ANOTHER LOSS: BOARD CHAIR RESIGNS
On November 8, Brenda Jo Brueggemann, Chairman of Gallaudet’sBoard of Trustees, announced her resignation. Dr. Brueggemann, Associate Professor of English at Ohio State University, a distinguished Deaf Studies scholar, had had a traumatic time during the month of protest, even having to deal with with protesters invading her OSU office. Her statement:
“I am resigning from the position of Chair of the Board of Trustees at Gallaudet University, effective immediately. I do not believe I can be the most effective member of the Board to lead Gallaudet through the next steps.
“Since I became Acting Chair in May 2006, my personal life, and my professional work as a scholar, teacher, and administrator at my own university, have suffered considerably. I can no longer justify these personal and professional costs.
“I continue to believe in the mission and vision of Gailaudet University as it is currently expressed and will continue to work, as best I can as a scholar of Deaf Studies and a hard-of-hearing person, to insure that the eight strategic goals that currently guide Gallaudet University are being further developed and implemented.”
FERNANDES “TERMINATED,” HEALING BEGINS?
On October 29, Jane Kelleher Fernandes had the rug pulled from beneath her—the Board of Trustees voted to “terminate” her appointment as Gallaudet University’s ninth president. Protesters began celebrating their victory, but others are saddened and perplexed by the recent chain of events—turmoil, a painful division in the Gally community—and hope that unity for Gally can be a reality and not an unattainable dream.
A brief history of the protest:
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... [read more...]
The Board of Trustees’ statement:
Today, we announce with much regret and pain that after serious deliberation in a special, all-day Executive Session of the Board of Trustees, we have voted to terminate Dr. Fernandes’ appointment as President-Designate (currently effective) and President (effective beginning January 1, 2007) at Gallaudet University. [read more...]
Dr. Jordan’s statement:
“The struggle during the past several months has been very painful for all of us. I am deeply troubled by the divisions among us and by the anger that overtook reason, respect, and civility.
“Now we must all come together for the sake of Gallaudet, particularly for the sake of Gallaudet’s students—those who are our students now and those who will be students in the future. [read more...]
More to come...
