Suspensions Of Three DPS Demanded By Students

Student Protests Shut Gallaudet for 2nd Day

By DIANA JEAN SCHEMO
Published: October 13, 2006

WASHINGTON, Oct. 12 – Students at Gallaudet University, the
nation’s only liberal arts university for the deaf, formed a human
blockade across the front gates of the campus here Thursday, shutting
down classes for the second day in a renewal of protests that began
last spring against the choice of a new president.

The police stood by on motorcycles and on horseback across the street
from the students, who said their protest would continue despite a
strong warning from the departing president, I. King Jordan, that they
could face suspension and arrest.

“I’m ready to be arrested,” said Kathleen Roberts Jarashow, an
English major from Tallahassee, Fla. “It’s for a good cause,
something I believe in.”

It was not clear whether officials planned to use force to open the
university. In a statement Wednesday night, Dr. Jordan had said,
“this illegal and unlawful behavior must stop,” and accused faculty
members of “instigating and manipulating the students” who are
demanding that Jane K. Fernandes, the former provost who is slated to
take over as president in January, resign.

“If there is a confrontation, the dissenters will have caused it,”
he said. “They must take full responsibility for the consequences of
their actions, including possible suspension and arrest.” The
university’s board has said its decision was “fair and final,”
and that it would not reopen the search for a new president.

Demonstrations began against Dr. Fernandes last spring with students
and faculty members saying she did not appreciate the primacy of
American Sign Language at Gallaudet and in deaf culture and lacked
leadership qualities. Since then the complaints have only escalated.

Though students and faculty members were on the presidential search
committee, protesters complained that their voices were not heard, and
that the search was biased to favor Dr. Fernandes, who has the support
of Dr. Jordan. They point to an incident that occurred when Dr. Jordan
announced he would step down. With Dr. Fernandes standing nearby, they
said, he introduced her as “the next president,” before correcting
himself.

Protesters complain that Dr. Fernandes has intimidated and
“oppressed” faculty members and students, and say that she received
tenure last year despite a lack of published scholarly research.

In a statement on Wednesday, Dr. Fernandes said she had no intention of
stepping down, adding, “We live in a country that is governed by the
rule of law, not anarchy.” Mercy Coogan, a spokeswoman for the
university, said Dr. Fernandes had extensive scholarly publications to
her name and that students should give her a chance to prove herself.

The standoff at Gallaudet was not the first of its kind here. Eighteen
years ago, in an action that has become legendary in the deaf
community, protesters succeeded in forcing Gallaudet to appoint its
first deaf president, Dr. Jordan.

“Now that we’ve become more sophisticated,” said Leala Holcomb, a
sophomore from Fremont, Calif., “we want the best deaf president, not
just any deaf president.”

Last spring’s protests were rekindled as the board gathered to meet
here last week, and students occupied a building. The administration
sent in campus security, and protesters accused the security police of
using pepper spray, shoving them and choking one student. The problem,
they said, was that the officers did not know sign language, and could
not understand protesters when they insisted their protest was
peaceful.

University officials denied that pepper spray had been used, and have
pledged to investigate. Today, the students demanded that the three
security officers involved be suspended pending the outcome of the
investigation.

This week, the two sides were in negotiations over a way to ease
tensions. But talks broke down, and around 3 a.m. Wednesday, members of
the football team moved to block the front gates and close the campus
down entirely.

A group of faculty members has backed the protesters by calling on Dr.
Fernandes to resign, and students have vowed not to budge until she
does. But other students and faculty members have argued that the
protesters are denying students their right to an education.

The dispute seems to be escalating beyond the presidential issue. At a
faculty meeting several days ago, disagreements erupted when a deaf
faculty member asked that the meeting be held exclusively in sign
language, rather than in voice and sign language simultaneously.

Doing both has long been the norm at Gallaudet, something that some
faculty members and protesters would like to change by instituting a
“sign only” policy on campus. They argue that signing should be the
norm at the premier university for the deaf.

Thursday afternoon, the two sides did meet. Dr. Jordan said the purpose
was to “explain the function of the police.” Protesters, who were
initially divided over whether to meet with the administration, agreed
to do so with the proviso that there be no negotiations.

The protesters have demanded that Dr. Fernandes come to speak with
them, but said privately that there was nothing that she could
conceivably say to change their minds.

Through Ms. Coogan, Dr. Fernandes offered to “talk with the
dissenters once they decide to stop holding the campus hostage.”

Lakiesha Carr contributed.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/13/education/13galludet.html?_r=1&ref=us&oref=slogin