Shame On You
Last night, Celia May Baldwin, the interim chair of the Board of Trustees, resigned from her position. In her letter, she cited that The presidential search and the controversy that has ensued have put an enormous strain and stress on me. I simply could not ignore the numerous aggressive threats I have received over the [...]
No Confidence
Yesterday, 145 out of 220 Gallaudet faculty voted on five resolutions concerning Dr. Jane K. Fernandes’s selection. They essentially laid out the gauntlet for Jane Fernandes: the faculty do not support her selection as President and want the search process reopened. (FAILED 96-49) Accept the BoT decision & work with Dr. Fernandes. (PASSED 77-68) Ask [...]
They Are Not Being Heard
This protest has evolved to take on much larger dimensions than the spontaneous gathering on May 1st (yes, that one that I prematurely declared “abortive”). It is no longer a movement to solely force Dr. Fernandes’s resignation or to reopen the process, even though that last demand remains the main objective of the protest.
Showdown?
We have learned that at 3:00 PM today, the D.C. police will begin arresting Gallaudet students, staff, faculty, alumni, and anybody who continue to block the entrances to the university campus. It is apparently a federal offense to block the entrance to a federal property. I cannot stress enough that, in a confrontation with law [...]
Gallaudet’s Board Stands Firm – For Good Reason
It has been nearly 48 hours since Dr. Jane K. Fernandes’s selection as Gallaudet’s next president was announced. A great deal has transpired since then; students slept outside at the main entrance; several rallies have been held; faculty and staff have gotten moderately involved; and President Jordan and Dr. Fernandes have participated in discussions with [...]
Jane Fernandes to Chat Live on Washington Post
At 2:00 PM today (Wednesday 5/3), Jane Fernandes, the newly appointed President of Gallaudet University, will be fielding questions at the Washington Post website. They are asking that questions be submitted online. If you have a good question for her; submit away. If you do, please remember — avoiding slander, insults, and other abusive language [...]
Better President Now?
When the Board of Trustees of Gallaudet University want to choose someone to administer the University, it makes sense to pick a qualified person to do so. Administrators, by definition, administer very well. Planted in their offices, they worry about the minutiae of finance, public relations, and enrollment. But that assumes that Deaf people put [...]
An Analysis of Gallaudet’s Abortive Protest
One of my favorite words in the English language is “abortive.” I am glad to have this opportunity to use that word to describe the 200-strong student protest that occured following Dr. Jane Fernandes’s selection as Gallaudet’s next president. The protest may look like it’s still going on, but it’s really over. A deaf protest [...]
Gallaudet Students Protest Dr. Fernandes’s Selection
A student protest has unfolded this afternoon at Gallaudet University following the selection of their Provost as the next President to succeed I. King Jordan in December 2006. Immediately after the announcement of Dr. Jane Fernandes’s selection as Gallaudet’s next president, Ryan Commerson, an outspoken Gallaudet alumnus, attempted to disrupt the event and was thrown [...]
Dr. Jane Fernandes is Selected as Gallaudet’s Next President
In a mid-afternoon announcement by Celia May Baldwin, the interim chair of the Board of Trustees, Provost Dr. Jane Kelleher Fernandes was selected to lead Gallaudet University as its ninth president. Following President I. King Jordan’s retirement in December 2006, Dr. Fernandes will become the second deaf person, and first deaf woman, to lead the [...]