Mishka Zena

Fernandes stands firm but notes faculty concerns

Courtney Mabeus, The Examiner
Oct 20, 2006 5:00 AM

WASHINGTON - Incoming Gallaudet President Jane Fernandes continued her
resolve Thursday, saying she would not submit to student demands to
resign but admitted that a majority faculty vote urging her to do so is
a “serious concern.”

With tensions rising and the number of protesters camped out along
Florida Avenue and 8th Street in Northeast appearing to grow, the
university prepares to enter its second weekend under virtual lockdown.

Fernandes said she has been threatened with being shot, but was not
fearful for her life.

University-sponsored homecoming activities were supposed to have
started Thursday, but the university canceled them. Fernandes did not
rule out expulsion as a possible means of dealing with student
protesters who break the school’s code of conduct.

“It depends,” Fernandes said. “I guess I don’t know. The range
is there. It depends upon each individual case as to what the
consequences are. I can’t say yes they will be expelled or not.”

Fernandes, who has been deaf her entire life but did not learn American
Sign Language until she was 23, said she is not afraid of protesters,
though she slept every night until Wednesday at the university. She
said she reported the threat against her to the campus Department of
Public Safety.

Fernandes said past attempts to strike a deal with student protesters
have failed, characterizing the students as combative.

Following a meeting with Fernandes on Thursday, campus police officers
entered the university’s main administrative building under a false
threat that students had attempted a takeover. Earlier in the week,
faculty members voted overwhelmingly to urge her to resign, causing
some to wonder how effective she would be as a leader.

“The vote from the faculty is in fact a serious concern,” Fernandes
said. “I’ve worked with the faculty for six years now and I’ve
worked very well with the faculty for the past six years.”

Still, Fernandes, who says students have said is not deaf enough to
lead them, said she is committed to the university and to deaf
education, adding that she thought the search process through which she
was offered the job was fair and competitive.

She said no amount of protesting will prevent her from assuming the
presidency, adding they can continue, “I guess until the protesters
come to understand that their demands will not be met,” Fernandes
said.

cmabeus@dcexaminer.com

http://www.examiner.com/a-353464~Fernandes_stands_firm_but_notes_faculty_concerns.html

[Photo caption:]
Incoming President of Gallaudet University Jane K. Fernandes, answers
questions at the administration building on Campus at Gallaudet
University on Thursday in Washington. Students and faculty have given
Fernandes a vote of no confidence and are calling for her resignation
and the re-opening of the search for a university president. Fernandes
asserts that she has no plans to submit her resignation. (Greg
Whitesell/Examiner)