May 5

Why I’m Protesting

My younger brother celebrated his first birthday at a campus protest. It was 1988, and my Mom, a Gallaudet University graduate, had been following the growing student movement to demand a deaf president at her alma mater. She couldn’t stand being 400 miles away, in Rochester, N.Y. So never mind that my youngest brother was still nursing. She took him with her, and joined the Deaf President Now movement.

I’m not sure when I first learned of the movement. But I can’t remember not knowing I. King Jordan — the president whose appointment was the result of that movement — as a symbol of what was possible for me. My mother told me stories, and I grew up with Gallaudet. There was no other university for me. I’m the fourth generation in my family to be born deaf, and the third to attend Gallaudet.

I’m a senior so I should have been spending this week celebrating (when not studying for my last round of finals). Instead I’ve been protesting, with hundreds of my fellow students, over the appointment of Jordan’s successor. It’s difficult to explain to the outside world just what we’re doing, and granted it’s difficult to understand. After all, the trustees picked a deaf woman, who has spent much of her career at Gallaudet. What’s all the fuss about?

To best understand what’s happening now, you need to know that the Gallaudet I grew up with is not the Gallaudet I am graduating from. Whereas going to Gallaudet and demanding a deaf president were once part of simply affirming our pride in ourselves and our right to basic human needs, students want more today. In fact, some deaf students don’t even want to attend Gallaudet or the deaf high schools most of us attended because a range of opportunities are now available elsewhere. Many of those opportunities exist because of civil rights laws for people with disabilities — laws the Deaf President Now movement had a hand in getting enacted.

But that doesn’t mean Gallaudet’s historic role isn’t part of why people care so much.
The university matters to the millions of deaf people around the world who have never visited it, who can only dream of enrolling in what is widely considered the “Deaf Mecca.” That’s no surprise when you consider that more than 80 percent of all deaf people in the world who have college degrees earned them at Gallaudet. Because of the hereditary link to some forms of deafness, many deaf people are like me, from deaf families, allowing us to share a passion that comes when so many of those you are closest to grew up with the same experience.

Jordan isn’t just a college president, but is a spokesman for deaf men and women around the world. The board that needed to be pressured into promoting him never assigned him that role, but it came about naturally because of the Deaf President Now movement. When he announced his retirement after 18 years, word shot around the globe in minutes. Everybody wanted a say in who is going to replace King, the man who lived up to his name.

There’s no doubt that with the departure of Jordan, Gallaudet will assume a new direction. In the 18 years since Deaf President Now, we’ve shown the world that deaf people are in fact capable of doing anything except hearing. That’s the Catch-22. DPN made it possible for deaf students to go to any college in the United States and be successful. Gallaudet has stayed symbolic, inspiring those who go to Princeton, but not always attracting those same students. We have always been the best deaf university in the world, because competition is so thin. But we’re not satisfied with that. We want the best and brightest students, the ones who now have educational opportunities that were never available before. And that’s why we need a president with all the right qualities, not just someone who shares our deafness.

When the board selected Jordan in 1988, students were thrilled that a deaf educator got the job. But the reality is that they didn’t know what kind of president he’d become. My mother took his psychology class in 1973, and could never fathom him becoming president some day. Fortunately, Jordan did just the kinds of things that presidents are expected to do (and that people previously assumed deaf people couldn’t do): He raised money, he oversaw huge endowment growth, he presided over the planning of new facilities, he dealt with campus controversies — making both popular and unpopular decisions. In the end though, he was as good as advertised. Jordan’s tenure as president will always be marked by the history made with his appointment, but it also is marked by normalcy – by Jordan doing what presidents do.

And that’s what people are missing about the protests this week. They aren’t about us reliving Deaf President Now, trying to get our 15 minutes. The protests are about concerns we have that are just like those of other students at other campuses. On many campuses these days, students feel disconnected from trustees and from decision-making, and that — in the end — is what’s going on here. Jane Fernandes, whom the board selected as president, has served as provost for the last six years. There are no doubt better candidates for the position in our eyes. But what truly is upsetting is that students weren’t listened to at all. We were stunned by the decision — and started the protests — because an extensive system had been set up to seek our views, and we provided them. Then we were ignored. Sadly, the trustees’ willingness to only pay lip service to student opinions is not at all unique to our university.

Part of what is unique to Gallaudet is the role of its president well beyond its campus. When Lawrence Summers said some foolish things about women, he didn’t bring down the reputation of all colleges and universities. People said Harvard had a bad president, they didn’t stop paying attention to academe. One of the reasons we are concerned about Fernandes (who is not a bad person) is that she’s an administrator, not a leader. We don’t have the luxury of just going with someone who knows how to balance a budget — we need more. We need someone who — like Jordan — knows everyone on campus and their families, and who can be eloquent with the media, politicians, and philanthropists. Someone who can navigate the tough issues we face – of how to attract students and define our institution’s mission in an ever changing world. In an era when people talk about “cures” for deafness, when deaf students can demand sign interpreters to go to any institution, when technology has created huge new opportunities for the deaf, Gallaudet is at a turning point.

And here too, what we want now is different from what Deaf President Now was pushing for. After 1988, we told ourselves that Gallaudet would never again see a hearing president, and only now are we able to affirm that sentiment. But with the advances of the last 18 years, deafness alone isn’t enough. We want the same kind of “good fit” that all colleges need in a president. And to say that we should be happy to have a deaf president is insulting. If Harvard makes a bad choice for president and students protest, you won’t see people saying, “Well they should just be happy that the president can hear.” Actually I’d like to see our provost considered for a presidency elsewhere, where her particular skill set would be a better fit. And I’d be proud of her for achieving such a high post in a hearing world.

Those still trying to make sense of our protests should understand that what is happening is part of a broader social movement. Gallaudet is a microcosm of colleges everywhere, where students are growing increasingly tired of being ignored. (Just witness students forcing change at the University of Miami over how their janitors are treated or at many institutions over investment in Sudan.) Keep in mind that this isn’t just Gallaudet. But the source of our passion?

It is Gallaudet.

Anthony Mowl graduates from Gallaudet University this month with a degree in English. He is the former editor in chief of The Buff and Blue, the student paper.

Comments

Interesting...

I would like to thank Anthony for his comments and offer an experience that we had in 1999/2000.

At that time we were developing and presenting our new online Internet-based college-level courses (not yet “programs") offered to working adults. At the same time recognizing the apparent value such accredited course work to students with abilities that were different that the hearing students, we worked closely with the local and state agencies as a resource and other privately-funded organizations to begin to develop the offerings to the deaf community as well as expanding offerings to other potential working adults with abilites different than ours.

Despite our extensive efforts, we never received even the symbolic response from the community because of their desire to exclude us from their efforts. Needless to say we abandoned our efforts and concentrated our response to those who recognized the impact of the new (at that time) technological breakthroughs.

I, for one, learned a hard lesson from that group. Despite our extensive efforts over a period of 8-9 months, they simply didn’t want us in that (their?) world. To this day, I am disheartened by the experience.

Thank you, Anthony, as a member of the millenial generation, for offering a glimmer of hope that this idea is changing.

I hold out a lot of hope for this generation that they will be seeking out the positive values and structures of personal resonsibility abandoned by their boomer and gen-xer parents that will enable this nation to seek the higher moral and ethical, as well as spiritual, world that will help this nation to continue to grow and prosper as they assume their leadership role in this new global society.

Edward Winslow, A reitred Business Professor, at 7:10 am EDT on May 5, 2006

Thanks Anthony!

You explained it beautifully. I sure do hope people out there, Deaf or hearing, read it and UNDERSTAND! Thanks!

Delanne Woodall, at 12:55 pm EDT on May 5, 2006

Disagreement from hmmm scholar

It is great courage for Mr. Mowl to write such a passionate article. From my logical, Deaf perspective, Gallaudet University is an academic institution, not a Deaf Club for Deaf Parents, Deaf born Families only. Gallaudet is place for all different types of communication modes that all deaf people use through their lifetime. These who, beyond their control, raised by hearing parents may choice to use sign language or other communication mode STILL HAVE THE SAME PASSIONATE as Mr. Mowl. The prospective students from mainstreamed school have the same passionate to enroll Gallaudet to increase self-awareness and develop social skills among diverse peers. Sadly, many students from Deaf Family tend to be not saying “hi” or do not have nice eye gaze to others when interacting on campus, the others may be from mainstreamed or raised in hearing family who may know or not know sign language. That is why Dr. Jane Fernades have well diversed experience when she grew up and know the frustration and attitudes firsthand and saw that Gallaudet University is an opportunity for her to make an truly inclusive University for ALL Deaf and deaf people from regardless family and communication backgrounds. Inside each students heart, ALL ARE SAME PASSIONATE! Therefore, it does not look approprate for Faculty joining the protest when Faculty knew the students have to study and to take the final exams this week. Also, it is professional unethical for Faculty, especially the one who work in DEAf Studies Department to mingle on their payroll time as well as they are the expertise of ASL Studies which means the Professors are expected to observe, but not to distrub the NATURAL process of social movement or whatever they wish with mixed messages daily.

WE THE DEAF PEOPLE IN AMERICA HAVE THE SAME PASSIONATE AS YOU ENROLLING GALLAUDET UNIVERISTY, REGARDLESS THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF COMMUNCIATION MODE BACKGROUND OR FAMILY HISTORY BACKGROUND. ALL ARE THIRSTY FOR TRULY SELF AWARENESS AND GROWTH WHILE LEARNING.

Well, at 2:50 pm EDT on May 5, 2006

I have been following this issue with interest and I would like to make a few comments.

I was a student at Gallaudet some years ago and never graduated. Why? Because I am not ‘culturally Deaf’ and was made to feel very unwelcome by many students there. People would come up to me and tell me to stop voicing (even though I was also signing) telling me ‘this is a DEAF unversity’ and you should not be talking. I was far less marginalized at a hearing college where I graduated with honors. Students at in the hearing world were more able to accept my difference. What does that say about the Gallaudet climate?

I felt maginalized and villified because I had a different way of communicating. I felt like I was tricked by Gallaudet by being assured that I would be welcomed as a hard-of-hearing person when I was not. Gallaudet was happy to take my tuition money but not happy to really make me feel welcome at all. If Gallaudet mission is to provide a university education for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, both those groups should be equally welcomed.Maybe there are those of us who should be complaining to the Congress about Gallaudet getting money to discriminate.

What kind of a message are you making to people like me when I read that you do not think Fernandes is ‘deaf enough’ and all of these comments about her mother and oralism it just plain silly. My mother has some beliefs that I do not accept- I am a different person and so is Dr. Fernandes from her mother. Change is coming to the world and will come to Gallaudet too. Change is a part of your life. Technology offers more Deaf people opportunities and more young Deaf kids are getting cochlear implants. Are you going to reject them? If you make Gallaudet a place for only those that meet your culturally Deaf standards, I wonder how long Congress will be willing to fund the university. Would they be willing to throw dollars at a place here students who do not meet some standard of Deafness? There is a kind of reverse discrimination that takes place there. This was not just my experience either, many other hard-of-hearing students felt the same. Why should you be able to discriminate against those who are differently deaf?

It also seems to me that the protesters think that being listened to means that the board has to agree with you (as quoted)

“But what truly is upsetting is that students weren’t listened to at all. We were stunned by the decision — and started the protests — because an extensive system had been set up to seek our views, and we provided them. Then we were ignored. Sadly, the trustees’ willingness to only pay lip service to student opinions is not at all unique to our university.”

Listening does not mean agreeing. I listen to others and consider their opinions but that does not mean I have to accept them as my own. It is very arrogant to think that they have to follow what you want and not what they think is the best for the future of Gallaudet.

I would hope that someday I could send my daughter (who is also hard-of-hearing) to an inclusive Gallaudet. Maybe someone who knows and understands all aspects of being Deaf is the very person Gallaudet needs to bring it into the future. She can represent all the aspects and ways of being Deaf, and deaf, and hard-of-hearing and yes, even hearing.

All of the stuff about the concern for diversity expressed by the protesters makes me laugh because there are too many in the Deaf community that do not accept the diversity in their own community. Maybe the protesters should check their own prejudices before they start pointing fingers at others.

I also think it is very bad to see some of the horrible things that people have said about Dr. Fernandes. To attack people is not a protest worthy of the name, especially when she is not some green-horned monster. It seems to me that she has made some efforts to talk to students (I can see from the pics in the Blogs) so maybe it is the protesters who are not willing to listen.

I do understand your pride in Gallaudet but unless you want the university disappear, you should consider the message you are sending.

Erin, at 6:25 pm EDT on May 5, 2006

That is a well written posting by Anthony Mowl but I need to point out that some of his comments are subject to dispute.

First, he said that the problem is that the students were not heard. In actuality the Board DID hear them, it just did not agree with what they had to say.

Second he says “more than 80 percent of all deaf people in the world who have college degrees earned them at Gallaudet.” That is pretty far fetched and I certainly would be interested in where statistics like this would come from. Even claiming the majority of degrees granted in the United States (which is probably true) is far from 80% in this single country alone. This is forgiveable given our American sense of superiority to other countries leads us to believe that.

On the other hand his claim that “Jordan isn’t just a college president, but is a spokesman for deaf men and women around the world.” doesn’t hold water with deaf persons in other countries who actually resent such unilateral claims. This has just been discussed on a United Kingdom listserv. (Not a single British or Australian deaf person is currently attending Gallaudet). The President of Gallaudet represents Gallaudet and perhaps can serve as a spokesperson for higher education of the deaf but the deaf population in America has its spokesperson in the President of the National Association of the Deaf and the deaf peopulation of the world is represented (if by anyone) by the President of the World Federation of the Deaf. The President of Gallaudet is looked up to and respected but is not a spokesperson like Mr. Mowl would like to believe.

Gallaudet has a very diverse student body in terms of deafness and educational backgrounds. There are students who range from profoundly deaf to hard of hearing. There are students who come from residential schools for the deaf, day classes for the deaf and mainstreamed deaf students. They come with a wide variety of communication skills from native to none when they are admitted. Those with sign language skills come with skills in different modes from ASL with its own grammar to signed English and a wide variety in between including what is called PSE. Some depend a lot on lipreading and some not at all. Some can speak well and some do not have a voice which can be understood without straining or familiarity with the person’s voice. Gallaudet now accepts all this and labels it ‘inclusivity’. Dr. Ferandes supports and promotes inclusivity but comes into conflict here with a small but vocal and influential group who claim that she is not deaf enough and want the presidency to go to one of their own. According to them to be really deaf, you need to be born deaf and begin signing as an infant. You need to have deaf parents and as adults marry another ‘real’ deaf person and have deaf children. You need to attend a residential school for the deaf and a host of other items.For them deafness is not a disability that can be overcome with technical aids, interpreters and other accomodation, it is simply a way of life, with a culture of its own. For this reason Dr. Ferandes cannot be accepted—she is not in that image (in spite of having a deaf mother and a deaf sibling) because she grew up as an oral deaf person and she can speak and be understood. That point alone will not disqualify her with a lot of deaf people, however, so they have to dig up other reasons to have her rejected besides not being deaf enough. Thence the claims that range from the silly ’she doesn’t say hi’ to the serious that her selection by the board was fraudulent and the Presidental Search process was a sham.All this is starting a “cultural war” which may yet prove the downfall of the University if it is allowed to continue to grow. There is even a movement to declare the Board of Trustees as incompetent although a majority of the board is composed of some of the most successful deaf persons in America.

This whole situation is a tragedy and will become worse if the Board gives in. Dr. Ferandes is being criticized as Provost. The president is being criticized for grooming someone as a possible successor. The board is being declared incompetent in making such a selection. If these facts are true, the whole university is dysfunctional and why would congress continue to fund such a program in these days of tigher money?

Gallaudet Professor, at 6:25 pm EDT on May 5, 2006

Yes, I am concerned too about the attitudes of people not know how to accept formal authorization. I wonder if they are raised by parents nowdays, who has formal role of responsibilities and discpline for their children, to show respect elders, authorization or rules like at high school or workplace. Complicated decision making made by President, Judge, Corporate Managers requires depth experience and skills to become aware and understand many factors affecting a decision. Subordinates are not expected to challenge the top decision maker by unauthorized lockdown that students and FSSA did at Gallaudet.Many little things they want full entitlements caused “snowball effect of emotional turmoil". Interesting insights.

Hmmm Scholar, at 5:30 am EDT on May 6, 2006

The issue is not that she is not “deaf enough".. the issue is that the students are not being heard by the Board of Trustees for the second time in less than 20 years. What was the point of setting up open forums and feedback forms, if they were not even going to listen to the students, fac, staff, and alumni of Gallaudet?

There has been a steady decline in enrollment because of lower expectations in academic performance at Gallaudet. This is something that needs to be changed. This may be the reason why there is not a single British or Australian deaf individual at Gallaudet.

Actually, I believe Dr. Jane K Fernandes was the one who informed us that 80% of deaf individuals that have a college degree come from Gallaudet during her open forum presentation.

Now, I’ve noticed that the comments regarding “inclusive” environment at Gallaudet. I don’t recall any of the three candidates opposing this idea. You are saying that the students with mainstream backgrounds, Cochlear Implants, hearing aids, who are hard of hearing, etc need a President who understands them and represent them. What about Deaf children of Deaf families? Don’t they deserve someone to understand and represent them? They, too, have their own struggles.

Jen, at 5:45 pm EDT on May 6, 2006

Listened to, not agreed with

Again, I remind student protesters that being LISTENED to and being AGREED with are two different things. The BoT did make sure that student voices were heard, they just did not agree with your position.

The Board has more to consider than if a pick will be ‘popular’ with the students. Friends on campus tell me that many of the students are upset about the whole goal post/ Hyatt situation leftover from Homecoming where Gallaudet students gave the whole Deaf population at Gally a black eye when they were acting all immature and bothering other people at the hotel and destroying property. Some of the protesting students thought Fernandes was too ’strict’.

Maybe her ’strictness’ can create the academic environment where academic achievement will be the ‘cool’ thing, not treating the university like a social club.

Erin, at 9:35 pm EDT on May 6, 2006

Not Deaf Enough

I am glad that Jen does not feel that the protest has evolved into an issue of the president-elect not being ‘deaf enough’ but alas a lot of comments of others in the various blogs, forums, etc. indicate that it is just that. One of the leaders of the original protest 18 years ago put it this way: the president of a black college years ago had light colored skin because he would be acceptable to both white folks and black folks but now the new president has very dark skin because white folks have come to accept that. Put in context they have moved from a black president to a Black president to a BLACK president and Gallaudet can move from a hearing president to a deaf president to a “D"eaf president who is deaf centric, someone who will further change the culture of Gallaudet and focus on the use of ASL rather than clear sign communication that meet the needs of a wide variety of constituencies that are now at Gallaudet. This obviously has the potential of driving away prospective students whose primary mode of communication has not been ASL and who might not at that point be considered “D"eaf and all the improvement in academic expectations in the world will not change that.

Jen also claims that enrollment has steadily declined in recent years. I think that is another claim which might be disputed. If I am not mistaken, the entering class last Fall was the largest in history.Declining enrollment is not as much a concern as declining academic achievement is though, and there is a lot of comment that the faculty has ‘baby-downed’ the expectations because students enter ill prepared for college level work and are unwilling to do an extra mile to make up for this deficiency. The blame for this is being given to Dr. Ferandes as Provost and to the current President. While both are in a position to have some influence on this, the real problem lies with the students themselves and to some extent the faculty rather than the administration.

Jen asks whether it isn’t reasonable for Deaf students to have a president who represents them. My answer to that is that the president should not be representing ANY group of students, he or she should be advocating for ALL.

Those who are pushing for a deaf-centric president want the focus to be on deafness and for students to develop an emotionally positive image of themselves as Deaf persons. They would like for Gallaudet to become an exclusive university. (There is nothing wrong with this if we are willing to make Gallaudet a smaller place and for congress to also fund other university programs for those students who would no longer fit in.) I would personally much prefer for the focus to be on education and to serving the broad range of deaf, hard of hearing and Deaf students who now attend and make Gallaudet even more inclusive.

Inclusive means the special needs of “D"eaf students will also be met in various ways so Dr. Ferandes who supports inclusion should not be a threat to their preference for ASL and Deaf culture. Both are a component of inclusion.

Gallaudet Professor, at 5:40 am EDT on May 7, 2006

Just Typical Lies

I want to refute some points that others claimed to have “bad experiences” at Gallaudet.

I’m Deaf person from a large deaf family of six generations in The South. And my best friends are hard of hearing who can speak very well. In fact, she can speak very well but she prefers to call herself Deaf, rather than HoH or whatever.

She is not the only one — I have numbers of friends who came to Gallaudet unaware of ASL but eventually, they were strong enough to deal with peer pressures and stand up for themselves. Perhaps, Erin, you were not strong enough to handle this. People like you could not muster some kind of courage or strength to handle such challenges. Then boom, you blamed others for your failures.

Well: You claimed that Gallaudet is the place for all types of communication modes? Well, that is where you are WRONG. Thomas Gallaudet went to Europe in search of a better method for Deaf people to rely — he found in Laurent Clerc who used LSF — he brought Laurent to the US on a goal to incorporate the language that can fit with the deaf children in America — American Sign Language.

Over the years, too many people attempted to add, distort and alter the communication modes as the other means to educate deaf people — they all failed miserably. Research after research has proved that teaching English on the papers and teaching ASL by signing is the effective method than anything else. By accomodating all communication modes at one school is akin to a school that permits Russian, French, Spanish, English, Japanese languages to be spoken in a CLASSROOM. Let’s face the reality, you’re being ridiculous. You would make me ask the waiter to get me a check so fast that your head would spin!

Gallaudet Professor, you’re being ‘academic’ — did you ever interact with deaf people in Europe? I did. In fact, I still keep in touch with my friends in London, Amsterdam, Bergen, Berlin, Rome, Madrid and Prague. When the selection of Jane Fernandes was announced last Monday, what did my friends in these cities on the other side of the lake did? They immediately IMmed and emailed me to ask if it’s true.

If you do not consider their reactions or concerns that Gallaudet does represent the Deaf World across the globe, then I am afraid to imagine what you wanted to think. Don’t bother to lie — people in Asia, South America, Europe, Australia and Africa do follow the issues in Washington — I run the weblog and I monitored my site meter and I can vouch that 25% of these hits came from these places.

Anthony Mowl was telling the truth and it certainly displeased people who felt they were alienated in the first place. But if you fall on the first try, what do you do? Get up. That’s what you should do at Gallaudet. Get up and challenge yourself. If you do not get up, is it our problem? No.

R-

Ridor, at 5:40 am EDT on May 7, 2006

Personal Attacks- the last refuge of the desperate.

Why I am not surprise that my argument is addressed via personal attacks rather and a well thought out, reasoned and considerate argument, after all, that is how the protest started against Fernandes.

It is not a matter of being ’strong enough to handle the pressure’ since you do not know me you cannot possibly make such a judgement. It is about a small and very vocal group on campus who wants everyone to accept their label and their way of doing things. I have no problem with learning ASL, in fact I did very well, it was the intolerace of others who did not like my communication method, signing sometimes only signing and speaking with other HoH friends, that was the issue.

I did not ‘fail’ I chose to leave because I was tired of having to expend energy defending myself against the radical factions there. (and I had a 4.0 GPA when I did including all A’s in my ASL courses so I would hardly call that ‘failure’)

Also if you go back a read my comments, I never said that a standard language should not be the norm, I only said that those that are not culturally Deaf should be allowed our private conversations in the method in which we choose to communicate. I do not go around telling staff at Gallaudet speaking foreign languages that they should stop, after all, they are not talking to ME. I can tolerate the difference in others and all I wanted was the same consideration. I do not think that is asking too much do you?

Erin, at 2:45 pm EDT on May 7, 2006

Possible solution.

The Gallaudet University faculty, staff, students and alumni (FSSA) really earned my respect in standing up for Social Justice. This is the Gallaudet we all want and would be proud to pass on to the incoming generation of deaf people as a citadel of deaf history, culture and leadership. For Gallaudet to soar to greatness, it must value, cherish, and protect cultural diversity. This generation of deaf people and indeed future generation have no other institution comparable to Gallaudet. Therefore, we should not stay passive watching with levity, issues that are capable of dividing us and that would create and promoting dissension, disharmony and cultural disaffection among the Gallaudet family. If the Board of Trustees and the Presidential Search Committee are confident in the decision they made in the Presidential search process, history beckons them to start the search process again and repeat their choice so FSSA will have faith in their claim. That way too, Dr. Fernandes will enter the history book (if she wins again) as someone that won the Presidential selection twice. That would be an enviable achievement she would attain for herself (after all, it is the same BOT and PSC that will conduct the process). This way, all member of the University community will feel satisfied and happy and together we can forge a common future for this great institution.

peace maker, Gally, at 7:00 pm EDT on May 7, 2006

Personal attacks?

You think it is personal attacks? It is more of questioning what you did — frankly, I’m tired of people like you blaming the students based on few bad apples. You need to stop judging a whole group based on few bad apples. Hell, I allowed my friends to talk in front of me as long as they get to explain. Ignoring me in the midst of conversation is rude, period.

Again, again, again — I already encountered many people like Erin who criticized few ones but perpetuated their own condescending tone (I can speak better than you!) on the others.

You know the cliche, people who lives in glass houses should not throw stones!

The whole point is that Mowl is correct when it comes to the best interests of Gallaudet. We felt that Fernandes was not suitable to lead the students.

R-

Me is the Ridor, at 10:05 pm EDT on May 7, 2006

Mowl’s commentary & responses

Hi everyone,

I work at Gallaudet and am hard of hearing. I have mixed feelings about this protest, not because I support the appointment of Jane Fernandes to the Gallaudet presidency, but for other reasons. To me, this protest smacks of campus political correctness run amok. Make no mistake, I’m NOT a political conservative who can’t stand any form of political correctness. I just think that people at Gallaudet (and some supporters) are using political correctness as a smokescreen to cover up their real reasons for protesting. People are crying that the selection process was flawed. I wasn’t privvy to the meetings that resulted in the selection of Dr. Fernandes so I can’t speak to that.

What I can speak to is the fact it seems that organizations such as the Black Deaf Student Union, the Asian Pacific Association, etc. are saying that people of color weren’t consulted or heard in the process. From my understanding, there were some people of color on the presidential search committee. I think these groups and the FSSA, etc. don’t want Fernandes in charge because she isn’t deaf enough, isn’t charismatic like Dr. Jordan is, and is merely an administrator versus a deaf community leader.

Yes, I did read the faculty letter to the Board of Trustees in which they deny that they’re opposed to Fernandes’s appointment based on the fact she grew up oral, as they did. They posit that Fernandes’s record as provost is appalling and that is the reason they oppose her. I suspect they are crying foul because she is oral deaf and they also want a deaf person from a deaf family as president of Gallaudet. I work at Gallaudet, attended Gallaudet for 5 semesters to finish college, and felt like I was never accepted by the hard core deafies at Gallaudet. I know how stratified Gallaudet is in terms of who you are, how you communicate, your connections with the deaf community, etc. I’ve been here, I’ve lived it, and know it won’t change. I understand and identify with Erin’s feelings about this situation.

I can understand the students’ frustrations over feeling like they weren’t heard. I think they were heard, just not agreed with. There is a difference. Erin is right about that.

Please understand that I would hate to see Congress take Gallaudet over and place it in receivership. Which would you all rather have—an oral deaf president who has some understanding and experience in working with deaf people OR a receivership company running Gallaudet, staffed by people who have no understanding of deafness or deaf culture, etc.? I think we know what the answer is. I would much prefer for us at Gallaudet to work this out in-house versus getting the U.S. Congress involved. Who knows what would happen in that case? Who wants to risk that? I, for one, do not.

Make no mistake about it, I don’t support the appointment of Jane Fernandes, but I will take it over having an outside body run Gallaudet. I think we need to accept the reality that at the end of the day, Dr. Fernandes is our 9th president, and work with her for changes here, starting with revisiting the presidential search process.We simply can’t have people crying foul every time Gallaudet needs a new president. We need to put safeguards in place to make sure a situation like this doesn’t happen again.

I beg of you, if you love Gallaudet, please consider what you are doing and the implications of it in the larger deaf community beyond Gallaudet, for they are many.

Best regards,

Jill Porco

Jill Porco, Gallaudet University, at 3:20 pm EDT on May 8, 2006

Political gambit- caveat emptor

The Gallaudet Board of Trustees has repeatedly said that they will not change their decision, nor can they at this stage. The job has been offered, and a contract signed. I applaud the Board for its stand.

The defaming of Gallaudet’s good name is a dangerous game engaged in by the protestors. The enrollment rests on a knife’s edge, and the appropriations are subject to whim of a fickle Congress.

Tonight the faculty voted on five motions regarding the process and selection of the Presidency. Four motions criticizing the Board and PResident-elect passed and one motion asking for reconciliation and acceptance failed. Yet none of the negative measures garned support from more than 42% of the overall faculty membership (range- 35-42%). The dissenters are in the minority.

Tomorrow the staff, which outnumber faculty 4 to 1 will vote on whether they agree with the search process and if they want to accept the choice and move on. By most accounts, most staff simply want to get on with their work, and will vote overwhelmingly in support ‘yes, accept it and move on.’

Be sure to look past the smokescreen about fairness and diversity that is being thrown up by the protestors. It is really a tussle over power for control of the directions of this institution. No one made a fuss until their person was not chosen as President. Now everything is bad here? The place has become prosperous and productive under the current President, and a strategic planning process has poised Gallaudet for working on raising academic achievement levels and more diversity in hiring. Jane Fernandes has labored endlessly towards these reforms.

She will be able to continue this work, as President Jordan will stay on as President-Emeritus to continue his effective fundraising and representation. If President Fernandes choses as Provost someone who is a strong relationship-person, there will be even a stronger university than before.

Gallaudet staff, at 4:35 am EDT on May 9, 2006

both sides do have valid points such as Mowl’s, Erin’s and Jill’s. I agree talking to Congress is a BAD idea. It shows that we can’t handle the situation ourselves. Talking to the media—that I’ve no objections but Congress? I’m not too entirely confident with this idea.Maybe I don’t have full facts but I didn’t know that the TV/Photography/Digital Media Dept was shut down (or re-assigned under a different name or structure). I was appalled by this closure. The technology is out there and by closing, opportunities for deaf students are denied! That’s not education. And, not a convincing sign of good leadership. (I’ve to admit there may be more to this but I’m not too positive about this).Please avoid using deaf-centric in the argument. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a proud 4th-generation deaf, ASL/PSE user (i just switch between 2 modes depending to whom I’m signing). It’s better to use more concrete examples like the ripple effects of the management under whomever the president or provost, use statistics (don’t manipulate—the media has a way of finding out or checking out). I’m all for social justice myself but please do things with intelligence and CLASS. On a footnote, I think we can benefit from working with deaf people who are “hearing in mind” for they do bring in different perspectives and can make substantial contributions. Be gentle with those who may not fall under “D"eaf—you don’t need to sleep with them; just be gentle. That’s diversity/multiculturalism.

Ira, at 9:05 am EDT on May 9, 2006

Read my response in FULL

Dear ‘R’

Please read the quote below:

“It is about a small and very vocal group on campus who wants everyone to accept their label and their way of doing things. I have no problem with learning ASL, in fact I did very well, it was the intolerace of others who did not like my communication method, signing sometimes only signing and speaking with other HoH friends, that was the issue.”

I think it is clear that I do not blame everyone at Gallaudet. I have not attacked the population of Gallaudet as a whole, I have merely stated that there is a group on campus that make people who do not fit their criteria for ‘Deafness’ and can make our lives miserable. It only becomes the fault of the community when others seeing wrong-doing, allow it to continue. There were those who were courageous enough to stand up and say, this is wrong but for the most part, others stood silent.

While I do understand that peer pressure to conform is strong and it is courageous to make a stand, it would be nice if this happened more often. It rarely happened unfortunately. Perhaps you need to look at yourself and ask how often you have been willing to make a stand for inclusion and the rights of others.

Erin, at 2:00 pm EDT on May 10, 2006

Facts Only Please!

Mr. Mowls comments are interesting more for what isn’t said than what is said. If his essay indicates the collective mind of the Galluadet protestor they have no true reason for opposing Mrs. Fernandes. Nowhere does he provide evidence of insufficient qualifications. The only reason I can find in Mr. Mowls essay for removing Mrs. Fernandes from her position is that she is not Mr. Jordan.

Had the students not been given a voice in the process the board would not have considered your concerns at all. That fact that the board chose to go in another direction is not indicative of a failure to listen to students. Perhaps it indicates that your opinions are wrong.

Do not look for a “leader of the deaf". Look instead to your God-given abilities and capitalize on your unique talents, knowledge, and gifts. People who need leaders for their various “group” invariably fail. Take a long, hard look at the alleged “black leader” of today. What has Jackson, Sharpton, or Mfume done for a large portion of the black race, other than lead then to a land of despair in which they see no future outside of a government program?

You were provided a voice, your concerns were heard, and they were overruled. A right to speak does not equate to a right to be accepted. Tell me why Mrs. Fernandes is unfit for the post, other than the fact that she isn’t King Jordan. Until you can offer some substantial facts to disqualify Mrs. Fernandes your opinions will fall, pardon the expression, on deaf ears.

Tony Hager, at 9:35 am EDT on May 12, 2006

BE CLEARER! What are you protesting???

I’ve been trying to follow this Gallaudet protests story for many days now and, as a hearing individual, must admit that I am baffled by the protestors’ message (or non-message, to be more accurate). I still have not heard anything from the protestors that succinctly and persuasively presents their grievances. WHY are you protesting? WHAT is wrong with the new president? HOW is she not qualified to lead Gallaudet? Instead, all I’ve heard and read is that the Gallaudet student and faculty bodies are protesting the appointment of a new president. Period.

Quite frankly, if this nebulous and confusing protest is in any way indicative of the quality of education at Gallaudet (especially in writing and rhetoric, English, communications, etc.), then I have no choice but to lower my opinion of the university. Pouting about the presidential appointment without articulating clear and persuasive criticisms to support your protests just makes you look petulant and immature, and easy to dismiss.

Edward Conde, at 11:45 am EDT on May 13, 2006

Internalized Connection as Political Correct ?

From what I am reading almost daily news from various blogs as I am waiting to be convienced for the true reason for the protest from the Day One. It is now 14th Days, still weak agruments of protest.

My theory is that this social collective behaviors are based on the internalized connection among the Deaf born Families and Persons who felt entitled to lead the Deaf Community and the University serving for Deaf Centre people. Look at the other 2 candidates, both are from Deaf Families. I think that is how FSSA came in picture try to find their points without really saying it to the public as they know it would be insulting or belittle to other Deaf people who came from the Families who know sign language or whatever communication modes. Are you sending a message that Deaf Person from Hearing Families with ASL or sign language are not qualified to be leader like President of Gallaudet University?

..., at 5:50 pm EDT on May 13, 2006

One hearing fellow’s perspective

Since I am not d/Deaf and do not have a connection to Gallaudet (unless you count half a dozen warm acquaintances from the early 1990s....), maybe my opinion means little or nothing. I work in downtown DC and did notice the Unity for Gallaudet activists at the National Press building for what I believe was an appearance by President-designee Fernandes (did not see the speech, was working myself...)

Most of my (hearing) acquaintances have accepted the “not deaf enough” concept or meme as the basis for the protest. I don’t know how much it is based in fact for some Gallaudet students (certainly not for Mr. Mowl above.) My reading on Deaf culture has given me different impressions about the level of hostility of some segments of the Deaf community to any accommodation with hearing-style communication. I have considered learning ASL, since I am pretty good at languages and would enjoy the challenge of meeting a new culture in greater detail, both personally and professionally as an attorney. But if anti-hearing bigotry is the norm, or is part of the fuel behind a tent city protest, maybe I will take a pass and learn French instead.

I get the idea that some opposing Fernandes do so because she is perceived as not such a hot administrator or leader, i.e. mediocre, but that others really do not want “her kind” in charge, her kind meaning the way her parents had her educated and taught communication skills and her particular heritage in a deaf and hearing family. It reminds me of the one-drop rule of Louisiana — if even one drop of your blood came from an African ancestor, you were black and had few or no rights whatsoever.

People don’t usually make a protest shouting or signing “She’s Mediocre! She’s Mediocre!” Some other dynamic is going on, or so it would appear to me.

If I am overgeneralizing or misstating a relevant fact, I hope someone will steer me in the right direction.

Crablaw, at 4:40 am EDT on May 17, 2006

Erin, and others, you are not alone when it comes to Gallaudet University.

Here are some interesting polls regarding how deaf/hh were treated differently at Gallaudet or have opinions about cochlear implant, and how there continues to exist a small vocal Deaf group who, at times, pretend to support this “unity” thing. Sad to see how such a fascade comes from this group.

http://kokonutpundits.blogspot.co...06/06/painting-picture-on-unity.html

http://kokonutpundits.blogspot.co...unity-for-whom-and-why-do-i-ask.html

mcconnell, Mr, at 11:25 am EDT on June 21, 2006

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