Transcript of Fernandes’ Interview

Interview with Gallaudet University’s Jane Fernandes
Washington Post Radio Interview, Oct. 16, 2006

Tuesday, October 17, 2006; 4:21 PM

[italics] Washington Post Radio’s Mike Moss interviewed the Post’s
Monica Norton and incoming Gallaudet University president Jane
Fernandes about the protests over Fernandes’ presidency and transition
at the school. Dr. Fernandes spoke through an unidentified interpreter.
[italics]

[Triple round parentheses show where transcriptionist added words.
Triple square parentheses show where transcriptionist omitted words.
The square-round-square parentheses pattern shows corrections of the
transcript.]

Mike Moss: Gallaudet [GAL-ya-det (phonetic)] University has been in a
state of turmoil after a three day shutdown over the choice of Jane
Fernandes to be the incoming president. The nationally renowned school
for the deaf has reopened after 133 protesters were arrested. And
joining us this morning to take a look into the situation (((is))) Post
assistant Maryland editor Monica Norton joins us as does Jane Fernandes
who is the president designate at Gallaudet [GALL-ya-det (phonetic)]
University, and Ms. Fernandes will be represented by her sign language
interpreter who is with us here this morning on Washington Post Radio.
I want to thank y’all for joining [([being with])] us.

Let me begin with you Monica.

Monica Norton: Thank you.

Moss: What is it about Jane Fernandes that the students don’t like?

Norton: [Speaking on the telephone:] Well students have given a number
of reasons. When the protest began in May, it actually began with some
black students and staff on campus upset about the presidential search
process which had eliminated a strong black candidate in favor of three
whites. There were also some faculty members who were upset that the
board of trustees had not consulted them, and other students had said
[[[that]]] they didn’t think that Dr. Fernandes would be a good
representative for the [([their])] community.

Moss: But why don’t they think that she would be a good representative
for their community?

Norton: Well, some have complained that in her tenure as provost there
– she has been provost — for six years, they are upset about her
leadership and that she has [([had])] not exactly reached out to them

[([Norton: Well, some have complained that in her tenure as provost
there -- she has been provost for six years -- they are upset about her
leadership and that she has [([had])] not exactly reached out to
them])]

Moss: [[[OK]]] Let me turn now to Jane Fernandes, and again, she will
be represented by her sign language interpreter. Ms. Fernandes, welcome
to Washington Post Radio. I want to ask you whether you think
[[[that]]] in some way, shape, or form you are being discriminated
against here by the student body which doesn’t see you as deaf perhaps
as they are?

Jane Fernandes: [Long pause...Probable sound of chair tilting.
Interpreter speaking on telephone speakerphone:] Good morning, yes, I
don’t know. I was born deaf, so — my mother is deaf, my brother is
deaf, I have a niece who is deaf. So, if that’s not deaf, I don’t know
how to explain what deaf is.

Moss: How do you feel about these protests? What do they say to you?
Why do you think these students are so disliking of your selection that
they are staging these protests, and in the case of 133 of them,
getting themselves arrested?

Fernandes: I think that we are in a time of great change in the deaf
community [sounds of Fernandes whispering clear spoken English in the
background], and in any time of change, I think that that brings with
it resistance and it brings fear and people are afraid of change, and I
just happen to be in the position [[[that]]] I am in right now, and I
believe it’s not really about me, and I’m not taking it personally. I
believe there are some issues of decisions I made when I was provost
that did not please some people on campus, and I believe that is a
separate issue from what the deaf community is going through right now.

Moss: Now you say that the change is what the root of all that [([of
this])] is. What change do you represent?

[Fernandes' actual voice, whispering [very clear spoken English: Umm...
I represent change--]

Fernandes [interpreter]: [[[Uh]]] I represent a kind of change in
leading Gallaudet University into the future, being an inclusive deaf
university. Which means [[[that]]] we include all different kinds of
deaf people and we welcome and value different kinds of deaf people
[[[here]]] at Gallaudet University. And the changes are, for example,
more and more deaf babies now are getting cochlear implants, [[[and]]]
so that means [[[that]]] more deaf children are hearing better and
speaking better. And I believe [[[that]]] Gallaudet University is here
for those children as well, [Host: "Mmm hmm (agreeing)] as well as for
the children who grew up with sign language as their first language and
those who go to deaf schools. I believe that Gallaudet University has a
birthright for all deaf children and adults in the United States, and
that’s the change that I represent, and it’s scary for a lot of deaf
people.

Moss: Why?

[Fernandes' actual voice, whispering: Umm... I think it represents
change--]

Fernandes: Well, it represents change. It means that people [loud beep
in background (telephone intercom?)] who have seen Gallaudet as their
own, [Fernandes continues to whisper in clear spoken English] they
understand that when we welcome more diverse deaf people into the
community, that will influence our culture. It will influence our
language. But in turn we will influence them, and we will create a new
order of deaf people.

Moss: Have you failed to be able to reassure these students that this
change would be good?

[Fernandes' own voice, whispering: I think it's going to take time--]

Fernandes: I think it’s going to take time. I don’t think [[[that]]]
it’s going to be over fast. I think [[[this]]] is going to take perhaps
a few years of work, of hard work, in order to clarify the direction
that Gallaudet University is going in and to assure [insure
(interpreter error)] everyone that the center of Gallaudet University
always is, was, [([was, is])] and will be American Sign Language and
deaf culture, and that is one thing that [audible sound of computer in
the background of Fernandes' location--sounds like the "Finished
downloading" signal] will never go away. Deaf culture and American Sign
Language are here to stay, and we want to make sure that we are clear
about that.

Moss: We are talking about the –

Fernandes: — [[[(unclear:) We'd like]]] to expand the core of the
school here, to be able to include different kinds of deaf people.

Moss: We are talking about the situation over at Gallaudet [GALL-ya-det
(phonetic)]University here on Washington Post Radio this morning with a
sign language interpreter for Jane Fernandes, who is next to the
interpreter, and Monica Norton, who is the assistant Maryland editor at
the Post, an education reporter as well. Jane Fernandes, have you
considered that if it’s going to take years to work through all this,
whether that is too disruptive to the university itself and therefore
whether you should continue to be the incoming president? Have you
considered stepping away?

Fernandes: I have not considered resigning. I don’t believe for one
second that my resignation would help. I think that my resignation
would hurt the university very badly, and I think that my resignation
would result in years of instability ["Finished downloading" signal on
computer in the background at Fernandes' office] in the governance of
the university itself, and right now, we have a very strong and unified
governance, and I need to be able to take control and lead the
university. Right now, I am the president designate. I am not in a
position of leadership. President Jordan is still acting as president.
So I am looking forward to January 2007 when I do become president of
Gallaudet University and working with the community to make Gallaudet
University stronger.

Moss: Alright. I want to thank y’all for joining us this morning. Jane
Fernandes, the incoming president of [([at])] Gallaudet [GALL-ya-det
(phonetic)] University, and Monica Norton of the Washington Post.

Transcript:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/17/AR2006101700872.html

Audio:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/audio/2006/10/16/AU2006101600271.html