This message was sent out to the campus community via Patti Kunkle this morning:
May 19, 2006
MEMORANDUM
TO: Gallaudet Community
FR: Brenda Brueggemann, Acting Chair, Board of Trustees
RE: Beginning to Address the Concerns We Heard
As we move forward from the events of these past weeks and continue to focus on the future, we wanted to bring you up to date on several important steps the Board, the president and the president select are taking. We appreciated the time you gave to meet with us last week as well as the honest feedback and insights you shared with us. We heard many important things that will be addressed immediately and in the future and we want you to know we take very seriously the issues you brought to us. We have heard your concerns and we are already acting on them. This Board of Trustees, like most college Boards, primarily plays an oversight and policy-making role for the campus. In this role we do not want to interfere, but rather empower, the president, the president-select and the campus community itself to take primary actions on its own expressed concerns and issues.
First, the Board is making plans to hold a one-day retreat devoted to follow-up on these dialogues that would take place either this summer (preferable) or in conjunction with our October regular Board of Trustees meeting. Here is a summary of our discussions and actions so far:
- No reprisals: Neither the Board nor the president nor the president-select will tolerate any reprisals for anyone who has voiced their opinions in protest or support, on campus or in the community, in writing (electronic or paper) or through direct conversations during the presidential search process and the weeks between the announcement of Dr. Fernandes’ appointment and Commencement.
- Diversity: President-select Jane Fernandes will head up a blue ribbon committee to find strategies to address the diversity issues facing our campus; the committee will be comprised of Board members, faculty, staff, and students. The Diversity Action Plan, which was tabled by the Board of Trustees at the May 2006 meeting, will be discussed first and amended, with an expected approval date of next October at the Board meeting. An outside facilitator and/or experts who work on diversity and organizational change will be used for continuing this important work. Dr. Fernandes will report more on this soon.
- Climate and Communication: Issues about the flow of, and access to, information across groups and from top down and bottom up were raised. The need for more substantive dialogue, more trust and inclusiveness, and less fear and intimidation was discussed. Finally, transparency and clarity in process, procedures, and criteria were called for. We have begun a discussion about these issues and recognize that the Board needs to interact more directly with campus constituents and will set up less filtered, more informal times for interaction when the Board meets on campus. The Board also decided that it is important to leave the Board Room and participate in an event on campus at least once during each of its official meetings on campus. These activities would be a start toward more direct communication between the campus community and the Board.
- Accountability and Governance: In our meetings with constituents, we recognized that there is a desire for more shared power and responsibility in the overall campus governance; more meaningful partnerships between the groups that comprise the campus community (administration, staff, students, faculty); and better accountability mechanisms so that there are actions and outcomes that follow ideas and promises.The Board has begun a discussion about some possible ways to address these concerns, First, we are asking Dr. Fernandes to lead the search for a new Provost with full faculty involvement. Second, we are ensuring that the process to select an interim provost includes faculty, staff, and students. Currently, Dr. Jordan is working with the Chair of the Faculty, Chair of the Staff Advisory Committee, the SBG president, and the GSA president to identify individuals to serve on a committee to help select an interim provost. Third, we are researching models of trusteeship used at other universities for the purpose of identifying ways to directly involve campus constituencies in Board business.
- Leadership: Our shared conversations expressed the need for continued leadership that would support our strategic goals and plans to: strive for academic excellence; enhance education for future leaders in industry, education, and politics; serve as a viable role model for the deaf community nationally and globally; embrace change; and establish and invigorate a positive climate of trust, inclusiveness, respect and partnerships on campus. We think that the ideas and actions above address leadership. We also believe that the issue of leadership is one that all constituents on campus must take up together, and that this Board, like most other university Boards, must principally play an oversight and policy-making role.
We want to emphasize that these are first steps toward addressing the concerns we heard when we were on campus last week. The Board, the president and the president-select will continue to discuss and plan actions that respond to what you told us. We all care deeply about Gallaudet and we will move forward together, as a community, because we can do great things when we work together.
© Copyrighted material. This article cannot be copied, reproduced or redistributed without the express written consent of the author. As with every blog on this website, this blog does not reflect the opinion of DeafDC.com.
It’s clear. Fernandes will NOT step down and the BoT is seemingly clear on their support of her. Also, they are taking the iniative to start interacting with faculty, students and staff on campus. If the FSSA do not sit down and be proactive about this to help ensure a better and more transparent process the next time but instead keep insisting on Fernandes to step down, then they’ll be the ones looking like fools to the outside world looking in. Brueggermann et al are already documenting this on their attempt at a dialogue with faculty, students, and staff. Will the FSSA blink? Or will there be a crop of websites soon to pop up demanding Fernandes to step down which could muddle up process?
“This Board of Trustees, like most college Boards, primarily plays an oversight and policy-making role for the campus. In this role we do not want to interfere, but rather empower, the president, the president-select and the campus community itself to take primary actions on its own expressed concerns and issues.”
According to a couple board members that are in support of the protest, they are split on reopening the process. From what I understand, the BoT cannot ask Jane to resign (legal issues at play here) unless Jane breaks the law or something of that sort. The BoT will be more than happy to reopen the search process if Jane, herself, resigns and applies again.
Do you have any documents to support this? Or again, just hearsay? If some of the BoT are in favor in re-opening the search process they should speak up themselves.
Documents? You gotta be kidding me.
Documents as in “signed” by those who agree in re-opening the PSC process. Or is this all hearsay? Rumours? At least have the one of the BoT members speak up about it. It’ll give more credibility than reading your claim: “couple board members that are in support of the protest, they are split on reopening the process.”
No?
That’s not going to happen anytime soon. Votes/agreements by the BoT will be unanimous to the public. I’m just sharing information - not hearsay - it’s up to readers to digest them any way they wish.
I’d rather hear it from the horse’s mouth, so until then..
mcconnell, I’d rather you to visit the Tent City before you even butt into any discussion relating to the whole protest any further! No more comment from you on the protest until you actually visit there. Thank you for your time.
mcconnell, you had not been to DC in years. let alone gallaudet itself. let go of your hatred.
the fssa DID sit down with the IrvingBOTs, much to your disappointment, but no compromises were reached but at least, there are some degrees of changes but not enough.
besides, it is better if you stick to ur topics like “strongman” or something. lol.
r-
Incorrect, R. I’ve visited it much earlier than “years” ago. No hatred about Gallaudet. Somehow you are sorely misinformed on that aspect. Not only strongman, but various other topics such deafness, military, culture, science, physics, religion, technology, martial arts, politics, etc..etc…
Excercising of the mind, spirit, body and soul is good for you. But that’s just me.
What was your Gallaudet degree, again, R?
As for “Just an observer”, that would mean nearly 99% of the Deaf population would also be prevented from participating in this particular discussion because they, too, didn’t visit Tent city. Nice logic.
This is an open and free discussion forum. Anyone, deaf or hearing, can participate in this as part of this whole discovery process, however painful it may get. In the attempt to censor people in the name of hate and jealousy does not do anyone any good.
Let’s not see more examples of this again and learn to attack the argument rather than the person.
“Learn to attack the argument rather than the person” after you questioned my degree from Gallaudet, eh?
People who lives in glass houses should not throw stones, especially for guys who married a gallaudet cafeteria worker!
R-
Let it be noted that I agree with McConnell here. Hey, it’s a Friday afternoon. Even I get soft sometimes.
On a serious note, I fully understand how some people can feel some resistence toward the protest. Unfortunately, the FSSA had to face a multimillion dollar PR machine and they did do poorly in that regard. There are a lot of people outside Gallaudet who thinks the FSSA is full of white, Big D folks when we on the inside know that it’s the total opposite. Supporters of the protest have to understand that the power of the media was something that worked against us in the early going, but this does not invalidate the protest. The good guys will win in the end. Unity for Gallaudet!
No, seriously, what was your degree you received at Gallaudet, R? Since you brought up that strongman comment, it’s only fair that I ask you what your degree was at Gallaudet.
Again, considering the culture and history, I must reiterate this question once more…unity for whom? If it’s indeed a “unity” then you’d have a full and complete agreement from the whole FSSA community. Not so. There must be a reason why support for the protest is well below 100%.
Ridor,
What does being married to a Gallaudet Cafteria worker have to do with anything? Totally unnecessary.
Ridor is an unethical troll. Don’t waste time, nor energy on his comments.
I don’t but only to make a point like here - http://tinyurl.com/pguq5. In this case, on DeafDC, I don’t need to lift a finger to prove my point. All the more reason to question some of the people’s sincerity in this “unity” thing.
Corrected link:
http://tinyurl.com/khmrg
I just read your blog (and voted), but I’m not sure I understand what that has to do with the protest at Gallaudet. Are you sure you understand the Unity for Gallaudet message being conveyed by the FSSA? Are you sure you know what the FSSA coalition is? Do you know who the FSSA members are?
Indeed. It’s about total cooperation and transparency. Getting rid of oppression. Acceptance. *Inclusiveness.* Hence, the “unity” message.
However, this “unity” thing starts to ring hollow whenever Deaf people pretend to include other deaf/hh people but they still see them as “not Deaf enough” in the back of their heads. It’s a fact. This is, understandably, perhaps so, maybe, the exception to the rule, however. What I have been seeing among some Deaf people in blogs and elsewhere do the “Say as I do and not what I do”.
The Brueggemann’s brouhaha is another example of how some students pretend to accept deaf/hh people regardless of their background or choice of communication. Students want total acceptance from the top down but some don’t reciprocate in the other direction in acknowledging that Brueggemann has the right on how she choose to speak because she feels most comfortable or prefers only that way whether she knows sign language or not. There are technology or services that can accomodate those who cannot hear or understand her. Ridiculing her voice or choice to speak doesn’t help.
Acceptance and inclusiveness go both ways, including among students. Which is why I ask the question, unity for whom?
True, but if you think about it, there are many people in this country who are against the war, but very few of them act like Michael Moore or Cindy Sheehan. Yet who gets in the news more, the masses of the public outcry against the war or Moore and Sheehan?
The Unity for Gallaudet slogan was born out of the FSSA on Wednesday, May 3. I can tell you for sure that the FSSA is walking the walk. If a few people want to make fools out of themselves, fine, but that shouldn’t discredit the protest.
On a personal note, I do find it odd that a coordinator of an ASL program prefers to speak in front of a crowd of which the majority uses sign language. It’s kinda like having a nun teach a sex education class in high school if you ask me. They may know what they are talking about, but they don’t have the real life experience to back it up.
I agree on that aspect about the ASL program but that’s an altogether different issue. As for people making fools of themselves, the problem is when a “leader” in the blog community where the Deaf community at large look up to as a “de facto” representative of this protest. So, it’s not entirely about making fools of themselves but it’s about the hypocrisy that many hide while carrying the “Unity for Gallaudet” sign all over the place. So, the instances wouldn’t be characterstically as being just a “few” noting the Deaf atmosphere that the campus had carried on for years.
While I’m glad that many “walk the walk” but yet I see still underlying issues on Deaf-centrism where some people are trying to keep it under the rug.
I agree with you … it is why many are resisting the Deafhood concept in Fremont area. David E. and Bridgetta Bourne just did a video asking everyone to be positive about Deafhood. Both are Deaf of Deaf. They are in an ivory tower. I am not seeing diversity of backgrounds and communication styles. I am not seeing Deaf people I can identify with on those videos.
Once I see CSDF include people like Rick Cole, Karen Officer, etc. All are Deaf teachers from hearing families. Even some of them went to mainstreamed schools, but they love working with the students at CSDF. Many of us were talking about how it would be incredible to see Rick Cole in an ASL Blog video about Deafhood! He is inclusive, always interacting with people from different backgrounds without judgement. We need people who respect us as equals in the Deaf community to create true sense of Deafhood.
I just visited Riverside Deafhood Blog and said, “Amen!!!” They get it about Deafhood by including everyone! You do not see the clique there. Deaf of Deaf interacting with Deaf of hearing with respect and integrity. They seem to grasp the true concept of Deafhood presented by Paddy. Fremont can learn a thing or two from Riverside.
Is it “d”eafhood or “D”eafhood? It’s that nasty “d/D” thing. How about a deafhood video by a person signing in SEE? Cued Speech? Suppose the person prefers to speak talking and espousing deafhood? Just asking…
I really hope you aren’t talking about Ridor. If you think Ridor’s a leader in our community, then you need to get out more. :-)
Seriously, this is like someone telling the world how the USA is so screwed up…based on articles in the National Enquirer.
I can understand where Mcconnell is coming from in regards to Ridor. I’ve observed many people laud Ridor. Heck, even Joey Baer endorses Ridor. He put up Ridor’s website on his vlog link list. If you look at Mosdeux’s website, they tell Ridor to keep blogging. It’s not like Ridor’s on the fringes of the community. That’s one of problems with the protests. I have yet to see leaders of the Deaf community repudiate Ridor and his ilk.
Which is why I put it in quotes “de facto”…I know he’s not a leader (laugh at the thought) but a reprentative of sort for the Deaf community because of his, ah, er, “blogging” efforts.
Hey, I’m a representative of the Gallaudet community, too.
The Sage is correct. I’m not a leader but I’m very supportive of the FSSA. It may shock you enough to know that I do have friends who are hearing, deaf friends who uses their voices the majority of the times.
From day one, mcconnell, your entries about the deaf community has been very negative, especially at Gallaudet. I had yet to see ONE positive comment out of you regarding the alma mater that you went to. I think people does not regard you as the “representative” for Gallaudet community. I think people sought after the one who has said so much good and bad things about Gallaudet.
I made it clear from day one that I shall not lead anyone else. That when I shared my opinions it has nothing to do with the community but my own.
And if you want to make these claims that I lead … sorry.
i think it has something to do with the people’s choices — people preferred to read mine over yours anyday. I averaged 8,000 hits per day last week whereas yours got what? 150 hits per day? that’s why you continued to pop your links here on DeafDC.com, trying to bait people to READ yours.
Well, it may work for few days but let’s face the reality, I believe only four blogs emerged as the winners of all: Joey Baer, Elisa, DeafDC and mine.
R-
Moves the pissing pot farther.
There *IS* a difference between constant barrage of negative putdowns versus constructive criticisms when it comes to wanting to see that Gallaudet improve so much better as a university. I choose the latter for obvious reasons. If I didn’t have any constructive criticisms about Gallaudet then that mean I don’t really care. But I do.
However, I also like to blog about successful deaf, Deaf, and hard of hearing people in life when I can because “success” is a common theme that we all strive for in hoping to achieve those same levels of successes someday seen in other deaf/Deaf/h people. We all strive for that certain “success” in life because doing so means that we’ve overcome adversity in more ways than one. The deaf community benefits from those successes.
If your “success” mean to have the most hits of any deaf bloggers, have the most “Bitch sessions” and do National Enquireresque-like reporting, then kudos for you. Make that a goal of yours. You have my blessings. But in my book, anybody who have been blogging about the protest is a winner because as a collective but diverse group we all are getting our own messages out based on our own perspective. Yet, when people blog with differing opionins and other people don’t like them regarding the protest, what do those people do? They tell bloggers that they don’t belong. Nice argument. Debate 101 it is not.
Me? I’m more focused on content and blogging about successful deaf/Deaf/hh people. I have at one time helped deaf/hh find their loved ones in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. (http://deafsurvivors.blogspot.com). I received a lot of emails as a result of my efforts in this national tragedy from deaf/hh/hearing people thanking me for my blogsite. Except, of course, not this guy - http://www.ridorlive.com/?p=1400
But that’s just him. I do something good for the community. He’s bashes. For anybody to do something good for the deaf community doesn’t mean you have to join a Deaf organization or a club and whatnot. We contribute differently and in our own ways to the benefits of the deaf community.
My contribution is to the deaf community at large, not just the “D”eaf community because that’s an exclusionary group. Ridor made sure it’s to be an exclusionary group with his cell phone rant. While the “d”eaf community means everybody, even if you’re a Deaf person or a deaf/hh person because we all share one thing in common…hearing loss. Everybody’s welcomed whether you know sign language or not. That’s my “d”eafhood.
Now, Gallaudet is an institution that can cater to all deaf and hard of hearing students regardless of their family background, history or preferred mode of communication. But whenever we have these Deaf minions running around screaming that deaf/hh people are not allowed to talk on campus or use their cell phones, signs “hearing” on the forehead, or proclaim with a *royal* decree that everybody must use ASL all the time and he’s duty bound to do something about it. Period! Doing that tells me that something is seriously missing here. And that would be “unity”. And so, wearing that “unity” t-shirt while wearing that mask of hypocrisy at the same time is enough for people to see why Deaf-centrism is still a problem on the campus of Gallaudet whenever we see people who act like that. But then again Ridor says I have “deaf friends who uses their voices the majority of the times” (rigggght) but in Ridor’s cell phone rant he advocated, quite strongly I might add, that no one is allowed to use their cell phone to talk while on the campus of Gallaudet and must use ASL at all times! Huzzah! How Ridor’s past history betrays him on this matter. Remove that mask, Ridor. If you’re intent on keeping that mask then get rid of that “unity” t-shirt because the two do not mix. Your examples of Deaf-centric attitudes help continue give Gallaudet a black eye. You do not “walk the walk” like what the FSSA is doing. Sorry.
BTW, my wife worked with G.U. catering group (Marriott, et al) that served dinners and snacks at special events for graduation, IKJ, Bernard Bragg, Congressmen, a few notable well known actors, and so on and so forth during her stay at Gallaudet so she could pay her bills. She never once worked in the cafeteria. And, to boot, got her degree in the process. Know hard work when you see one. And next time, learn to leave other people families out of the picture if you feel like attacking.
Bottom line. I am a representative of Gallaudet like so many others before me who graduated from Gallaude. We are a product of that institution’s results. That’s a cold, hard reality.
You nailed it! Are you going to NAD conference to do reporting as well?? It would be excellent if you could because we need more professional, balanced views such as yours.
mcconnell, you assumed too much. you do not know who i am. you do not know my friends are. the point about me lashing out on someone else who used the cell phone is because it was rude. it was rude for him to yak in front of everyone else. he could have done it in private.
and guess what? many hearing individuals emailed me to tell me that they agreed with my response.
you never met me, yet you wanted to attack me outright just because i refuse to conform to your ideals.
gallaudet was not founded to serve ALL kinds of deaf people. you argued that all sign languages should be used — that is where you are wrong. SEE, Contact, Cued Speech — these are merely modes of communication. Utterly failure at its best.
Why do you think Gallaudet brought Laurent Clerc in the first place? It was not to give you the options to use your voice or whatever. It was to bring the ASL as the language to educate deaf children.
Gallaudet is for all students who wanted to be part of the community.
I should mention that I got a couple of emails telling me not to argue with mcconnell because that is what he wanted — to bait me out and make me defend my turfs.
I should mention that I do not censor mcconnell on my blog but he censored and blocked me from commenting on his blogs — even when I nailed him down.
Goes on to tell how much he loved me these days.
R-
1.) You were banned after *repeated* requests on not to attack posters on my blog and avoid using profane language. I gave you several chances to cease doing it. You didn’t comply. Once banned you continued to use other IP addresses to circumvent your banned status from different localities as you continue to stalk me at every opportunity. Even using Gallaudet’s computers. You have been PNG on my blog ever since solely because your refusal to adhere to my rules based on common decency while posting. And I sure as hell won’t let you back in the way you keep using other IP addresses just to noodle me again and again.
2)It’s about your hypocrisy. There’s no assumptions to be made here when you stated, and I quote, “So it is my duty to make sure that the cell phones or using the voice in a “deaf-dominated places” are discouraged. Period.” With Gallaudet University being that “deaf-dominated places” you extend your threat to try and censor anybody (hearing, hh or deaf) who may wish to talk or use the cell phone while on campus….anywhere. Yet, couple that threat of censor with your “unity” stance now. Take off your mask. Stop hiding. You’ve been exposed, buddy.
3)Gallaudet is available to every potential deaf or hard of hearing students. The university is about providing accomodation on communication when it comes to education. The ADA law states that Gallaudet has to comply with accomodation requests when it comes to communication request or access issues. It has nothing to do whether these modes of communication are successful. Gallaudet University is not a kindergarten school where language development is an important subject of debate. However, these are adult students who have rights regarding communication access issues if they so request them. Gallaudet University makes this crystal clear outlined in their ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATIONS MANUAL :
“In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and other non-discrimination laws and regulations, Gallaudet University will not discriminate against an otherwise qualified person with a disability in any aspect of employment or deny access to any person with a disability in its programs, services, or public facilities. Furthermore, as the only institution of higher education in the world designed specifically to educate and serve deaf and hard of hearing persons, Gallaudet University is a leader in communication accessibility and promotes direct visual communication among all members of the campus community.”
3)Gallaudet University is both a deaf community and an educational institution. Not simply just a community to join.
Here it is again, for the world to see on what hypocrisy really means:
http://kokonutpundits.blogspot.....i-ask.html
Visit his blog, he was convinced you and I were the same person. LOL
I never said that you guys were the same person. REgina, you did. Not me. I said that you’re in Albuquerque. Mcconnell is not in Albuquerque.
Case closed.
R-
LOL. Who is it you thought I was? And why did you delete the post where I said I wasn’t mcconnel and wasn’t in alburgue and used an IP mask SEVEN times? XD You’re dangerous ridor, and not in the ways you think you are….
Fascinating.
Ridor’s arguments can be summed up as “ad hominem”.
Make one semi- ad hominem remark back and not only do you never get an answer, you get called a hypocrite and slammed with another barrage of ad hominem.
What is your degree from Gallaudet in, Ridor?
Capital D, sorry for not responding. Didn’t see you question about attending NAD. No, I won’t but I could write an email or something of that sort. If I were to go, I’d speak rather than sign to a group of people. That’s my nature, I speak all the time and so am comfortable in doing that. Of course, some of the Deaf rabble rousers will accuse me of being disrespectful when it’s the opposite for not respecting my choice and zone of comforts even though I sign to some of my deaf friends.
they are keep JKF as a Gallaudet President still!!
i believe most majority of BoT is hearing, is not it?
Nope. Since DPN, at least 51% of the BoT members have been deaf.
Ashby, LaHood, McCain, Ross, Woolsey are hearing (5). Brueggemann, Dickinson, Goodstein, Graham, Holmes, Humphries, Levinson, Soukup, Sullivan, Williams are deaf (10). Not sure about Kinney and Wu (2).
Bylaws (Section 2.2.0) dictate that there be 21 voting members, so I guess we’ll hear about 4 new appointees in the near future.
http://bot.gallaudet.edu/x2021.xml#220
So, if you wanna be a member of the BoT anytime soon, you better behave!
A new board member coming in October, Ms. Pamela Lloyd, former NBDA president, is deaf.
Cheryl Heppner and Pamela Lloyd are both joining the Board in Fall.
“Must have been deaf”??
I think it’s a great memo. The Board is clearly working hard to solve many of the issues raised during the protest. No, they’re not letting Dr. Fernandes step down, but they’re going to work on just about everything else. I love their idea about setting up more informal discussions with the campus constituents and leaving the Board room once to participate in a school activity. That’s a step in the right direction.
It is also a relief to know that they have outlined their position against reprisals (FSSA’s Demand #2).
I agree. I think it is a great memo.
The Sage, i will not be a BOT member at once!! thanks and you might be one and you behave!
better behave!
This is a great positive move by the BoT. FSSA would be fools not to participate in this proactive overture otherwise that whole “Unity for Gallaudet” theme is one big empty slogan.
This is a move by the Bot and the FSSA. These bullets are the result of the meetings the BoT and FSSA had, so expect the FSSA to be appreciative of this announcement with a hint of disappointment that the first demand has not been met.
The Gallaudet mess turned out to be a blessing in disguise because it forced EVERYONE to think carefully first and start to work together for the betterment of the Deaf community and university.
I agree with you on this point.
Well it is about time that BoT is going to be more inclusive because in the past BoT refused to have students, faculty and staff to sit in the board meeting. We may watch the meeting but to be part of the meeting, no.
Only time will tell if BoT will actually do those things they outlined in the memo.
Are people also suggesting that applicants will be transparent as well if we do another PSC 5 - 7 years down the road? We’ll know who applied? Or should this be kept out of the public eye until candidates are narrowed down?
The Interim provost position is merely a band-aid on a bullet wound because, eventually, this person is going to be replaced.
It was claimed that the BoT heard our concerns about Jane, knew about the no confidence vote, and yet she was chosen. Thus, what difference would it make if Brueggemann shows up at a kegger, and mingles amongst students with a constantly filled red 12 ounce plastic cup in hand?
I only hope that attitudes and perceptions of everyone, not just the BoT, change for the better. That is only when Gallaudet will truly heal.
Definitely a step in the right direction. Even if FSSA’s first demand isn’t met, the protest still made things better by exposing what’s wrong with Gallaudet.
I also thought it was possible that it also would make Fernandes a better leader. When she was a provost, she had heard complaints about her leadership style, among other things, but never heeded them so perhaps a shock therapy would do the trick. However, I’m not so sure since she continues to make the same comments to the media. But the Board of Trustees clearly is acknowledging our concerns and will be twisting Fernandes’s arm.
I don’t speak for FSSA, but I’d say for everyone to accept Fernandes to a degree that they won’t protest further, Fernandes will need to acknowledge publicly (meaning, to the media) that she has grossly misrepresented FSSA’s motives and apologize for damaging the image of the people at Gallaudet as well as the deaf community. Then maybe there will be some hope of “healing”.
I agree this is definitely a step in the right direction. And really, I think people need to back off now. JK is president. The best way to damage JK now is to give her enough rope to hang herself.
And frankly, when I read that memo, I just had to whistle. If you read between the lines, they ARE giving JK enough rope to hang herself.
Protest must continue. Gallaudet Adminstration cannot oppress the voice of the Gallaudet Community! The two demands were for them to reopen search and no reprisals for students. They still have not listened to the community. The relationship between Jane and the community has been destroyed because Jane did not listen and gave false message to the media…what kind of leader is that??? Unity for Gallaudet!
Rocky, there WERE messages from the protestors that Jane wasn’t Deaf enough… she never gave false message to the media, if you look at the blogs and videos, you will FIND messages by the protestors.. they later changed it as they knew it “Not Deaf enough” wouldn’t work. Jane simply relayed what she saw in the protestors.
where are the videos? :) You may be right but I feel those protesters were not aware of real issues or had an implusive answer to the selection without thinking it through. Sometimes people blurt out comments about other people when angry…and remember Deaf people are still oppressed to this day so it might have to do with that too. But your right at first it was a silly reason and I was not sure if I would side with them on it but eventually more credible reasons and evidence of why she should have not been selected.
That was on Monday, before the FSSA coalition was built. On Wednesday, the FSSA informed Dr. Fernandes (recall the rally in the Field House where we gave her a letter) the basis of our protest. On Friday, Dr. Fernandes and Dr. Jordan “played the deaf card”. Timing is everything, my friend.
Right…besides even before Fernandes was selected as the next president, we voiced our concerns about her which spanned A LOT of ground. Of course, there are some random voices whining about her signing, but it’s only one complaint out of many.
So it was a matter of SELECTIVE MEMORY on her part, remembering only the most stupid reason and conveniently forgetting the legitimate concerns. And how many times did we correct her? Yet she keeps on parroting the same thing over and over.
speaking of parrots, that reminds me… has anyone read comments on Ricky’s blog lately? perhaps a whole new menagerie will come to mind?
I think the BoT’s memorandum of today was really great. It’s so nice to see the whole issue, hot and emotional as it was, dealt with proactively and responsibly. I commend them for taking fast action and having the protest community put their money where their mouth is. Did you see the part where “an outside consultant/expert on diversity issues” will be hired? That seems like a direct reference from the letter way back from the multicultural group that was one of the first to protest. I hope this group gets seriously involved because they can do a lot of good for Gallaudet. The idea of mingling with Gallaudetians and participating in activities also came from them.
When I was at Gallaudet, I never dreamed that there was so much dissatisfaction. Guess I was blind… and busy with school. Classes, working, studying, working out, eat, sleep was the order of the day.
A very articulate and inspiring memo — surely validates my confidence in the BoT.
oops, I meant for the BoT to mingle more with faculty, staff, alumni, students, etc.
“That seems like a direct reference from the letter way back from the multicultural group that was one of the first to protest. I hope this group gets seriously involved because they can do a lot of good for Gallaudet.”
This multicultural group is now part of the FSSA. We should see their (the multicultural group) response to the letter within FSSA’s next press release, expected to be released on Monday.
Curious eyes…you are missing the point. If there so many messed up issues at Gallaudet while Jane K Fernandes and King Jordan were one of top leaders then why did the BOT choose Jane Fernandes and stand by her?? Im sorry to say but thats something to think about! Jane has many opportunities as a top leader of Gallaudet to fix things up but she did not!
The Sage, hmmm… that’s not the impression I got from KBM, someone who has posted some very intelligent comments on DeafDC blogs. It sounded like BDA, the Asian-American students group, internationals, etc., were not a fully included part of FSSA. When parts of the FSSA organized realized that “she doesn’t say hi” and “not deaf enough” weren’t cutting it, they realized that the multiculturals’ complaint of “the search process was flawed from the beginning” would be a much more persuasive argument. But it was too late. Anyway, that’s all water under the bridge now… the two sides may be about to kiss and make up. There’s a new memo from FSSA to the BoT on the FSSA web site. check it out.
I think you might be confusing the initial stages of the protest with actions by the FSSA. The FSSA was organized on Wednesday, May 3. They were never took part in those “she doesn’t say hi” and “not deaf enough” quotes.
For the sake of confidentiality I will not name any faculty or staff members, but I can tell you David King, Arlyn Penaranda, and Anita Mazzuca are all members of the FSSA coalition.
Kristi (KBM) can verify this for me. She sat in at least one of the FSSA meetings.