MSA Letter: Validation For The Prostesters!

Upon reading the MSA letter to Dr Davila - yes, it is lengthy and a little confusing - I felt justification! SO the protest was valid! It was not a bunch of immature kids wailing over the choice of the new president because she was not popular or who they wanted.

The MSA team determined that Gallaudet's quality went on the decline during the Jordan administration, of which duration Fernandes was also part, and which spanned 19 years. The protesters were present during the 19th year - how did they have anything to do with the decline of the institution? How did they affect the quality of education? How did they influence the BoT's decisions? Nothing. That was all Jordan's doing. So, why blame the protesters?

And this arises another question...where was MSA these past 19 years?? Why come and investigate now, simply because a protest took place, some serious situations arose on campus, academic process suspended for a few days, and media headlining and printing words of Jordan and the protest? Had they come a long time ago, I wonder if Jordan would remain on as the university president or would Gallaudet have lost accreditation a long time ago? I wonder.

Carl of Kalualu's Korner made a vlog and he was MAD. He said the MSA report placed fault upon the protesters. I did not see that in the report - only that they determined that closing the academic process was in violation of MSA's policy. Okay, so they have this policy, but like DE said, as I had said as well, the protest HAD to take place. It is like American Revolutionary War, to save America and severing ties with Britain and the Civil War, to save and restore America as one country when the south wanted to segregate to perpetuate their plantation lifestyle with slave labor. Sometimes a protest is necessary to preserve or to save an entity. That was precisely what our protesters did. So, MSA's policy can go jump in the lake.

The letter consisted mainly of meeting requirements of MSA to keep the accreditation and that all of the violations took place during Jordan's administration. That is great - this diminishes the "Not Deaf Enough" hype and put the fault squarely upon Jordan . I say Hallelujah!

BUT Carl has valid concerns about BoT and Paul Kelly. I agree that all members on the BoT need to go and Kelly as well. He was under Jordan Administration. I wonder why Davila is not letting him go? I assume he does not have any ground to do so.

Ditto, Ella Mae Lentz. Now we can all look forward to the future. We have a long road ahead but we all know the road will be less bumpy as time passes and smooth at the end. The protest allowed Gallaudet to heal and resurrect to it's former self with MSA's guidance.

I am surprised, as Mishka Zena and Jamie Burke were, that MSA acknowledged that Gallaudet cannot be " everything for all of us." I've always agreed with this. Gallaudet cannot serve EVERYONE. It is just unrealistic. Like MSA stated, Gallaudet is now in competition with other universities that provide many services, that Gallaudet needs to find its niche, and suggested implementing the ASL policy. This thrilled me! MSA though outside the box! Allow Gallaudet be unique. Fernandes' "New Order" also can jump in the lake!

I second Jamie Burke's implication that Gallaudet might go back to being "college." Yes. University status means aggressively recruiting students to meet the enrollment quota which led to decline in quality of education and attempts in providing fragmented programs to "diverse student body." Drop the university status. Get the college status back and focus upon quality of education and teach in ASL. Be the ASL-only college! Bring Gallaudet back!