7:30 Faculty Demands Resignation!!
Via pager of Jennie:
Rally starting
MJ walking by Vote said we request jk resign
We chaned the wording to demanded
Vote: 138 supported it
24 were against
6 abstained
62% of the faculty were there
That was the second motion, which passed (no reprisals)
80 people voted loss of confidence in ikj
60 said no loss of confidence
91% said no confidence in the bot
I hope you understand the importance of this meeting.
We changed to demand
This was hard bc of his 18 years here, it was a heated debated. I hope you understand the importance of this meeting. The media has heard us
But 54% said loss of confidence
Discussion;Loss of confidence in the bot
92% passed
Sorry about the confusion
MJ was giving the unofficial report.
Kubey: hard meeting. Some issues were tabled until a later date.
Bwe had 168 members there. 224 altogether, so 168 there is a huge number
Discussion: change members of the bot to include alumni, fac, staff and students
Passed by 80%
Discussion: demand jk resign.
85% support
Discussion: bot return to campus for emergency session
85% passed
Discussion: no reprisals against anyone.
90% passed
5th motion: loss of confidence in ikj
This was hard bc of his 18 years here, it was a heated debated.
But 54% said loss of confidence
Discussion;Loss of confidence in the bot
92% passed
Sorry about the confusion
MJ was giving the unofficial report.
Kubey (the second person talking), gave the official report.
Now donalda ammons
You’ve seen the results of our meeting, and those numbers are important. Thank you for respecting us enough to let us on campus to have this meeting.
The fac is not blind. Now I want to talk to the fac here.
The students have been holding down the fort, but only maybe 20 fac are here everyday
Now that the vote is done, is that it? No! You must stay here. Show people that the fac cares abt gally
Votes are cheap. The students are exhausted. Show them our support. Numbers speak louder than words.
Bobbie beth scoggins now
President of nad
I’m so inspired by the recent announcement.
I feel there’s 3 groups: fac, bot and adm.
They’ve been separated and unbalanced.
But now the fac have shown that we need a new system at gallaudet, one free of oppresion.
Andy lange, president of guaa now
I saw the news from the fac, which says it all.
I don’t know how they can continue to be so stubborn.
Alumni from all over the world have sent me emails and support- over 700 emails.
We, the alumni are disgusted
Encourage alumni to come here so the bot can see that we care abt the university and we need it.
If fac says jk and ikj are not fit for the job, the bot needs to clean up the university.
we’re going to keep the pressure on them to prove that gallaudet does not belong to them, it belongs to us
That’s it for nowRally @ 8
One kendall staff said that seeing all the students lined up at the 6th street gate this morning really inspired her and encouraged her to come to the rally and sipport us
*support
7: 20 Update:
BoT Stays unchanged
Faculty meeting is still on.
From pager of Jennie: Memo from PR Dept passed around via e mails and letters to protesterd at front gate that all gates must be opened and road clear tomorrow. Protesters are livid because they said the aggressive behavior never happened. As cars passed, they waved, cheered, shouted and signed ily.
Gates Must Reopen and Road Cleared
From: Office of Public Relations <public.relations@gallaudet.edu>
To: public.relations@gallaudet.edu
Subject: Office of Public Relations – Brentwood and West Virginia Ave.
Gates Must Reopen and Road Cleared
Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 19:07:27 -0400
Signature: Gallaudet University – Public Relations/Visitors Center
October 16, 2006
Brentwood and West Virginia Ave. Gates Must Reopen and Roads Cleared
As you know, Gallaudet University opened this morning after being closed
by protesters for the past three school days. We are pleased that our
students can now get on campus to get the education they deserve.
Currently, only one entrance to the University — the Sixth Street gate
– is open. We have determined that this is insufficient and that
normal activities will not be able to resume unless two more gates are
opened. Those entrances — the Brentwood Parkway and West Virginia
Avenue gates — need to be opened as soon as possible so that persons
and vehicles can have free access to campus. In particular, vehicles
such as school buses, fire trucks and ambulances must have free and
unimpeded access onto and around the campus.
This morning, school buses carrying children to the elementary school
were forced to run a gauntlet of protesters as they entered the 6th
Street gate. Protestors were banging on cars as they entered this
gate. This is threatening and unacceptable behavior.
The protesters have a right to express their opinions, but they must
respect the rights of others. We will continue to permit the protestors
to congregate at the Florida Avenue gate and immediately surrounding
grounds. Otherwise, the protestors must immediately unchain and unlock
the Brentwood Parkway and West Virginia Avenue gates. The protesters
must also remove any obstructions, including cars, tents, tables,
chairs, and any other objects that are interfering with the University’s
ability to open the gates and have traffic move freely on the campus
roads. In addition, in the event that a fire truck, ambulance or other
emergency vehicle seeks entry through the Florida Avenue gate, the
protestors must immediately allow entry.
The gates and roads need to be cleared by 6:00 a.m. tomorrow, Tuesday,
October 17, so the University can resume its normal operations.
Update: Faculty Meeting Over
I was informed that the meeting is apparently over, but so far there has been no public announcement yet. No faculty members have been seen, either
All DPN Leaders Asks Resignation of Fernandes
Manifesto
October 16, 2006
To: Dr. Jane K. Fernandes, Dr. I. King Jordan, and the Board of
Trustees of Gallaudet University
FROM: The Student Leaders of the 1988 Deaf President Now (DPN) Movement
in support of the Students, Alumni, Faculty and Friends of Gallaudet
University
Much has been said and written about the last several days, weeks, and
even months leading up to the recent arrests at Gallaudet that occurred
on Friday night, October 13, 2006.
The decision to arrest over 130 leaders has tainted the spirit of the
Deaf President Now movement and reversed King Jordan’s legacy.
In May 2006, as soon as the current crisis emerged, Bridgetta
Bourne-Firl flew from California to Washington D.C. to gather
information about the conflict to bring to the larger Deaf community.
She repeatedly requested to meet with Dr. Jordan only to be avoided.
After so many efforts, she finally met with him but was granted just
five minutes-five minutes for a leader who was instrumental in
putting Dr. Jordan in the position of president. During her stay at
Gallaudet, she was appalled at the intimidation stories she heard from
faculty, staff, and students.
Upon her return to the Bay Area, Bridgetta wrote Dr. Jordan a personal
letter urging him to consider the accomplishments of the Deaf President
Now movement, the implications for the current movement, and its
lasting legacy for the sake of deaf children who are isolated all over
the country, who have never seen deaf adult role models nor heard of
their success stories. She emphasized that the Deaf President Now
movement provides them with hope. Dr. Jordan approached Bridgetta at
the National Association of the Deaf convention-after announcing to
the participants that “there was no crisis at Gallaudet”-and told
her that he simply disagreed with her letter. She received no further
explanation or opportunity for dialogue.
Living in the D.C. area, Gregory Hlibok has remained an active and
impassioned member of the community as well as a symbol of Deaf
empowerment. He has gone to campus several times during the current
crisis to speak with students, faculty, staff, and the larger
community. He has expressed growing concerns with his lack of access to
the current Gallaudet administration as well as their lack of
communication with the students in their care.
Prior to Tim Rarus’ now well-publicized arrival, he sent e-mails to
King Jordan informing him of his concerns and of his impending arrival
on the Gallaudet campus. He requested the opportunity to meet
personally with Dr. Jordan , but, unfortunately, received no reply. He
was left to roam our renowned campus of Gallaudet on his own. Although
Tim had been following the events closely from South Dakota , nothing
prepared him for the shock of what he witnessed Friday afternoon. The
sight of the rift between the constituents and the administration as
well as the escalation of the crisis saddened him.
Crucial issues to address:
The Refusal to Meet with the DPN Leaders
The Function of Gallaudet University as More Than a University
The President-Designee’s Infamous Track Record
Lessons from the 1988 Deaf President Now Movement
Our Voices are being Dismissed
Our Demand of Dr. Fernandes
THE REFUSAL TO MEET WITH THE DPN LEADERS
Because we were denied the opportunity to have a dialogue with I. King
Jordan, Dr. Fernandes, or the Board of Trustees, we cannot begin to
explain why they have allowed this crisis to escalate to the point of
arrests. What we can tell you is that our students are frustrated,
angry, and desire to ensure that the Presidency of this fine
institution is treated with the dignity it deserves.
The Function of Gallaudet as More Than a University
The President’s office at Gallaudet represents more than a typical
university. It’s not just the bricks and mortar that make the
buildings. It’s not the programs and curriculum that make the
educational foundation at the university. Gallaudet is unique from all
other institutions of higher learning because it represents the work
and dreams of us, our community, our culture, our language. It
represents the hopes of deaf people all over the world and the future
generations that will attend this fine institution. It is nothing less
than the Mecca of the Deaf world. Gallaudet has earned this distinction
as the only liberal arts university in the world that is run by and of
the Deaf and serves the Deaf community including its many deaf and
hard-of-hearing students. So, this university represents more than just
the educational programs offered on this campus-it lives and breaths
the ideals, dreams, and aspirations of deaf people-a place where deaf
people can realize their full potential as human beings. This is a
place where communication barriers and their resulting frustrations
should not exist-a place that we can call home. This is why all that
happens on these hallowed grounds is sacred to all of us within the
Deaf community near and far.
The President-Designee’s Infamous Track Record
We believe it is crucial to distinguish this movement from a popularity
contest as some have alleged. The fact that Dr. Fernandes has served as
provost of this university has given us an intimate look at her
management style. The campus community has already experienced her
arrogant, vindictive, autocratic, and retaliatory style of leadership.
These traits are not becoming of a university president or productive
for a learning community. They are certainly not becoming of a
university president who also serves as an icon to the Deaf community.
Dr. Fernandes has earned few admirers on campus which has led to
concerns from students, staff, and alumni as well as financial
contributors to the university. These concerns came early in the search
and selection process. Many constituents predicted that Dr. Fernandes
was going to be difficult to work with as a leader and a representative
of the community.
We do not dispute that Dr. Fernandes has an excellent resume and
appears to be very qualified on paper. Throughout her career, she has
made contributions to Gallaudet in various ways. The majority of us
from the Gallaudet community and beyond do not question her record of
service or qualifications. We ARE questioning, however, the quality of
her service, and why our input was disregarded by the current
administration. The problems stem from not only the process used by the
Board of Trustees to select the new president but also from the
alarming fact that they refused to listen to us and honor our
input-the crucial concerns expressed by the students, faculty, staff,
alumni, parents, and friends of Gallaudet.
We believe that the heart of the crisis at Gallaudet isn’t just the
fact that we have evidence that Ms. Fernandes is not deserving of our
confidence in her ability to lead the university, but also that the
Board of Trustees and the University Administration have cast our input
and experiences aside. For thousands of years, people have cast the
souls of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing people aside. For thousands of years,
we have been objectified, oppressed, discriminated against,
trivialized, patronized, and dismissed. The last place we expected
prudential and stereotypical attitudes towards the Deaf community to
prevent equity and justice would be at our own Gallaudet University .
Lessons from the 1988 Deaf President Now Movement
The 1988 DPN Movement was a milestone in the history of Deaf people.
Because of that event, deaf people were given the opportunity to lead,
to make decisions, to self-advocate, and, to some extent, govern our
fates. For the first time, the Deaf community, the larger civil rights
community, the larger network of institutions for higher learning, the
media, and therefore, the world, stood behind the assertion that deaf
people should make the decisions that affect their own lives. It became
a principle that DEAF people know their own needs better than anyone
else could. Who, in fact, knows us better than we know OURSELVES? We
believe that we have proven our leadership again and again. Through our
personal and political efforts-indeed, through protest-we have
installed deaf leaders to represent us.
Our Voices are being Dismissed
The current situation here at Gallaudet today is an extension of the
aims and passions of the DPN movement-an ongoing fight to be heard,
respected, and recognized by the Board of Trustees, and now the
Congress. We want out input to matter. We are not asking for the
ultimate authority to appoint a president or approve of an appointment.
However, when so many of us share in a collective message of concern
about one of the candidates, we would expect our concerns to be heard
and honored. When our access to communication and information is
denied, when our concerns are met with repetitive, party-line
statements, you are sending us the message that we are not valued, not
respected, we don’t matter and that you don’t care. And this
message is being tailored to the consumers of this
community-consumers who in large part placed you in your current
positions of authority!
As we all know, Dr. Fernandes is deaf herself, and she is a member of
the Deaf community. But we all know that deafness alone shouldn’t
qualify anyone for anything. Although she is qualified on paper and has
held many positions of leadership within Gallaudet and other
educational organizations, we know what her leadership style is like.
We also know the kind of damage she has done in the past. This is the
crux of our concern. For Dr. Fernandes and the Public Relations
Department at Gallaudet to say the students have asked for her
resignation because she is “not Deaf enough,” is an insult to each
and every one of us. This comment alone tells us that she is taking
advantage of the 1988 DPN protestors aims and twisting them to her
advantage-to attempt to use the issue of being Deaf to detract from
the very real concerns of the modern protestors’ movement. In fact,
this movement is made up of deaf and hard-of-hearing protestors of
every background who have no confidence in her leadership.
We question why the Board of Trustees selected Dr. Fernandes despite
the public concerns that were brought to their attention BEFORE the
selection was made. And, we are questioning why, after five months,
there have been no solutions to the issues and why someone who claims
to have the leadership to be a dynamic president has not been able or
willing to make her case on campus.
The protest continues, and we have a rapidly-escalating crisis. The
many deaf constituents who have dedicated our lives to Gallaudet and
all it represents as a beacon of hope around the world are deeply
saddened. Once again, the Deaf community as a collective body is being
told our input doesn’t matter and that our leaders don’t care if we
are being oppressed. We are being told, “We know what is best for
you.” This condescending and paternalistic attitude is hard to
stomach in today’s world where access, equality, and justice are
expected. What is happening is a tragedy. Nobody can win in this
situation.
Yet, “Gallaudet” has spoken. In reality, Dr. Fernandes and Dr. King
have spoken. They have spoken volumes. The arrest of nearly 135
students on Friday, October 13, 2006, is evidence of this message. The
leaders our protests put into positions of power are using that power
against us. We need to be heard; we need to be respected; we need new
leadership; we need to heal.
Our Demand of Dr. Fernandes
We acknowledge that the Board of Trustees may be adamant about not
changing or rescinding their decision. We recognize that the Board may
be concerned that a precedent cannot be established whereby
demonstrations and protests can force the university authorities to
change policies and appointments every time a new president is
selected.
However, we do have a demand. We ask only one thing, and it is directed
to only one person, Dr. Jane K. Fernandes: Do what is right in this
situation and graciously resign from your appointment. Do so because it
is the most just resolution for all of the parties involved. Relinquish
control as a show of good faith to the collective community at the
university and beyond. That is exactly what Dr. Zinser did nearly two
decades ago, and it has lead to great progress all over the Deaf world.
Gregory Hlibok relates that Dr. Zinser considers her resignation the
best thing that she has ever done. We can only hope that someday, we
will be able to thank you for being courageous enough to take the same
action. Help us to move beyond this stalemate. Help us to tear down the
wall that has been built between repetitive denials and positive
action. Just as President Reagan appealed to Mikhail Gorbachev, we
appeal to you:
Tear down the wall, Jane Fernandes. Tear down the wall!
Unity for Gallaudet!
Remembering our past and committed to a just future, yours, the 1988
DPN Student Leaders,
Tim Rarus
Bridgetta Bourne-Firl
Greg Hlibok
Jerry Covell
Reprinted with permission by the authors
Local News at 6 PM
Great coverage: Our Coco told the reporter that Fernandes’ claims about negotiations with the students were untrue. The students kept trying repeatedly with no result. More views of students rallying the students.
Jordan said his heart is broken and it was the students’ choice to be arrested, not his. He emphasized that Fernandes’s resignation is not negotiable at all. His face showed the effects the last several weeks, looking older and haggardly.
Fernandes gave her usual speech. Nothing new there.
There was a close up of the hunger strike booth. The front gate looked so festival, with colorful signs.
No news from the faculty members yet.
A student told me Shirley Shultz Meyers was seen leaving the meeting a while ago.
DPN Leader’s Ultimatum To BOT (revised)
BoT actually rebuffed Covell’s efforts. elizabeth
Board of Trustees October 16, 2006
GallaudetUniversity
Washington, D.C. 20002
Via Facsimile: 202-651-5508
Dear Gallaudet University Board of Trustees:
The purpose of this letter is to offer my services to mediate and resolve the current crisis at Gallaudet University. I have a wealth of experience resolving situations of this nature, including my involvement as a DPN leader in 1988.
It saddens me that I have to resort to writing a letter because my efforts to communicate with members of the Board were refuted. I am unclear why members of the Board advised me to meet with President Jordan when he does not have authority to agree to any recommended solutions. The authority to make decisions to rectify this situation rests primarily with the Board of Trustees. Based on the Board’s response to my request, I can see immediately that cause of chaos and destruction on Gallaudet’s campus is a governing body and institutional leaders who are not following established leadership practices and procedures.
I want you to know that my desire to meet with the Board is fueled by a hope to help resolve the crisis at Gallaudet University. I am offering myself as a negotiator, not as a person who wants to add to or become embroiled in the crisis. My experiences at DPN had a significant and profound effect on me on emotional, mental and physical levels. I am hesitant to get involved again in another crisis on Gallaudet’s campus. I have “been there, done that” and I have absolutely no desire to repeat that experience. I want you to understand that I do not make this offer lightly as it comes from my heart and is the result of countless discussions with Deaf people across the country.
I am not making this offer because I support either the Board or the students. In my opinion, the Board and the students are both right and wrong! The only reason I am offering to mediate these circumstances is because of my loyalty to Gallaudet University as an invaluable institution. I will not allow the Board, I. King Jordan, Jane Fernandes, faculty, staff, students, alumni or anyone to tarnish and degrade Gallaudet and consequently, the deaf community.
There is always a solution to a problem. I would not even make this offer if I was not so confident that a resolution can be achieved. As in any negotiation, both sides will not walk away completely satisfied but everyone involved will be able to “save face” and end the crisis. As a governing board, you are obviously in the midst of a crisis. This crisis is constantly and rapidly escalating, perhaps beyond the point of no return. In a few days, the crisis will reach no man’s land and one side will have to concede in order to return to normalcy. Do I care which side? Heck no, I do not! I only care about Gallaudet, period!
I have not spoken up or lent support to either side since this whole thing started in May. I followed the events closely. I am not here to place blame or point fingers but I do expect the individuals involved to accept responsibility. In my professional opinion, there are at least 10 problems that have been created by and consequently, can only be resolved by the Board of Trustees. Many of these problems may merely be public perception but in a crisis of this nature, the community member’s understanding and acceptance of the problem is the key to the solution.
1) The Board appeared to rush the search, screening, interview and presidential selection process. It is unheard of for a university to complete those tasks within a 6 month period. It is a common practice for search processes to consist of an average of 12 to 18 months. Why the rush? Why the urgency? President Jordan was not resigning his post until December 2006. I do not support the position that there needed to be an extended transition period for the incoming President. Dr.
Jordan did not have a transition and did very well. A qualified person assuming leadership in a functional governing system would not need transition time.
2) Despite the stance that the search process was “transparent”, the Board ignored recommendations regarding who should be considered in the pool of final candidates. These recommendations were made by search committee members comprised of Gallaudet students, faculty and administrators. What evidence exists that the Board considered this feedback? Why is the Board hesitant to share details of their deliberation on the matter?
3) The Board ignored qualified candidates who obviously exceeded the qualifications of two other candidates in the final pool. Did this happen because the Board wanted to “stack the deck” in favor of one candidate over the three? I am left to wonder what would have happened had happened if more qualified candidates were named among the final three.
4) The Board seemed shocked at the Gallaudet community’s negative reaction when the decision of Jane Fernandes’ appointment was announced. Was the Board out of tune with what was happening on Gallaudet’s campus? Did the Board really receive comments and feedbacks from the community or were they in the dark?
5) The Board allowed or delegated that President Jordan take care of the mess created by the announcement of the next President. Why do you believe that the Gallaudet community would listen or work with President Jordan? He is a figure head for the university. The Board is fully aware that their duty is to convey and work through this information with the campus community and community-at-large. This is one of the primary reasons why students, faculty and staff do not believe they are being heard. Perhaps it would have been a better idea for I. King Jordan to resign on the day of the announcement. Due to recent events, students are now reporting they do not even recognize Dr.
Jordan as the President. Without a recognized leader,Gallaudet
University is sure to collapse.
6) The transition period between Fernandes’ appointment and
Jordan’s retirement is too long. A 7-month transition is a very long time. Even the President of the
United States does not go beyond a 3-month transition. These timelines are in place for a reason; so that citizens can make the change with minimal down time. As a consequence, President Jordan’s legacy has been tarnished.
7) The Board is adamantly standing by their decision to appoint Dr. Jane Fernandes when they have received a majority vote of no confidence from faculty and staff of Gallaudet and Clerc Center. What happened to the process of faculty governance? Do board members truly believe that Dr. Fernandes will be able to effectively and successfully work with those faculty and staff given these circumstances? What will board members do if those faculty and staff continue to refuse to work and cooperate with Dr. Fernandes? What will board members do if Dr. Fernandes fails to carry out the duties of the presidency due to lack of Gallaudet community support?
I have not seen any significant dialogue between the Board and Gallaudet community; only accusations, justifications and insults hurled at one other. The Board’s reaction has been defensive and paternal at best. Even the memos posted on the Gallaudet website are embarrassing, filled with defensive statements and accusations. No one is actually listening to or communicating with one another. The Board has an obligation to be assertive in this instance, regardless of the outcome. The Board’s primary duty and obligation is to protect Gallaudet and I feel they have failed to perform that critical duty.
9) The Board is apparently divided among itself about the decisions made, the crisis, and what to do next. I also believe that the Board has lost confidence and trust among each other and each member is now scrambling to survive. These positions are evident by the resignations and lack of participation of certain board members. There is also evidence that certain board members are “bad-mouthing” one another. This horizontal violence against our own is an indicator of poor leadership. Board members cannot escape the responsibility of the decision made. All board members should be held accountable regardless of their level of participation (active or passive). This situation should be managed in a head-on fashion; or board members should kindly get out of the way and make room for new members who will tackle the crisis proactively.
10) The Board is currently at an impasse. There is no end in sight and no tangible or hopeful solution in front of us. The situation can only get worse if proactive conversations and solutions are not implemented immediately. I personally don’t give a hoot about who is right or wrong OR who can hold their position the longest. Board members should be leading by example and for goodness’ sake, negotiate. I recommend confined negotiations among board members and key leaders in the Gallaudet community (students, faculty, alumni, staff, etc.) until there are workable solutions identified to end this crisis.
It is likely the Board believes if they change or rescind their decision now, they will be creating a precedent. There is probably concern that any decision or action the Board makes in the future will be challenged. However, board members must know that establishing precedent is not the main issue. When was the first and last time the Board of Trustee’s decision was challenged? Only in 1988 when the Board picked a hearing candidate over a qualified deaf candidate as the next President of Gallaudet. It could be argued that a precedent was created in 1988. No one has challenged the Board’s decisions before and after 1988. Students and faculty are not abusing the precedent set by DPN. It is a matter of sometimes waging important battles in order to win the war. We are people who are embroiled in our own oppression. We do not have skin color or a geographic area to set ourselves apart. As Jane Fernandes states, this second protest is a symptom of our need for change, not a personal attack on her abilities. This protest is a movement for us to move to the next level and be treated with equality and respect in our society.
I also believe board members are forgetting that they are in the United States of America. Our beloved country’s government is established by the people, of the people, and for the people. We hold our inalienable rights to challenge our government and even overthrow the government those rights are challenged. Throughout America’s history, there have been times when the government did not represent the people. The interests of the government are not always the interests of the American people. In these instances, Americans had to assert their will directly and overruled the government’s decisions and actions; asserting the supremacy of the will of the people over the will of the government. It is very clear in our Constitution that the government is subservient to the people and only exists for the purpose of serving the people.
The Board of Trustee is a body that represents the best interest of Gallaudet University. The interests of Gallaudet are integrated with the interests of the deaf community. It could be argued that the students, alumni, deaf community, faculty and staff are asserting their will on the Board because the Board did not or failed to represent them, listen to them and take their interests into consideration. It does not matter if the Board’s decision was sound and just. This protest implies that the Board failed to serve the Gallaudet community. The Board became subservient to Gallaudet community. Whether that was intentional or not, the Gallaudet community has challenged the Board and the Board needs to address their concerns completely.
The last major issue the Board has is leadership. I have no opinion of Dr. Fernandes’ abilities as I do not know her personally. I know of her and am aware of her impressive credentials and qualifications. Based on my experiences working with state level boards, I believe the Board is divided and in turmoil. The Board has lost several members and has no strong leader since a long time chair, Dr. Anderson resigned. The Board is currently run by an Interim Chair. The Board is going to rely and depend on Dr. Fernandes to set the leadership tone at Gallaudet in less than three months from now. I do not see how that can be accomplished or even remotely possible. The Board is in a mess. Gallaudet is in a mess. Everyone is angry, hurt and bitter about the entire process. Dr. Fernandes faces widely held opposition and will not be afforded cooperation by anyone who would want to see her succeed. The Board and Dr. Fernandes have gotten a vote of no confidence by the Faculty Senate. The Board, President Jordan and Dr. Fernandes have lost the ability to lead. The leadership is practically nil at Gallaudet at the moment and will be for months to come. The Board will have to admit and acknowledge that situation to the students, faculty, staff, alumni and deaf community who have taken control of the situation. The only thing that the Board, President Jordan and Dr. Fernandes can do now is to utilize the laws to protect the authority and positions held. The laws can only go so far as they are usually used to intimidate protesters not as the means to end the protest. Gallaudet cannot and will not survive without a clear leadership. Threats (expulsions, termination) and intimidations (arrests, police presence) actually provide more fuel to the fire of the situation and ultimately benefit and increase the resolve of the protesters. Not only that, it angers those who were sitting on the fence to jump in. The Board needs to cease all threats and intimidations and begin a meaningful dialogue.
To conclude, I would again like to make a formal offer to assist the Board in resolving this crisis. If my offer is rejected and I am at Gallaudet, I will do whatever is necessary to protect Gallaudet
University and the deaf community from further damages (reputation, perspectives, views and so forth). The Board of Trustee will lose. I am not intending these words as a threat….it is my promise. I am choosing to join this battle because the outcome will contribute to the never-ending war for equality, respect, independence and accessibility for all individuals with a hearing loss.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I await the Board’s decision by Wednesday, October 18, 2006 at 12 noon.
No Justice, No Peace,
Gerald “Jerry” L. Covell
Declaration of Independence“But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security”.
cc: I. King Jordan, President; Gallaudet University
Dr. Jane Fernandes, President-Designate
Gallaudet University Community
Deaf Community
Reprinted with permission by the author
GWU SBG President Supports Protesters
From the newsroom of The Daily Colonial (George Washington University), Washington, D.C., Monday, October 16, 2006 …..
Thorpe to support Gallaudet students
By Emily Metz
Executive Editor
Student Association President Lamar Thorpe ‘07 has agreed to lend his support, in the form of food and blankets, to the protestors at the all-deaf Gallaudet University. The students of Gallaudet University have been protesting the selection of its new president since last week.
Thorpe said he received an e-mail last week from a member of the Gallaudet community asking for support. Initially, Thorpe remained cautious, saying he didn’t want to commit to anything without understanding it completely.
Then, on Wednesday night, Thorpe said that he received a letter from the student body president of University of Maryland, asking for the GW student body’s support towards the cause.
Remaining steadfastly cautious, Thorpe decided to go and visit Gallaudet to see firsthand what was going on.
Thorpe said upon arrival at Gallaudet, it was “like a third world country,” with the front and back gates to the university closed off, and numerous tents set up by protestors outside the campus.
Thorpe said he met with a committee of student leaders, and also spoke with the protestors, who included people within the community, not just students.
“It’s not a student protest,” said Thorpe. “It’s a community protest that includes faculty, students, staff and alumni as well as members of the surrounding communities.”
According to Thorpe, the protestors indicated that the search process conducted to find the next president was their main bone of contention; the reason they were protesting.
The search, which was a six-week process, according to Thorpe, culminated with the selection of former university provost Jane K. Fernandes.
Thorpe said he had trouble understanding the real heart of the issue, as Gallaudet is somewhat of a different culture than GW, being the only deaf liberal arts university in the country.
However, Thorpe said the students tried to draw parallels he could relate to. The students said one of the problems they have with Fernandes is that she can only sign at what they have determined to be a “third grade level.”
“They asked me if I would like it if our new university president could only speak English at a third grade level,” said Thorpe. “And I said ‘no, probably not.’”
Thorpe said he was there for about five hours, walking around to various campsites, simply talking to people.
“They really impressed me,” said Thorpe. “They inspired me, I left feeling inspired.”
Almost as soon as Thorpe left, the conflict escalated again.
On Friday night, 133 people were arrested for protesting on campus grounds.
In an article in the Washington Post yesterday, the president of the National Association for the Deaf said the arrests are “totally unnecessary,” and the “situation is out of control.
In the same article, Fernandes said she felt the arrests were “necessary,” albeit “painful.” Her first priority is to “reopen the university,” which serves a larger deaf community well beyond its gates.
Thorpe has called an emergency Senate meeting tomorrow night at 8 p.m. in order to brief the Senate on the situation, which Thorpe calls a “cry for help,” and get the senators involved.
This situation comes as GW starts to choose its own next president.
GW President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg announced his plan for retirement last spring, to the surprise of the student body.
Thorpe, who serves as the only student representative on GW’s presidential search committee, made clear that he “doesn’t necessarily support their cause, just their right to evoke their constitutional rights in protest.”
As far as the GW administration is concerned, Thorpe could not comment on whether or not they support his involvement with Gallaudet University, and his pledge of support through blankets and food.
Thorpe did say however, “I represent the student body…and I don’t necessarily know that the administration would take a position on this issue.”
“These are our peers,” added Thorpe. “It’s important to support their initiatives as such.”
As for support from the Student Association senators, Thorpe said he plans to contribute as planned to the protestors, regardless of whether they’re behind him or not.
Said Thorpe, “I’m moving forward with this.”
Copyright 2004-2006 © The Daily Colonial. All rights reserved.
DPN Leader’s Ultimatum to BoT
BoT actually refused to have a dialogue with one of the DPN Leader. elizabeth
Board of Trustee October 16, 2006
GallaudetUniversity
Washington, D.C. 20002
Via Facsimile:
Dear Gallaudet University Board of Trustee:
It saddens me that I have to resort to writing a letter when my efforts were refuted. I made a genuine offer to meet with the Board in hope to resolve the crisis at Gallaudet University. I did not offer myself so I can be embroiled in the crisis. My involvement as the leader during the 1988 Deaf President Now movement had a significant and profound effect on me and I have better things to do than to get myself emotionally, mentally and physically consumed again in this crisis. I have been there, done that and I have absolutely no desire to repeat. I did not make such offer lightly as it came from my heart and countless of discussions. I did not make this offer because I support either the Board or the students. Actually, the Board and the students are both right and wrong! The only reason I made this offer is because of…..Gallaudet. I will not allow the Board, I. King Jordan, Dr. Jane Fernandes, Faculty, Staff, students, alumni and/or whatnots to tarnish and degrade Gallaudet and deaf community.
There is always a solution to a problem. I would not even make this offer if I was not so confident that a solution can be made. Both sides will not walk away completely satisfied but both sides will be able to save faces and end the crisis. The Board chose to reject a legitimate offer from an individual who had a lot of experiences in this type of situation. In fact, it is his life work! The Board has the balls to advice me to talk with President I. King Jordan. It will be a fruitless effort on my part to talk with him because he does not have the authority to agree and/or authorize on any or such solutions. The authority rests on the Board. Hence, my original request to meet with the Board.
The Board has a crisis now. A crisis that is constantly and rapidly escalating past the point of no return. In few days, the crisis will reach no man’s land and one side will have to concede in order to return to normalcy. Do I care which side? Heck no, I do not! I only care about Gallaudet, period!
I have not spoken up or lend support to any sides since the whole thing started in May. However, I followed the events closely. There are several problems created by the Board whether or not the Board acknowledges it as I am not here to place blames. However, I expect the Board to accept responsibilities. The problems that I see:
1) Why did the Board rush the search, screening, interview and hiring of the President? It is unheard of for such university to do all that within 6 months. It is a common practice from the day of position opening to hiring between 12 to 18 months. What was the rush for? Why the urgency? President Jordan was not resigning his post until December 2006. Don’t tell me that the new President needs transition period because President Jordan did not have one and he did just fine. A qualified person would not need such transition.
2) Why did the Board ignore the recommendations made by interviewing groups (what are they called when a candidate are being interviewed by students, faculty, administrators etc?????) about who should be considered as final candidates? Did the Board actually listened to various comments made by the Gallaudet community?
3) Why did the Board ignore other qualified candidates who obviously exceeded the qualifications of two other candidates in the final 3? Is it because the Board wants a certain candidate to stand out from the final 2? What happened if other qualified candidates were in final three instead of those two who were in the finals, would that make it more difficult for the Board to select a President?
4) Why did the Board act so shocked when they received negative reactions about the decision of the next president? Was the Board out of tune with what was happening on Gallaudet campus? Did the Board really receive comments and feedbacks from the community or were they in the dark?
5) Why did the Board allow or delegated President Jordan to take care of the mess created by the Board’s announcement of the next President? Why do you believe that Gallaudet community would listen or work with President Jordan? He is a lame-duck president and the issue is with the Board. That does not absolve the Board’s duties to address and deal with their decisions. I doubt that the Board would delegate to handle Board’s mess to Dr. Jane Fernandes if President Jordan resigned on the day of the announcement.
6) Why did the Board quickly allowed
Jane Fernandes to resign from Provost position and begin her Presidental transition? A six month transition is a very long time. The President of the 7) What makes the Board to adamantly stand by their decision of Dr. Jane Fernandes when the Board has gotten a vote of no confidences from Faculty and Staff of Gallaudet and Clerc Center? Does the Board honestly believe that Dr. Jane Fernandes can effectively and successfully work with those Faculty and Staff? What would the Board do if those Faculty and Staff continue to refuse to work and cooperate with Dr. Jane Fernandes? What would the Board do if Dr. Jane Fernandes fail to carry out the duties of the presidency due to lack of Gallaudet community support?
President-designated Dr.
United States does not go beyond 3 months transition. What was the sole purpose of that? A fuel to fire? Why not let President Jordan go early and allow Dr. Jane Fernandes to assume the Presidency? Let her clean up the mess. Now President Jordan’s legacy may be tarnished.
I have not seen any significant dialogue between the Board and Gallaudet community, just accusations, justifications and insults hurled at each other. No one was actually listening. The Board has an obligation to be assertive and aggressive regardless of the outcome. The Board’s primary duty and obligation is to protect Gallaudet and I feel the Board has failed to do that critical duty.
9) I believe the Board is divided among itself about the decisions made, the crisis and what to do next. I also believe that the Board has lost confidence and trust among each other and each member is now scrambling to survive. These are evident by the resignations and lack of participations of certain board members. It also shows certain Board members bad mouthing about others. It shows no back bones of those Board members because one cannot escape responsibilities of the decisions made. All Board members are all held accountable regardless of their participations – active or inaction. They should deal with the situation head on or kindly get out of the way and make rooms for new members who will tackle this crisis.
10) The Board is currently at a passé. There is no end in sight and no tangible or hopeful solution in front of us. It will only get worse until something serious happens. I do not give a rat’s arse about who is right or wrong in this situation nor do I give a hoot about who can fight the longest. The Board should lead by example and for goodness’ sake, negotiate. You should all be put in a locked room and only to let out when there is a workable solution to end the crisis. The Board, students, faculty, staff, alumni and community owe Gallaudet that courtesy.
I know the Board believes that if they change or rescind their decision now, they will be creating a precedent that any decisions or actions the Board make in the future can be repeatedly challenged. However, you know that is not the main issue. When was the first and last time the Board of Trustee’s decision was challenged? Only in 1988 when the Board picked a hearing candidate over a qualified deaf candidate as the next President of Gallaudet. It could be argued that a precedent was created in 1988. Nobody has challenged the Board’s decision before and after 1988. . We do not abuse so called precedent as there are important battles in order to win the war. This apparently is another major battle for we have not yet won the war.
Also, the Board of Trustee apparently has an attitude of being above everyone else and believes that they are making the best decisions. Hence, the Board forgets that they are in the United States of America. Our beloved country’s government is established by the people, of the people and for the people. We hold our inalienable rights to challenge our government and even overthrow the government. Throughout America’s history, sometimes the government did not represent the people and that the interests of the government are not the interests of the Americans. Americans had to assert their will directly and overruled the government’s decisions and actions and asserted the supremacy of the will of the people over the will of the government. It is pretty clear in our Constitution that the government is subservient to the people and only exists for the purpose of serving the people.
The Board of Trustee is a body that represents the best interest of Gallaudet
University and that interest also incorporate deaf community. It could be argued that the students, alumni, deaf community, faculty and staff are asserting their will on the Board because the Board did not or failed to represent them, listen to them and take their interests in to consideration. It does not matter if the Board’s decision was sound and just. It implies that the Board failed to serve Gallaudet community. The Board became subservient to Gallaudet community. Whether that was intentional or not, the Gallaudet community has challenged the Board and the Board needs to address it.
The last major issue the Board has is leadership. I have no opinion of Dr. Jane Fernandes as I do not know her personally. I know of her and am aware of her impressive credentials and qualifications. Based on my experiences working with the state level boards, I believe the Board is divided and is in a turmoil with this crisis. The Board has lost several members and has no strong leader since a long time chair, Dr. Anderson resigned and currently has an interim chair. The Board is going to rely and depend on Dr. Jane Fernandes to set the leadership tone at Gallaudet in less than three months from now. I do not see how that can be accomplished or even remotely possible. The Board is in a mess. Gallaudet is in a mess. Everyone is angry, hurt and bitter with the whole thing. Dr. Jane Fernandes is widely opposed and will not be afforded any cooperation by anyone who would want to see her succeed. The Board and Dr. Jane Fernandes have gotten a vote of no confidence by the Faculty Senate. The Board, President Jordan and Dr. Fernandes have lost the ability to lead. The leadership is practically nil at Gallaudet at the moment and will be for months to come. The Board will have to admit and acknowledge that the students, Faculty, Staff, alumni and deaf community have taken control of the situation. The only thing that the Board, President Jordan and Dr. Jane Fernandes can do now is to utilize the laws to protect the authority and positions you all hold. The laws can only go so far as it is usually used to intimidate the protesters not as the means to end the protest. Gallaudet cannot and will not survive without a clear leadership. FYI, threats (expulsions, termination) and intimidations (arrests, police presence) actually provides more fuel to the fire of the situation and ultimately benefit and increase the resolve of the protesters. Not only that, it angers those who were sitting on the fence to jump in. The Board needs to cease all threats and intimidations and start a dialogue.
I, again, am making a formal offer to assist the Board to resolve this crisis. I would strongly advise the Board to take this offer seriously. Nobody, I do not care who, messes with Gallaudet and deaf community without any significant good faith efforts to end the crisis. If my offer is rejected and I am at Gallaudet, I will do whatever it is necessary within my power to protect Gallaudet and the deaf community from further damages (reputation, perspectives, views and so forth). The Board of Trustee will lose. It is not a threat….it is a promise. It is one of the battles that I partake because it contributes to the never ending war of equality, respect, independence and accessibility for all individuals with hearing loss.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I await the Board’s decision by Wednesday, October 18, 2006 at 12 noon.
No Justice, No Peace,
Gerald “Jerry” L. Covell
Declaration of Independence“But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security”.
cc: I. King Jordan, President; Gallaudet University
Dr. Jane Fernandes, President-Designate
Gallaudet University Community
Deaf Community
Reprinted with permission by the author
Rally Moved To 8 PM
- FOOTBALL TEAM WILL PRACTICE FROM 4 PM TO 7 PM
- EXPECTED MEETINGS OF VARIOUS GROUPS WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT DAY
- FSSA, SBG, FACULTY, STAFF, ALUMNI, ETC
- RALLY IS NOT AT 6 PM
- RALLY IS NOW SCHEDULED AT 8 PM serenity_EM’s Xanga Site
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