Deafweekly May 3, 2006

deafweekly

May 3, 2006
Vol. 2 No. 28

Editor: Tom Willard

Deafweekly is an independent news report for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community that is mailed to subscribers every Wednesday and available to read at www.deafweekly.com. Please visit our website to read current and back issues, sign up for a subscription and advertise.

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GALLAUDET
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JANE K. FERNANDES NAMED GALLAUDET’S NEXT PRESIDENT

Jane K. Fernandes has been appointed Gallaudet University’s ninth president. Fernandes, Gallaudet’s provost since 2000, will take office in January 2007 after I. King Jordan retires. Her appointment was announced at a campus convocation Monday by Celia May Baldwin, interim chair of the university’s board of trustees. “Gallaudet is extremely fortunate to have Dr. Jane Fernandes as our next president,” said Baldwin. “It would be difficult, if not impossible, for the board to find anyone with greater breadth or depth of experience.” Said Fernandes: “I am humbled and honored by the decision of the board.”

NEW PRESIDENT HAS A VARIED BACKGROUND

Gallaudet’s new president is a deaf Worcester, Mass. native who attended public schools and earned degrees in French and comparative literature from Trinity College in Connecticut. Jane Fernandes went on to earn M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in comparative literature from the University of Iowa and work for Northeastern University before coming to Gallaudet as chair of the Department of Sign Communication. She later moved to Hawaii, where she established the Interpreter Education Program at Kapi’olani Community College and served five years as director of the Hawaii Center for the Deaf and Blind. Fernandes returned to Gallaudet in 1995 as Vice President for the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center. Her new book, “Signs of Eloquence: a Study of Deaf American Public Address (with husband James Fernandes), will soon be printed, and she is scheduled to give the keynote address at the First World Congress in Bangkok, Thailand later this month.

STUDENTS QUICK TO BEGIN PROTESTING

Gallaudet students began protesting the selection of Jane Fernandes as president as soon as her selection was announced Monday afternoon. The Washingon Post noted in its online edition Monday that “within moments, hundreds of students had blocked the main gates of the campus. Some shouted. Some scrawled angry word on their stomachs ... Hands flying in American Sign Language, they roared, ‘We want to be heard!’” Criticism of Fernandes has centered on personality, said the Post, with many calling her cold, aloof and condescending. Harkening back to 1988's Deaf President Now movement, which ushered in I. King Jordan as Gallaudet’s first deaf president, students quickly came up with a new rallying cry: “Better President Now.”

CAMPUS GATES REMAIN BLOCKED ON SECOND DAY OF PROTESTS

By Tuesday, several dozen Gallaudet students were engaged in a second day of protests, with about 20 students laying prone inside the main gate of the campus, preventing cars from entering or exiting. Other students parked cars at a second exit to block it, reported the Washington Post. A third group kept a vigil through the night and planned to meet with university administrators. “This generation of students has new expectations and new demands,” said the Post, but they found “that the board of trustees once again was ignoring the campus community.” I. King Jordan, in an email, endorsed Fernandes and said the board would not revisit its decision.

TENT CITY POPS UP ON THIRD DAY OF PROTEST

By the third day of protests, 1,000 protestors had gathered for an afternoon rally, said the Washington Post, and organizers urged people to bring tents and sleeping bags for a overnight candlelight vigil. A letter with a list of demands was presented to Jane Fernandes and I. King Jordan, who said he would turn it over to the board of trustees. Late in the day, a hill on the Northeast Washington, D.C. campus was packed with students in tents and on blankets, with banners taped to the gates. But not everyone approved: “What you saw today, it’s only how part of this university feels,” said Geoff Whitebread, a graduate student. “We feel the process was fair. There’s no reason to rescind the board’s decision.”

BOARD OF TRUSTEES CHAIR DEFENDS PROCESS

Celia May Baldwin, interim chair of Gallaudet’s board of trustees, informed the community in a memo Saturday that she and the board had met with the Presidential Search Committee (PSC) and was “convinced that the PSC carried out its task in a thorough and just manner.” She acknowledged that others may not share her assessment, but “we believe that the PSC worked hard and with integrity toward meeting their charge from the Board.” Baldwin said 38 people were nominated and 24 applied for the job, with 21 being deaf or hard of hearing. Six were then chosen as semi-finalists, with three of the six being either women or people of color. The PSC then selected three finalists: Jane Fernandes, Ronald Stern and Stephen Weiner. “Was it difficult for the committee to decide on the three finalists, given the quality of the candidates?” she wrote. “Absolutely; but that is the nature of a presidential search.”

BATTLING RESOLUTIONS SHOW DIFFERENCE OF OPINION

A resolution from the Gallaudet University faculty last Monday, April 24, called on the board of trustees to postpone selecting a president until the fall and add "persons of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds to the existing pool of candidates.” Faculty members passed a second resolution, two days later, saying the first resolution had been passed by a small group of 35 people. "We do not support the Resolution passed at the General Faculty meeting on April 24, 2006,” it stated, while also thanking and acknowledging Glenn Anderson for more than 10 years of service as chairman of Gallaudet’s board of trustees. Anderson, who is black, resigned as chairman when he applied for the presidency but was not chosen as a finalist for the job.

BLACK DEAF ADVOCATES HOLD PRESS CONFERENCE

The National Black Deaf Advocates announced that it would hold a press conference addressing the selection of Gallaudet’s president. According to the NBDA’s Tom Samuels, the Black Deaf Student Union and Asian Pacific Associations of Gallaudet University would participate in the conference, scheduled to take place yesterday morning at Shiloh Baptist Church in Washington. Additional organizations, while not participating, “had publicly gone on record to support the lack of diversity” in the search process, he said. The announcement called it “paradoxical” that the search committee had “managed to eradicate” the university’s goals of diversity, inclusiveness and multiculturalism “by deeming even the former President of the Board of Trustees unqualified as a finalist.”

GALLYPRESWATCH WEBSITE GOES DARK

The GallyPresWatch website, which had kept a close eye on the presidential selection process, disappeared mysteriously this week, shortly after it announced Jane Fernandes’ selection as president and registered more than 35 pages of comments in response. Tayler Mayer, whose Los Angeles-based TaylerInfomedia designed the site for creators who never revealed their identity, said 33,677 people visited the site during the brief time it was up, leaving 415,742 footprints and posting 4,055 comments - 1,025 in the final 24 hours after Fernandes' selection was announced. “I haggled with [the creators] trying to postpone the site closing,” said Mayer, but to no avail. Visitors to GallyPresWatch.com are now directed to Fomdi.com, Mayer’s captioned movies website. Mayer plans to send a CD of the website to the Gallaudet archives for historic purposes.

NUMBER OF WEBSITES KEEP EYE ON SITUATION

A number of other websites can help keep you filled in on the reaction to Gallaudet’s selection of Jane Fernandes as its next president:
http://pr.gallaudet.edu/presidentialsearch - The university’s official site, where, among other things, you can read the letters of application and resumes of the three finalists and see who is on the board of trustees.
www.deafspot.net/gallypost/index.html - GallyPost.com, an uncensored site not sanctioned by the university.
www.notwithoutus.org - “The Gallaudet community for a fair Presidential selection.”
www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/654622934?ltl=1146661190 - a petition site that has attracted more than 2,000 signatures to reopen the presidential search process.
www.xanga.com/elisa_abenchuchan - Xanga blog with detailed on-the-scene reportage.
www.ridorlive.com - “Observe But Do Not Interfere,” Ricky Taylor’s blog with information and comments about the protest.
http://aslcommunityjournal.com/pages/27/index.htm - a detailed account of Jane Fernandes’ April 26 Open Forum at Gallaudet University.
http://trimmingthefern.blog.com/ - “Trimming the Fern,” an “admittedly biased” student perspective on Jane Fernandes.
www.eyethstudios.com/ - pictures from the protest.

JORDAN CONSIDERS LEGACY IN NPR INTERVIEW

Gallaudet University President I. King Jordan, 62, who is stepping down in December, spoke with NPR’s Joseph Shapiro about his legacy and the Deaf President Now movement that changed and energized the deaf community. “If I have one main accomplishment, it is that I have succeeded,” said Jordan. “I don't mean to be glib. There were a lot of people who doubted I would succeed.” No one could imagine a deaf person interacting with congressmen and senators, he explained, nor flying off to New York to seek support from a foundation president. “People thought, he has no idea what he’s getting himself into,” said Jordan. More of the interview can be found here: www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5369960.

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NATIONAL
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TEEN DRIVER IN FATAL TRAIN CRASH MAY FACE CHARGES

The 15-year-old driver who drove an SUV into the path of a train in Colorado last month, killing six people on board, may face charges of careless driving resulting in death. Charges against Christopher Cruz of Donna, Texas were recommended by the Colorado State Patrol, reported the Rocky Mountain News last week. Cruz, the only person in the car to survive the April 13 accident, could also be charged with driving without a valid license, driving without insurance and failing to yield, said Sgt. Jeff Goodwin. Investigators concluded that Cruz was distracted, and witnesses said the radio was playing at or near full volume because two of the passengers were hard of hearing.

MOTHER’S COMPLAINT SPARKS INVESTIGATION IN GEORGIA

The mother of a 4-year-student at the Georgia School for the Deaf in Cave Spring has filed a complaint alleging that her son was physically subdued and treated roughly on school grounds. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said last Friday it is investigating the unidentified parent’s complaint, which was filed with the Floyd County District Attorney’s Office. Superintendent Lee Shiver confirmed to the Rome News-Tribune that the GBI, which investigates incidents on state property, is investigating the incident. The Georgia Department of Education, which oversees the state-run school, is conducting its own investigation. Employees involved in the alleged incident have been suspended, and the next step will depend on the findings of the two investigations.

DRIVER ARRESTED AFTER CRASHING INTO TWO HOUSES

Deaf motorist Nydia Margrita DeJesus of Orange County, Fla. was charged with careless driving and driving under the influence after crashing her car into two houses last Wednesday night. Troopers told WFTV-9 News in Orlando that DeJesus drove a silver Mitsubishi through a fence and into a house, put the car in reverse and drove into a sliding glass door on the house next door, then plowed through another fence and came to rest against a tree. Troopers couldn’t communicate with the 33-year-old woman until an Orange County firefighter fluent in sign language arrived to translate. DeJesus, who lost her license temporarily three years ago for failing to pay a ticket for driving with an open container, paid bail and was out of jail by late Thursday morning. “People need to be more careful,” said Pedro Gonzalez, whose home was damaged. “I don’t know. It’s crazy!”

RUSH LIMBAUGH MAKES DEAL IN ‘DOCTOR SHOPPING’ CASE

Conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh has reached a deal with prosecutors in a long-running painkiller fraud case, reported the Associated Press. A single charge of “doctor shopping” will be dropped if Limbaugh continues treatment, said his attorney, Roy Black. Limbaugh received about 2,000 painkillers, prescribed by four doctors in six months, at one pharmacy near his Palm Beach, Fla. mansion, prosecutors revealed. Limbaugh reported about five years ago that he had lost most of his hearing to autoimmune inner-ear disease, and he had cochlear implant surgery to restore his hearing. Research has shown that abusing opiate-based painkillers also can cause profound hearing loss.

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VANDALS HIT OFFICE FOR SECOND TIME IN A MONTH

Administrators of the Corpus Christi (Texas) Area Council for the Deaf arrived to work last Tuesday morning and found three windows had been broken overnight by vandals. Only a week earlier, three other windows had been found broken. The agency now must find a way to come up with $1,000 to replace the six energy-efficient windows, which had been donated by a local company. “It’s really frustrating because we are on limited funds,” said Charmaine Morehead, described by KRIS-6 News as executive director of the “Area Council for the Death.” “When something like this happens, we have to give up some type of service just to take care of the damage that we’ve accrued from all the vandalism.”

COLORADO LAWMAKER PROPOSED INTERPRETER BILL

Colorado Rep. Mark Larson, R-Cortez, has proposed a bill to improve interpretation services for deaf people in court proceedings. According to the Durango Herald, Senate Bill 61 was endorsed 9-0 by the House Judiciary Committee last Tuesday, sparking a round of waving hands and wiggling fingers from deaf and hard-of-hearing supporters in the audience. The bill, which is expected to cost $500,000 over the next two years, would require courts to provide interpreters, computer translators or listening devices to any party, witness or juror in a civil or criminal proceeding. Said Larson, who wears a hearing aid, “I have seen cases where people wait hours - literally hours - for a government interpreter to be available.”

MIXED MESSAGES IN TEXAS ON PROGRAM’S FUTURE

The Kerrville (Texas) Daily Times ran a story last Wednesday saying the Kerrville Independent School District might not have a program for deaf kids next year. “We’re down to three kids,” said Director of Special Education Ronald Chew, “and we’re looking at other kinds of options.” Cheryl Blevins, whose daughter, Amber, is in the program, learned of the instability during a meeting on April 4 and said her family has decided to move out of Kerrville. “This program is not stable,” said Blevins, “and I don’t want to have this fight again next year.” On Friday, the Daily Times ran a follow-up article in which school Superintendent Dan Troxell denied reports that the program was in risk of closing. “The program will be around forever,” said Troxell. “This is a program that can’t be eliminated. It is impossible to do so.”

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INTERNATIONAL
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A THIRD OF DEAF WORKERS IN U.K. UNEMPLOYED: SURVEY

A Royal National Institute for the Deaf survey shows that a third of deaf and hard-of-hearing people are out of work, compared to 25 percent of the general population. The RNID published the survey to mark the beginning of Deaf Awareness Week, said BBC News. (A related survey reveals only 14 percent of the British public know how to communicate with a deaf person, reported the Community Newswire.) Problems ranged from employers’ lack of deaf awareness to “glass ceilings” that prevented deaf workers from advancing on the job. Almost half of those who had a job felt that their deafness had held them back. “Deaf and hard-of-hearing people represent a talented and skilled - but largely untapped - labor resource,” said the RNID’s Cheryl Cullen.

STUDENT LAWYER STRUGGLES DURING WAIT FOR HEARING AIDS

The U.K.’s Sunderland Echo reported last week on student lawyer Helen Abraham, 23, who is set to qualify as a solicitor next year but often struggles to follow court cases because she is hard of hearing. Abraham was diagnosed with hearing problems last year and is on a waiting list for two aids at the Sunderland Royal Hospital. A shortage of staff and increase in demand has led to lengthy delays, however, and Abraham won’t even have her next appointment until December 19. “It’s not as if I’m going to get my aids in December,” she said. “I reckon it’s going to be another two years.” Hospital workers have apologized for the waits, which average 18 months, and say a newly developed training program will drastically reduce waiting times.

TRINIDAD MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO MANSLAUGHTER

A deaf Trinidad man accused of murder pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter last week after a judge said he would not face additional time for the crime. Nigel “Spidey” Lucas admitted to stabbing Troy Webb to death during a bar fight during in 1999 and had waited more than seven years in jail for a trial, which is “equivalent to 12 prison years,” reported the Trinidad & Tobago Express. Justice Joan Charles heard testimony of an audiologist who said Lucas was not faking his inability to hear properly, and accepted attorney Keith Scotland’s argument that Lucas could not face a murder trial even if he was given the latest digital hearing aids. Charles blasted officials about “some rather disturbing aspects to this case,” including the prison’s failure to comply with court orders to provide Lucas with a hearing aid.

KENYAN STUDENT IN LONDON NAMED ‘LEARNER OF THE YEAR’

A deaf student in Leicester has been honored by City and Guilds, the U.K.’s "leading awarding body for work-related qualifications," said Coastweek in Kenya last week. Suhail Pasta, 21, originally from Kenya, was crowned Further Education Sector Learner of the Year in London by celebrity chef Gary Rhodes at a Lion Awards Ceremony on April 3. Pasta was nominated for the award by Fehmida Kapasi, a lecturer at Leicester College. “Suhail is one of the most dedicated lifelong learners I have come across in Further Education,” said Kapasi. Pasta, one of over 750,000 eligible candidates, called the award the biggest achievement of his life. “The joy that I feel is very difficult to describe,” he said. “I feel on top of the world.”

GOLFER FINISHES THIRD IN SOUTH KOREAN OPEN

Deaf Korean golfer Lee Sung finished third in the 25th GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship in South Korea on Sunday. Lee, 26, started strong with a five-under-par 67 in the first round but faltered toward the end and finished three strokes behind the leader with $125,000 (U.S.) in prize money. Lee is currently ranked 28th on the Asian Tour’s UBS Order of Merit but lost in a playoff last month for a spot in the British Open.

‘PIONEERING SCHEME’ LAUNCHED FOR TEXT MESSAGES

Everybody who lives and works in Fife should be able to communicate with emergency services, said Chief Inspector Alistair McKeen, even those who can't hear. The Fife Constabulary launched a “pioneering scheme” last Friday that allows people with hearing loss to send and receive text messages with three of the main emergency services, reported BBC News in London. Registration forms have been sent out to 350 people, said McKeen, since “it is vital people register as we must know who is contacting us by text.” Interpreter Debbie Dougall of Fife Council’s Deaf Communication Service welcomed the plan. “It is empowering deaf sign language users who can then have more independence,” she said.

DEAF EDUCATORS MEET IN SAUDI ARABIA

Deaf educators gathered last week in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for a two-day meeting, “Together for a Better Future,” held on the occasion of the Deaf Week. According to the Arab News, the annual meeting was held at the Al-Amal Institute for Girls with Hearing Disabilities. Audience members heard from a hearing specialist, a speech-language pathologist and two mothers of deaf children, who “spoke from their heart and with all honesty about their shock, denial, guilt, acceptance and coping” with accepting and dealing with their children’s disability, said the Arab News. Their message: early diagnosis and intervention is extremely important.

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LIFE & LEISURE
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BANKER VISITS SCHOOL TO PROMOTE SAVINGS

Among some 450 Delaware bankers who visited 95 schools last Tuesday for Teach Children to Save Day was Kathy Shea, who did her presentation in speech and sign language at the Delaware School for the Deaf. Shea’s daughter, Lauren, attended the school for 18 years and will graduate from college next month with a degree in biotechnology. “The children are always fascinated that my daughter went here and that she’s now in college,” said Shea, a Wilmington Trust employee in Hockessin. “I want them to think, ‘I can do that, too.’” She also wants them to think about saving their money, a point she made by reading from “Bunny Money,” a book about a rabbit named Max who squanders his money on frivolous items.

FLORIDA STUDENTS FILM TV SPOT ON HEARING LOSS

Hearing loss is not just about “grandma and grandpa,” said students at Palm Beach (Fla.) Day School in a 60-second message shown over the school’s closed-circuit television system. The ad, produced over a three-month period, cites statistics showing that 14 percent of children ages 10-15 have a hearing loss. It also makes comparisons to vision problems that require glasses and crooked teeth being straightened by braces. Pupils are taught hearing loss is preventable, said the Palm Beach Daily News, “and if and when it does occur, it should not be a source of shame.”

POSTAGE STAMPS IS TOPIC OF D.C. PRESENTATION

Have you ever wondered about postage stamps that relate to the deaf community? Kenneth Rothschild of North Hollywood, Calif. will talk about this topic as a guest speaker at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, D.C.on Wednesday, May 31. “He will introduce postage stamps pertaining to the deaf world,” said a news release. Sponsored by the District of Columbia Association of the Deaf and the Deaf Literacy Project of the Christ Lutheran Church of the Deaf, the program will include free refreshments courtesy of the National Literary Society of the Deaf. Write to library_deaf_dc@yahoo.com to learn more.

FOUR-MEMBER DEAF TROOP TAKES PART IN CAMPOREE

The “smallest and quietest" troop at the recent Spring Camporee in Miami, Fla. was Troop 726, described by Scoutmaster Peter Powell in the Miami Herald as the only deaf troup in South Florida. Powell was a Boy Scout while growing up at the Central Institute for the Deaf in St. Louis, Mo., and “wanted to give something in return.” Urged on by wife Alina, an interpreter and Girl Scoutmaster, Powell formed an all-deaf troop in 2003 with help from Rosie Moreno, whose son Daniel, 16, was born deaf. The four members of Troop 726 spent the weekend in contests of firebuilding, cooking, knot-tying and orienteering. Other troops, said Powell, “have come to respect and understand our deafness.”

OPTIMISTS MEET, COMPETE FOR SCHOLARSHIP

“My Future Is Bright” was the essay topic in the Arkansas Communication Contest for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, reported the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Scholarships of $1,500 and $500 were presented to the top two finishers. “We’re here to get a scholarship,” said Arkansas School for the Deaf student Amelia Hensley. “But also, it helps us to prepare to be in front of an audience.” Added senior Elizabeth Moore, who plans to attend Gallaudet: “We’re here to impress the hearing people; to show them that we can do this as well.” The oratorical competition, held over the weekend at a La Quinta Inn in Bentonville, was held in conjunction with the Arkansas District of Optimist International and required entrants to have a minimum hearing loss of 40 decibels.

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WORKING WORLD
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THREE-YEAR GRANT TO FUND AIR TRAVEL RESEARCH

Airline passengers with sensory disabilities may find the experience more accessible if a new federal grant project is successful. WGBH in Boston announced last week that its National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM) has been awarded a three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s National Institute on Disability Research and Rehabilitation (NIDRR). The project is called, “Making In-Flight Communications and Entertainment Accessible,” and it had its roots in early 2004 when a Panasonic Avionics Corporation official, the father of a blind son, visited the NCAM for assistance in making his company’s products accessible to the disabled. Backed with complaints from deaf travelers who want accessible in-flight entertainment through captioning, a proposal was submitted to the NIDRR and was granted in late 2005.

COLLEGE GRAD CAN FIND WORK ONLY AS NANNY

A deaf woman identified by the Yarmouthport (Mass.) Register as Monique has a degree in graphic design from Gallaudet University but can only find work as a nanny. Monique, an immigrant, is held back not by her deafness but by her lack of documentation. She has been in America since she was 8, one of many immigrants who have tried but failed to gain citizenship or work permits. Monique was one of about 25 immigrants at a recent event at the Community Action Committee of Cape Cod and the Islands, where lawyer William Joyce spoke on immigrant rights. “What’s going on in this country is what’s going on on Cape Cod,” said social worker Ingrid Muzy-Murray. “Immigrants are crying for help.”

GOAMERICA CALLED ‘WINNER’ BY THESTREET.COM

GoAmerica was mentioned last week in “Today’s Winners and Losers” on TheStreet.com. A provider of communications services for people who are deaf, hard-of-hearing or speech-impaired, GoAmerica saw its stock rise 46% after the company’s i711.com was chosen as the exclusive IP-based relay service for Nordia’s California Relay Services contract. Nordia is one of three companies that provide relay services in California, and had previously offered its own relay service. GoAmerica’s stock price rose $1.54 to $4.90 in response to the news.

SORENSON BACKS RENOMINATION OF FCC CHAIRMAN

Sorenson Communications issued a news release last weekapplauding President Bush on his intent to nominate Kevin Martin for a second five-year term as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. Martin’s “willingness to meet with deaf community leaders and support of industry issues has ushered in a new era” for 28 million Americans with hearing loss, said the Salt Lake City, Utah-based firm. Renominating Martin “is a highly commendable action by President Bush,” said Ron Burdett, Sorenson’s vice president of community relations. “We look forward to continuing to work with Chairman Martin on the critical issues facing the deaf and hard-of-hearing.”

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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MATLIN TO JOIN CAST OF LESBIAN SHOW ‘THE L WORD’

Marlee Matlin has signed on to star in Showtime’s lesbian drama, “The L Word.,” the cable network announced Friday. Matlin will play a fiery artist who catches the attention of Jennifer Beals’ character, Bette Porter when “L” returns for its fourth season early next year. Matlin, 40, won an Academy Award in 1987 for “Children of a Lesser God” and more recently had a recurring roll as a pollster on NBC’s “The West Wing.”

DEAF MODEL CHOSEN AS FINALIST IN TYRA BANKS SEARCH

Deaf model Floyd McClain Jr. has been chosen one of six finalists in The Tyra Banks Male Model Search for 2xist Underwear. McClain survived two rounds of castings in New York and Los Angeles, and participated in a three-day photo shoot that had him suspended upside down on a trapeze, in underwear, while taking instructions from an interpreter. “I made it look easy and it was the best experience of my life,” said McClain. The model’s rep, Sheree Devereaux (thesilentword@aol.com ,301-281-7063) says to tune in to The Tyra Show on May 19 on UPN and FOX, and meanwhile go to www.thetyrashow.com and scroll down to “Hot May Episodes” and find McClain’s photo online for show times in your city. Said Devereaux: “You’ll have to watch the show to see who wins!”

GALLAUDET ART CONTEST ENTRIES ONLINE FOR VOTING

Paintings, drawings and other artwork by deaf and hard-of-hearing students from all over the country can now be seen on the Internet as part of Gallaudet University’s 2006 National Essay and Art Contest. “Visit the galleries, enjoy the students’ work and tell us which are your favorites,” said an announcement. Visitors are welcome to vote for their favorite entries. Check it out at http://clerccenter.gallaudet.edu/showcase/home.html.

NTID ISSUES CALL FOR ART FOR NEW STUDENT CENTER

The new CSD Student Development Center is going up on the campus of the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at Rochester Institute of Technology, and officials are now seeking artwork to decorate the center. They want to create “a welcoming environment ... that reflects sensitivity to the student environment and promotes interaction,” said a news release. There are three interior spaces involved in the call for proposal, and three cash prizes will be awarded: $5,000 for the primary space and $2,500 each for the other two spaces. June 1 is the postmark deadline, winners will be notified by July 5 and artwork will be installed by October 30. To learn more, visit www.ntid.rit.edu/sdccallforart.

MUSICAL GROUP ‘SWEET HONEY’ OFFERS FEAST FOR EYES

The musical group “Sweet Honey in the Rock” was expected to perform to a near-sellout audience last week in Portland, Maine, and audience members were in for a treat. The group has included an American Sign Language interpretation since 1980, as one member - Shirley Childress Saxton - learned sign language from her deaf parents. “If you’re going to book Sweet Honey in the Rock,” said Brett Williams, who helped market the show, “you’re going to get an ASL performance. It comes with the show.” The group routinely sends out material in advance to help promoters reach the deaf community and local advertising emphasized the ASL interpretation. About 50 seats were reserved up front so deaf and hard-of-hearing fans could easily see Saxton’s interpretation.

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READERS RESPONSE
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Justin Osmond is NOT a brother of Donnie and Marie Osmond. He is a nephew. He is the son of Merrill Osmond, a brother of Donnie and Marie Osmond.
- Valerie Kinney

I read the article about one of Osmond family name Justin Osmond that the article was saying that it was brother of Donny and Marie Osmond. I believed its a wrong name cuz I was fan of Donny and Marie Osmond many years ago and have known their familiy names very well. They have only 2 hearing impaired brothers their names are Virgil or Thomas Osmond. I have never heard the name Justin in Osmond family. I m not surprised if its the 2nd generation or so. Thank you
- Cherichkit@aol.com

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EMPLOYMENT
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CEO Position Announcement
Deaf Counseling, Advocacy and Referral Agency (DCARA)

DCARA is seeking a Chief Executive Officer to build on over 40 years of continuous growth and evolution of the non-profit, community-based social service agency. DCARA serves the Deaf Community in the San Francisco Bay Area and 14 counties in Northern California. The CEO will be responsible for all aspects of the agency’s operations, programs, finances, and personnel. To see the full job announcement including information about DCARA, minimum qualifications and application process, visit http://www.dcara.org. CLOSING DATE: Open until filled.

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Arundel Lodge, Inc., a non-profit mental health agency located in Edgewater, MD, has positions available in the Deaf Program. Applicants must be able to communicate effectively in American Sign Language, have a valid driver’s license and clear driving record, and have at least a high school diploma or equivalent. Preferred qualifications are BA/BS degree in Human Services or related field.

Part Time Rehabilitation Specialist: Hours are 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. or 1:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Saturday/Sunday. Duties include; transport clients to appointments, provide daily living skills support, medication monitoring, and apply crisis intervention as needed for mentally ill adults in a residential setting.

Program Manager - 40 hours per week. Duties include; supervise direct care staff, provide and coordinate psychiatric rehabilitation to clients, coordinate financial matters for clients, establish community relations, and ensure residences are consistent with regulations.

Send resume and cover letter to: Arundel Lodge Inc., Human Resources, 2600 Solomons Island Road, Edgewater, MD 21037, fax (410) 841-6045, or email Lmurphy@arundellodge.org.

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DeafHope Position Announcement
San Francisco Bay Area

Job Title: Domestic and Sexual Violence Advocate
Hours: Full time

Duties include providing information and support to Deaf survivors of
domestic violence and sexual assault, facilitating weekly support group,
accompanying survivors to legal hearings.

Qualifications:
Fluent in American Sign Language and Deaf Culture
California Domestic Violence Advocate Certification
Strong knowledge of domestic violence, current California domestic violence
law and court proceedings, including Family, Criminal and Juvenile Court

To apply mail or fax cover letter and resume to:
Julie Rems-Smario, Executive Director
DeafHope
22418 Mission Blvd
Hayward, CA 94541
Fax 510.733.3103
Contact@deaf-hope.org
No phone calls please.

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AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE - INTERPRETERS & INSTRUCTOR FOR DISABLED

F·E·G·S is one of the largest health and human services organizations in the country with a budget in excess of $230 million and 3,500+ employees in more than 300 locations throughout the New York metropolitan area. We seek experienced professionals, fluent in ASL, to work with staff and adult disabled, deaf population at our Manhattan facility on Hudson Street.

Staff Sign Language Interpreters

FT: Reports to AVP for Deaf Services, provides sign language interpreting services in a wide variety of situations and settings throughout the organization. Occasional staff training on use of sign language interpreters.

PT: Provides interpreting services for individual and group counseling sessions, meetings, and other program activities for Continuing Day Treatment Program serving deaf, chronically mentally ill clients. Must have flexibility in working with client’s personal signing styles.

INSTRUCTOR/SPECIALIST - F/T

Day Habilitation Instructor/Specialist to supervise and support deaf adults with developmental disabilities in a classroom setting. Provide group and individual instruction. Tri-state driver’s license required.

Positions require BA (or equivalent combination of education and experience) and full fluency in ASL. Prior experience working with disabled population and RID/NAD certification strongly preferred.

Generous benefits. Send resume to our HR Consultants: HR Dynamics, Inc. (DEPT. JG/ASL), 345 Hudson Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10014. E-mail: jgardner@hr-dynamics.com. Visit our website: www.fegs.org.

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CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

Society’s Assets, Inc is seeking a qualified individual to work as a Customer Service Representative at the Wisconsin Telecommunications Relay System in Madison, Wisconsin.

General Information
The Customer Service Representative performs a variety of job functions in order to provide an optimum level of relay customer service. The primary job responsibilities of the Customer Service Representative are to serve as the principal point of contact for WTRS consumers and give educational presentations about the relay system. This position requires travel and schedule flexibility.

Requirements
- Bachelor’s Degree
- Three or more years of exposure to Deaf Culture and the diverse communication needs of people who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing and/or Speech Disabled.
- Fluency in American Sign Language (ASL)
- Ability to communicate effectively on the phone and in person
- Experience in public speaking
- Excellent presentation skills
- Excellent customer service skills

Additional Skills Preferred
- Preference for studies in Communications or Social Services
- Basic data entry skills and knowledge of a variety of computer programs (Microsoft Office Suite preferred)
- Knowledge of telecommunications equipment
- Experience teaching ASL classes

Salary
Salary is commensurate with experience. Excellent benefits package!

Submit cover letter and resume to:
Wisconsin Telecommunications Relay System
Attn: Human Resources Manager
8383 Greenway Blvd, Suite 90
Middleton, WI 53562
Phone (Voice/TTY): (800) 600-7826
Fax: (608) 827-0402
Email: kathy.ottelien@hamiltonrelay.com

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer

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KANSAS SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF
POSITION VACANCIES

The Kansas School for the Deaf, 450 East Park St., Olathe, KS 66061, is currently seeking qualified individuals for the following positions for the 2006- 2007 school year:

Secondary Principal **Immediate Opening**
Elementary Teacher
Secondary Mathematics Teacher
Secondary English Teacher
Anticipating Full Time Dormitory Teachers
Substitute Teacher, Para and Dormitory

Placement made within agency guidelines on salary schedule depending upon professional background and experience. KSD offers excellent benefits. Applicants will be screened and the most highly qualified applicants will be invited for an interview session. Positions are open until filled. KSD is located in the Heartland of the USA, part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. For area info on excellent schools and affordable housing check out: www.kcmo.org/ and www.olatheks.org/.

For an application and a job announcement on each of these positions, please refer to our website at www.ksdeaf.org or contact Teresa Chandler, Human Resources Office, at (913) 791-0501 (V/TTY) for further details on the positions. E-mail: tchandler@ksd.state.ks.us. Fax #: 913/780-6563

An Equal Employment/Educational Opportunities Agency
Tobacco Free Campus

“KSD Embraces Diversity”

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DCARA has a few exciting job openings in the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area:

Full-Time Client Support Specialist position (San Leandro)
Part-Time Staff Interpreter position
Full-Time Job Developer/Interpreter positions

SALARY & BENEFITS: Salary for all positions is negotiable depend on experience and education. DCARA offers extremely competitive benefits such as 4-day work week schedule, 12 days of holiday leave plus one week paid winter holiday, and full medical, dental, vision and life insurances.

DEADLINE: All positions are open until filled.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE: Applications and full employment position descriptions are available at www.dcara.org, then click on “Employment”.

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JOB OPPORTUNITIES AT GLAD

GLAD is an Affirmative Action Employer with equal opportunity for men, women and people with disabilities. For more information on the following positions, please go to: www.gladinc.org. The status of all positions is: Regular, Full-time, Non-Exempt, Full Fringe Benefits unless otherwise noted. All positions are open until filled.

Community Advocate - Los Angeles
Job Developer/Interpreter - Norwalk
LIFESIGNS Director - Los Angeles
LIFESIGNS Clerk - Los Angeles
Network I.T. Administrator - Los Angeles

If interested for any of these positions then please submit resume and application to:

Jeff Fetterman
Human Resources Specialist
Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness, Inc.
2222 Laverna Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90041
V/TDD: (323) 550-4207
Fax #: (323)550-4204
E-mail: jfetterman@gladinc.org

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PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE MANAGER-C
(Telecommunications Assistance Program Manager)
$3,287 - $4,840 monthly

AS THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM MANAGER for the Oregon Public Utility Commission, you will supervise the subordinate staff and provide direction to and monitoring of the three Residential Service Protection Fund programs that deliver telecommunications services to disabled and low income Oregonians, and represent the agency as a liaison between constituent groups, legislature and the programs

If hired, the state will pay your medical/dental premiums, and you will receive nine paid holidays per year, generous sick and vacation leave benefits and 24 hours personal business leave. You will also receive significant technical training opportunities at no cost to you. All this plus living in Salem in close proximity to Portland, Eugene, the Oregon Coast and the Cascade Mountains! To learn more about Oregon, check out the following web pages: http://bluebook.state.or.us and http://www.salemchamber.org/community/about.html.

For more information about this recruitment, visit the State website at www.oregonjobs.org and look for Announcement Number LE060150. This website also has the necessary application forms. Or you can call (503) 373-1368 (voice), or (800) 648-3458 (TDD/TTY) and ask for a copy of the announcement. Completed applications must be received by 5:00 PM on May 23, 2006. An EEO/AA employer.

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