Save Gallaudet University:
Stop Presidential Monarchy

Monarchy is one of the oldest forms of government, with echoes in the “my turf” or “in-house” leadership. I am writing this post because I don’t think a secular academic freedom at Gallaudet is a guarantee of higher education because of the upcoming JKF presidency. I would consider that an in-house promotion is a guarantee for despotism, and the myth of presidential monarchy for Gallaudet, by giving examples of three Gallaudet University presidents: Jerry C. Lee, I. King Jordan, and upcoming Jane K. Fernandes.

As a presidential monarch, JKF will not be able to lead the university, but will perform only important ceremonial and formal roles with respect to the Faculty governance, and the devolved assemblies of faculty in the Laurent Clerc National Center. Gallaudet University was chartered for higher learning and democracy for all the Deaf but JKF has speculated completely different agenda for the university. JKF prefers being the queen of “all languages and modes of communication.”

In addition to her monarchy-presidential duties, JKF will have an important role to play in public. She will be able to show how she could perform her language and communication spectacle. She will act a focus for campus unity and pride by means of diversity initiatives to stunt as much ASL and its embedded Deaf Culture as possible to promote her own propaganda.

We the Deaf must stop this new practice of presidential monarchy at Gallaudet University. JKF must step down and begone. We can manage without her. Let's start a new presidential search.