CRISIS AT GALLY: IS THE WORST OVER?
AND CAN THE HEALING BEGIN?

   On Sunday, October 29, word went out that Gallaudet University’s Board of Trustees, meeting in a closed-door session in an off-campus hotel, had voted to revoke Jane Kelleher Fernandes’ appointment as Gallaudet’s ninth president. The announcement followed nearly a month of turmoil on campus—public rallies, protests, barricading and occupying buildings, blocking the campus gates, mass arrests, some injuries, and widespread criticism of the way GU President I. King Jordan and Dr. Fernandes handled the crisis. The Board of Trustees also came under attack for its “flawed search process” and its refusal to listen to protesters.

   Dr. Fernandes had served as Provost (chief academic officer) since 2000. Although she had an impressive record as a teacher and administrator, she was unpopular at Gally. Dr. Fernandes believed that she was being targeted because of her mainstreamed background (the oft-quoted complaint of her being “not Deaf enough”), but her opponents claimed that she had proven to be a “divisive and ineffective” administrator during her tenure as provost.

   Despite the theme of the protest, “Unity for Gallaudet,” not all members of the Gallaudet community were opposed to Dr. Fernandes’ appointment. She had support from the administration and a number of faculty, staff, students, and alumni, who believed that the search process had been fair, and that she was the best-qualified candidate. They were looking forward to her take office. They argued that it was unfair to blame her for the persistent problem of low Deaf literacy. Others were angry and embarrassed at the protesters’ tactics, and argued that they were doing far worse harm to Gally’s image and future than Dr. Fernandes ever could.

   The protest was publicized in the local and nationwide mass media, and through the Deaf cyber-community, through the new media of blogs, text pagers, Webcams, E-mail, and video clips—one of the main differences between this protest and the “Deaf President Now” uprising of March 1988. The “DPN” strike swept Dr. Jordan to international fame as a hero and Deaf Community icon. Ironically, by his unwavering support of Dr. Fernandes and by actions such as authorizing the arrests of 133 protesters on October 13, he was now seen by many as a villain. No protesters had been arrested or injured during the 1988 “DPN.” Several students were hospitalized as a result of the campus Department of Public Safety’s blockade-busting actions on and after October 13.

   Protesters insisted that they would continue until Dr. Fernandes resigned or was removed. They blocked all entrances to the campus, although classes continued. Anticipating their arrests, they posted instructions: if you’re arrested, don’t resist, go limp, or else you’ll risk being beaten. Tim Rarus, one of the four DPN student leaders, was among the first to be arrested. He and others blocking a side gate were hauled off to a police-training academy, where they spent the night on mats, and were released next morning after paying $50 citations. After being released, they rejoined the protests. When bulldozers were brought in several days later to remove the “tent city,” several students were injured.
Attempting to break the stalemate, Dr. Fernandes met with student representatives, without arriving at any resolution. But some praised her calm and civil demeanor during the crisis.

   While the prevailing mood among the protesters on Sunday evening, October 29, was elation (“JKF F-I-R-E-D!!! Let’s Celebrate!” as one post was titled), others are saddened. Aside from the appointment of Dr. Fernandes, the main issues of the protest—racism and audism, for example—remain unresolved. The search process will be reopened, and, we hope, a satisfactory president will be appointed. Whether Dr. Jordan, who was to have stepped down at the end of 2006, will stay over during the transition period remains to be seen.