2006 October 18 « Mishka Zena

The Daughter of BoT Speaks Again

The Presidential Search Committee (PSC) gave the BOT three choices to pick from for President. They could only pick from those three. Of the three choices, they chose Jane. Not because she is the best person to become president, not because they think she is the best candidate, but of the three people that the PSC presented to the BOT, to pick from, they deemed her as the most qualified candidate of the three that they were given to pick from. They can ask Jane to resign, but in order to do so, it would make them lose face, appear uncertain and would compromise the integrity of the BOT. Therefore they cannot do it. Jordan cannot ask her to resign either, since she was picked by his bosses, the BOT. Jane is currently the President-Elect. The only way she can step down right now is if she resigns on her own terms. By creating chaos and anarchy is not going to give her a good reason for her to resign. Only Jordan right now can deal with the chaos since he is still President. In negotiations, he and Michael Moore are the only two people in a position to do so. This is why Jane is in hiding. Jane is not in a negotiating position, since she is in limbo right now, not being provost anymore, and awaiting the power of the President, where she can get in the position to negotiate demands. The only solution to this whole impasse is for her to resign when she feels it is time for her to resign, or after one year of being President (if she doesn’t resign on her own terms) if the BOT don’t feel that she has done anything to improve Gallaudet, they can fire her, and start all over again.

Charlotte

personal. Charlotte wrote this to me for the blog. thanks, charlotte.

elizabeth

October 18, 2006 Posted by Mishka Zena | Uncategorized | | 28 Comments

FSSA, IKJ, and JK Vlogs At DeafNation

Part of this FSSA conference, the bottom one, was shown on FOX news. You can see where the blonde woman reported about the intimidation problems experienced by the Gallaudet Community

FSSA Press Conference – Oct. 17, 2006

	Dr. Jane K. Fernandes – Oct. 17, 2006 WATCH VIDEO
	Dr. I King Jordan – Oct. 17, 2006 WATCH VIDEO
	FSSA Press Conference – Oct. 17, 2006 WATCH VIDEO

October 18, 2006 Posted by Mishka Zena | Uncategorized | | 5 Comments

BoT Firm Despite Messages From Stakeholders

Statement from the Board of Trustees

MEMORANDUM

TO: The Campus Community
FROM: Dr. Brenda Jo Brueggemann, Chair, Board of Trustees
SUBJECT: Stament from the Board of Trustees

On behalf of the Gallaudet University Board of Trustees, I write to say that our foremost priority must be to reopen our campus so that Gallaudet University can move forward with its fundamental mission of education.

Ninth President

All Board members have received messages from people suggesting that we could end this apparent impasse by asking Dr. Fernandes to resign. The Board will not do that. Our decision to support Dr. Jane K. Fernandes as the ninth president of Gallaudet University stands. We look forward to her tenure as president beginning January 1, 2007. The Board has no plans to re-consider this decision.

We conducted a fair, open and transparent search for a new president and we selected Dr. Fernandes as the strongest candidate. The University needs a sense of continuity from Dr. I. King Jordan’s presidency to that of Dr. Fernandes and if she were to resign, the result would be years of uncertainty, permanent instability in the governance of the institution, and many other long-term and negative consequences. The Board has stated, and re-stated, that Dr. Fernandes is our choice and is the most qualified candidate to run the institution.

Dr. Fernandes deserves to be given the chance to assume the office we have appointed her to. She will not take up her full duties as Gallaudet University’s president until January 2007, and has thus not been given the opportunity to show what she can do as president. The Board will not remove Dr. Fernandes from a position she has not yet started.

The Deaf President Now movement and Dr. I. King Jordan’s presidency have been defined with the slogan, “Deaf people can do anything but hear,” and this message has inspired thousands of people who are deaf or hard of hearing to do just that. We cannot send this message to deaf children and at the same time send a message to Dr. Fernandes and other deaf adults that we will not give them the same chance to show what they can do.

We ask that you respond to Dr. Fernandes’ invitations for opening and continuing dialogue about issues of concern facing our community and we ask that you contribute your perspectives on how these issues can be addressed.

The Board will monitor Dr. Fernandes’ performance carefully-as any university president’s performance should be monitored.

Protest Investigations

In regards to the events in the Hall Memorial Building on Friday, October 6, 2007, we have retained former Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder to conduct a full investigation and we have asked him to report the results to us. We will take any necessary actions, as indicated by the results of this investigation, promptly on conclusion of his report.

Presidential Transition Team

The work of the Presidential Transition Team (PTT) will begin soon. We are committed to the successful transition of Dr. Fernandes to the Gallaudet University presidency. We call upon all members of the campus community to take responsibility for the future of Gallaudet University by working with Dr. Fernandes and us to give her the chance she most definitely deserves to show what she can do.

Thank you for you attention to these important matters and for your ongoing support for the future of Gallaudet University.

October 18, 2006 Posted by Mishka Zena | Uncategorized | | 7 Comments

A Note By GUAA Prez, Andy Lange

Hello GUAA Alumni,

I am sure by now, everyone has heard of the news. With the very short
message that was released today from President Jordan’s office -
see below -, he has disenfranchised many alumni. The Classes of 1981
and 1956 were all set to host their 25th and 50th Reunion. There are
also many other reunions happening on that day as well. Instead, Dr.
Jordan cancelled all “University Sponsored Events.”

Needless to say, we are all upset over this and deem his reasons for
doing so very weak. Dr. Jordan is “postponing homecoming” because
of the protester’s refusal to open all of the gates. Let’s think
about this for a minute.

1) The gate by KDES is never used. It is hardly ever opened.
2) The gate by MSSD is open ONLY from 6 am to 6 pm M-F. It is closed
on Saturday and Sunday.
3) The 6th St. Gate is open ONLY from 6 am to 6 pm M-F as well. It is
also closed on Saturday and Sunday.
4) The Florida Avenue and 8th Street Gate is open 24/7.

There are hundreds of reasons why the protesting is going on. I can
tell you from what I’ve seen and heard this past week or so, the
problems that Gallaudet has run extremely deep. The protesters
(students, faculty, staff, and alumni) have occupied the front gate on
Florida and 8th, and they have also occupied the gates of Kendall and
MSSD. When the football team took over the campus and shut the 6th
street gate, they effectively closed the University.

As a result of that, 134 of our future leaders were arrested. Mostly
students and a faculty member. Esteemed DPN Leader Tim Rarus was also
arrested. Why? Because we have a person chosen by a Board of Trustees
who have abdicated their role as custodians of the university and have
put up a wall of silence (pun intended). They have chosen a person who
is extremely unpopular and by all accounts not an effective leader.
If you have been following the blogs, you will see all the
documentation that has come forth about the effectiveness of the leader
chosen for us by the Board of Trustees. Why is the BOT not willing to
see that this person is simply not able to lead? More importantly, the
obvious disconnect between the 85% of the Faculty who have voted to ask
for resignation and the BOT? Why is President Jordan so protective of
her?

On Monday morning, the gate on 6th St. was open and traffic was allowed
to come and go normally. The students continued to occupy the Florida
and 8th Street Gate. So, there is clear and easy access to the campus.
In fact, on Monday morning and again this morning in the rain, a lot
of students, alumni and some faculty stood by the roadside leading into
Gallaudet, waving, cheering, and saying “good morning” to everyone.
It was very heart warming to see them doing this. This morning, it
was raining, and they were out there again, cheering, waving and
welcoming people to the campus.

I know from my discussions, that the students and leaders have been
very careful to communicate with the DPS and DC Police to make sure
there is no mis-communications. They were told by everyone that the
6th street gate had to be open, and as long as it was open, it would
not be a problem.

Apparently President Jordan thinks otherwise. Postponing the HC day
and events, is in effect a CANCELLATION for class reunions and for
alumni participation. Especially for the Classes of 1981 and 1956.
Those classes have spent two years planning their reunion. Catering
food has been reserved, entertainment reserved, and members of the
classes have already paid for plane tickets, taken time off from work,
book hotel rooms, and prepared for the reunion. I am sure all of them
were looking forward to seeing their classmates from 25 and 50 years
ago. Me included, as it is my 1981 class reunion. I am not able to
come back in November to attend what would be considered an “Official
Class Reunion.” I am sure that this is true for many our alumni who
are unable to come in November. In fact, I have seen some our
international alumni already here for the festivities. I feel bad
because I encouraged them all to come.

Shock waves reverberated throughout Gallaudet when the announcement was
made. Dr. Jordan and Dr. Fernandes have repeatedly stated that this is
a “local” issue and not really a community wide issue. How very
wrong of them. About 2 minutes after the announcement went out; I
received pages from Florida, California, South Dakota, and many other
states asking me if it was true. In about 10 minutes, people from
England were asking the same question. “Local” indeed!

I cannot describe to you adequately the upheavals and turmoil Gallaudet
is in now. It is awful, sad, and quite simply, disgusting. You have
to be here on campus to see it and feel it for yourself. For those of
you who were “against” the protest, or not very supportive. I
assure you, when you get here, you’ll see it for yourself.

The worst thing anybody can do is turn on their own family members.
Since Gallaudet is home for us, the students arrested on Friday evening
last week was an incredible, terrible and heart breaking experience.
It was awful, sad, and demoralizing. Our kids were trying to make a
statement, they were expressing their opinion. This is AMERICA, this
is what we do. Blocking the gate maybe was not the “legal” thing
to do, but it was a way to get attention. Very obviously, they felt
that they were not being “heard.”

Well, I don’t know about you folks, but to put it bluntly, I am heart
broken and outraged that President Jordan can continue to oppress the
community of Gallaudet. Very clearly, he’s lost focus on what we are
all about. Today we were interviewed by the local media, I told
President Jordan that the oppression must stop. We are fed up with it.
Is it right for us to feel oppressed in our own home? After a life
time of oppression, Gallaudet is the one place where we are free to be
ourselves, and not suffer the oppression we experience EVERYDAY of our
lives outside of Gallaudet!

Nevertheless, we will PREVAIL, and life will get back to normal at
Gallaudet. Some people need to realize that they are not wanted at
Gallaudet and will never have the ability to lead the university or our
cherished campus. By cancelling an event that hundreds of alumni have
paid airplane tickets, dinner tickets, event tickets, hotel rooms, and
taken time off from work to attend, President Jordan has made it clear
to all of us, that the alumni is not a valued entity at Gallaudet
University.

Therefore, I am calling upon ALL ALUMNI to come to Gallaudet. Come on
foot, rent buses, fly here, and be here. Our home needs us!

We must take back Gallaudet.

Andy Lange
GUAA President

PS. The GUAA was NOT consulted on this “postponement.” The GUAA
had no input into this decision whatsoever.

PSS. It’s nice that President Jordan can send emails to ALL Alumni
when we at GUAA are unable to do so.
—————————-

October 17, 2006
To Members of the Gallaudet Community:

We regret that due to the fact that Gallaudet University is not
operating under normal circumstances, and the protesters continue to
refuse to open all of the gates, we must postpone homecoming and all
related activities.

King Jordan
President

————————-

October 17, 2006
4:00 p.m.

I. King Jordan announced at 3:25 p.m. today that his homecoming has
been cancelled.
Excuse me, OUR homecoming continues. More information is forthcoming
shortly.

We will take back Gallaudet.

Andrew Lange
President
Gallaudet University Alumni Association
————————-

http://guaanews.com/?p=26

October 18, 2006 Posted by Mishka Zena | Uncategorized | | 3 Comments

Plans For Homecoming By GUAA Prez

Gallaudet University Alumni Association
guaanews.com
October 18, 2006

Despite what President Jordan has done in cancelling our Homecoming
Reunions! We will converge onto Gallaudet University this Saturday,
October 21, 2006.

COME TO GALLAUDET!!!

Right now, plans are still sketchy. Bear with us as we work through
them.

Scheduled were classes of 1981 and 1956 Reunions. COME ANYWAY and we
will have our class pictures taken at Chapel Hall beginning at 10:00
AM. This is true for all classes. It will be a historic day!

Meet at 11:30 at the “mall” between the Library and EMG Statue

At 12:30 we have our annual Alumni Parade – We will walk around the
campus.

There is no football game. You will be free to mingle and hang around
Gallaudet Campus. I am sure there will be more plans made and we’ll
make sure everyone has a great time there! Stay tuned for further
updates.

Thanks.

http://guaanews.com/?p=27

October 18, 2006 Posted by Mishka Zena | Uncategorized | | 2 Comments

Who Are The Student Leaders?

Ryan Commerson (top leader),

Tawny Holmes (assistant leader),

Erin Moran (assistant leader),

Noah Beckman (SBG president),

Chris Corrigan (Mayor of Tent City, morale booster),

Jason Coleman (led the football players to lock down the campus),

Tara Holcomb (spokesperson),

LaToya Plummer (spokesperson)

October 18, 2006 Posted by Mishka Zena | Uncategorized | | 4 Comments

Interview With LaToya Plummer

Interview with Gallaudet Student and Faculty Member [LaToya Plummer and
Jeff Lewis]
Washington Post Radio Interview

Wednesday, October 18, 2006; 1:44 PM

Mike Moss: Well Good morning and glad to have you with us. Homecoming
events here at Gallaudet University here in D.C. are postponed as
protesters are continuing to block some of the entrances to the
Northeast D.C. campus. The university’s homecoming football game was
scheduled for Saturday night against Walter Reed. University President
I. King Jordan has released a statement expressing disappointment in
the no confidence vote from the faculty. The protesters have been
forming human barricades at the campus gates in protest of the
selection of Jane Fernandes as the incoming president of the
university. That would be something that would take place January 1st.
Now with us this morning through their sign language interpreters are
LaToya Plummer, a student at Gallaudet University, and one of the
faculty members, Dr. Jeff Lewis, who’s with us as well. I want to thank
you both for joining us here on Washington Post Radio. And let me talk
to Dr. Lewis first, if I can. Dr. Lewis, this situation seems to be
getting in the way of the whole process of education. What can you make
of it? What is happening at Gallaudet?

Dr. Lewis: It has been a very difficult time at Gallaudet University.
Classes are still continuing, and I am teaching my classes, in fact.
And the other faculty members are teaching their classes as well. Many
of the students have been trying to attend the classes although it’s a
difficult period of time to focus in class during those times. So, what
we’re doing is the best that we can at this current time.

Mike Moss: LaToya Plummer is a student at Gallaudet. LaToya, what are
you protesting?

Plummer: What am I protesting? Well, the protest is all about a flawed
process for the selection of the next president. It’s not only that but
the lack of leadership capabilities that we’ve seen in Dr. Fernandes
over the last 11 years. And that includes, you know, addressing other
issues of racism and audism, and many other issues involved in this
protest that students are very concerned about. Management by
intimidation is a concern for all of us, and all of these issues are
what is caused us to protest here at Gallaudet University.

Mike Moss: Dr. Lewis, what is it about Jane Fernandes that people are
so up in arms about?

Dr. Lewis: Well, when she was selected as the provost six years ago,
she was appointed without the appropriate faculty involvement. The
president appointed her instead of appointing a search committee to go
through this process. He has apologized for this, and the faculty at
that time was not supportive of the appointment and of the process. In
the six years that she’s been leading the university as provost, her
record has not been impressive.

Mike Moss: Now, LaToya Plummer, as a student, when does all of this
end? Will the protests continue up until a point that there is someone
other than Jane Fernandes named as the incoming president at Gallaudet?

Plummer: It will not end until she resigns or she is removed from this
position.

Mike Moss: Now what about, LaToya, if she digs in? I mean she told me
the other morning when I talked with her that she had no intention at
all of resigning. So what happens? Is this just a continuing standoff
to see who blinks?

Plummer: Well, we are going to have the board of trustees here,
Congress people here. We will not give up. The support continues to
grow. We have the idea in our mind that she will resign or be removed.
I mean, this is a worldwide protest. This not just the Gallaudet
community. People around the world have joined with us.

Mike Moss: Doctor Lewis, have you ever had an opportunity to sit down
with Jane Fernandes? Have you done that? Have you talked with her?

Dr. Lewis: I have in fact. And I was in a group of seven faculty
members who met with her last month. We met with her for an hour and a
half. We had a dialogue about some of the issues that we face. And one
thing that came through very clear was the fact that first, she doesn’t
know why this protest is taking place. She also doesn’t understand the
issues. She says the protest is not about her, is what she says. The
protest is about her not being deaf enough. And she says she happened
to be next to the volcano when it erupted. It shows a huge lack of
understanding of these issues at hand that takes place here at
Gallaudet. This protest is about her. The faculty have voted, 138
faculty to 24 have voted to ask for her resignation or to have her
removed.

Mike Moss: Tell me Dr. Lewis, explain for people who don’t understand
the conflict here about audism and racism. These accusations that are
on the table in this protest.

Dr. Lewis: Sure, board member Dick Kinney has spoken with a group of
about 20 people in Wisconsin. Had a discussion about the board
instruction to the administration that they had instructed them to
address some issues of racism and audism. Audism, which is oppression
of people who can’t hear, and racism, which we already know about. As
well as management by intimidation. And it shows that the board knows
that there is a large, overwhelming problem here on campus. Dr.
Fernandes has been a member of the administration for six years. And so
the problems have not improved. It has not gotten better.

Mike Moss: LaToya Plummer has already said that as far as the students
are concerned, Dr. Lewis, they are going to protest until Jane
Fernandes steps aside. Is that how the professors fell as well, the
faculty members?

Dr. Lewis: The faculty have voted. And again, as I said, 138 voted that
they would ask for her resignation. And so I can repeat this until I’m
blue in the face.

Mike Moss: I’m not asking you to repeat the same thing until you’re
blue in the face. I am wondering where does it go from here if it’s a
standoff? Does this escalate? Do you decide that you’re not going to
teach classes? How does this continue to progress if the standoff
continues?

Dr. Lewis: Currently, what we’re doing is we’re seeing oppression that
takes place across the board from the United States. So it’s time for
the board of trustees to step in, to demonstrate some leadership on
campus. So there is some negligence from the board by not being here on
campus. And so they need to come here immediately. The faculty has
proposed a plan where we would have several of the faculty members as
well as staff and students and alumni work together with the board
after Dr. Fernandes is removed. And once she is removed, we could lead
the campus in the right direction. That way we could lead them to a
healing process.

LaToya Plummer: I’d wanted to add as well, you know there are a lot of
students that are involved right now. They know that a lot of our
faculty want to continue teaching, want to continue offering education,
but this is not a healthy environment. They are still encouraging us to
seek our education, but at the same time understanding our concerns and
wish the best for all of us.

Mike Moss: LaToya, what are your parents telling you about this? They
must be looking on at all this with some wonderment and concern.

LaToya Plummer: Well, my parents are telling me that if I believe in
what’s right, that I need to fight for it. And you know I came back two
years ago to continue my education because I felt that was right. I
have to stand up for what I know is right.

Mike Moss: I thank you both for joining us this morning from Gallaudet
University, the site of continuing protests. LaToya Plummer is a
student there. Dr. Jeff Lewis among the faculty members who
overwhelmingly have voted against Jane Fernandes as the next university
president. Like LaToya, Dr. Lewis wants her to step aside. (Segment
Ends)

Transcript:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2006/10/18/DI2006101800565.html

Audio:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/audio/2006/10/18/AU2006101800700.html

Photo Gallery:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/gallery/2006/10/13/GA2006101300574.html

Interview With LaToya Plummer

Interview with Gallaudet Student and Faculty Member [LaToya Plummer and
Jeff Lewis]
Washington Post Radio Interview

Wednesday, October 18, 2006; 1:44 PM

Mike Moss: LaToya Plummer is a student at Gallaudet. LaToya, what are
you protesting?

Mike Moss: Dr. Lewis, what is it about Jane Fernandes that people are
so up in arms about?

Plummer: It will not end until she resigns or she is removed from this
position.

Mike Moss: Doctor Lewis, have you ever had an opportunity to sit down
with Jane Fernandes? Have you done that? Have you talked with her?

Mike Moss: Tell me Dr. Lewis, explain for people who don’t understand
the conflict here about audism and racism. These accusations that are
on the table in this protest.

Dr. Lewis: The faculty have voted. And again, as I said, 138 voted that
they would ask for her resignation. And so I can repeat this until I’m
blue in the face.

Mike Moss: LaToya, what are your parents telling you about this? They
must be looking on at all this with some wonderment and concern.

Transcript:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2006/10/18/DI2006101800565.html

Audio:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/audio/2006/10/18/AU2006101800700.html

Photo Gallery:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/gallery/2006/10/13/GA2006101300574.html

Do Do?

what is the next step we should do if BoT refuses to do anything?

October 18, 2006 Posted by Mishka Zena | Uncategorized | | 6 Comments

Time For Congress?

On Tue, 17 Oct 2006, Darryl Hackett wrote:

> It is time for the Congress to intervene this crisis because the BOT has
> not done anything else except sending messages and doing lip service.
> Perhaps someone can contact Jesse Jackson to step in to support the
> FSSA.

Since IKJ and JKF are incredibly stubborn as mule and have absolutely no
regards for Gally’s stakeholders, then I guess we really need to focus on
BOT. If BOT continues to be as bad as IKJ/JKF (has been that way the
whole time), then BOT needs to be dissolved period. Then we’ll have new
board that will represents the best interest for Gally’s stakeholders all
the times.

How can we dissolve the board? By a court order? By our congress?

Looks like the latter is most likely option.

Desperate people do desperate things. Jordan has been one hell of a
desperate person the whole time.

Everybody and their friends/families are coming to OUR homecoming en masse
and Jordan sure can homestaying and plotting next desperate acts which
adds more gasoline to the fire.

Seriously I hope Jordan really wakes up and start coming to the senses
ASAP and return Gallaudet back to the stakeholders.

Myself, speaking as staff member of Gally, don’t recongize IKJ/JKF as
leaders/bosses in any shape or form. I work for students, fac and staff,
not Jordan and JK. Both are history in disgrace.

Unity for Gallaudet!

> Darryl

Jamie Clark
GALLYNET-L@gallynet.org

Reprinted with permission by the moderator of GallyNet list.serv

October 18, 2006 Posted by Mishka Zena | Uncategorized | | No Comments Yet

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