This is a summation and discussion of the protests and events surrounding the appointment of Dr. Jane K. Fernandes to the Gallaudet University presidency on May 1, 2006.
As a hard of hearing alumnus of Gallaudet University in Washington, DC and as someone who has worked at the university for the last 12 years, I never dreamed that Gallaudet would once again become embroiled in a controversy over the selection of its president. For those of you not in the know, here's a rough rundown of events:
Monday, May 1, 2006, The Gallaudet University Board of Trustees annouced the selection of Dr. Jane K. Fernandes as its 9th president. Fernandes is slated to start her term in January 2007.
After the announcement was made, Dr. Fernandes gave a short acceptance speech. The audience gave scattered rounds of applause, but mostly sat there stunned at the announcement.
Students then pulled fire alarms in the academic center and in several other campus buildings, then quickly gathered on the main green to discuss the announcement. It was soon determined that students would block the 8th street front gate of campus, which they then did.
Students cried out, "JK (JK is Dr. Ferandes's name in sign language) not acceptable now!" The students felt the selection process wasn't fair, had been rigged, and that their voice was unheard during the selection process.
Fox TV was the first news crew on the scene to interview the 2 student government presidents, Noah Beckman of the Gallaudet Student Body Government and Alex Zernaj of the Graduate Student Association. At that time, both students stated that they wanted the Board of Trustees to withdraw their offer, have Dr. Fernandes removed as president, and to have a meeting with the Board of Trustees. They said they'd asked for a meeting over the previous weekend, but had been denied this.
Later on Monday, then on Tuesday, students set up tents to sleep in front of the front gate. They made up signs, saying "Diversity Now", "Jane out", etc., clearly articulating their dismay over the selection for president and the process by which it was done.
Over the next few days, a student, faculty, staff, alumni coalition was formed called "Faculty, Students, Staff, and Alumni". They had a rally in the Gallaudet Field House on Wed. May 3rd, 2006 in which they stressed that they all (students, faculty, and staff who were in the main line up at the rally) love Gallaudet, that they are dismayed by the process by which the president was chosen, do not agree with the choice of president. They then handed Dr. Jordan, the outgoing president, and Dr. Fernandes, the incoming president, a letter they wrote to the Board of Trustees asking for the removal of Dr. Fernandes as president and that no reprisals be taken against students, faculty, or staff who participated in the protest.
On Monday, May 9, 2006, the Gallaudet University faculty passed a no-confidence vote in re. the selection of Dr. Fernandes. Out of 223 faculty members, 140 showed up to the Faculty Senate meeting, of which 65% voted no-confidence in the selected candidate.
Fast forward to Tuesday, May 10, 2006, in which Celia May Baldwin, the acting chair of the Gallaudet University Board of Trustees, resigned her position, citing sleepless nights and threats she had received against her life.
It is now Thursday, May 11, 2006, and things are at a standstill. Students are still camped out at the front of campus in a group of tents, which has been dubbed "Tent City." The Board of Trustees is meeting today and tomorrow to discuss the events of recent days and to figure out how best to handle the situation.
Gallaudet students and protest supporters are upset because they feel that Dr. Jordan and Dr. Fernandes are positing this issue as one of a deaf identity crisis. The two of them have stated that the protest is more than just about Dr. Fernandes's appointment, but that it is about what it means to be deaf in the 21st century. Dr. Jordan and Dr. Fernandes have stated that the students are saying that Dr. Fernandes isn't deaf enough--she was raised speaking and going to public schools, and didn't learn sign until age 23. (She is now 47.) The students and their allies assert that the protest is about the way Dr. Fernandes was selected (not enough people of color were on the selection committees, etc.) and the fact they do not see her as capable of leading Gallaudet after Dr. Jordan steps down in December.
I am purposely reporting the facts first before asserting my views on the situation because I want to paint a fair picture of what's going on at Gallaudet first by way of background. And then put in my 2 cents.
Here are my takes on the situation:
1) I do not support the protest. I also don't support the appointment of Dr. Jane Fernandes to the presidency post, but for reasons different from those of other people. True, I don't think Dr. Fernandes was the best choice, but she was the best choice of the 3 finalists for the position. Mr. Stern of New Mexico, one of the three finalists for the job, hasn't even finished his Ph. D. coursework, let alone started his dissertation. Dr. Weiner, a longtime employee of Gallaudet, is better qualified than is Stern, but hasn't had as high a public profile as has Dr. Fernandes. Some have argued that other candidates weren't included in the final round, including one prominent deaf person of color, who resigned from the university's board of trustees to run for this position.
2) The students messed up a U-Haul truck and seriously blocked campus access for staff, students, and faculty during the final exams period for about 3 days. They then opened the side and back gates to allow unimpeded access to campus for those who needed it.
3) Threats have been made against Dr. Fernandes and against Ms. Baldwin, the former interim chair of the Board of Trustees. I don't support the making of such threats as a viable form of non-violent protest. Ms. Baldwin resigned her position this week as a result of these same threats. Surely, that's not what peaceful demonstration is about.
4) Having said all this, I will say that the deaf community is quite fractured, the students and their allies have not presented a united front, a totally clear message, as was the case in the Deaf President Now movement that installed Dr. Jordan as the first deaf president in 1988. I am dismayed and am quite disillusioned by how this is a) being handled by the administration, students, faculty, and staff; b) how internally fractured the deaf community has become; and c) how people are perceiving Gallaudet as a result of this.
I say all these things, knowing that not all people are protesting the changes, knowing that some folks are like me, in that they have conflicting feelings over the situation. The University Board of Trustees and the administration made the wrong call in their selection of president, I am sure of that. I am also sure of the fact that because the Board hasn't backed down from its decision, that the only person who can change this equation is Dr. Fernandes. She has publicly stated she will not do this.
So, things are at a stalemate now. If the Board of Trustees backs down, then their word is no longer final and binding, as it should be in these situations. They are stuck between a rock and a hard place.
People at Gallaudet are angry, frustrated, and disillusioned. It's a tough place to be working right now. It's even tougher to be deaf and working here. There are no easy answers.
I did send a letter to the Washington Post that was unpublished in which I said that we need to work with Dr. Fernandes now that she's been selected to make the changes we need to in the presidential search process. We need to start the healing in the community because there's been too much divisiveness.