Deafweekly March 30, 2005

deafweekly

March 30, 2005
Vol. 1 No. 24

Editor: Tom Willard

Deafweekly is an independent news report for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. It is mailed to subscribers every Wednesday morning and available to read at www.deafweekly.com. For information, contact mail@deafweekly.com.

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NATIONAL
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SEATTLE TO BUILD NATION'S FIRST HOUSING FOR DEAF VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

A groundbreaking ceremony took place in Seattle on Monday for "A Place of Our Own," the country's first apartments designed specifically for deaf and deaf-blind victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Dozens of community leaders, investors, public officials and residents were on hand for the ceremony. The $7.7 million project will offer 19 units of affordable housing and is expected to open in Spring 2006. A fundraising campaign is now underway to raise the final $504,000 needed to complete the project, which is a collaboration between Abused Deaf Women's Advocacy Services (ADWAS) and numerous public and private partners. ADWAS was founded in 1986 by a group led by Marilyn Smith, after a deaf woman was killed by her husband after seeking help and finding none accessible to her. In partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice, ADWAS has replicated its model in 14 cities. For more information, write to adwas@adwas.org.

BODY FOUND IN MISSISSIPPI BELIEVED TO BE THAT OF MISSING LOUISIANA WOMAN

Police believe they have found the body of a deaf woman from Metairie, La. who has been missing for more than a year. Cynthia Molina was 40 when she disappeared in Nov. 2003. Two weeks ago, her burned-out car was found in the woods off a dirt road in Mississippi, with a body in the front passenger seat. DNA tests will be run to confirm the identity, KLFY reported last week, but a Mississippi sheriff said he was "90 percent sure" the body was Molina's. The body was too decomposed to offer any clues, but it is believed that the cause of death was fire.

FLORIDA TEEN CONVICTED IN SHOOTING DEATH OF WOMAN WHO STOPPED FOR DIRECTIONS

Travis Fletcher of Fort Myers, Fla. was convicted March 16 of second-degree murder in the shooting death of Suzie Proctor, 33, a Palm Bay woman who was deaf. Fletcher was only 15 on Oct. 8, 2003, when he shot Proctor so he could steal her van. He was also convicted of carjacking, and faces 25 years to life in prison when he is sentenced May 11. According to The News-Press, Proctor had become lost in Dunbar and stopped to ask Fletcher and a friend for directions. He led her to an alley and shot her seven times with a .40-caliber pistol. "Suzie would never hurt a fly," said Bernard Hughes, who was Proctor's fiance. "For him to do that ... why?"

TRIAL DATES SET IN MURDER OF DEAF GAY HOMELESS MAN

Trial dates have been set for two of the three men accused of killing a deaf gay homeless man in Ohio last October. Martin E. Baxter, 28, will go on trial Oct. 11, and 22-year-old Wayne Ferman's trial will start Jan. 9, 2006. They both face the death penalty. The third suspect, James Veachel Trent, 19, pleaded no contest in December and faces seven years in jail. He has agreed to testify against his two friends. The victim, Daniel Fetty, 39, was beaten with bricks, bottles and boards, and police in Waverly found him unconscious and naked in a trash container about 1 a.m. on Oct. 2, 2004. According to Gay People's Chroncile, he had been living out of his car, saving up for a new apartment after his old one was destroyed in a fire. He was flown to a hospital in Columbus, where he died about 12 hours after the attack.

PENNSYLVANIA WOMAN, BELIEVED TO BE DEAF, HIT BY TRAIN

A woman believed to be deaf was struck by a train March 19 in North Wales, Pa. She was flown by helicopter to the University of Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia. Although she was initially listed in critical condition, her injuries were not considered life-threatening, The Reporter (Lansdale, Pa.) reported. The woman, whose name was not released until relatives could be notified, was running across the tracks when she was hit, and was thrown about 10 feet. "She definitely had head trauma," said a fire department official, "but I'm not sure if it was from the train or when her head hit the ground." The crossing gates were relatively new, having been replaced nine years ago when a 9-year-old girl was hit by a train at the same location.

DEAF IMMIGRANT BELIEVED INCOMPETENT TO STAND TRIAL FOR MURDER

Oswaldo Martinez, a deaf Salvadoran immigrant, is accused of raping and killing 16-year-old Brittany Binger in January, but his attorneys may argue that he is unfit to stand trial because he is unable to assist in his own defense. Court-appointed attorney Tim Clancy said Martinez cannot speak or understand any oral language and does not know formal sign language, the Daily Press (Hampton Roads, Va.) reported Friday. Virginia law allows a judge to order an evaluation to determine if a suspect is competent to stand trial. If found incompetent, the defendant is sent to a hospital for treatment. A law passed in 2003 allows the state to hold a defendant in a capital murder case indefinitely while doctors attempt to raise the person's competency. Binger was found dead Jan. 3, near the shed where Martinez lived in the Windy Hill mobile home park.

MAINE SCHOOL CONSIDERS NAME CHANGE TO BETTER DESCRIBE ITS SERVICES

The Governor Baxter School for the Deaf on Mackworth Island in Falmouth, Maine serves about 560 deaf and hard-of-hearing students across the state, and a bill before the Legislature calls for a new name to better describe the program. The school building itself would retain its name, but a new umbrella title -- the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing -- would be used to describe all of the educational services Maine provides its hearing-impaired students. State officials say the new name would help the public better understand what services the state offers, said the Portland Press Herald, but Rep. Herb Adams, D-Portland, said the new title would be an insult to Percival Baxter, Maine's governor from 1921 to 1925, who donated the island and the money to build the school. Rep. Glenn Cummings, D-Portland, sees things differently, saying Baxter would want his name removed from the school due to the abuse of students that took place there for years.

SCHOOLS IN UTAH ANNOUNCE PLANS FOR MERGER

The Utah School for the Deaf and the Blind in Ogden is merging with the Jean Massieu School, the Salt Lake Tribune reported last week. The merger is expected to be fully implemented by the fall, and the schools will maintain their own names and locations. Jean Massieu was founded six years ago in Salt Lake City because the USDB did not teach sign language at that time, the Tribune noted. USDB now teaches ASL but continues to focus on voice development, lip reading and signed English. The merger "will be better financially for both parties, and there won't be as much overlapping," said Joe Zeidner, a Jean Massieu board member.

SENIOR VILLAGE NEAR HOUSTON TO OPEN WING FOR DEAF, HARD-OF-HEARING RESIDENTS

Construction is expected to be completed this week on a wing for hearing-impaired seniors in the new Meadows Place Senior Village, a company called TexSigns, Inc. (TSI) announced March 24. Located in Meadows Place, Texas, a suburb of Houston, the affordable-housing project is designed with state-of-the-art communication accessibility and will provide a staff to directly serve deaf and hard-of-hearing residents. TSI was founded in 1999, and CEO/president Jim Levy has spent the last five years laying the foundation of the non-profit organization. A grand opening will be announced soon, and more information may be obtained at www.tsi-usa.org.

MARYLAND RELAY ENROLLS IN FCC PROGRAM FOR PRIORITY SERVICE RESTORATION

Maryland Relay announced March 17 that it is the first state relay center in the nation to be enrolled in the FCC's Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP) program. The TSP program, established in 1988 by the Federal Communication Commission, is designed to prioritize the restoration of telephone services in the event of a crisis or emergency. What it means is that when service is disrupted, Maryland Relay will receive priority for restoration over any service that is not enrolled in the TSP program. "In the event of a disaster, it's vital that ... service to relay centers is restored as soon as possible," said Brenda Kelly-Frey, director of Telecommunications Access of Maryland.

ADVOCATES PRESS OREGON LAWMAKERS TO IMPROVE SERVICES

More than two dozen deaf and hard-of-hearing Oregon residents visited the state Capitol recently to express their support for a pair of bills under consideration by the state Legislature that would improve services for people with hearing impairments. House Bill 3230 would transfer the existing state access program from the Oregon Disabilities Commission to the Department of Human Services, and Senate Bill 1005 would designate 5 cents of an authorized 35-cent surcharge on telephone customers to establish several new deaf service centers around the state. It can't happen soon enough for Dot Johnson, a deaf advocate who told the Statesman Journal that she experienced a "culture shock" when she moved from Texas to Oregon in 1992 -- not because of differences between the Southwest and the Northwest, but because of the lack of services for deaf people in her new home state.

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Don't Make Plans On Thursday 31 March 2005!

You know many times when you make a plan — like to go out to dinner with friends or take a quick trip over the weekend to a nearby town to do some shopping — you want to make sure that your plan goes smoothly. Any “surprises” or last-minute changes can confuse you or make you feel stressed out. Who wants that? Anyway, I was talking to a friend at a BBQ over the weekend and she told me she heard about a special announcement that would be made on Thursday, March 31. She also told me about this website — you may want to take a look: www.31march2005.com.

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INTERNATIONAL
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PRESSURE BUILDS ON GOVERNMENT TO INVESTIGATE ABUSE AT DEAF SCHOOL IN ENGLAND

Pressure is building on the Department for Education to investigate alleged sexual abuse of young deaf children at a school in southern England, the Guardian reported Sunday. According to a newspaper report, deaf children as young as four were brutally abused at the unidentified school during the 1950s, 60s and 70s. The perpetrator was the husband of the school's headmistress, who pleaded guilty in 1964 to sexually abusing nine deaf children. He paid a small fine and was allowed to continue as the school's handyman until the 1980s. Many former students claim they were abused after 1964. An attempt to prosecute the man last year was thrown out of court because the events happened so long ago. But several people want the government to investigate, and last week some former students met in London to consider legal action against the government for failing to protect them.

AUSTRALIANS ANGERED BY LACK OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR HEARING AIDS

A group of hearing-impaired Australians contacted the Central Western Daily newspaper recently, angered by the news that a hearing loop has been installed in the Federal Parliament to assist Prime Minister John Howard, who has been partially deaf since he was born. They are angry because they say the government does little to help average citizens who are dealing with hearing loss. Many are forced to go without hearing aids due to the high cost, the newspaper reported. An audiologist noted that people under 21 and retirees are eligible for free hearing aids, but working people over 21 must buy their own devices. One man, David Purdie, has gone without a hearing aid for about 10 years. "We try to save, but with three boys it's not easy," said his wife, Cheryl Annis-Brown.

MEDIA SPOTLIGHT SHINES ON LEAD PERFORMER OF CHINESE DANCE TROUPE

Tai Lihua, a dancer with the China Disabled People's Performing Art Troupe, was interviewed by 85 different media outlets in two weeks after performing during a Spring Festival Gala Show on Feb. 8. Tai, 29, was the center of attention because of her performance in "The Thousand-Handed Goddess of Mercy," a dance routine presented by 21 deaf dancers. Tai was the lead dancer, and due to the nature of the dance, her face was the only one the audience could see. "I hope people can still look at me with ordinary eyes," she told China Daily, with an interpreter voicing her signed remarks. "I hope instead that more attention can be given to disabled people who need help." The Art Troupe, formed in 1987, staged its first commercial performance in 2002, and last year earned more than $1.2 million (US) from its performances.

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Another March Madness Sale at Harris Communications!

Harris is celebrating March Madness this week with a 15% discount on TTYs and Amplified Phones. Buy now to get great savings on TTYs from Ultratec or phones from manufacturers like Ameriphone/Clarity, Clearsounds, and Williams Sound. Choose the TTY or phone you want----they are all on sale! Hurry, this sale ends April 3, 2005. Keep checking our website for new products and monthly specials. Go to: http://www.harriscomm.com/link/?www.harriscomm.com?sr=deafweeklynews or contact us at mailto:info@harriscomm.com.

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LIFE & LEISURE
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RUBELLA VIRUS ELIMINATED IN THE UNITED STATES, HEALTH OFFICIAL SAYS

The rubella virus -- which caused thousands of babies to be born deaf -- has been eliminated in the United States, said a health official at a Washington, D.C. conference last week. The virus, known popularly as German measles, now infects fewer than 10 people a year in the U.S. Since 2002, all cases have been traced to foreigners who carried the virus in from abroad, and after years of vaccination virtually the entire U.S. population is immune. The rubella vaccine was introduced in the U.S. in 1969, but mass vaccinations didn't begin in the Caribbean and Latin America until the late 1990s. Forty years ago, during the last big rubella epidemic in the U.S., about 12,000 babies were born deaf or deaf and blind. This "rubella bulge" had a major impact on deaf education programs. Gallaudet University, for example, acquired a second campus to accommodate the additional deaf students, the Washington Post reported.

CHICAGO ADVOCATE CONDUCTING POLL ON WENDY'S DRIVE THROUGHS

Howard Rosenblum of Chicago-based Equip for Equality wants to know if you've ever used a drive through at Wendy's to order food. He is conducting a poll to determine how the restaurant deals with hearing-impaired customers at its drive-through facilities. The poll is designed to determine what kinds of problems deaf and hard-of-hearing people face when ordering at a Wendy's drive through, and what kind of improvements consumers would like to see. Rosenblum plans to share poll results with Wendy's corporate management. To request a copy of the poll, write to WendysDHHPoll@aol.com.

ASL EDUCATION SPECIALIST WINS IADES FELLOWSHIP AWARD

The International Alumnae of Delta Epsilon Sorority (IADES) has announced that Amy June Rowley is this year's recipient of the IADES Fellowship Award. Rowley is a Ph.D. student in Urban Education and Second Language Education at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She also works for the university as program director for the ASL Programs, and she was instrumental in establishing a major and minor in ASL studies and a teacher's certificate program in teaching ASL as a foreign language. She earned a B.A. in biology from Gallaudet University and an M.S. in deaf education from Western Maryland College, which has been renamed McDaniel College. She hopes her research will show that learning ASL is a beneficial experience, and wants to see more ASL classes implemented in programs for deaf children.

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SIGN LANGUAGE FOR THE FAMILY VIDEO SERIES and COMPANION BOOK
English and Spanish Versions both in video or DVD format.
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WORKING WORLD
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GOAMERICA INTRODUCES NEW INTERNET RELAY SERVICE

A new way to make relay calls was announced last Thursday by GoAmerica, a New Jersey-based company known for its popular Wynd pager service. Called i711.com, the Internet relay service offers an attractive, easy-to-use design, on-screen call tools, custom calling and exclusive content not found elsewhere, the company said in a March 24 news release. "We set out to create an online portal that offers consumers a high-quality, innovative approach to making relay calls while also being a preferred source for unique community information," said Dan Luis, CEO of GoAmerica. The new service is already winning applause. "I love the convenience," said Paul Sommer, an MBA candidate at Babson College in Wellesley, Mass. "It lets me quickly and easily customize how I call people, so I don't have to type in special instructions every time." Check it out at www.i711.com.

BAR ASSOCIATION CREATES SPECIAL FUND TO PAY FOR INTERPRETERS

The Bar Association in New York's Monroe County announced last week that it is creating a special fund to help lawyers pay for sign-language interpreters. According to the Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, N.Y.), the Deaf Equal Access Fund -- DEAFund for short -- grew out of a task force that was established after a local lawyer admitted violating the Americans with Disabilities Act by not providing a deaf client with a lawyer. The Bar Association and its foundation have seeded the fund with $7,000, and local lawyers can draw on the fund to provide interpreters during initial visits with deaf clients. After the first visit, lawyers can request reimbursement of 50 percent of the interpreter fees. Interpreters will be paid $45 an hour under a contract negotiated by the association, and a workshop for lawyers, "Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Clients: How to Expand Your Practice and Stay Out of Trouble," is scheduled for April 6.

UNIVERSITY IN CALIFORNIA GETS SURPRISE DONATION OF $420,000

Federico and Rena Perlino, who ran a chicken-processing plant in Santa Cruz, Calif., lived a rags-to-riches story that ended with bequests of more than $4.2 million -- including nearly $420,000 to the University of California, Santa Cruz. The donation will be used to support UCSC graduate students in psychology who are working with deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, UCSD Currents Online reported recently. Federico immigrated from Italy as a teenager, and married Rena, a California native, when she was 16. They started their business by raising chickens in their backyard. In the 1960s, they asked a financial planner to manage their life savings of $25,000, a nest egg that grew as large as $5.3 million during the stock market boom. Federico died in the 1980s and Rena passed away in 2003, and "the Perlinos will never know how many lives their extraordinary generosity will touch," a university official said.

TDI APPOINTS TRUDY SUGGS TO PUBLIC RELATIONS POSITION

TDI announced last week that Trudy Suggs has been appointed National Public Relations Specialist for the Community Emergency Preparedness Information Network (CEPIN) project. TDI has been awarded a $1.5 million contract from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to develop emergency preparedness education programs for deaf and hard-of-hearing consumers. Suggs, former editor of Silent News, runs her own business, T.S. Writing Services, from her home in Minnesota. She's a Gallaudet University graduate with a master's degree from the University of Illinois-Chicago. James House, coordinator of the CEPIN project, said TDI (formerly Telecommunications for the Deaf, Inc.) is pleased to have Suggs join the team. "Her vast network and understanding of the issues involved are already assets to the emergency preparedness field," he said.

NEW DIRECTOR OF INTERPRETER RELATIONS NAMED BY CSD

CSD has appointed Ben Hall as director of interpreter relations. A certified interpreter himself, Hall will be responsible to represent the best interests of CSD staff and contracted freelance interpreters. It's part of CSD's ongoing commitment to meet the increased demands for interpreters across the country, the organization said in a news release March 18. "Ben's extensive experience as both an interpreter and as a child of deaf parents will bring a balance to meeting the needs of the interpreting profession and consumers," said Benjamin Soukup, chief executive officer of CSD, a Sioux Falls, S.D.-based agency formerly known as Communication Service for the Deaf, Inc.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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FIRST DEAF ROCHESTER FILM FESTIVAL DRAWS LARGE CROWDS

It was standing room only at the recent Deaf Rochester Film Festival (DRFF) in Rochester, N.Y. More than 45 films were screened during the event, which took two years to plan, and moviegoers enjoyed a rare opportunity to view films produced by and featuring actors who are deaf. "Going to a movie house is not something that happens very often and we don't have these experiences," festival director Patti Durr told 13-WHAM TV news. Several awards were given, including the DRFF Short Films Audience Award to "Don't Mind" by Patti Durr and Elizabeth Dena Sorkin; DRFF Documentary Films Audience Award to "Audism Unveiled" by Joerg Fockele; and the RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology) School of Film and Animation and DRFF Student Film Awards to "Help Me" by Kamau Buchanan. For a more-detailed wrapup, visit www.ntid.rit.edu/DRFF.

NAD WANTS DEAF INVOLVEMENT IN NEW JERSEY LAWSUIT AGAINST MOVIE CHAIN

A law firm working with the National Association of the Deaf has filed a request with the Superior Court of New Jersey to participate in a movie-captioning lawsuit filed by the New Jersey Attorney General against Regal Cinemas. However, it is expected that the Attorney General will oppose the request to allow deaf and hard-of-hearing consumers to participate, the NAD said in a news release last week. The decision does not sit well with deaf advocates. "It is paternalistic to exclude deaf and hard-of-hearing people on issues that affect them directly," said Kelby Brick, NAD's director of law and advocacy. The suit against Regal Cinemas was filed last year after the theater chain refused to participate in a settlement with four other chains that would require theaters to install the Rear Window Captioning system.

FOUR SHOWINGS SCHEDULED FOR CLASSIC ASL FILM "I LOVE YOU BUT ..."

The classic ASL film "I Love You But ..." will be shown four times in April in California and Utah. The film was written by Lawrence Fleischer, chair of the Deaf Studies department at California State University, Northridge, and directed by Peter Wolf, a deaf filmmaker. The 100-minute film, a romantic comedy that is rated PG-13, tells the story of Robert, a hearing man, and Aimee, a deaf woman, and the cultural conflicts that develop during their courtship. The film is said to be ideal for students of deaf culture, ASL and interpreting. The schedule: April 2, American River College, Sacramento, Calif.; April 9, California School for the Deaf, Fremont, Calif.; April 16, Fresno City College, Fresno, Calif.; and April 23, Salt Lake Community College, Salt Lake City, Utah. Information: asl@pyram.com.

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SPORTS
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SENIOR FROM DELAWARE SCHOOL PLAYS IN STATE'S ALL-STAR BASKETBALL GAME

Dante Hudson, a girls basketball player who scored more than 2,600 points in five varsity seasons with the Delaware School for the Deaf, competed in the March 19 Blue-Gold senior all-star girls basketball game at the Carpenter Center in Newark, Del. Hudson, who scored five points in 19 minutes for the Blue team in its 70-58 victory, told The News Journal (New Castle, Del.) that she enjoyed playing against the state's top competition. "It was really my first experience at this level, so I was really excited I got to do it," she said. Hudson, a 5-foot-9 forward, will attend Gallaudet University this fall, where she hopes to play on the basketball team.

YOUNG COLORADO SKIER COMPETES DESPITE DISABILITIES

Cameron Kullas, 15, of Eagle, Colo., represented Ski and Snowboard Club Vail in the men's standup race at a recent championship event. According to the Vail Daily (Avon, Colo.), Kullas finished his two runs in 2:42.46. "It was really fun and really fast and I practiced a lot for it," said Kullas, a student at the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind in Colorado Springs. He was born deaf and without an abdominal muscle, his mother, Candy Kullas, explained, and it's his back that's holding him up. "The doctors said, when he was a baby, that they would be surprised if he ever sat up or walked," she said. "Obviously, we've overcome that."

DUMMY HOY BASEBALL/SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT SET FOR FREMONT, CALIFORNIA

The California School for the Deaf, Fremont announced plans last week for the Dummy Hoy Classic Baseball/Softball Tournament, to take place April 14-16 at the school's Fremont campus. CSDF will be joined by their counterparts from Riverside, as well as teams from the Maryland School for the Deaf and the Model Secondary School for the Deaf in Washington, D.C. Former Oakland A's pitcher, 6-foot-8 Mark Acre, will appear at the opening ceremony and will pitch for the home run derby. The tournament is named after William Ellsworth "Dummy" Hoy (1862-1961), the first deaf player in the major leagues. Steven R. Sandy of Ohio, leader of an effort to admit Hoy to the Baseball Hall of Fame, will be on hand to share his collection of photos and other memorabilia. For information, contact CSDR Athletic Director Mark Burke at mburke@csdf-cde.ca.gov.

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COMING EVENTS
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NATIONAL BLACK DEAF ADVOCATES TO MEET IN ORLANDO, FLA.

The National Black Deaf Advocates will host its 22nd conference at the Rosen Centre Hotel, Orlando, Fla., from July 31 to Aug. 7. The conference will include workshops, plenary sessions, business meetings, pageant contest and banquet. Special programs will focus on senior citizens and youth leaders. For more information, visit www.nbda.org or write to the general chairperson, Reginald Redding, at president@nbda.org.

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MILESTONES
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DOUGLAS BULLARD, ALASKAN GEOLOGIST AND AUTHOR OF "ISLAY"

Douglas Bullard, author of the well-known deaf-related novel "Islay," died Jan. 25 in Tarpon Springs, Fla. of congestive heart failure and multiple myeloma. As a young man, Mr. Bullard studied geology at the University of Alaska before majoring in English at Gallaudet University. Upon graduation, he returned to Alaska and worked for the state, doing preconstruction studies of proposed highway and airport sites. According to CSD's SIGNews, Mr. Bullard was a man of many talents. He assembled and flew his own ultralight seaplane, built two houses with his own hands and developed his skills as an ASL storyteller. He served as president of the Florida Association of the Deaf, where he was instrumental in rescuing the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind from possible closure in the face of dwindling student enrollment. He also wrote "On Deaf Ears," about the oral deaf school experience, and "The Hero of Islay," the final installment of the Islay trilogy. A recovered alcoholic, Mr. Bullard spent the last 10 years of his life helping deaf alcoholics in the Tampa Bay area. Married twice, he is survived by a sister and a son, and he is interred in a family cemetery in Culloden, Ga.

JACKIE COKER, 77, RETIRED DEAF AND BLIND CALIFORNIA STATE EMPLOYEE

Jackie Coker, 77, died Feb. 19 of cancer at her home in Sacramento, Calif. In 1949, Ms. Coker became the first deaf-blind graduate of the California School for the Blind in Berkeley. Ten years later, she graduated with honors from the College of the Pacific in Stockton. She worked for 25 years with the state education and rehabilitation departments, teaching life skills to disabled people and lecturing to college students about her work before retiring in 1986. Ms. Coker lost her hearing and sight at age 7 when she contracted meningitis, her cousin, Dorothy "June" Hawkins told the Sacramento Bee. Other children in her small Arizona town also contracted the disease, Hawkins said, but "she was the only one who lived." Ms. Coker's college education was funded in part by a $1,000 Helen Keller scholarship, and she had the opportunity to meet Keller before the noted deaf and blind advocate died in 1968.

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READER RESPONSE
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I am hearing ... married to a deaf lady. I read her deaf newsletters ... and have been watching your relatively new-comer to the deaf scene. It is an excellent product. Well-organized. Excellently formatted. Interesting and varied content. Keep up the good work.
-- PHILIP

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EMPLOYMENT
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The Department of Business at Gallaudet University is seeking candidates with at least a master's degree in a business-related field to fill a full-time, tenure-track position beginning in the Fall semester. Details of the job and job requirements are available at: http://personnel.gallaudet.edu/eunivfac.html (4th item on the list).

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Rochester Institute of Technology
National Technical Institute for the Deaf
Coordinator Outreach Operations
PC#0380 (Administrative/Professional)
Student & Academic Services

Description:

Educational Outreach programs are designed to promote RIT/NTID's national visibility and image. In accordance with NTID's Vision 2010, the coordinator will manage outreach programs offered to all external audiences (future student, teachers, parents, vocational rehabilitation counselors, and deaf adults.)

Major Responsibilities:

Provide leadership, coordination, and management of all educational programs and activities offered to external audiences (parents, teachers, potential future students). These programs include: Explore Your Future (EYF), Career Awareness Program (CAP), and developing projects to reach specific target populations including but not limited to: 7-11 grade girls interested in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM); ALANA students; and students demonstrating academic excellence.

1. Conducts needs assessment, and identify emerging content areas that lend themselves to future outreach activities.
2. Lead the departments' planning, budgeting, and program evaluation functions.
3. Administer the programming and staffing functions of all educational outreach programs.
4. Direct, monitor and facilitate outreach activities in collaboration with NTID Enrollment Management and Admissions.
5. Develop creative funding solutions in collaboration with external agencies and partners for all program offerings. Pursue external funding sources, both private and governmental.
6. Initiate partnerships with other colleges of RIT and premier programs within NTID to modify curricular offerings to attract an outreach audience.
7. Evaluate program offerings and analyze added benefit for outreach initiatives in terms of ultimate enrollment gains.

Requirements:

Education: MS degree in higher education administration, research, instructional development, deaf education or related field.

Experience: 4-6 years related administrative experience

Skills: Applicant is expected to have excellent communication, interpersonal, organizational skills, and computer literacy. Applicant must be able to work independently. Ability to communicate fluently in American Sign Language and knowledge of deaf culture required. Be current in educational outreach implications of all legislation related to IDEA and other federal and state mandates related to No Child Left Behind and High Stakes Testing. Knowledge of ADA and 504 legislation related to secondary disabilities and access services required.

Note: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified.

The final phase of the hiring process for this position requires a criminal background and/or motor vehicle records check. Any verbal or written offer made is contingent on satisfactory results, as determined by Human Resources.

Send letter of interest with resume and the names, addresses, and phone numbers of three references to:

Rochester Institute of Technology
Department of Human Resources
Eastman Building, 5th Floor
8 Lomb Memorial Drive
Rochester, NY 14623-5604

RIT AA/EOE

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Position Announcement
Camp Director (Seasonal)

POSITION DESCRIPTION:
To plan, direct, and supervise all camp programs and staff.

QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s Degree or appropriate professional certificate required
- At least two prior seasons of administrative or supervisory experience in an organized camp
- Experience working with the Deaf community.
- Must have a working knowledge of program operations and have excellent organizational skills.
- Must have a good knowledge of year-around camp programs and have proven ability to coordinate complex logistical activities.
- Ability to communicate effectively with parents, Deaf and Hard of Hearing adolescents and young adults, Deaf and Hard of Hearing adults and the community in general. - Ability to maintain positive relations with all groups associated with the Camp Lakodia Programs.
- Experience/skills in making public presentations.
- Ability to effectively communicate in American Sign Language.
- Ability to operate personal computer and have a good working knowledge of Microsoft Office programs.

SALARY: Commensurate with qualifications and experience

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Until filled

SEND RESUME & COVER LETTER TO:
Michelle Stubkjaer, Human Resources
Communication Service for the Deaf
102 North Krohn Place
Sioux Falls SD 57103
(800) 632-6410 or (605) 367-5760 Voice/TTY
(605) 367-5832 FAX or mstubkjaer@c-s-d.org

An Equal Opportunity and Drug-Free Workplace Employer

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National Technical Institute for the Deaf
Rochester Institute of Technology
Instructional Faculty (Tenure Track)
Business Careers Dept.
PC#0077

Nature of position: Full-time (10-month) Tenure Track Instructional Faculty position beginning September 1, 2005.

DESCRIPTION:

o Teach a variety of business-related courses with a specific focus on accounting at the Associate degree level.
o Provide support to students taking courses in the College of Business at the bachelor and graduate level.
o Provide individual and group instruction/tutoring and academic advising; and liaison with the faculty in the College of Business and other groups.
o Participate fully in the department's curricular initiatives and related faculty duties.

QUALIFICATIONS:
Required:
Masters in Business Administration (MBA) or Masters in Education with and undergraduate accounting concentration.

Preferred:
Full-time secondary or post-secondary level experience teaching deaf students; Sign Language skills; business experience; working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, strongly preferred.

Ability to contribute in meaningful ways to the college's continuing commitment to cultural diversity, pluralism, and individual differences strongly preferred. People who are Deaf and hard-of-hearing, with a disability, women and/or member of a minority group are encouraged to apply.

SALARY and RANK: Position is a ten-month, tenure-track appointment. Salary and rank will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE: Send letter of interest with a vita and the names, addresses, and phone numbers of three references and the Source Code to:

Rochester Institute of Technology
National Technical Institute for the Deaf
Professor Mary Lou Basile
Department of Business Studies
52 Lomb Memorial Drive, LBJ-2791
Rochester, NY 14623
Fax 585-475-7900
E-mail: mlbnbt@rit.edu

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: April 12, 2005

The Rochester Institute of Technology is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Members of protected classes and individuals with the ability to contribute in meaningful ways to the university's continuing commitment to cultural diversity, pluralism, and individual differences are encouraged to make application.

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