BoT Meeting Unknown to Gally Administrators?

Gallaudet protesters march through campus
By Tarron Lively
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Published October 28, 2006

Protesters at Gallaudet University yesterday formed a
human wall and marched through campus in their ongoing
demonstration against the appointment of Jane K.
Fernandes as president.
    The stalemate between students and administrators
over Mrs. Fernandes reached Day 16 yesterday, with
both sides saying no immediate resolution is in sight.

    About 90 students, alumni and supporters snaked
through the 98-acre campus in Northeast as part of a
“human chain” at noon, marching from College Hall, the
school’s administrative building, through the student
academic center.
    Most of them wore black as tribute to the
approximately 135 students who were arrested blocking
a side entrance to the school Oct. 13, which
protesters refer to as “Black Friday.”
    Melissa Malzkuhn, 24, a graduate student from
Fremont, Calif., participated in the demonstration
yesterday and said she is “totally disgusted” with the
school’s handling of the situation.
    “When the protest started, it was so obvious and
blatant — the lies and twisting of information that
was going on,” Miss Malzkuhn said. “I cannot accept
that anymore. Everything is continuing to escalate,
and the whole reason for the protest is that Jane
Fernandes is not a good leader.”
    Mrs. Fernandes has been a university official for
11 years, the past six years as provost. She is set to
take over as president in January when I. King Jordan
leaves.
    The school’s board of trustees appointed her last
spring, and the student protests followed.
    The protests stopped during summer break but
resumed this fall and included a student takeover Oct.
5 of Hall Memorial Building, where many classes are
held. After bomb threats forced them from the
building, they began blocking entrances to the school,
the country’s only liberal arts university for the
hearing impaired. The protests have included daily
rallies, hunger strikes and marches on Capitol Hill.
    The students say a lack of diversity among the
candidates and Mrs. Fernandes’ unresponsiveness to
their needs and concerns are among their major
complaints.
    Mrs. Fernandes has said critics do not think she
is “deaf enough.”
    A majority of the faculty recently voted to say
Mrs. Fernandes should resign or be removed from the
post.
    Much of the school’s homecoming activities last
weekend were canceled by Mr. Jordan.
    Because of the protests, which have disrupted some
classes, the board of trustees is expected to meet
tomorrow to review the selection of Mrs. Fernandes.
    Mercy Coogan, university spokeswoman, said
administrators haven’t been informed of the meeting,
but are working feverishly to bring about a
resolution.
    She ceded that talks haven’t advanced much in
recent days.
    Earlier this week, students held a sit-in near the
second-floor offices of Mr. Jordan and occupied the
ground floor of College Hall, which houses the offices
of campus administrators.
    Willis Mann, an activist for the deaf and an
alumnus of Gallaudet, said yesterday Mrs. Fernandes
has been “divisive and polarizing” in her attempt to
win over detractors. “She’s destined to fail because
she does not have followers,” said Mr. Mann, 66. “It’s
better that she resign now gracefully, instead of
resigning in disgrace five years from now.”

http://www.washtimes.com/metro/20061027-102858-2636r.htm

elizabeth gillespie’s e-mail contact: mishkazena@aol.com