The Roving Activist’s Blog

In a special, all day, closed door session in a hotel near Dulles Airport, the Board of Trustees of Gallaudet University voted to terminate the appointment of Jane Fernandes as incoming president. The Board, in a statement released yesterday, said that the decision was made with ” much pain and regret”, but felt that the termination was in the best interests of the University, and stated that it understood the impact and issues that arise when a decision is re-examined in the face of protests. Gallaudet students, angered by the selection, had staged protests from May 1, when the decision was announced, until the end of the school year, then resumed the protests in September, when school reopened.

The Board’s termination of Fernandes’s appointment brought the protests to an end. Student protesters rejoiced at the decision, but say that they now will work on improving the search process. Some protest leaders met with Board members and will make a good faith effort to clean up the campus, open all entrances, and return to classes. The students who were arrested during the protest won’t automatically be expelled, but they won’t get off scot-free, either. They’ll have to face the music.

What will happen next at Gallaudet is hard to tell. The protests were every bit as divisive as they were uniting. I’m sure that the supporters of Mrs. Fernandes will have plenty to say, along with members of the public who didn’t understand the real issues, and who saw the protesters as nothing more than a bunch of malcontents who wanted to be in charge of the course that the school was taking. Fernandes, herself, was obviously saddened by the decision, but made it clear that this was the Board’s decision, not hers. She had vowed to stay the course. In the end, someone had to blink, and I guess that Mrs. Fernandes can take a perverse sort of pride in the fact that she didn’t quit. It’s too bad that it had to end like that. Fernandes should have taken her cue from another unwanted Gallaudet president, Elizabeth Zinzer, and gracefully stepped down. After all, how did she think that she would lead a school that really didn’t want her? Even if she were somehow able to stop the protests, the students were so determined that every day for her would have been a uphill battle. I feel that it was in everyone’s best interests that the Board summoned the courage to make their decision.

And what of the students? Their tenacity paid off, and they have learned not to give up in the face of adversity. Now comes the really hard part. Sure, the protests were hard, but as one who has done activism and protests for twenty years now, I know that the toughest part is dealing and working with the powers to be once you’ve won the battle. Sure, the kids are going to celebrate. That’s only natural, and should be done. They can’t party for long, though. The long, hard road towards a positive future for Gallaudet must begin with healing, conciliation, and a genuine commitment to work with all parties, and this effort must be led by the protesters, themselves.

Classes resumed Monday at Gallaudet University, but protests are still ongoing despite the arrest last Friday of 133 students. Those students were fined $50 and released. They returned to the campus on Monday. The school also cancelled homecoming, but that didn’t stop Gallaudet alumni from returning, anyway.

Gallaudet faculty voted overwhelmingly in favor of the students, and called for the resignation or removal of incoming president, Jane Fernandes, who assumes the office in January. They also issued a no-confidence vote for the Board of Trustees, and outgoing president, I. King Jordan. Fernandes, however, is resolute in her determination to stay on, and does have the support of some students and faculty at Gallaudet, as well as the Board of Trustees.

Students have now taken their fight to Capitol Hill to garner support for their stance. They feel that Mrs. Fernandes, the former provost, is a poor choice because she is cold, aloof, and disrespectful to students, and is not open to new ideas. The students also feel that she allows discrimination against them by employing faculty and staff who are unable to communicate with them. Though the Board of Trustees feels that Fernandes was the strongest candidate, students feel that the process was too rushed, and smacked of racism because several strong candidates were overlooked, including an African American who had served as Chair of the Board of Trustees. The Board, itself, is split over the issue, and some members have threatened to resign.

Many students, staff, faculty, and others hope that this situation will be resolved to that things can get back to normal at Gallaudet. A petition, started by some students, is demanding that very thing. It has over 300 signatures. I, too, hope that this can be resolved, but I fully support the students in their protest, and their right to do so. As for Mrs. Fernandes, my thought is this: While I understand her resolve to stand firm, she is at the center of this crisis, and while she is around, the bad feelings will remain, and the protests will continue. If, as she asserts, she loves and cares about the school and the students, perhaps she should seriously consider stepping down, if only for the good of all concerned. It would be a very difficult decision to make after such a long, hard, fight, and I can only imagine the pain and disappointment that she, her family, and her supporters would feel. However, at this point, it’s not all about her, but all about Gallaudet, and hopefully, after putting aside any pride and ego, Mrs. Fernandes will do some deep soul searching and do the right thing.

Student protesters at Gallaudet University have shut down all entrances to the school, effectively shutting down the entire campus for two days. Several days ago, sudents had taken over the main classroom building, but decided to shut down the school when incoming president, Jane Fernandes did not meet with them. Some faculty members have been allowed on campus for meetings, but have been guided by student protesters to certain areas, and watched closely to make sure that they don’t try to sneak off to their offices. 

Students say that the protest is because of the selection of Mrs. Fernandes, the former provost, by the school Board of Trustees, as incoming president. They feel that she would not be fit for the position because she is perceived as cold, aloof, and disrespectful to students. They are also angry that the Board of Trustees completed the selection process rather quicly, and passed over several strong candidates, including an African American who had been the Board chair for quite a while. Students also feel that the Board of Trustees have been dismissive of them and their concerns. Detracters say that this is about nothing more than deaf identity politics. The students are demanding the resignation of Mrs. Fernandes, and the appointment of an independent agency to conduct the selection of a new president. 

Police have been at the campus for a few days now, but there have been no arrests. Protest leaders were told by the police that the campus had to be reopened. Though the leaders agreed to open one entrance, when they went out to do this, the students blocking the gate at that entrance refused to leave, and the police went away.

A school official told the protesting students that Jane Fernandes would meet with them when they ceased holding the school hostage. The remark was met by jeers. Outgoing president, I. King Jordan told the students that they had the right to protest, but not to stop education. An elementary and high school for children who are deaf, also located on the university campus, has been closed as well, due to protests.

The students have been preparing themselves for arrest, practicing passive resistance tactics such as linking arms and going limp. They have been advised never to touch a police officer, even to get his or her attention. Arrests seem unlikely, though. Police superintendent Charles Ramsey feels that the protest is a Gallaudet issue, and that their role is only to monitor the situation. No arrests will be made unless there is property damage, or someone’s personal safety is at risk.

I’ll keep you posted…

Yesterday, student protesters at Gallaudet University took over the main classroom building on campus as protests continue over the selection of Jane Fernandes as the new school president. The police arrived on campus, but there has yet been no arrests. The student would like to have an independent oversight agency look into the selection process that led to mrs. Fernandes’s selection, as the students believe that there was racism involved in the selection process.

I’ll keep you posted…