The real reason Fernandes is unfit for president is that declining academic standards during her years as provost damaged the reputation of Gallaudet degrees and lowered its value at the job market.

There’s no easy answer to your question but I’d like to suggest that the issue of real importance is one of where a person is in their acceptance of their own deafness, Deafness, hearingness, Hearingness, etc. etc… people achieve a state of Deafhood where they learn where they are on their own mental map, and where they can be to obtain their maximum personal power: this allows them to see themselves as other sees them.

We have to remember when we use terms like d/D, no matter what their source of personal power, we are repeating discrimination against us - after all, amongst ourselves, there is no true difference; the difference is in how we communicate with hearing people; but it comes back and it divides our community, to whom it should be meaningless (except to people who are brainwashed to think otherwise.)

Example, even though I speak and sign both, it really doesn’t matter to me. It’s not a huge mindblowing issue. I take people as they come. To CERTAIN PEOPLE, the issue is obviously very important, to the point of superseding their view of the individual.

Oh god, I spent too long in Women’s Studies… Look, you know how sometimes people get so blinded by the gender question that they can’t see what women can really do because they’re women? Same thing, but with Deaf people. Deafhood is also about comfort with internal and external diversity. We must become comfortable enough with our deafuality so that we don’t become upset with the deafuality of others.

Erfo is here and says hello.

I think the term “inclusive” was one of her rhetorics - merely trying to make a neutral statement that the university welcomes all kinds of deaf people - capital D or lower D or whatever you call them. Nothing wrong with that anyway.

Just that if Gallaudet continues to be a place where “strong deaf” students are the majority, they may risk losing students who are “less deaf” and that was what she was trying to emphasize. Is that the best way to go? I don’t think they have a choice.

The lack of what I’ll call “hearing pluralism” at Gallaudet is perplexing and an issue that needs to be addressed by Jane and the new Provost. Pluralism, as defined, is supposed to allow for the development of a common tradition while preserving the right of each group to maintain its cultural heritage. It implies mutual respect.

I suspect that many at Gallaudet who are not native signers or Deaf, or from a Deaf family are subject to a certain silent ridicule and scorn. For example, a cueing friend of mine has always told me that her popularity would deflate if she were to ever cue to others on campus.

I support ASL and believe it has its rightful place on Kendall Green. However, what I don’t believe in is denying deaf students their right to freely choose their communication preference.

In short, I think many of the Gallaudet students who do not embrace ASL - and perhaps the majority of its prospective oral students are being told, “It’s ASL or the highway.”

“[I]f a Culturally Deaf President was to replace Jane Fernandes as our ninth (or tenth president, whatever), would Gallaudet move into a more inclusive path in terms of “hearing diversity”?”

This is an interesting question to ask. I know I certainly needed to see examples of Gallaudetians who weren’t necessarily all pro-Deaf power or culturally Deaf before I was willing to enroll.

I’d agree with Ben M. - it’d depend on the person’s overall attitude about the whole thing. I did, after all, meet many culturally Deaf people who were entirely accepting - and yes, even welcoming - of my lower-case d deaf identity before enrolling as well.

I mean, everyone knew she was interested in being President way back so a list of grievances could have been easily made in that time frame…,

And 12 days was not enough to come up with a **** list?

More like, grasping at straws here…

Obviously, everyone has their own agendas/motives here.