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Protests Shut University for Deaf a 2nd Day

I. King Jordan, departing president of Gallaudet University, left, with a police officer amid the demonstration over the choice of new president.Credit...Andrew Cutraro for The New York Times

WASHINGTON, Oct. 12 — Students at Gallaudet University, the nation’s only liberal arts university for the deaf, formed a human blockade across the front gates of the campus here Thursday, shutting down classes for the second day in a renewal of protests that began last spring against the choice of a new president.

The police stood by on motorcycles and on horseback across the street from the students, who said their protest would continue despite a strong warning from the departing president, I. King Jordan, that they could face suspension and arrest.

“I’m ready to be arrested,” said Kathleen Roberts Jarashow, an English major from Tallahassee, Fla. “It’s for a good cause, something I believe in.”

It was not clear whether officials planned to use force to open the university. In a statement Wednesday night, Dr. Jordan had said, “This illegal and unlawful behavior must stop,” and accused faculty members of “instigating and manipulating the students” who are demanding that Jane K. Fernandes, the former provost who is to take over as president in January, step aside.

“If there is a confrontation, the dissenters will have caused it,” he said. “They must take full responsibility for the consequences of their actions, including possible suspension and arrest.” The university’s board has said its decision was “fair and final,” and that it would not reopen the search for a new president.

Demonstrations against Dr. Fernandes began last spring with students and faculty members saying she did not appreciate the primacy of American Sign Language at Gallaudet and in deaf culture and lacked leadership qualities. Since then the complaints have only escalated.

Though students and faculty members were on the presidential search committee, protesters complained that their voices were not heard, and that the search was biased to favor Dr. Fernandes, who has the support of Dr. Jordan. They point to an incident that occurred when Dr. Jordan announced he would step down. With Dr. Fernandes nearby, they said, he introduced her as “the next president,” before correcting himself.

Protesters complain that Dr. Fernandes has intimidated and “oppressed” faculty members and students and say that she received tenure last year despite a lack of published scholarly research.

In a statement on Wednesday, Dr. Fernandes said she had no intention of stepping down, adding, “We live in a country that is governed by the rule of law, not anarchy.” Mercy Coogan, a spokeswoman for the university, said that Dr. Fernandes had extensive scholarly publications to her name and that students should give her a chance to prove herself.

The standoff at Gallaudet is not the first of its kind there. Eighteen years ago, in an action that has become legendary in the deaf community, protesters succeeded in forcing Gallaudet to appoint its first deaf president, Dr. Jordan.

“Now that we’ve become more sophisticated,” said Leala Holcomb, a sophomore from Fremont, Calif., “we want the best deaf president, not just any deaf president.”

Last spring’s protests were rekindled as the board gathered to meet here last week, and students occupied a building. The administration sent in campus security, and protesters accused the security police of using pepper spray, shoving them and choking one student. The problem, they said, was that the officers did not know sign language, and could not understand protesters when they insisted their protest was peaceful.

University officials denied that pepper spray had been used and said they would investigate. On Thursday, the students demanded that the three security officers involved be suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.

This week, the two sides were in negotiations over a way to ease tensions. But talks broke down, and around 3 a.m. Wednesday, members of the football team moved to block the front gates and close the campus down entirely.

A group of faculty members have backed the protesters by calling on Dr. Fernandes to resign, and students have vowed not to budge until she does. But other students and faculty members have argued that the protesters are denying students their right to an education.

The dispute seems to be escalating beyond the presidential issue. At a faculty meeting several days ago, disagreements erupted when a deaf faculty member asked that the meeting be held exclusively in sign language, rather than in voice and sign language simultaneously.

Doing both has long been the norm at Gallaudet, something that some faculty members and protesters would like to change by instituting a “sign only” policy. They argue that signing without the use of spoken language should be the norm at the premier university for the deaf.

The two sides met again Thursday afternoon. Dr. Jordan said the purpose was to “explain the function of the police.” Protesters, who were initially divided over whether to meet with the administration, agreed to do so with the proviso that there be no negotiations.

The protesters have demanded that Dr. Fernandes come to speak with them, but said privately that there was nothing that she could conceivably say to change their minds.

Through Ms. Coogan, Dr. Fernandes offered to “talk with the dissenters once they decide to stop holding the campus hostage.”

Lakiesha Carr contributed reporting.

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