I Spoke Too Soon…
I think I spoke prematurely yesterday about my experience at the front desk at Gallaudet’s Le Hotel Posh. Earlier in February, after attending the Blogging/Vlogging conference at Gallaudet, I bemoaned the desperate lack of ASL skills exhibited by the front desk staff at the GUKCC. I had hoped that someone, somewhere, in the bowels of campus would pick up on this lack of communication and correct it.
Yesterday, I thought perhaps someone had indeed started reading the Sandbox on more than a casual basis, because the clerk, while hearing and clearly not fluent in ASL, nevertheless knew more than “thank you” and was able to understand what I said. This was a vast improvement, and I noted it in my last post.
However, earlier this evening, I needed to replace a lightbulb that wasn’t working and to make a minor request. I confidently went downstairs, strode across the lobby, and approached the desk. I started signing. The clerk took one look at my hands, grabbed a piece of paper and a pen, and proffered them to me. *SIGH*
Ok, my penmanship is not as pretty as my ASL (which isn’t as pretty as my typed English), but here goes. I wrote down in my doctor’s handwriting (or perhaps surgeon’s handwriting? I’m not winning any penmanship awards, I’ll tell you that), handed the paper back, and was soon given a lightbulb and my request handled. The only sign I saw the entire time was, “Thank you.” (I assume the clerk also knows the sign for “hello,” “goodbye,” “eat,” “time,” and one or two other words, but I don’t think I’ll stand around and test his proficiency in American Survival Sign (ASS))
This is NOT acceptable, folks. I’m thinking I should refrain from being a cybernaut and instead bang out an old-fashioned letter upon my return home, and send it on to the appropriate people. As I’ve noted here and elsewhere, communication is Gallaudet’s raison d’etre, and at the root of many of its flaws. If you’re in a front-line position at Gallaudet, whether clerk, faculty, staff, DOSS/DPS officer, or another similar high-contact job, you need to be far more proficient in ASL than you think you presently are.
I sincerely hope the third time’s the charm, and I see some permanent marked improvement the next time I stay at the white elephant Kellogg Conference Hotel.
Loved the acronym for American Survival Sign!
Now coming in a book published by Dawn Sign Press… Can’t wait! 
Well, let’s hope some action is taken in due course. Why is it that companies discriminate against us Deafies for customer-intensive positions and it’s okay for Gallaudet to do the same in employing people who know no sign language?
Well then come on over to Court by Marriott in Portland, Oregon then. I’m the Deaf Chief Engineer here and can check in the deaf people if I happen to be at the frontdesk! If you do have problems then just ASL to me then I’ll get the problem fixed. No writing necessary. I wonder if there’s any deaf maintenance workers that work at the Gallaudet Hotel????
Todd, good point about the irony involved. I’ll definitely be contacting Gallaudet and the appropriate administrators when I get home. As for the acronyms, maybe that can be the next DeafRead contest. *grin*
Speaking of DeafRead, greetings to Techblogger. Hi and bye…
John– cool! That’s great! Perhaps you could do a post about working in the hotel industry? I’ll definitely keep the Marriott in mind next time I’m in Portland, then. It’s a beautiful town.
Good question– something to check on. I’m sure there’s deaf staff *somewhere* in this hotel, but I’ll have to ask around and find out.
Hey,
I wonder if the affirmative action rule applies to employment practices at Gallaudet. There are so many deaf employees as fac/staff and paraprofessional responsibilities, they had to balance it out with hearies or perhaps races.
This was just a joke, so don’t get all banged up about it.
HI folks!!
The more things change, the more things remain the same.. How true that is as far as equal communication in ASL at predominately Deaf settings.
The GUKCC has been on campus for almost a decade and you would expect the reception desk to have ASL fluent and Deaf ASLer’s on staff at all times.
Two years ago I stayed at GUKCC and experienced similar communication barriers. As an alumnus am very disappointed in the lack of ASL literate service personnel.
So Whatsup with this.. hope the new interim administration is ready to take on the accountability of improving communication on campus.. Best wishes to the community there in time of healing.
Lisa Chiango
aka Smiley..
Lisa, thanks for dropping in! It happened with you too?? I really need to follow up on this. I planned to do so, and just haven’t had a chance. Let me go do that now. I’ll let you all know what happens…