Weaning....

What is wean?

- to detach from a source of dependence.

In other words, to let go and not be dependent on others. Get rid of that pacifier!

Barry said it in response to the Wisconsin protest, the closing of deaf schools, interpreter services closing, and so on.




Jerome Cain said it....(starting at 0:40 seconds)



Russell warned that unless schools for the deaf improve with better innovative academic programs and beat state academic requirements they'll soon become dinosaurs.



Gallaudet University may need to wean itself, too, eventually.

Of course, some may disagree with the whole weaning concept thinking it's cruel, never living the life of a rancher, when it's a fact of life separating calves from their mother cows as part of the whole ranching business. Whoever said that it's supposed to be a pleasant or uneventful process?

Life isn't a bed of roses.

Let's stop with the namby pamby excuses and learn to be creative, innovative and ground-breaking in order to thrive and compete successfully without the need to be overly dependent.

Catherine Murphy responds to nervous Nellies about AGBell

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.

Gallaudet University - An Indoctrination Camp?

Let's look at the term "indoctrination." From the Merriam dictionary it means, "to imbue with a usually partisan or sectarian opinion, point of view, or principle." In other words, indoctrination is the process of inculcating ideas, attitudes, or cognitive strategies. Accordingly so, an indoctrinated person is expected not to question or critically examine such doctrine (or a set of ideas or beliefs that are taught or believed to be true) they have learned. The word "inculcating" is to teach those by frequent repetitions or by admonitions (shaming).

No doubt that Gallaudet University continues to try and indoctrinate new students to new ideas, concepts and principles as would any colleges or universities. What sets this university from others is the constant inculcating of ideas and attitudes on campus through repetitions and sometimes through shaming (or admonition) by both students and staff. Instead of welcoming new ideas that may appear anathema there's a process where admonition may take place. One was the recent admonition of allowing "hearing space" on campus. Another kind of admonition could be against those who speak instead of signing while in a public space during a private conversation. And perhaps compare that to some students who may listen to their iPod music through their earpieces with the cords dangling while walking around on campus? Which ire would be greater or possible in receiving that admonition? Another could be the question of whether one student was supposedly not "Deaf enough" as one of the possible reason for his expulsion and perhaps an example when conformity failed and admonition succeeded? Or what about the admonition of the new Board of Trustees makeup that include Donna Sorkin and Vinton Cerf? 

What about the attempt to inculcate new ideas and concepts by successfully inculcated graduates to others like injecting "deafhood," "avdism," "deaf center," "subaltern elite," "colonialism," and so on and at the same time use those concepts against other deaf or hard of hearing people instead of welcoming them as part of the larger hearing loss family and seek out greater diversity? Is it better to adhere to a constant mindset that's more Borg-like in its philosophy when it comes to distinctiveness, ironically so? Or is respecting diversity and various philosophies be the better path as Dr. T. Alan Hurwitz is attempting to do in his "From Isolation to Innovation" as described during his presidential briefing focusing on partnerships and pulling down barriers?

Are we seeing an increase in diversity, for example, the Gallaudet University's Board of Trustees  appointing (not hired but appointed!) of Vinton Cerf and Donna Sorkin, and the hiring Catherine Murphy as the new Executive Director of Public and Media Relations? How so? Well, Vinton Cerf is hard of hearing and is a part of the majority of deaf and hard of hearing population that does not use sign language. He is known as the "father of the internet" and works for Google since 2005. Vinton Cerf was also the recipient of an award from Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.  Donna Sorkin is currently vice president of consumer affairs at Cochlear Americas and at one time served as the executive director of the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. And as for Catherine Murphy, she was once recently the director of communications and public affairs for the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing before coming to work at Gallaudet University. Lots of diversity being incorporated into Gallaudet University at the upper level. As a reminder, Gallaudet University is now accepting new nominations of new Trustees.

Perhaps the real "fencing problem" is the indoctrinated members who managed to isolate themselves even further by attacking those whose only crime is having a hearing loss and different set of philosophies?

Has Gallaudet University become less of an educational experience and more of an indoctrination process by spitting out indoctrinated students?  Or is Dr. Hurwitz helping to turn that around by helping Gallaudet University become more diversified?

Just playing the devil's advocate here. Or am I? Though I'm still thinking...