WaPo wrote the article about the selection process with the insinuation that the process was bereft of any candidates of color. This turns out to be not true if you consider that PSC (Presidential Selection Committee) had a very large pool of candidates and narrowed them down to 6 potential candidates that most matched closely to the requirements advertised in the presidential agenda. Celia May Baldwin had this to say.
With respect to diversity and social justice, of the six semi-finalists all were deaf and three were either women or people of color. As is typical of searches, the size of the pool of qualified candidates was substantial and the PSC had to consider which within the pool had qualifications that most closely matched those required to carry out the advertised presidential agenda.
The three finalists turned out to be two Deaf (white males) and one deaf person (white female) with the "D"eaf meaning culturally deaf and are, usually so, native ASL signers. For people on the outside who are not familiar with Deaf culture and sign language who see people signing in various forms of communication modes such as SEE, PSE, or ASL wouldn't know the difference. Maybe even Cued Speech some would think it's the same as sign language.
One person from Dana Point, California had this to say in a live chat with Dr. Jane K Fernandes with the Washington Post hosting it:
Dana Point, Calif.: Is it your intention to make Gallaudet University accessible to all modes of education for the deaf (i.e., ASL, SEE, Cued, Oralism, Rochester, Pidgin, etc.)? Lately, it has become ASL-only and I fear this may turn off some prospective students as CSUN and RIT have reported increased enrollment as a result.
Jane K. Fernandes: At Gallaudet, we plan to welcome all kinds of deaf students to campus. We will continue to uphold our bilingual ASL-English philosophy. In the future, as there will be many ways to be deaf, we will strengthen programs designed to teach Sign Language to deaf or hard of hearing students who don't know it and increase the level of support we provide to them.
Indeed. Gallaudet University is an educational institution that serves all deaf and hard of hearing students that use all the various kinds of communication modes. It is not a resort (although many deaf students seem to party more than study) for Deaf people nor that it should be all inclusive ASL-only institution, either. With that attitude, Gallaudet University is sure to fail.
If a student, for example, who grew up with Cued Speech, would he have the right to request a Cued Speech transliterators at Gallaudet....even while he is learning sign language (or not)....just so he can ensure he won't fall behind in his college classes at Gallaudet University? Despite the fact that Cued Speech was developed at Gallaudet University by Dr. R. Orin Cornett? Will he be given that opportunity? An opportunity to continue using his/her preferred mode of communication with Gallaudet's support by providing the person with an interpreter? It's no different than attending other universities when they must accomodate deaf/hh students either with an interpreter, note taker, CART or what have you. No? Still believe in unity, huh?
And about that "Unity for Gallaudet"? Protesters are seemingly hell bent on smearing Gallaudet University, the president and BoT by questioning (even insinuating impropriety) the $4 million dollars received a few years back that was supposed to go into security at Gallaudet.
Dear Member:
I asked Dr. I. King Jordan and the University's Board of Trustees to conduct an investigation at Gallaudet University.
Specifically, I requested the President and the Board to look into the circumstances surrounding the use of $4 million dollars in additional federal funding the University received in 2002 for security, and to review several personnel issues. I was stunned to learn the process I was trying to follow, to have my complaint investigated by the University, was seriously flawed. I found the University does not have a mechanism setup to review this level of complaint, and has refused to even discuss it with me.
At this time, I am again asking the board to investigate the entire complaint I sent Dr. I. King Jordan and the Board Chairperson, and additionally to look into the incredible, unbelievable circumstances surrounding my position being abolished as the Director/Chief of the Campus Police, Physical Plant Department, and the Office of Risk Management and Insurance; and the elimination of positions held by older employees on campus.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Bernard Holt Former Director of the Gallaudet University Public Safety/Physical Plant Departments and Office of Risk Management and Insurance
Agreed that this need to be looked into whenever there may improper use of funds given to Gallaudet University but what does this have to do with "Unity for Gallaudet"? Or for that matter the BoT at Gallaudet with 27 members which is a different makeup from the BoT that was specifically selected for the PSC with 17 members (7 names are from the actual Gallaudet's BoT). What does the letter from Bernard Holt has to do with the PSC? Is this nothing more than grasping straws hoping to sway the BoT's decision or get Dr. Jane K Fernandes to step down as Gallaudet University's 9th president by trying to portray the BoT in a bad light that something was indeed sinister all along? Is this what it means to have "Unity for Gallaudet" by making this into smear campaign using Holt's letter?
So much for "Unity for Gallaudet."
Previous blogs on Gallaudet University's selection of Dr. Jane K. Fernandes.
RDPN Protesters Continue to Grasp Straws
Deaf Protest Soon to Turn Violent at Gallaudet University???
Doh! Is Washington Post Clueless - electronic petition has value?
Washington Post Live Chat with Dr. Jane K. Fernandes
Deaf Quote Heard Around the World - "She doesn't say 'hi'."
IKJ Supports BoT Decision, Student Protesters Get Bogged Down Again?
A Real Deaf President Now Protest Continues....
The Selection of Dr. Jane K. Fernandes - a Rush Job?
Did the "Really Deaf President Now" Protest Fizzled Yesterday?
We Must have a Really, Really, Really Deaf President Now
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