/protestor concerns are mentioned, it does not appear until the end or near the end of the article.

"Gallaudet Faculty Opposes Incoming College President" (Washington Post, October 17, 2006).

- rather than address the protestors' issues, Jordan/Fernandes consistently feed the media alternative explanations. In this article, Jordan points to "new higher academic standards" being opposed. Actually, most blog comments I have seen in the deaf community support that as a way to improve Gallaudet's performance (remember Gallaudet failed the PART report?)

- it does mention the polls from the previous spring that found Fernandes unacceptable. Not many media articles have mentioned this.

- brief mention, but no detail, as to how academics had suffered under Fernandes as provost

- Jordan says Fernandes will help expand deaf culture to include all the deaf, an allusion to oral deaf people and deaf people with cochlear implants. Has he conveniently forgotten that Gallaudet (and its sister college, NTID) have always welcomed deaf people who did not have a culturally deaf background? I myself started out as an oral student who gradually became part of the deaf community.

It is OUR Gallaudet, Not YOUR Gallaudet

On my way from home, one of my cyberfriends told me that King Jordan had cancelled homecoming. What?!! Now that is going too far.

What is Jordan afraid of? The huge numbers of alumni gathering to protest the selection of Fernandes? He must be afraid of something or he would not have cancelled homecoming.

This is only going to anger alumni further. It is punishing everyone for the behavior of the few. Jordan seems to have forgotten that it is not HIS Gallaudet, it is OUR Gallaudet.

Gallaudet University belongs to everyone in the deaf community, even those who have never attended or seen Gallaudet. People in the deaf community hear about Gallaudet, read about Gallaudet, and see Gallaudet in the news and in deaf history books. Gallaudet is deeply ingrained in the deaf community's heritage, having been around since 1864.

Gallaudet Protest Blog Postings

I have previously blogged at About.com on the Gallaudet protest. I have a personal reason for not wanting Jane Fernandes to be the next president of Gallaudet. In 1995, she denied my child a real teacher of the deaf and told me to leave the Kendall Demonstration Elementary School if I was not happy. Details are in the blog postings.

Here they are, in forward chronological order.

Deaf Community Reacts to Ron Stern (April 2006)
Deaf Community Reacts to Jane Fernandes (April 2006)
Fernandes vs. Stern: The Brief Facts (April 2006)
Gallaudet Announces New President (May 2006)
Just Being Deaf is Not Enough (May 2006)
Another Gally Protest-related site (May 2006)
Ordering at Starbucks, No Sign (May 2006)
Jordan Video Gaffe (May 2006)
Polarized Deaf Community (May 2006)
It is All About Communication (May 2006)
Unity for Gallaudet - Just the Facts, Please (May 2006)
Hearing World's Reaction to Gallaudet Events (May 2006)
Whaddayamean not deaf enough? (May 2006)
Any positive stories about Fernandes? (May 2006)
Gallaudet protestors seek pro bono help (May 2006)
Origins of Not Deaf Enough (May 2006) - the media has made a big deal out of the "not deaf enough" remark. But it was not the protestors who started it..
Patti Durr on Gallaudet in Democrat & Chronicle (May 2006)
Playing the Race Card Too? (June 2006) - Fernandes
attempted to blame "white flight" as the reason parents took their children out
of Kendall School in the 1990s.
Ridor in the Washington Post, and a Letter Too (June 2006)
Row, Row the Boat Right...or Else (July 2006)
What's Wrong with Just Saying Deaf? (August 2006) - criticizes brochure from Board of Trustees introducing Fernandes
FSSA Publishes Booklet (September 2006)
Gallaudet Protest, Round 2? (September 2006)
Return of Tent City - Right Concept, Wrong Tactics? (October 2006)
How Far will Gallaudet Administration Go? (October 2006) - Student Body Government threatened
What's in a Name? (October 2006) - the naming of Linda Jordan Art Gallery
Ongoing Gallaudet Situation (October 2006)
Discuss Gallaudet Protest (October 2006) - Forum thread on Gallaudet protest
Symbols and Identification (October 2006) - Trying to figure out what there is in the protest to identify with
She Doesn't Care (October 2006) - Repeats story of personal bad experience with Fernandes.
True Leadership
135 Protestors Arrested at Gallaudet University - factual, no opinion expressed

In addition, just prior to setting up this blog, I had a guest blog posting at Deafread.com, "Defining Unity for Gallaudet."

Introduction to This Blog

Many of you know me already as the guide to Deafness and Hard of Hearing at About.com. I have started this blog to express the opinions I have that are not appropriate for posting at About.com. Several people have urged me to set up my own blog for this purpose, so here I am.

About me: My name is Jamie Berke. I am a Gallaudet University graduate, Class of 1987.