Graduation is today. Hundreds of students are about to get their hard-won degrees–bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D’s. It’s one of the proudest days in a student’s life, but today’s graduation at Gallaudet University comes amid extraordinary circumstances.
FSSA has done a great job in ensuring that their protest activities do not get in the way of the festivities. Graduating students who want to be identified as part of this protest will be wearing buff and blue ribbons. A bomb threat was called in this morning, but there’s no indication of who or where it came from. Gallaudet will press forth with the pomp and circumstance beginning at 1:15 PM.
Yesterday and today, FSSA met with the Board. In fact, yesterday’s meeting took over five hours. Of course, a resolution was not achieved. At this point, it doesn’t seem like anything significant will develop. Maybe for a long time.
Now the question everybody’s asking themselves is, “now what?” The summer starts tomorrow. Many students will leave, many others will stay in Tent City. But how long can Tent City realistically last? Months? Until September when a new semester begins? October when the Board meets again? January, when Dr. Fernandes becomes the ninth president?
Are the protesters prepared to camp out for months and months? Will Gallaudet even let them?
An once-spontaneous protest is becoming a long struggle, and it’s difficult to see who will blink first. Larry Summers withstood five years of intense scorn from the Harvard faculty body before he resigned–and that was just the faculty. How long will Dr. Fernandes, the Board, and FSSA last?
It’s anybody’s guess.
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Let’s hope everything goes smoothly to everybody’s benefit on having an enjoyable, protest-free, day.
I am positive the Board of Trustees will come to an agreement very soon. This cannot drag on and on with an end at the sight. That would hurt everybody: Gallaudet, Board, faculty, staff, students, alumni, the whole community. The Board will have a responsible approach and may lead us out of this quagmire by announcing their solution, maybe soon after the the graduation ceremony. Would you bet on this with me…?!
without an end at the sight
Any predictions what that resolution might be?
I guess they are sensible. Being stubborn will destroy themselves. They don’t want more damage to anyone. At least this is my bet…
They’ll probably do a compromise. Do an internal investigation on whether the process was flawed. But then, I dunno. From what I read, finally the protestors did a good job handling the media today.
So, it’s all up in the air.
A compromise that includes JKF as president? Will the students still at “tent city” accept that as a compromise?
For all our sakes, and to start the healing, the students at “tent city” better be prepared to accept a compromise, otherwise we’re set for more public embarassments.
The press conference was superb! Finally, we will have the truth out in the media, hopefully without distortion. Read the papers during the weekend!!! The Board promises an announcement for next week, but my bet is that they won’t wait that long. They just don’t want a disruption of the ceremany. But after the show — yes it IS up in the air… Cross finger!
Hold it, Zoltan. I saw your presentation. You are not exactly a fluent signer, and maybe you need to shut up and take ASL 101. You have absolutely no right to judge Jane when you are just as bad. You have not helped your students reach the standards of higher learning. Just because you have the ******’ tenure it does not mean you are entitled to badmouth your boss.
Whom did I badmouth? I asked questions about refused appointment and declining academics. Is not permissible? Oh, I’m sorry for my ignorance. Maybe we should just all shut up. Or shut behind the bars… Who told you I have “”****** tenure”", anyway?? ;)))
I don’t believe the basic demands can be compromised. They are clear and stong messages. And the Board is sensible, they don’t want to go down in the history as failure. It is our best hope now.
The basic demands of no JKF and a reopened search process? Hasn’t the board said to give in to those would make them powerless? Don’t get me wrong, I just worry that it’s now a no win situation.
King said that not the Board. Am I right?
perhaps…I just wonder if the board will cave. This whole thing scares me at this point. I don’t believe JKF is the best next leader for Gally, but worry that things are “past the point of no return” now… I just spent an hour reading various hearing blogs. BOY, is that a frightening eye opener.
Hearies about us? What do they say?
Mcconnell links to a few from his blog. And yahoo.news… that gally is being ridiculous. basically.
Don’t be so narrow-minded. Maybe you need to start looking for work elsewhere. You are completely unprofessional and biased. I suppose you are just one of many professors who look down upon deaf students, or come up with some lame excuse that it’s the system that fails deaf children when you, in fact, could have had made a difference in their lives.
This is an embarassment to the Deaf community at-large. Bomb threats give a whole new meaning to Deaf militancy - this protest has gone too far.
At the very least, Jane should have been given a chance to perform. If she truly lacks the leadership presence that you say that you wanted, by giving her rope, you’d figuratively let her hang herself.
IMHO, she can begin the healing process by appointing a culturally diverse Provost that everyone will approve of, thus improving relations between the administration, faculty, and students.
p.s. yes, I’m Deaf.
She had 6 years to perform as Provost. People don’t seem to be wanting more… So??
The role of a President is very different from Provost.
Why don’t you start the healing process by helping facilitate the search for a Provost that will do all these things protestors demand?
You make me smile… ;-)))
Great. I’m glad you’re beginning to get the point. :-) Now, only if these protestors would.
maybe if the protesters had gotten an education they would know how to make a point
You are dead wrong. But you’ll wake up soon. No healing without the surgery… Sorry!
most educated people arent emotional fruit cakes they deal with it and life goes on
by the way why didnt the students protest her in the start of the process if they dislike her so much? tell me that since they are so educated and smart…. why did they vote her the most diverse candiate or whatever it was? It is their own fault for letting er get as far along in the process as they did… they could have weeded her out at the start… it is a bit too late to cry after the fact they had a chance to do something.
you are political correct in why they waited so long to get her out..well we can’t blame student for getting ssi or ssd to pay their college ed… how about blaming the college for accepting fruit cakes knowing they would make a significant contribution to “12 year program” ..that is where your tax money is going..
What is FSSA? Im not trying to take side. Has anyone took a good look at themselves? Graduates, Alumni and fellows Gally students? For those who have graduated from Gally in the last five years, did it hampered your academically studies in any way??? How does their decision effect your education?? Are u looking for a provost to sleep and be merrier with you? or to look good on resume? When Im in college, I dont care who the provost is. Its one thing we dont look at when applying to college. All I care is getting out of college with a degree in hand.
http://www.gallyfssa.org
No Jane has gone too far. Media and forums. It destroys our deaf community. She twisted her words. We re very EMBARASSING. According to Dr. Zoltan,”She had 6 years to perform as Provost” therefore we already gave her a chance. It was her time. NOW It is our time.
Regina: No Jane is being ridiculous because she refuses to resign. Things are getting steadily worse.
Sorry, isn’t the community also having forums? also contacting the media? Good lord, what about the debacle that was gallypreswatch.com….the damage that did…the many many posts about her personality, her sign skills…about her not being deaf enough…folks read those you know…
JKF is NOT a leader, no. I cringe when I see her PR photos…I cringe when I see her public speeches… I also cringe when I read ridorlive…when I see high school students saying silly things…
Yes, damage done.
you are embarassing and wasting my tax dollars when you go to college for more then 5 years for a 4 year degree… you people think gally is a country club…. do you know how locuky you are to have gally? what other country has a school like that for deaf people?? NONE… yet you kids go there and party and haev sex all the time and fail your classes your teachers gave you all the answer to your test in the previous class… but you were more concerned abotu getting drunk and laid after class
I have no respect for you gally undergrads.
Im glad Im not brainwashed. Observer dont u like sex? Are u jealous for not having sex lately?
LOL when you have a real job and get a real pay check you get lots of bible girls here in DC that want to save you…
lol..i have a job and great pay check…wow DC is something! I could use some bible guys out here… and for the answer to kill all deafies… u mention Gally should be shut down..so where will they go? to hell?
they can go where ever they want… why do I care as long as they stop wasting my tax dollars…
assuming u live in DC…
taxdollars are probably less than 1% as it goes to gally…..can’t hurt much!
they get a lot of tax dollars… think about all those kids that get VR which comes from federal tax dollars given to the states, the campus is federally funded, all those kids that go there who get ssi and ssd. it all adds up plus not to mention all the other deaf freeloaders out there that have flunked out of gally and are on ssi, ssd, welfare, food stamps and other programs. There are hearing people that are on these programs too and abuse the free ride they get and I cant stand them either. I am willing to say all those deafies at gally and gally is several hundred million a year… not to mention all the people that have to be paid to give them VR and SSI/SSD checks and so forth it is a lot of money when you look at the big picture.
Ya know what? there s party at every college.
Gallaudet is not the one. In Europe most of university, there is no university tuition charge, too. Health insurance, medical bills are free. IF you complain too much. Go to Europe then
well galy support if you had an education… you would realize people in europe pay a lot of taxes to pay for the free stuff… I dont support paying taxes for you getting a free ride. I DONT LIKE PAYING TAXES FOR GIVING PEOPLE A FREE RIDE
if you want a free ride move to europe
to the deaf people that want a free ride move to europe and burn their tax dollars cuz they like to pay taxes and live like poor people get the hell out of america you spoiled SSI BRATS
Excuse me? If you think Jane has gone too far, you should take a good hard look at the protesters. This is Deaf militancy gone too far! Bomb threats?? She doesn’t say hi? She’s not Deaf enough….
puh-leeeeez. The protesters are the ones who need to back off.
who say hi these days?
You are really AN IDIOT for saying that. U need a life and focus on your education and stop being followers!!
The comment i made was for IDIOT Regina!
A gally BS or BA is just as good as toilet paper… now the grad programs are top notch. hell I went to college some number of years ago and there are still kids from my freshman year working for that piece of toilet paper; the “12 year program” I like to call it.
these kids need to get an education and stop making the rest of us that live in dc and are working professionals look like an uneducated person that screams and cries like the democrats do on capital hill.
so are these kids really protest cuz jane will drop the hammer and make them get an education and take away their 12 year program and partying? all I know is that a lot of these kids are wasting our tax dollars and if someone had a clue they would sue them for abusing ssi vr and other funds.
I read you right, but there are non-deafies that are in “12 year program” because they keep changing their majors…. some deafies need more time to get smart..which is why I dislike the tuitition rate per years for these “12 year program” student.. No comments about Gally protest..Yes its embrassing…if I ever had deaf children..I would think twice before sending them to Gally.
Interestingly, hearing colleges & universities have far more problems (excessive partying [many of them get killed by binge drinking, tell me how many deafies get killed by it? *snicker*], countless dropouts [far outnumbering deafies, by the way], many of them are still uneducated in many things despite their degrees, the list is nearly limitless). The reports by different non-profits and government-sponsored organizations indicate the significantly declining education of hearing graduated students while in other countries like China and Sweden, their education is soaring higher and higher.
You know, playing ignorant does NOT pay off in the end. So save our time, go and whine (wahh! wahh! wahh!) at others about like good ‘ol republicans usually do.
i thought it were the Democrats that whines like rain safety. Republician makes the moves fast…like ice, but kill!
First of all, maybe so. But every time the Democrats asked for the independent investigation on different issues and instantly, the Republicans throw a tantrum in the next milliseconds. For some reason, “accountability” is the vulgar word to Republicans. Look at them throwing many tantrums about Clinton’s mere BJ issue… that says all, really.
Secondly, many bills that were pushed forward by Republicans “makes the moves fast” has horrible consequences. I suggest you pick up this book, “Impostor” by Bruce Bartlett, an Reaganite conservative for further information on economics. There are some more books written by Reaganite conservatives on many things which make the Reaganite conversatives pale in comparison to the Post-Bush conservatives and their Godforsaken irresponsible actions.
Jason for the size of the deaf community compared to the hearing one… I can tell you of several that have been killed or died from their drinking and drugs. do the math it is much higher in our community. yeah well you have the fruit cakes in the hearing world too… but it is okay here in america cuz we are exploring our education, jobs, and economy.
Observer, point taken. However, concerning the numbers, perhaps… perhaps. Someday, I’ll pull the numbers out to compare but by the percentage, I believe hearies’ somewhat higher than Deafies. I only hope that I can get my hands on some statistics on Deafies. However, I’m glad that you acknowledge the fact that hearies do have the same problems as Deafies do. My apologies for being … rude in my previous comment.
I second that with one small correction. A Gally BS or BA is just as good as toilet paper AFTER it’s been used by one of these students to wipe their own asses.
JKF will be the next Larry Summers if JKF decides to stay on despite the protest. JKF would be fool if she does that.
JKF is so selfish knowing that she is not well-liked by the Deaf community and FSSA? Do you know why? That’s the money she is attractive to!! Gally president’s salary is about $500,00 a year… my guess is that she wants to grab this highest salary that before she retires. She may not realize but she can make a lot of money from being defamed by writing a book about her Gally ordeal. Not only that but her PhD is literature which means she can write books!!! JKF can do something better than being a president of universirty. Come on, JKF!!!
I don’t think the president makes 500,000. Last time I heard, IKJ made about 250,000 more or less. Remember, JK will be going in at the entry level, so it might be about 150K and over years, it will increase. I think she already is making about 100K as a provost more or less.
Oh wow, you were so behind. He made $250,00-0 18 years ago. Now he earns over $582,000 a year. Check out this link, http://deafness.about.com/b/a/126247.htm
Haiku by Me
They do not like Jane
She will make them do homework
So then they protest
Dude, that is so genius. You must not be deaf because how would a deaf person write haiku? They don’t even know what a consonant is… or have any use for them.
Audism at its best. How dare you assume deaf people can’t write haikus or don’t know what consonants are. Some, nay, MANY of us are capable of creating haikus. And more of us can name the 19, sometimes 21, consonants.
From what I say, most of you can’t even write a complete sentence. Or name the 8 parts of speech. Without using the internet.
ouch! would u like to have an apple? wait let me wipe off the DIRT first…
Quote: “… sentence. Or name the 8 parts or speech. Without using the internet.”
Perhaps, but we are not holding the exclusive license for lousy grammar.
Just reading this website (blog + comments) tells me everything I need to know about the deaf command of the english language. There seems to be a very select few with high intelligence, the rest just boderline morons. Forrest Gump territory. Oh, if only their parents had signed to them *sob*. Let’s face it… the majority of deaf people have more than 1 genetic complication. That’s why most deaf people look deformed. The best they can hope for is post office employment.
thats so mean… we are the worst humankind on earth…there is no such thing called highly intelligence unless ur working for the al-queda or osma bin..
Many hearies don’t either, trust me.
maybe the best thing to do is just to shut gally down and save us hard working professionals tax dollars… I mean is gally really worth all the tax dollars it gets? it is a deaf country club for a bunch of fruit cakes.
I would say the same thing about Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University — Mental Institution for “a bunch of fruitcakes”.
thats sad but true
I wouldn’t go there if I were you…as if u are saying killall deafies..especially the fruit cakes..
why would I say kill all deafies I am deaf
why would I say that I am deaf… and I have deaf friends but we all can read above the 3 rd grade level then the fruit cakes and do more then basic algebra
Whoa! Above 3rd level in college??…that is fruit cakes to me.. how about above college level? im deaf too!
Oy Vey! That is all I have to say about this thread. *shakes head*
we are having fun here other than the protest..we’re blogging and clubbing smoothly…
the real question is why did are they protesting now when they had a chance to protest about jane durring the process if they disliked her so much how was she allowed to advance?
I hate to say it but I wonder along with you. I made a blog wondering about it recently…
Because this has been a long time coming. Since the 70’s, when a lot of deaf people starting getting college degrees, slowly but surely they started to get more involved the politics and education of their little “world”. More deaf teachers at deaf schools, for instance. And they coddled the students, instead of giving them a challenge for example, many deaf teachers will allow their deaf students to turn in homework past a deadline or allow them to re-negogiate a test score based on a curve. Or turn a blind eye to shoddy english. Or cutting class. Or showing up to class stoned, hung over, or just generally stupid-fied.
And now we are seeing the results of years of this foundation. That they seem to think they are entitled to anything, whenever, wherever, with no one to answer to. What is the major difference between deaf who were mainstreamed and deaf who went to deaf schools? Mainstreamed deaf know how to watch themselves (I hope), otherwise if you run your mouth, some hearing kid looking for a fight will punch you in the face. There is no such environment at deaf schools, i.e. a feedback loop that provides social instruction. They just don’t know how to act like a human being who shares the earth with other human beings. And now the whole word can see for itself what deaf of deaf are like.
Bad new, folks…
The Gallaudet Board of Trustees today announced that Dr. Jane Fernandes will immediately step down as provost to allow for the transition to her presidency. Dr. Fernandes will concentrate her work to carefully review all of the issues brought up during the last few weeks and to work with the campus community to address them. In addition, Dr. Fernandes will begin work on a search for a new provost.
“There have been several important issues raised in the past few weeks,” said Brenda Brueggemann, acting-Chair of the Board of Trustees. “As we begin the search for a new Provost, we want to have an open process that will address these concerns, and allow students, faculty, teachers and staff to play an important role in the process,” said Brueggemann.
Over the past week, the Board of Trustees has spent many hours meeting with and listening to the community. They have also received hundreds of communications from outside the campus community. This morning they met in a closed executive session to discuss concerns raised during the meetings and conversations and they came to agreement on several matters that need to be addressed. The Board of Trustees invited Dr. Fernandes and Dr. I. King Jordan into the meeting to discuss immediate next steps.
Dr. Jordan was asked by the Board to set up a process to identify an interim provost. He will begin by establishing a committee made up of faculty, staff and students and by sending out a call for nominations. Dr. Jordan will seek nominations of people who might be willing to serve until a permanent provost is selected. It was the strong opinion of the Board that this person should not be someone who might seek to have the permanent provost position.
Also at the same time, Dr. Fernandes will lead a national search to identify the permanent provost. She will establish a representative committee to develop a job description and then do a national search to find the new provost.
“We must move ahead and bring all sides together. We all gain if we work together, in a collaborative manner. We have been conducting open and honest dialogues with many different groups on and off campus. We are looking forward to moving ahead and continuing to strengthen our Gallaudet University,” Brueggemann concluded.
Haha! So basically the BoT is daring the protestors on. *grins*
Have a nice summer.
Whoo hoo!!!! This is GREAT NEWS!!!!!!!
Now this is your turn - Stop being spoiled brats and work with her to make Gallaudet the best it can be. If you don’t do this, your rhetorical slogan “Unity for Gallaudet” will be for naught.
I wish you all the best of luck and truly hope that you all take advantage of this opportunity to work with her.
This is exactly what I’d expected (feared?). I strongly believe the BoT will not back down…they can not… and hope the faculty, and the students can learn to live with this terrible decision and course of events.
This is great news. It means the babies have been put into the sandpit to cry over who gets to play with what toys.
Haiku by Me:
Jane is not quitting
The protest has gone ka-put
The Deaf look foolish