Wash Post: Gallaudet Will Not Punish Student Protesters
Gallaudet Will Not Punish Student Protesters
School for the Deaf Upgraded to “Adequate” in Federal Review
By Susan Kinzie
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, February 6, 2007; 4:38 PMÂ Â
Gallaudet University president Robert Davila said in a message to the
campus today that the more than 130 protesters who were arrested last
fall, when the campus was shut down by people angry over the selection
of the next president, would not be punished further.
Protests brought the school for the deaf to a standstill until the Board
of Trustees voted in October to terminate the appointment of the
unpopular incoming president. Davila was asked to serve as interim
president.  Â
Also, a review of Gallaudet University by the federal government was
upgraded to “adequate” by the Office of Management and Budget, which
cited actions taken to improve the overall program at the school for
the deaf in Northeast Washington.
Last year the school was rated “ineffective” and the OMB noted stagnant
or deteriorating performance on key measures, including graduation
rates. The graduation rate, based on the number of students who
complete their undergraduate degrees within six years, has been 28
percent.
School officials questioned the findings, asking to have more input in
the process, and the OMB agreed to do a reassessment. The new report,
issued yesterday, concluded that “Gallaudet failed to meet its goals or
show adequate progress in key areas, including the number of students
who stay in school, graduate, and either pursue graduate degrees or
find jobs upon graduation,” and that the Department of Education has
developed a plan for monitoring the school.
Gallaudet gets the majority of its funding from the federal government,
with a $107 million appropriation this year.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/06/AR2007020601079.html
Commentary: I knew of this news of no additional punishment for two weeks, but was told to keep quiet until Davila was ready to share this with the public today. That’s why you haven’t heard this from me on this earlier. MZ
Gallaudet Will Not Punish Student Protesters
School for the Deaf Upgraded to “Adequate” in Federal Review
By Susan Kinzie
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, February 6, 2007; 4:38 PMÂ Â
Gallaudet University president Robert Davila said in a message to the
campus today that the more than 130 protesters who were arrested last
fall, when the campus was shut down by people angry over the selection
of the next president, would not be punished further.
Protests brought the school for the deaf to a standstill until the Board
of Trustees voted in October to terminate the appointment of the
unpopular incoming president. Davila was asked to serve as interim
president.  Â
Also, a review of Gallaudet University by the federal government was
upgraded to “adequate” by the Office of Management and Budget, which
cited actions taken to improve the overall program at the school for
the deaf in Northeast Washington.
Last year the school was rated “ineffective” and the OMB noted stagnant
or deteriorating performance on key measures, including graduation
rates. The graduation rate, based on the number of students who
complete their undergraduate degrees within six years, has been 28
percent.
School officials questioned the findings, asking to have more input in
the process, and the OMB agreed to do a reassessment. The new report,
issued yesterday, concluded that “Gallaudet failed to meet its goals or
show adequate progress in key areas, including the number of students
who stay in school, graduate, and either pursue graduate degrees or
find jobs upon graduation,” and that the Department of Education has
developed a plan for monitoring the school.
Gallaudet gets the majority of its funding from the federal government,
with a $107 million appropriation this year.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/06/AR2007020601079.html
Commentary: I knew of this news of no additional punishment for two weeks, but was told to keep quiet until Davila was ready to share this with the public today. That’s why you haven’t heard this from me on this earlier. MZ
February 6th, 2007 at 8:19 pm
That’s GREAT news!!!
Still a lot of work ahead, but there are so many motivated people involved to get Gallaudet on the right track!
Now, that’s something else for you to continue blogging on – letting us know of accomplishments made to meet the goals of Gallaudet! And to push ones we need to focus on as well.
February 6th, 2007 at 8:33 pm
Why was it okay for Susan Kinzie to spread the words about reprisals instead of you? True, they have asked you to keep low profile. I have heard it two weeks ago, too. You and I agreed to keep low profile. But Susan?? She is hearie. She had the opportunity to break the news in the public. I rather to see you break the news, but at the same time I want the administrators, parents and students to respect you for holding the news for a while. However, Ricky broke the news immediately. No one is getting trouble or upset with the news. Wish it was you to break the news first. It is hard for you to make the decision.. damn if you do and damn if you don’t. Now it is out in the public. I just saw Bob’s vlog in Utah telling the world about it. He seemed to be careful what to say on vlog… not making any waves. I have huge respect for Bob more and more. I have watched Bob’s vlog weekly.
February 6th, 2007 at 8:36 pm
Oh boy, now we can have other protest shutting down Gally, hooray. Let”s be bad again for the feeling of thrill!
February 6th, 2007 at 8:43 pm
Albert, that’s ok. When I was asked to keep the news quiet, it was no problem for me to respect the request. So did two other bloggers, but not one. And after he announced the news prematurely, three of us still remained quiet until today when Davila announced publicly via his vlog this morning. Gallaudet is more important to us than our blogs.
February 6th, 2007 at 9:28 pm
Students have already paid a heavy price: police records which will accompany them for the rest of their natural lives.
February 7th, 2007 at 3:30 am
MZ, thanks for keeping your eyes on WAPO and share with us to read the originally WAPO news!
It’s so cool to watch Bob Davila’s vlog weekly! It was so awesome for him do the vlog every week to inform us with the update news!
Hope that you did get some good rest! Keep on blogging!
Smile,
SKE
February 7th, 2007 at 8:21 am
Wow, what an amazing job Davila has done to change the Gallaudets grade from ineffective to adequate in less than a month. Please gag me with a pitchfork!
This happened before he took the position. But you all sit here in give him the credit.
February 7th, 2007 at 9:06 am
I find Davila’s performance impressive, too!
lola, who brought Gallaudet down to ineffective in the first place?
February 7th, 2007 at 4:57 pm
I believe it was a collaborative effort including the adm, BoT, Faculty, as well as the students lack of focus.
Please do not attest the rebound to Davila. Time will tell how many graduate, white as well as non-white people. Oh I forgot most non-white students had been chased out of Gally by the racially biased students.
IKJ did an outstanding job as president.
February 7th, 2007 at 7:08 pm
yes, history will determine how well Jordan and Davila performed.
Racism was a serious problem during IKJ administration which was never tackled. We hope to see that changed.
You are, of course, entitled to your opinion about IKJ. Not many presidents left with their university accreditation suspended, failing academic reviews, and protest still going on.
February 7th, 2007 at 8:20 pm
History has already proven IKJ to be a great president.
Until the announcement of Dr. Fernandes you all glorified him.
Not many, correction, not any of the former presidents increased the funding to the level IKJ did. Look it up you may be astonished. This money has allowed many students the opportunity to obtain an education they couldn’t have otherwise hadn’t he raised the cash.
Please inform us of the rhetoric that was going on about IKJ before the announcement of JKF as the next pres. Very little if any.
Institutions have thier ups and down just as governments. It is no reason to beat down a great man.
The racism problem is almost solved. You only have a few more non whites to run out of Gallaudet and the problem will be gone.
February 7th, 2007 at 8:33 pm
Well, I don’t know. Not many presidents eliminated shared governance from their universities, nor did they appointed a provost, then awarded her tenure, both without obtaining approval from their Faculty Senate. Apparently from what others told me, the stakeholders were too oppressed to speak up, but the appointment of Fernandes was the last straw. However, let’s history determine his legacy. You are entitled to your opinion and I respect your opinion.
I’ve never denied that Jordan had done Gallaudet some good. About a month ago in one blog,  I commended Jordan for increasing the endowment funds tremendously and also bringing a lot of positive light to Gallaudet over the years. His charisma make it easy for him socialize with the Congress people and other public figures.
Davila is a man of color. He intends to increase the number of students of different racial backgrounds.
February 8th, 2007 at 9:33 am
Yeah, well you have your opinion, Lola-which is based on your perception.
I have had mmany discussions with IKJ BEFORE the protest. I was lied repeatly by IKJ. And I can tell you,Lola, that at times I was the only one that challenged him. I’ve been told -and seen it- that many people who worked for him were too afraid of him. The fear that people at Gallaudet experinced under him was real and pervasive in the commnuity.
I have told stories after stories that I will not repeat here…but if IKJ really cared about the students at Gallaudet, then why did he canceled wonderful programs such EPOC? To this day no one has been able to give me a good explination as why EPOC was canceled….IKJ gave me “THE LOOK” when I asked him about it, and we almost came to blows. So much for caring about the students.
Raphael J. St. Johns, C-87, G-00
February 8th, 2007 at 9:41 am
I’m sorry and very surprised to hear that EPOC was cancelled. Internships provide valuable experiences and often are credited for helping students land good jobs after graduation. I used the services of EPOC a lot when I was a student and as a result, had jobs ready after graduation.
February 8th, 2007 at 9:52 am
And yes- I DO attribute the good news to Dr. Davilia. Asked yourself this: If Dr. Fernandes would have remained president, do you think that the accrediation body would have been thrilled when they read and hear stories about her lack of shared governnance?
What about the way she got her position?
And the OMB rating: if Dr. Fernandes,who was (as the Chief Academic person at Gallaudet during the report) responsible for the failings that were reported in the report, stayed on- do you really think that her reputation would have helped her in dealings with OMB and DOE?
Dr. Davilia has enought credtibility and honor that he can go to Congress and OMB and the Dept. of Education and say to them ” I will fix this”. No one eles, I thiink, can do that.
So yes- I do atttribute the good news to Bob Davilia.
Raphael J. St. Johns, C-87, G-00
February 11th, 2007 at 9:13 am
Raphael,
Dr. Fernandes was never given the opportunity to be President, so you would never know until she becomes the pres.
She got her position like most people. By being an honest, intelligent, and most of all loyal contibutor to the people she served.
February 18th, 2007 at 6:24 pm
Good evening, folks~
What???? That was my first reaction when I was reading about the EPOC being cancelled or closed down. EPOC is very important for the UG students to gain some experiences in the real working world whether it be on campus or off campus. When did IJK cancel or close down the EPOC program? I really need to catch up on what’s happening at Gallaudet!
I am so thrilled that the protestors will not be punished at Gallaudet. But from other topic on this blog that I need to go back and check out, said some are still considered being punished or fined by the clerc center. Hope they will consider following Dr. Davila’s footstep in announcing about their workers not being punished by being involved with the GU protests (May and October)Wait and see…
Best Wishes,
Ms.Katrina
March 1st, 2007 at 9:03 am
No- Lola, she (JKF) got her positon by first getting her provost position without going thru the normal process. And even IKJ admits that he made a mistake in appointing her without a honest open ending sharing process (like Davila is doing now with the new provost position). Then she claimed to the BoT (in her interviews) that she had a wonderful plan to address the diversity problem that Gallaudet has. What she did not inform the BoT was that this “plan” of her’s was the same one that the Senate Faculty at Gallaudet rejected as being poorly designed and written.
Please get your facts straight. JKF was never a fair and honest person.
As far as she being an intelligent person- what does it say to you when you have the entire WORLD screamming at her to resign- and she did’nt have the intelligence to do the right thing?
Raphael J. St. Johns, C-87, G-00