By Kristi Merriweather

On Friday, March 2, the Coalition of Students of Color (COSC) staged a peaceful demonstration called, “Diversity is Dead at Gallaudet” against an active and systematic racism on Gallaudet campus. About 15 individuals participated, with three make-shift coffins bearing anti-racism slogans. They answered questions and had a meeting with current Interim President Robert R. Davila and the chair of the Board of Trustees. Prior to the demonstration, the COSC and its allies were warned that it would threaten MSA accreditation, so why risk Gallaudet’s future? They asked us to give Interim President Davila time.

The short answer: Gallaudet’s future depends heavily on distributive, not truncated, social justice. In distributive social justice, no one specific group can become direct beneficiaries of the Interim President Davila administration. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSA) stressed shared governance. Moreover, audism should not remain the sole focus of the deaf community at the expense of racism.

There is a history between COSC and FSSA (a misnomer called Faculty, Students, Staffers, and Alumni). Both groups had the common goal of re-opening the Gallaudet presidential search process for various reasons, but strongly disagreed with the means and the focus. The COSC observed that several FSSA members were not really interested in distributive social justice and diversity.

We have looked to Interim President Davila to start the healing process because it is clear that neither the COSC nor the FSSA can lead the effort. His speech and first vlog gave us hope. That would later turn into false hope for several people of color. Here is why.

1. Four FSSA Appointments

On January 31, a message was posted on the Gally-L listserv by “Rainbow” with then unverified information that Interim President Davila was appointing four individuals - Dr. Jay Innes (Special Assistant), Dr. Richard Lytle (Special Assistant), Darian Burwell (Presidential Assistant, Diversity Relations) and Bernie Palmer (Ombudsman). The first three appointments were later confirmed via the Gallaudet website. Mr. Palmer’s situation will be addressed later in this blog.

Generally speaking, appointments can be a good thing. Never mind that one the loudest complaints of the recent protest concerned Dr. Jordan’s appointment of Dr. Fernandes as Provost. When Interim President Davila does it four times in 60 days, the same protestors are silent. All of the appointments were members of FSSA.* These four* impeding appointments set off the first of many warning signals for the COSC and its allies that FSSA may be attempting to gain widespread control of Gallaudet University.

Perception is everything. Is Gallaudet for FSSA or is Gallaudet for everybody? For those who want to make the poor comparison with the White House, this is not an elected office. This is Gallaudet, a non-partisan educational institution serving all people, FSSA and non-FSSA. I expected Interim President Davila to be able to work with different people, regardless of their loyalties. That’s a better way of getting objectives done with less resistance from either side.

Are such actions by Interim President Davila conducive to an environment without Management by Intimidation (MBI), one of the fervent arguments against Dr. Fernandes by the UFG protesters? FSSA control of Gallaudet is a direct violation of MSA’s shared governance mandate.

When that fact was pointed out to Interim President Davila via emails, a meeting with the COSC, and a phone call during a radio interview he responded with this type of answer:

Caller: Since you started working at university, I understand that you’ve hired several protesters to work in your office so it seems as though you may have been part of the protest.
Robert: To tell you the truth, I don’t know who was a protestor and I don’t want to know.
Caller: Oh, please! Everyone knows.
Robert: I’m sorry to tell you, but I don’t. I do not know that.

It signaled Interim President Davila’s intention to deliberately ignore facts; especially if it is part of the core reason for several people of color’s discontent. There is a big difference between trying to treat people fairly regardless of their stances and allowing one group to dominate the University’s governance. Now, Interim President Davila is aware of the FSSA, he penned a letter posted on FSSA website asking Dr. Fernandes to resign. It is quite possible that he didn’t know his appointments were FSSA members. But he knows now, because we told him. That’s when Interim President Davila shifted gears and withheld the appointment of Mr. Palmer.

In any case, as one of the core FSSA members, Mr. Palmer is hardly a neutral person which is a necessary requirement for an Ombudsman. I personally have no problem with him. I’ve known him via the National Black Deaf Advocates (NBDA), he’s one smart cookie. But an appointment based on qualifications, alone, is not enough. We ought to consider whether enough students of color feel comfortable enough to go to him with their concerns, since an Ombudsman’s job is to mediate conflicts.

Is it mere coincidence that all of Interim President Davila’s appointees are FSSA members? Doubtful. Remember he implied he is new, so he has to get his information and recommendations from somebody. That’s what a good President does; you don’t pick a name out of a jar. Where he is getting his information from? I believe it is the FSSA via Dr. Innes* and Dr. Lytle.

I was at Gallaudet University last month for the V/Blogging Conference held by the Coalition for Critical Inquiry. When I saw Dr. Lytle there, I told him my concerns about the four FSSA appointees setting up a certain perception. He kept emphasizing that we have to “leave the past behind and move forward.” Excuse me? The FSSA kept harping about Dr. Fernandes’ past as Provost and Vice President for the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center, and he’s telling me to acquire amnesia about the recent past and move on. Move on with whose agenda? The agenda of Team Gallaudet a.k.a. “FSSA University”?

I responded that he cannot expect the COSC to lower their defenses if they haven’t seen anything to suggest that the administration is committed to diversity. Looks like he didn’t take my advice seriously, because exactly one month later, things deteriorated so fast that the COSC did a public demonstration and the Organization for Equity for African Americans (OEAA, made up of Black faculty and staff) was resurrected. The OEAA’s February 28 invitation of Willie L. Brown, President of University of Maryland Black Faculty and Staff Association to give the presentation “Why Black Faculty and Staff at Predominately White Institutions Need to Organize” was no fluke.

2. MBI Part II?

Did we just finish a protest only to allow MBI Part II happen? The majority of people’s responses before Dr. Fernandes’ selection are almost a replica of people’s reactions to the COSC demonstration now- passive, hands off and accepting whatever the President does. That is until something that does not jive with their world — issues like the Oregon School for the Deaf or the recent Gallaudet Sorenson Language and Communication Center (SLCC) postcard and floor plan — then people are suddenly animated.

We knew something was off kilter when Lindsay Dunn was demoted three levels down from Special Assistant to the Gallaudet President to Education Manager, while his white counterpart, Fred Weiner went only one rung down. First the Glenn Anderson/Ron Stern fiasco and now this, within a one-year span? And people are asking us to be patient. Give Interim President Davila more time. No. We have given Gallaudet 100 years. Time’s up, it’s show time. We want fairness now. Promotions and demotions should not rest on people‘s stances on protests, but upon performance. “Too bad, should have joined that group?” What kind of rationale is that? Is that conducive to creating a non-MBI environment?

3. Latest Victim of Systematic Racism?

During the month of January, Dunn didn’t know what was going to happen to his position until he ran into Eileen Matthews, Director of Center for Academic Programs and Student Services (CAPSS) at Gallaudet University, who informed Dunn that he was being reassigned under her. What a surprise it was indeed. No official letter, no calls, no meeting, no word from Interim President Davila, Dr. Innes or Dr. Lytle. But like a trooper, Dunn moved from College Hall to a tiny office with a five-year old ancient computer. At least he still has the same six-figure salary. Then came the new position description. The following passage is copied from an email I received and was also posted on Gally-L. I was asked to not reveal the source who saw Dunn’s position description.

There are about 33 “principal responsibilities” in the position description. (Kristi’s note: normally it’s 7 to 15.) I am not counting the last one that said “Performs other related duties as assigned.” As is the norm, Mr. Dunn is expected to meet ALL his performance requirements each academic year. Several responsibilities represent a significant portion of the mandates of entire organizational units within Gallaudet. To the best of my knowledge, none of the affected units are aware that their responsibilities have been “reassigned” to Lindsay. There is a mention of a budget but there is no evidence that Lindsay will get ANY personnel support. So, he gets to do everything by himself except when he applies for and receive [sic] grants that enable him hire assistants. There is no evidence that Lindsay’ new unit is not slated to receive additional resource [sic] necessary to deal with his added responsibilities either. Since Lindsay has been working for the President the last 10 years or so, I am guessing his salary is relatively high compared to others in his current unit. As such his salary will bust his new boss’ budget. When this happens, something has to give. Guess who will need to leave? Guess who will have the dubious honor of FORMALLY firing Lindsay? A black person like him [Eileen Mathews], that’s who! Is this a mistake? Hardly, no one is this incompetent. I am convinced that what we are seeing is a pre-mediated and cynical effort to set impossible performance goals AND to sow discord between Lindsay and the heads of units where the responsibilities currently lie. Can you imagine the directors of these programs giving up their responsibilities [and paychecks] without a fight? I can’t either. To paraphrase the Rolaids ads, how do you spell “setup-to-fail”? What is scary is that the authors of this position description are the same people assisting Dr. Davila in promoting healing within an entity fractured by an acrimonious protest. These people will also influence the new directions of GU. What is really at stake is Dr. Davila’s job, reputation, and, of course, the future of GU. Someone needs to alert Dr. Davila before any more harm is done….

Well, Interim President Davila has been alerted. Will he heed it? We’ll see.

I’ve heard people say that this movement is really all about Lindsay Dunn and his job. This is the same old strategy used to discredit black concerns — “oh, this is about Dr. Glenn Anderson”, “oh, this is about so-and so.” And yet, I don’t recall see anybody saying “oh, this is about Dr. Jane Mulholland.” Whoever thinks that we would be petty enough to risk MSA accreditation to do a demonstration for one man is gravely mistaken. Dunn is not the alpha and the omega of the problem, he just happens to be the latest victim of systematic racist machinations that have affected several deaf people of color over the years.

4. Silence Regarding Diversity Strategic Plan and Office of Minority Affairs Proposal

Some of you may be aware of the Diversity Strategic Plan developed by the Diversity Fellows and Dr. Fernandes. Lindsay Dunn developed a separate proposal for Office of Minority Affairs under the Provost’s Office. That proposal has received favorable feedback from a cross section of the University community. Yet to this day, Interim President Davila, the Chief Diversity Officer, has not mentioned it. When the COSC inquired about this during its meeting with him, he sidestepped the question.

Contrary to popular belief, it’s not about moving Dunn into that office, should it be established. It does not matter who leads the proposal because it ultimately addresses the critical issue of low persistence and high attrition rates for students of color. The Diversity Plan and its clear action plan have not even been addressed to date. And I understand that Burwell is now asking various people like the Diversity Fellows and Dunn about what diversity issues need to be addressed. This is rather telling of her depth of knowledge about diversity, which will be addressed later in this blog. The Diversity Strategic Plan and its Action Plan is a blue print, and the Campus Climate Process Report has all the data needed to gauge the campus climate in regards to diversity. All she has to do is read it.

The Interim President appears to be showing little interest in actually addressing the critical issues cited in that proposal. They have shown no recognition that it could serve as a valuable resource for Burwell and therefore afford Interim President Davila the data he needs to assess its progress. Instead, he wants to yet reinvent the wheel by calling for an Advisory committee. For what? Advisory committees have no teeth to enforce anything. The information needed is already there in these two documents. How many more years of “data gathering” and no direct changes are we going to have to put up with?

5. Darian Burwell’s Inexperience = Low Priority for Diversity?

The third appointment was Darian Burwell, who works at the office of Enrollment Management. Darian is a fine young woman. But this is a Special Assistant for Diversity position.

Logically you should at least already have done something for the cause of diversity. Recruiting Unity for Gallaudet protestors isn’t exactly my idea of diversity. Having written an article about it, interned at the Multicultural Affairs, just something, you know, where you can say, “oh, yeah, that does makes sense that she got it.” My thesis was on black deaf identity, during my research, I have never seen Burwell written anything publicly. As a former President of DC Area BDA, I don’t recall ever seeing her involved in a local or national BDA committee. If you went to all these deaf people of color conferences tomorrow- NBDA, WFD, IDC, NADC, and ask them if they know of Darian Burwell, will you get at least 1/3 of the membership saying yes? Based on my various conversations with diverse people, I am inclined to believe the answer is no. So, I am lost on the logic of this selection…unless the reason for the selection is FSSA favoritism.

Just exactly what did she do to earn that kind of appointment? How is she going to heal current rifts, she was the unofficial protest recruiter targeting black students so that the overall picture would look more “multicolored” than “lily-white.” Burwell does not have the trust of several students of color other than those supportive of the protest. They are still flocking to Dunn’s tiny office for assistance and advice. There was already strong disagreement about the appointments before Burwell stepped into her new position. Hmm, what disagreement did that remind me of? Oh, yeah, the Dr. Fernandes selection.

Some people have said, “Well she has to start somewhere, I’m sure Dunn was like her 15 years ago, with no experience.” That’s not accurate. Dunn of 15 years ago competed for that position, already having experience with diversity issues — he had several articles published (check out the Buff and Blue archives 1980 to 1985, the 1989 DeafWay I edited by Dirksen Bauman, and this). Dunn is also a former President of NY City Black Deaf Advocates (BDA). So with that in mind, I ask you — if the position was open for competition, instead of appointment, would they have selected Burwell?

I can think of more qualified individuals like Thuan Nguyen (who worked several years with diversity issues), Franklin Torres, Cheryl Wu, Karen Tong, Ann Lynn Smith, Judy Stout, and so on. Appointing a novice with scant understanding of an important issue says something about the administration’s attitude toward diversity. Let’s say no to “Team FSSA University” and say yes to a better Gallaudet.

6. A Boo-Boo

One of the boo-boos made several people of color wonder about whether Interim President Davila’s appointed team of assistants are serving him well. During his stay at the Deaflympics at Salt Lake City, Davila made a vlog on a mountain alongside with Sam Sonnenstrahl, director of alumni relations, and Andy Lange, President of the GUAA (Gallaudet University Alumni Association). Andy Lange made some remarks about the importance of diversity.

This turned off several people of color because it was coming from the same man who, as President of NAD, made negative remarks about black deaf people. The point here is not to demonize former NAD President and current GUAA President Lange, but to highlight the fact that Interim President Davila was, and is still, not surrounded by people sensitive to diversity. Even his special assistant for diversity, Burwell, did not help Interim President Davila identify this potential gaffe.

Please don’t insult our intelligence by saying Interim President Davila is a person of color. It’s like saying, “He’s a deaf person, so he understands our issues.” If I replace that pronoun with the name, Dr. Jane Fernandes, would you agree? People’s ethnicity makes no difference if their actions are anything but supportive of diversity, get it?

Today, a cursory look at the deaf blogosphere tells me where deaf people’s focus is at. The hottest item is the SLCC postcard and floor plan. It seems that in the deaf world, audism is the only hot button waking deaf people up. As long as that mentality continues to exist, some deaf people of color will continue speaking out about real problems at Gallaudet, even if it means risking the University’s accreditation.

Because we all deserve a better Gallaudet, and nothing less.

Kristi Merriweather is a deaf high school teacher for the deaf in Atlanta. She is a former President of the DC area BDA and former Vice President of Atlanta BDA. Kristi’s Master’s thesis was on black deaf identity. A visitor to my abode will find a friendly tabby cat, an outdated Sorenson VP-100, antique hearing aids from the early 1980s, and too many books and shoes. She loves traveling when the moola is right.

DeafDC.com Note: The content of Gally-L emails cannot be verified as true or facts. As with every blog on DeafDC.com, this blog does not reflect the opinion of DeafDC.com.

* Update: DeafDC has learned that the involvement of Dr. Jay Innes in the FSSA is disputed. We cannot confirm or deny his involvement in the FSSA.