NAD Opening Ceremonies: “The Board’s Decision is Final.”
By Rob Rice on Fri 30 Jun 2006 |
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So here we are in the middle of the Mojave Desert where it’s a sizzling 110 degrees with Mr. Sunshine shining down gloriously on the ~1,500 of us who have convened for the 48th biennial National Association of the Deaf (NAD) conference.
The gathering this year is really different. There are many, many new fresh young faces and it seems that the conference has attracted many deaf professionals from all over who seem genuinely interested in what NAD has to offer.
I had the pleasure of meeting a deaf trial attorney from the Big Apple who nearly fainted when I told her that an organization of deaf lawyers actually existed. And I even met a guy who used to work at the same company I worked at years ago. It was a surreal experience meeting him for the both of us never dreamed we would meet other deaf people who worked there.
So, it’s actually a pretty cool sight here–the JW Marriott is a nice, somewhat-swanky resort that’s simply huge. While I’m not sure how many pools there are here, I’m guessing the number to be about 7 or 8. I have no idea how all this water is brought to the desert but I’m pretty sure that it’s water that could be more conservatively used elsewhere in the burgeoning state of California.
Personally, this hotel is just too big for me to really like it here. It simply takes forever to get from one part of the hotel to another–and I’m a big fan of the smaller, more intimate resorts. But you’re all here to not read about my fickle traveling tastes or stance on the environment!
So, anyway, the opening ceremonies took place without a hitch. There were many of us who were worried that certain individuals might make a scene or try to heckle Gallaudet President I. King Jordan’s keynote speech. Kudos are in order for the FSSA folks who were pretty much on their best behavior last night. Now, of course, there were two hecklers in the audience who raised their hands in the air to practically scream, “No, no, NO!” when they heard King state a certain phrase that resonated with the audience:
“The board’s decision is final.”
Those two hecklers were put in their place by a bright 21-year-old Gallaudet student who literally jumped out of his seat to tell them to “shut up.”
As King bravely went on to describe the integrity of the time-honored, academic Presidential Search process, the audience seemed relieved–and maybe even anxious to try and put this fiasco behind us. It was actually almost as if everyone wanted to get King’s personal testimony straight from the horse’s mouth.
And the audience heard what it needed to hear. To borrow a descriptive term from a fellow DeafDC.com blogger, King told it like it was–and did so just like a superstar.
There was another King tidbit that seemed to stick with this audience. He explained that as part of a documentary called “Deaf Eyes” that will be aired on the PBS channel in the near future, he was asked if the next (9th) President of Gallaudet would be deaf. He stated that his answer was, “Of course! And so will the next president - and the next president - and the next president as well.” He also made the analogy that a white person would never ever take the helm at Howard University. It was then that he drove the point home:
“There are many ways to be deaf and we need to recognize this diversity within the deaf community.”
Would Howard University students ever be in an uproar if a future university president didn’t have a certain type of upbringing or a certain level of skin pigmentation to qualify as being “black enough?”
Now, with all due respect to the members of the FSSA faction and other dissenters, the “deaf enough” issue may not be the heart of the matter at hand. If it really isn’t, and if there really are management or search process issues that need to be addressed, then it’s an internal matter that needs to be addressed internally.
I know many of us have been pained by these issues–and that the community has been almost split in half by them. Autumn is going to be here before we know it and Gallaudet will soon serve its new crop of freshmen. Do we owe it to these students to put this issue behind us and maybe even try to hash out the remaining issues more discreetly?
I personally think we need to make sure that these students don’t become distracted and ensure that they do what they’ve set out to do at Gallaudet. Learn–and make their mark in the big, bad world out there.
I’ll have more to report as the conference continues this week.
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24 Comments
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Great dispatch from the field — keep the updates coming!
Thanks for the scoop!
This is very well written and informative. You are doing a great job and for what it’s worth I agree with you on your environmental stance and travel tastes.
Rob, thank goodness you’re there and blogged to us about the conference! I was getting sick of reading between the lines of other blogs… keep them coming.
A simple thank you!
Thanks for bringing sharing your POV with those of us who couldnt make it. Its refreshing to see an actual though provoking blog on whats going on at the NAD conference opposed to the wasted ramblings on other blogs.
hey Rob, just read on that other blog that you’re running for NAD president. Is this old news or new news? Please tell us all about it. and GOOD LUCK! I’d vote for you if I was there.
OOPS! Secretary, I meant to say, not president.
good post! Thank you
nice post. but im astonished when somebody as bright as u are not able to get what the protest is all abt, even when u’ve obviously heard otherwise enough times.
IT’S NOT ABOUT NOT BEING DEAF ENOUGH!!!!!
i hope i won’t have to repeat this for a future post of urs.
I disagree, everyone keeps saying the protest is not about being “deaf enough,” and by repeating over and over and over “its not about being deaf enough!” It has indeed made this a debate on being just “deaf enough!”
Even the current discussion of deafhood brings to light a person growing and accepting and developing their own sense of being deaf makes the protest about being “deaf enough!”
Sure the search process may have been flawed, but no one complained during the whole process, it wasnt until the results were announced that magically the process was flawed and why was it flawed, OMG they selected someone who is just not deaf enough!
Oh wait, the arguement is on diversity, The process did not include enough diversity, did they not select a woman candidate who is married to someone outsider her own race, how much more diverse can you get?
Oh wait, thats not the arguement, the arguement is her leadership style, seems she is not a capable leader! Of the three final candidates she was indeed the most capable but well she just cant sign all that great and the students dont really like her so she cant lead because no one will follow her!
Who wont followe her, Oh’ probably those few people at the FSSA who I might add do NOT speak for the entire Gallaudet community, they speak for a few and only a few.
Lets look at the FSSA, they have TWO demands! Can anyone list those two demands, well if you cant let me help you and this was taken from their website:
1. to re-open the search process ensuring that there is transparency and equity.
2. to give assurance that there will be no reprisals for anyone involved with the protest. The Board must recognize that Dr. Jane K. Fernandes is an unacceptable choice and cannot serve as the next President.
Now although there are two demands listed, the second demand is actually two if you read it carefully. No reprisals and keep on reading, the BOT must recognize that JKF “cannot” serve as the next President.
Sounds like three demands to me although they are only clamining two, that third one was kinda’ added on as an after thought perhaps!
So let me correct myself, the protest is NOT about being “deaf enough!” I stand corrected, you know why, because there is NO SUCH thing as being deaf enough!
There are differences among each of us and we need to accept the fact that a person raised oral and speaks fluently, uses a CI is indeed deaf enough!
A person raised mainstreamed all their life, learns sign language while an adult is indeed deaf enough!
A deaf child born to deaf parents and has generations of deaf grandparents is also deaf enough.
I could go on and on, the Protest is NOT about being deaf enough, the protest is actually about a small segment of people who are upset that they did not get what they want and are now throwing a child tantrum.
My conclusion, the protest is about those who cannot accept change! Thats what the protest is about, its about change, its about accepting your deafness and more importantly accepting the deafness of others!
Lolypup via real alias - Bobby White,
How come did the Irving’s BOT give the three finalists different days for their presentations? Dr. Steve Weiner was only given TWO days to prepare for his presentation over the Passover weekend (real insult to his racial and religious hertiage). Mr. Stern was given FIVE days, then Dr. Jane Fernandes got almost one and half week to showcase her presentation.
Why didn’t the Irving’s BOTs gave all the Gally finalists the same day for their presentations?
This kind of presentation could be arranged like finalist(s) staying behind the curtain. So finalists could engage in debates within each other.
We would see the real problem solver among three finalists. All of them could campaign freely on the campus after their presentations.
Why the Gally’s Bison TV did not screen Weiner and Stern’s presentations after the announcement of Gally’s 9th president?
The Irving’s BOTs done real disrespects to other two finalists and candidates. Why rush the selection of next Gally president?
The average time of the search of new university president takes about one to two years.
IKJ had been repeatedly asked when he will retire. IKJ replied “Never til I die”. He misled the Gallaudet community.
If Dr. Jane Fernandes is very comptent and well-respected and likeable adminstrator. That would be very different story for all of us.
Why secrecy within the IKJ and JKF adminstration on many fronts? I could not get the copy of IKJ’s speech at the Jefferson Awards gala.
Academic freedom is really signifciant on every higher education campus. I do not see any real academic freedoms within the Gally campus under the IKj regin.
I was supposed to view IKJ’s speech at the gala which the existing situation made impossible for me remained at my seat. One of the gala attendees went to the gala organizer to humiliate me like “SEE YOUR ID”. I felt somewhat ambushed by the gala organizer. I left in disgust.
The hearing gala attendee was just happened to be pro-IKJ. No freedom of expression and thoughts within the reach of IKJ and JKF.
I already observed how JKF interacted with other attendees. JKF ever not introduced herself to other attendees in any manner. She just stood there and looked at the room divider. JKF seems preoccupied with the foods being served at the gala. JKF blew her own chance of interacting with very important people from actress Ellen Burtysn and Teresa Heinz Kerry ($$$$). JKF just mowed her foods without engaging in the social conversation among the attendees via table. She looked down on the platter most of the time.
Too bad, I did not bring the videocam to record how JKF really behave in the public place. I do not make up this stuff! I really feel sorry for JKF in many ways.
Robert L. Mason (RLM)
Mr. Mason,
Thank you for making my introduction, however let me make a correction. Bobby White is my real name while Lolypup is my Alias. A simple mistake, im sure you wont make it again.
However for the rest of your comments, you just went on about things that have been said over and over again by others.
Present something new and I might respond back!
Regards,
Bobby
Actually, Weiner was given almost 4 days to prepare his 20 minute presentation on the topic, “How would you advance the existing eight University Strategic Goals, and under your leadership, what would the University look like in 5-7 years?” followed by a 30-40 minute Q&A session.
http://pr.gallaudet.edu/presidentalsearch/?ID=8549
The announcement of the finalists and presentation date went out on April 13.
Dr. Weiner presented his on Monday, April 17, 2006
Mr. Stern presented his on Friday, April 21, 2006
Dr. Fernandes presented hers on Wednesday, April 26, 2006
And, Mr. McConnell, what’s your point?
Weiner had barely 4 days to prepare his present, and he’s jewish. The announcement was on the 13th of April, the day after Passover had begnun on the 12th. Passover is a 7-day holiday. Good Friday and Easter happened on that weekend. Whereas Stern had 8 days to prepare and Fernandes had 13 days! The less I said the better!
So, did Weiner raise objections to the presentation dates that fell on Passover or at least made an effort to inform the PSC of the religious holiday? The PSC is not in the position to assume who is religious and who is not and who follow what religious holidays. I have friends from Israel and in the states who do not even observe the Passover holiday to such a degree as those who are more orthodox in their Jewish religion. What you are doing is painting a general picture that all people with jewish sounding last names observe or follow Jewish customs and holidays to the nth degree. Not so.
There were plenty of times to raise objection by Mr. Weiner. On March 24, a memo went out.
**On March 22, 2006 - the Search Committee reviewed and tested a draft rating form that will be used in assessing applicants for the presidency. We also discussed our forthcoming schedule and other planned activities.
**On March 31 - the full Search Committee will meet to review all candidate applications submitted. We will reduce the pool of candidates to a smaller group whose references will be checked.
**Early April - a selected group of candidates will be interviewed by the entire Search Committee.
**Late April - we anticipate final candidates selected as a result of review of submitted material, reference checks and private interviews with the search committee will be invited to campus. A campus wide Open Forum as well as individual meetings with the various key constituents on campus will be part of the schedule for each candidate invited to campus. We will advise you of the dates and times as soon as the schedule is finalized.
http://pr.gallaudet.edu/presidentalsearch/?ID=8412
The number of applicants were narrowed down from the initial 24 to six semifinalists were invited to interview during the week of April 9th through 15th. April 13th was the date of the announcement of the 3 finalists.
This was a 20-minute presentation. Are you saying that none of the 6 semi-finalists or even the 3 finalists did not know about the 20-minute presentation that would be required of them should they be selected PRIOR to the April 13th announcement? How do you know that Mr. Weiner never had a 20-minute presentation already prepared? Please, show me some evidence to the contrary.
Another thing, it’s interesting that in “Chronicles of Deaf Higher Education: Search for the Next Gallaudet President” (http://216.239.51.104/search?q=cache:VnriA8SqVu4J:www.deafprofessional.net/index2.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26do_pdf%3D1%26id%3D189+gallaudet+psc+applicants&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=4), the original website address seen in the Google cache is no longer. Why? Is it because of this writing seen below?
“Students on the campus sensed the initial fissure. Niesha Washington, a vocal student and president of the Black DeafStudents Union (BDSU), along with David King, a BDSU member and Diversity Now Coalition liaison, met with otherstudent leaders on the campus to explore their concerns about the presidential search process with hopes that theywould be able to collaborate as a larger group. Asian and International student organization leaders immediately lentthem their support. They were later joined by the Latino Student Union.
However, many other students were ambivalent about taking the action to “stop the process.” These students did not feel galvanized by issues brought up in relation to possible racism, but instead objected strenuously to the fact that one of three finalists, Dr. Jane Fernandes, does not have a fluent grasp of American Sign Language. Those students felt thatdisrupting the process would be a futile battle and wanted to focus on endorsing a candidate who exhibits commitment toand fluency in ASL. In addition, many of them were generally pleased with the fact that all finalists were deaf.”
Interesting write up by Alison Aubrecht and Julie Bourne saying that students felt, literally so, that JKF was not “Deaf” enough. No wonder that article was struck from the Deaf Professional Network.
http://216.239.51.104/search?q.....k&cd=4
A Google cached link to “Chronicles of Deaf Higher Education: Search for the Next Gallaudet President” for easy linking for my above comments.
My apologies. It is working…now.
http://www.deafprofessional.ne.....amp;id=189
But the observation prior to the protest from students is quite interesting.
RLM - “The average time of the search of new university president takes about one to two years.”
Incorrect. In most presidential selection process it takes an average of about 6 months before finally selecting a president.
Go here for more: http://kokonutpundits.blogspot.....-rush.html
I’m relieved to learn that King was treated respectfully. That’s what he deserves, and bodes well for the future.
some dignity for all,
Well, what did you expect to happen at the NAD conference? Did you truly believe that deaf participants at the NAD conference would act like animals? I am sorry but I find your statement quite offensive. No wonder, you’re hiding behind an alias name.
Actually, well, what do you expect if you read what Ridor said in the Washington Post?
“When Taylor wrote about Jordan speaking at the National Association of the Deaf conference at the end of this month, readers sent him more than $1,000 to blog from the conference in California. He said in an e-mail, ‘They should expect some kind of drama.’”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....592_2.html
Now, how many of you have heard rumors floating around that some disgruntled Deafies will bring rotten tomatoes for IKJ and/or JKF at the NAD event? See here that I’m not alone in hearing this rumor - http://www.deafdc.com/blog/chr.....onference/
What kind of “drama” is meant by when one says “expect some kind of drama.”
SDFA was right to express his/her relief that nobody did such a thing at the NAD convention.
Well, it’s a little different elsewhere such as GallyNet-L known for the land of Jane/Jordan bashers whenever a word is said by the two it gets twisted more than a Snyder pretzel.
Nothing is final until the end was reached.