(no subject)
alright, so if you haven't already heard, i'm transferring out. going someplace else. i've applied to pace university and the university of maryland. and i register tomorrow for classes as a back-up plan. anywho, for one of my essays i thought i'd write about the protest... they were asking me to discuss a local, national, or personal issue. of course, me being a student at gallaudet, which had a major protest end a few days ago chose to write about the protest. here it is. thoughts/comments/whatever are appreciated.
In May 2006, the Board of Trustees at Gallaudet University selected Jane Kelleher Fernandes as the next president of the university. Upon the announcing of their decision, many of the students began to riot in protest. The gates of the university were blocked by students for two weeks straight and then the protest died down until the first week of October, in which Tent City, a peaceful sit-in began on campus. A week later, the protestors moved from a peaceful sit-in to the takeover of a classroom building. Classes were cancelled and relocated among campus in result of this takeover. A few days later, the football team decided that things were not progressing the way that they wanted it to and proceeded to block the gates once again. The campus was officially shut down; faculty and staff were unable to get on campus. Classes were once again cancelled. Arrests were ordered two days later by the current president, I. King Jordan. The gates remained blocked and the campus shut down. One gate was ordered to reopen to restore order to the university. One week later, the president ordered the razing of tents on the property of the Model Secondary High School, located on Gallaudet’s campus and several students were injured. A week later, the Board of Trustees voted the removal of the president-designate, and peace and order was restored to the university.
In the midst of all of the chaos on campus, teachers tried to get back on track with constant discussions and assignments relating to the protest. It seemed as if nothing was being taught in the classrooms anymore as 82% of faculty were against Jane Kelleher Fernandes and proud to show that fact. Deadlines for assignments were extended to all students in response to the protest, and teachers were lenient towards protesters about absences and missed assignments. I never before felt so mixed about a situation that I was somewhat in the middle of; did I support the protest and the removal of the president-designate and the actions being taken by students, faculty, and alumni, or was I against it and desired order on campus? The truth is that I didn’t know.
In May 2006, the Board of Trustees at Gallaudet University selected Jane Kelleher Fernandes as the next president of the university. Upon the announcing of their decision, many of the students began to riot in protest. The gates of the university were blocked by students for two weeks straight and then the protest died down until the first week of October, in which Tent City, a peaceful sit-in began on campus. A week later, the protestors moved from a peaceful sit-in to the takeover of a classroom building. Classes were cancelled and relocated among campus in result of this takeover. A few days later, the football team decided that things were not progressing the way that they wanted it to and proceeded to block the gates once again. The campus was officially shut down; faculty and staff were unable to get on campus. Classes were once again cancelled. Arrests were ordered two days later by the current president, I. King Jordan. The gates remained blocked and the campus shut down. One gate was ordered to reopen to restore order to the university. One week later, the president ordered the razing of tents on the property of the Model Secondary High School, located on Gallaudet’s campus and several students were injured. A week later, the Board of Trustees voted the removal of the president-designate, and peace and order was restored to the university.
In the midst of all of the chaos on campus, teachers tried to get back on track with constant discussions and assignments relating to the protest. It seemed as if nothing was being taught in the classrooms anymore as 82% of faculty were against Jane Kelleher Fernandes and proud to show that fact. Deadlines for assignments were extended to all students in response to the protest, and teachers were lenient towards protesters about absences and missed assignments. I never before felt so mixed about a situation that I was somewhat in the middle of; did I support the protest and the removal of the president-designate and the actions being taken by students, faculty, and alumni, or was I against it and desired order on campus? The truth is that I didn’t know.