From the Spring 2011 Gallaudet Today newsletter Catherine Murphy, who is hearing (but learning ASL) and is the executive director of the Office of Public and Media Relations at Gallaudet University, respond to the controversy being circulated by angry or suspicious deaf people with dancing conspiratorial eyes.
From Gallaudet Today newsletter (Spring 2011):
Gallaudet Today: The move from AG Bell to Gallaudet has been controversial in some circles. How do you address those concerns?
Catherine Murphy: I haven't encountered any negative feedback myself, and everyone here at Gallaudet has been very welcoming. However, I can understand where some people might take notice of my selection for this position. I see my role as acting at the discretion of President Hurwitz and the Board of Trustees in implementing their vision as outlined in the Gallaudet Strategic Plan and in supporting the University's bilingual mission. I am especially interested in promoting public awareness and positive depictions of deaf individuals in the media. There is a lot this community has to offer that I think is far too often overlooked. I also see many ways that the alumni can take a greater role in helping to promote that awareness.
Feel better now, folks?
Catherine Murphy does not do her own Press Releases but at the discretion of President Hurwitz and the BOT. Gallaudet University is doing what it must do to survive, compete and thrive according to their Mission and Vision of their plan.
I'm sure Josh Swiller, Catherine Murphy, Alan Hurwitz and a few others are all sitting around thei tables rubbing their hands and exclaiming loudly with their crooked pinkies in the corner of their mouths, "Heh heh...my plan is working flawlessly!" And laugh loudly. No. It's was a group effort to initiate this Strategic Plan that began 18 months ago. They have goals and strategies in place. Ambitious in their plan to see enrollment of full-time undergrads, full- and part-time graduate students, and continuing education students grow to 3,000 by 2015. And that's only 4 years away.
Gallaudet University simply need to prove they can compete academically with the rest of their university brethens. But to have a completely all Deaf university is not what diversity is all about at this institution of higher learning. Nor will it help them thrive and survive. It boils down to showing their academic mettle. And one of their goals is to "expand domestic recruiting to become 'top of mind' for all deaf and hard of hearing students, and hearing students seeking deaf/HH-related careers." This is a different time and economy Gallaudet University is facing now. And it'll be their biggest challenge yet to come. Long term survival. But if they can't prove their academic superiority with the rest of the universities and be equally competitive then I'm certain Congress will do something about reducing funding (or stop altogether) to Gallaudet University as Congress continues to struggle with their own deficit and debt problems. We'll probably know what direction this will go in 3 to 5 years from now. Stay tuned.
5 comments:
I don't see how Ms. Murphy's hiring can be anything but a positive for Gallaudet. after all, those nervous nellies with suspicious eyes were always accusing the AGBell organization of infiltrating the hearts and minds of their donors, supporters, benefactors, and hapless parents of deaf babies with their slick public relations tactics. Well, guess what - the creator of that positive image now works for Gallaudet! is that ironic or what? let's see if she can work her magic for the benefit of the "Deaf Mecca" and "Deaf Harvard." You'd think those at the university will be flocking to her office to give her lots of good material to work with.
Anonymous #1
Dr. Alan Hurwitz is a lifetime member of the AGBell. That explains the double-crossing of the deaf community and Gallaudet University.
Why in the world, Murphy put the "hearing" people before the main student body of deaf students in the press release in the first place.
Murphy must apologize for her Freudian slip and will not let it happen again.
Robert L. Mason
Let's not get caught up with this whole conspiracy meme.
Gallaudet's long term strategic plans were formulated by Dr. Robert Davila himself, trying to reform and fix the mess left by I. King Jordan administration. I recalled discussing with him when he came to Columbus for NAD conference along with his successor Dr. Hurwitz. He has hopes for Gallaudet to last a good long time in the face of new challenges and changes to come. Hurwitz and the BoT are simply continuing the strategic plans left by Davila. It's all about the survival of Gallaudet as a leading academic institution for the deaf and the hard-of-hearing worldwide.
Rob, it may be an academic institution for many deaf and hard of hearing students but certainly not for ALL deaf and hard of hearing students. I bet there are more deaf and hard of hearing students in many other universities and colleges throughout the United States by several factors larger than Gallaudet University. It just so happens that Gallaudet University holds the most concentrated number of deaf/hh students on a college campus than any other colleges or universities in the U.S.
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