Deafweekly December 19, 2007

deafweekly

current issue

December 19, 2007
Vol. 4, No. 4

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. Deafweekly is copyrighted 2007 and any unauthorized use, including reprinting of news, is prohibited. Please support our advertisers; they make it possible for you to receive Deafweekly at no charge.

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NATIONAL
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UNIVERSITY OF N.C. HIRES JANE FERNANDES

Jane K. Fernandes, the former Gallaudet University provost whose appointment as president sparked months of protest on campus and around the world, has a new job. Fernandes, an “expert lip reader” who has “successfully navigated the hearing world,” will become the new Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the University of North Carolina Asheville on July 1, said a UNCA news release. Fernandes, called an “exceptionally talented and experienced individual" by UNCA Chancellor Anne Ponder, was one of more than 160 applicants for the job in an eight-month process that included a 14-member search committee of faculty, staff, students and administrators.

MOBILE HOME FIRE KILLS TWO IN CALIFORNIA

Two deaf women were killed in a mobile home fire in Moreno Valley, Calif. around 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, December 2. Yandiri Valencia, 21, and Melissa “Missy” Phoenix, 32, died in a back bedroom where they slept “oblivious to the flames,” said the Los Angeles Times. Valencia’s husband Alex, sleeping in the living room, survived with burns to his feet. Fire officials suspect the blaze started with a candle left burning on a TV and noted that the home was not equipped with smoke alarms. News of the deaths spread quickly at the California School for the Deaf, where both women were former students. “There’s constant tragedy with the deaf that is avoidable,” said a friend, Jeannine De Loye.

FLORIDA MAN FOUND DEAD IN GROUP HOME POOL

Police are investigating the death of a deaf and blind Florida man who was found in the swimming pool of the group home where he lived. Martin Malloy, 46, was discovered Saturday afternoon at Brighter Living Home Care in Port Charlotte, reported the Herald-Tribune. A staff member had tried to perform CPR on him, said a Charlotte County sheriff’s report. Malloy was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

TOWEL-CLAD MAN TASERED IN OWN LIVING ROOM

A deaf Wichita, Kan. man wearing only a towel was Tasered by police responding to a false report of gunshots on November 20. Donnell Williams, 39, entered his living room to find two police officers shouting at him, said The Wichita Eagle. When he would not “comply with their orders,” one of the officers then shot him with the Taser. “I regret that it happened,” said Deputy Police Chief Robert Lee. “At the time of the Tasing they did not have any idea of his hearing condition.” Police organized a meeting with the deaf community, said KWCH, to discuss “opening the lines of communication.”

SEX OFFENSE LANDS OHIO MAN IN JAIL

A deaf Ohio man was sentenced to nine years in prison December 10 for possessing child pornography and for inappropriate sexual behavior with children. Frederick “Tom” Robbins, 51, was also designated a sexual predator, meaning he will have to register his address with the local sheriff’s office for the rest of his life. Robbins, a teacher’s aide and coach, “sought solace in relationships with children” because his deafness left him with “limited kinds of interactions with adults,” said his attorney, Hal Arenstein. But Judge Ethna Cooper didn’t agree, said The Cincinnati Enquirer. “What you did was inexcusable,” she told Robbins.

CALIFORNIA MAN STABBED, GANG MEMBERS ARRESTED

A deaf man was stabbed several times December 6 in Carlsbad, Calif. Joseph Torres, of Oceanside, was looking for a house to complete an eBay purchase when he confronted a small group of men he accused of throwing rocks at his car, reported the North County Times. Torres called police, but before they arrived one man allegedly punched him in the face and stabbed him repeatedly with a four-inch blade. Three gang members were arrested last week and charged with attempted murder, violating a gang injunction and conspiracy. Torres is still recovering in a San Diego hospital.

MICHIGAN MAN FOUND INCOMPETENT FOR TRIAL

Timothy Joseph Catalano, the deaf Michigan man accused of killing his long-time deaf girlfriend on August 27, has been found incompetent to stand trial. Catalano, 45, was in a Westland courtroom November 8 after undergoing eight weeks of mental competency testing, reported Journal Newspapers. Forensic psychiatrist Thomas Shazer said Catalano had “linguistic and cognitive deficits” that left him unable to fully understand his situation. Catalano, who allegedly confessed to police that he used a rifle to shoot Tammy Susalla, 44, while she slept, was ordered back to a mental health facility for treatment.

PSD GETS FIRST DEAF HEAD SINCE LAURENT CLERC

Larry S. Taub has been selected to succeed Joseph E. Fischgrund as the 15th Head of School at the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, the first deaf person to head the Philadelphia school since the noted French educator Laurent Clerc served as Head Teacher in 1821-22. Taub, currently Superintendent of the Gov. Baxter School for the Deaf in Maine, takes over on July 1. “We are very fortunate to have Dr. Taub join our team,” said PSD Board of Trustees President Jay Basch in a news release.

STUDENT REFILES LAWSUIT AFTER SIGNING BAN

A deaf New Jersey student who was banned from using sign language on a school bus in 2001 has refiled a lawsuit against Brfanchburg Stony Brook school board and officials. Danica Lesko, who turned 18 in January, has been waiting for justice for seven years, her father, John Lesko, told The Star-Ledger. Danica’s parents contend the ban “set off a chain of events that emotionally traumatized” their daughter and brought in a traumatist who found the youth “mistrustful and defensive.” Said John Lesko: “All we want is to get in front of an impartial jury and be heard.”

TOUGHEN LAWS, SAY CRASH VICTIM’S PARENTS

The parents of a 14-year-old deaf Minnesota girl who was killed in May when her student transport van crashed into a school bus said at a hearing last month that state law needs to be changed. According to KARE 11, Bill and Karen Berglund told members of the Senate Student Transportation Education Subcommittee that school van drivers need to meet the same rigorous standards as school bus drivers, including drug tests. Noting that van driver Scott Wendt, 30, who also died in the crash, had marijuana in the van and in his system, Karen Berglund said, “We never would have put her in that van, ever.”

INTERPRETER TRAINING PROGRAM IN KENTUCKY TO END

An interpreter training program that Eastern Kentucky University has operated at the University of Louisville for nearly 20 years is being phased out, reported The Courier-Journal. EKU officials decided to close the program after a review by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools found it lacked faculty oversight, putting EKU’s accreditation in jeopardy. About two dozen students now in the program will be allowed to finish, but “we are not going to accept new students into the pipeline,” said EKU Provost Rodney Piercey.

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INTERNATIONAL
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HUNDREDS ATTEND FUNERAL FOR EMMA AGNEW

More than 800 people attended Emma Agnew’s funeral in Christchurch, New Zealand on December 3. Agnew, a deaf 20-year-old, was found murdered November 26 after disappearing 11 days earlier. Mourners spilled out into the foyer at Burnside High School as video footage of the funeral service was streamed live across the country, said The New Zealand Herald. “She definitely could have been one of our leaders,” said celebrant Tony Walton. The service ended with the release of 200 balloons as Agnew’s coffin was taken away for a private burial.

AUCKLAND, N.Z. CELEBRATES CENTER OPENING

The Auckland (New Zealand) Deaf Society's new community center, a multi-million dollar building that took two years to build, was officially opened November 3 by disability issues minister Ruth Dyson and society members, reported the Auckland City Harbor News. The center, equipped with offices, sports facilities, meeting space, a bar and a recreation center, will be a valuable community asset, said ADS manager Roger Wyrill. "Our members are very impressed with the modern style," he said. "They've never seen anything like it."

AUSTRALIAN JUDGE FREES SEXUAL MOLESTER

An Australian judge freed a 24-year-old deaf sexual molester Monday, saying the 13-year-old victim, also deaf, had consented to and initiated the relationship. Judge Michael Kelly, 73, who is due to retire on Friday, also said the boy’s victim impact statement was a “waste of time” and claimed the boy “wouldn’t have done well in a British public school in the ‘30s,” reported the Melbourne Herald Sun. The ruling left the victim devastated and his parents furious, said the report. “I was just hysterical this morning,” said the boy’s mother. “I couldn’t stop vomiting.”

MAN CHARGED IN FIRE DEATH OF UK WOMAN

Sharon Long, a 27-year-old deaf woman in Doncaster, England, died early Monday morning, November 26 after firefighters rescued her from a first-floor bedroom at her home, said the Doncaster Free Press. Matthew Gleadhill, 21, was arrested and charged with manslaughter. Two other people were arrested but released without charge.

BRITISH GROUP ISSUES ANTI-BULLYING BOOK

An elephant named Bu is the star of a new anti-bullying book released December 6 in Liverpool, England. "Bu Says 'No!' to Bullies," published by the deaf-led Open College of Sign Language, is aimed at children ages 4 to 10. Written in full English grammar with signs under each word, the book is designed to help hearing children learn sign language and "change the thinking and education of some of tomorrow's adults," said a news release. The book can be purchased online at www.bu-saysno.com.

UK MINIBUS PROJECT GETS LOTTERY BOOST

The Norfolk (England) Deaf Association won £80,000 ($163,000 US) from the Big Lottery Fund in a People’s Millions TV Vote on November 27. The NDA will use the money for its Listen Here! Minibus Project, which sends trained volunteers around the country to offer hearing aids, equipment, information, advice and more. “Everybody at the NDA will remember this day for a long time,” Gill Girling told the Norfolk Eastern Daily Press.

HOUSE DECORATIONS RAISE CASH FOR CHARITY

Andy and Bea Bell of Bradwell, England, decorated their home for Christmas this year to raise money for the National Deaf Children's Society in support of neighbor Alicia Whittle, 7. Alicia was born deaf and had a cochlear implant operation in 2004, and Andy Bell decided to get involved after speaking with Alicia's family about what it has cost them to pay for operations not covered by insurance. "It really shocked me," he told the Great Yarmouth Mercury, "so we will donate the collection to the charity."

LACK OF INTERPRETER IRKS CANADIAN JUDGE

A judge in Canada expressed his frustration with the lack of interpreters for the deaf in local criminal courts by pledging to stay sex-related criminal charges against a deaf man if an interpreter is not provided at the unidentified man's next court hearing. Justice Stephen Hunter at the Belleville Ontario Court of Justice reacted "peevishly" December 7 when assistant Crown attorney Laurie Nichols asked for a chance to argue against the stay, said the Belleville Intelligencer. "I find it absolutely beyond comprehension that we can't get a sign language interpreter in a city that houses the Sir James Whitney School for the Deaf," said Hunter.

VOICE-MAIL TO TEXT SERVICE UNVEILED IN CANADA

Rogers Wireless introduced a new voice-mail to text service in seven Canadian provinces on December 11, said the Vancouver Sun. The service, which adds $15 to a monthly cellphone bill, uses technology from SpinVox, a London-based company that specializes in voice-to-screen technology. Text of the voice mail and the caller's number is seen on the screen without having to listen to the message to get the number. The new feature "has the potential to revolutionize telecommunications for the hard-of-hearing community," said Eric McKeown after testing the service.

SCHOOL UPGRADE AWAITS RETURNING STUDENTS

The 22 students who attend the Deaf Education Unit in the Paro district of Bhutan (a country of 675,000 between India and China) will return to school in March to find new classrooms, new dorms and a new resource center, reported Kuenselonline. Her Majesty Ashi Tshering Pem Wangchuck inaugurated the new buildings at a ceremony on November 24. Principal Kuenzang Drukpa said integrating the students in regular schools did not work because "students were distracted when the teacher started teaching in sign language." Construction of the new buildings was funded by the Pro Bhutan Association, a private charity in Germany. The unit teaches literacy skills and offers vocational training in subjects such as knitting, tailoring and basket weaving.

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LIFE & LEISURE
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INDIANA PROFESSOR BATTLES CANCER

Indiana University professor Wayne Mnich beat a battle with lymphoma three years ago and is confident he will beat it a second time, said the Indiana Daily Student. Mnich, who teaches American Sign Language, recently learned that his cancer had returned and he would have to undergo chemotherapy treatments again. “We’re going to treat it aggressively,” he said. Mnich, who as a child was misdiagnosed as mentally retarded and placed in a school for the blind, has a positive attitude that draws students to him. “He’s probably one of the most interesting teachers I have ever met,” said sophomore Brooke Scott.

CARAVAN BRINGS GIFTS TO FLORIDA SCHOOL

A caravan of about 50 vehicles was set to deliver clothes, gifts and school supplies yesterday to students at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, reported the Florida Times-Union. “It all started with two coats, and now this,” said Norma Rea as she and two other organizers sorted through donations in her Ponte Vedra Beach home. The project began when Will Ackland learned that the school’s “clothes closet,” which holds donated clothing, was empty. Before long, people and organizations around the Beaches and Jacksonville began collecting gifts for FSDB’s students. “We have to make sure they don’t go without gifts,” said Karen Wolf. The school also received hundreds of pairs of shoes from the charity Soles 4 Souls, said News4Jax.com.

IOWA SCHOOL PRAISED FOR CONSERVATION EFFORTS

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey stopped at the Iowa School for the Deaf November 30 during his tour of the state to mark Soil and Water Conservation Week. ISD is the first school in the state to install a rain garden to capture storm water from the green house and cafeteria, said the Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil, and a recycling program has reduced trash output to three bags a day. “Don’t take this for granted,” Northey told the students. “This is new and really neat. It’s not done everywhere.”

SEATTLE WOMEN NAMED AWARD WINNERS

The winners of this year’s Ausma L. Smits Leadership Award, presented by the International Alumnae of Delta Epsilon Sorority, were announced in a news release earlier this month. Allie M. Joiner and Estie L. Provow, both of Seattle, Wash., were presented with the awards - a plaque and a sterling silver pin - at IADES’ Golden Jubilee celebration at Gallaudet University in October. It’s the first time two women have received the award, which has been presented every three years since 1989 for leadership and service to the deaf community.

LOUISIANA WOMAN AIMS TO BE ‘BIGGEST LOSER’

A deaf woman is competing to be Southwest Louisiana’s Biggest Loser. “I am tired of being overweight, my low esteem, hate the way I look, and struggle with my weight,” said Tricia Edwards, 35. “I want to be healthy and fit.” Edwards, 5-foot-4 and 204 pounds, was one of four women chosen this week as finalists in the KPLC-TV-sponsored contest. She will spend the next several weeks in personal training sessions, meeting with a nutritionist and blogging online about her progress.

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Here is the sample itinerary- Day 1- Los Angeles leaving at 5pm, Day 2- Cruising, Day 3- Arrive Cabo San Luas, Mexico at 10:30am and leave at 6pm, Day 4- Arrive Mazatlan, Mexico at 8am and leave at 5:30pm, Day 5- Arrive Puerto Vallerta, Mexico at 8am and leave at 8pm, Day 6- Cruising/ WRAD Deaf and Hard of Hearing Halloween Ball on the ship, Day 7- Cruising, and Day 8- Arrive back to Los Angeles at 7am.

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WORKING WORLD
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DEAF BUILDING CREW REHABS MILWAUKEE HOUSES

A November 30 open house at a rehabilitated home in Milwaukee, Wisc. showcased the efforts of “America’s only year-round inclusive construction crew of deaf and hard-of-hearing adults,” said Fox 6 News. The crew, created through the Milwaukee Community Service Corps. redesigns and rebuilds dilapidated houses, which are then used by families experiencing hearing or mobility disabilities. The program offers affordable and accessible housing, removes lead from existing homes, promotes first-time home ownership and brings together corporations and agencies to make Milwaukee a better place, said MCSC Executive Director Chris Litzau.

ILLINOIS STUDENT WINS LAW SCHOLARSHIP

Elizabeth Gastelum, a third-year law student at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Ill., received the Women’s Bar Foundation Scholarship at a recent awards dinner. Gastelum, who lives in Springfield with her husband, Hector, grew up in Franklin, Pa., where the News-Herald profiled her success. An editor with the Journal of Legal Medicine who ranks in the top 10 females in her class, Gastelum lost most of her hearing at 18 months and “has done it all in a world of silence,” said the report. Her goal is to have a law practice that helps “real people ... handle their personal and business affairs with ease.”

FLORIDA MAN IS SCHOOL’S TEACHER OF YEAR

A Florida man who became deaf before the age of 1 was named Teacher of the Year at West Kendall, Fla.’s G. Holmes Braddock High School, said the Miami Herald. John Paul Jebian, 36, has been an educator for 12 years, working first with deaf children and children with emotional disorders and then joining the faculty at Braddock, where he teaches American Sign Language. “We call him our ASL dad,” said senior Jennifer Kilzi. “There’s never a dull moment.” Jebian said he was honored to be selected for the award by his colleagues. “J.P. always has a smile,” said English teacher Faith Krause. “It is contagious.”

‘DAILY NEWS’ SPOTLIGHTS SOFTWARE FIRM

The New York Daily News recently profiled iCommunicator, a Brooklyn-based company selling software that turns spoken English into text and sign language viewable on a computer screen. The software strings together a series of video clips and allows for two-way communication by voicing what a deaf user types. The company, which has just one full-time employee, got a big boost when deaf actress Marlee Matlin was shown the product on ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Entrepreneur Leonard Feldman bought iCommunicator in 2005 from Teltronics. Kits, which include a wireless microphone and keyboard, sell for $6,499.

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HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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FRELICH, MATLIN TO TEAM UP FOR FIRST TIME

Playbill reported this month that Phyllis Frelich and Marlee Matlin are teaming up for the screen adaptation of Stephen Sachs’ play Sweet Nothing in My Ear. Emmy winner Jeff Daniels and Deaf West Theatre co-founder Ed Waterstreet will round out the cast for the Hallmark Hall of Fame production, which is aiming for an April debut on CBS. Sweet Nothing in My Ear, which focuses on the cochlear implant issue, premiered 10 years ago at Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles. Frelich won a Tony and Matlin received an Oscar for the same role - Sarah Norman in Children of a Lesser God - but this is the first time the two deaf actresses have worked together.

SIGNSTAGE RETURNS TO CLEVELAND CENTER

Cleveland Signstage Theatre is returning to its roots. Formed in 1975 as Fairmount Theatre of the Deaf, Signstage is coming back to the Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center after the center’s board of directors agreed to acquire all of the theater’s assets, said the Cleveland Jewish News. The center will run the program under its Community Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing department. William Morgan can be reached for more information at signstage@chsc.org.

AOL MOVE ‘TERRIBLE NEWS’ FOR DEAF CONSUMERS

AOL’s announcement that it will use Amazon Unbox for its video download service is “terrible news for deaf and hard of hearing consumers who rely on closed captions,” said Paula Rosenthal of HearingExchange.com. Amazon Unbox, which is also used by NBC Universal, “does not support captions or subtitles and is not in compliance with FCC regulations,” she said. Rosenthal, who contacted Amazon in June and got a “cookie cutter response,” called the company’s stance “reprehensible” and urged deaf and hard-of-hearing people to complain directly to AOL and NBC Universal.

FILM FESTIVAL ISSUES CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Filmmakers are invited to submit works for Superfest, “the world’s longest-running juried international disability film festival.” January 15 is the deadline, and entry fees range from $30 to $90. Filmmakers are encouraged to add captioning and audio description so their works are widely accessible, said a call for submissions. Winners will be announced around April 1 and films will be screened in the San Francisco area in June.

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SPORTS
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KENTUCKY SCHOOL ENDS LONG LOSING STREAK

The girls basketball team at the Kentucky School for the Deaf ended a 52-game losing streak Saturday with a 40-39 victory over Piarist. According to the Lexington Herald-Leader, the Colonels were down to only five players as the game wound down. KSD was given four straight free throws but missed them all before eighth-grader Charlotte Judge made one of two free throws with 2.3 seconds left. The result? “A lot of jumping up and down, and a lot of excitement,” said coach Scott Johnson, who kept his promise to shave his head if the team won a game.

TEEN ADOPTED FROM RUSSIA EXCELS IN SPORTS

A Chicago-area high school junior who was adopted from a Moscow orphanage when he was almost 12 has become a sports standout, reported WLS-TV. Aleksey Zurkowski, 17, was born with Treacher Collins Syndrome, leaving him with abnormal facial bones and without hearing or ears. He has undergone 12 surgeries since coming to America and now excels in soccer, swimming and gymnastics. “He’s such a daredevil,” said Hinsdale South High School gymnastics coach Jarrod Amolsch. “He’s almost like a cat.”

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Special Announcement from Al Lepre of American Deaf Exposition
hosting United States America Deaf Basketball Organization (USADBO)
on MARCH 26, 27, 28, 29, 2008
at PAL Parsippany Police League
22 Baldwin Road
Parsippany, New Jersey 07054 ( off Route 46)
$40.00 Early Bird Combo on Sale
December 19, 2007 = $45.00
January 19, 2008 = $50.00
February 19, 2008 = $60.00
Full Combo Ticket at Door + Expect 1,100 will be sold out!
Breakdown Listing during March 26, 27, 28, & 29, 2008
REGISTRATION - $10.00 (all must pay one time)
Wednesday, March 26, 2008 - Evening Entertainment = $10.00
Thursday, March 27, 2008 - Preliminary Games for 8 Men
and 4 Women teams = $10.00
Friday evening, March 28, 2008 - Semi-Finals games= $20.00
Saturday afternoon, March 29, 2008 - Championship Games = $10.00
Saturday Award and Entertainment Night = $20.00
Program Book - $10.00
USADBO Hall of Fame Buffet on Friday, March 28, 2008 - 11 am to 2 pm is not
included. Price and Inductee to be announced in 2008.
16 Vendor Booth Exhibit - REFRESHMENT ON SALE
Make check payable to American Deaf Exposition and
mail to: P.O. Box 251, Carle Place, NY 11514
For Hotel and Direction and Free Brochure, please check our web site:
WWW.NJDEAFEXPOSITION.COM and WWW.USADBO.COM
NOTE: 995 TICKETS LEFT ON SALE

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MILESTONES
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JIM SHARER, 43, BUSINESS OWNER, GLBT ACTIVIST

James Thomas (“Jim”) Sharer, a lifelong Dallas, Texas resident who attended the National Technical Institute for the Deaf in Rochester, NY. and worked as a regional manager for Sorenson Communications, died December 10 at the age of 43. According to a funeral home obituary, Mr. Sharer was preceded in death by his mother and three brothers, and is survived by his father, uncle, nephew and wife, and two great-nephews. Mr. Sharer was active in deaf GLBT organizations, including the Rainbow Alliance of the Deaf, and ran his own window- and gutter-cleaning business, Beary Clean Services.

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EMPLOYMENT
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You can advertise your job openings here for just $20 a week (up to 100 words, 10 cents each add'l word). Start spreading the news! To place your ad, send the announcement to mail@deafweekly.com.

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SouthWest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf (SWCID) is seeking nominations and accepting applications for Provost. The Provost is the lead administrator on issues related to SWCID and Deaf culture and education. Masters degree required. Doctorate preferred. 10 years related experience required. Knowledge of program development, budgeting, and computer resources. Proficiency in American Sign Language and comprehensive understanding of Deaf culture and education. Ability to provide creative leadership and a commitment to the principles of the Continuous Quality Improvement. Criminal background check required. Excellent benefits. For complete position notice and application, visit our website at www.howardcollege.edu.

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The SouthWest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf (SWCID) is seeking nominations and accepting applications for Dean of Student Services. Masters degree required. 5 years related experience required. A minimum of five years of progressive responsibility in student services demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of student development theory and current best practices in the field. Experience with collegiate extracurricular activities, a strong understanding of the deaf culture, and strong communications skills. Budget planning experience; knowledge of testing and assessment used with the deaf; fluency in American Sign Language. Criminal background check required. Excellent benefits. For complete position notice and application visit our website at www.howardcollege.edu.

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POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

ORGANIZATION:
Nevada Association of the Deaf (NVAD) Deaf and Hard of Hearing Advocacy Resource Center (DHHARC) is a statewide advocacy, resource, telecommunications distribution, and direct service center offering advocacy, referral and community education services throughout Nevada. The Headquarter is in Carson City with centers in Las Vegas and Reno.

GENERAL INFORMATION:
Type of appointment: Full-Time
Location: Position available in Carson City, Reno or Las Vegas
Posting date: December 19, 2007
Closing date: January 30, 2008

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
Responsible for leadership and management oversight of satellite offices
Responsible for strategic planning, advocacy and leadership direction of Deaf Community on behalf of the Association for the benefit of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Citizenry of Nevada and as approved by the Board of Directors. Develop plans identifying budgetary, fundraising and grant writing concerns for new programs and current programs; Submit funding proposals
Work with governmental, for profit and non-profit entities in developing and collaborating on programmatic goals that will focus on interagency agreements and shared social responsibilities on services that will be of benefit to deaf and hard of hearing individuals serving individuals from cradle to grave.
Responsible for coordinating, protecting and enforcing educational, interpreting, social services, legal and other related advocacy services and access to services statewide benefiting Deaf and Hard of Hearing populations.
Work with funding/budgetary partners in developing budget and executing fiscal goals for the association
Work with state legislation in developing and implementing programmatic and legislative goals
Be prepared to meet and justify performance outcomes and measure outcomes based on activities of DHHARC in the field
Ability to demonstrate Integrity, Ethics and Moral Leadership is required as the head of the agency
Analyzes Program Needs to develop or modify new/existing programs; Confers with DHHARC and other entities (such as PUC, ODS) and legislative bodies on strategic and budget needs of community programs in question
Plans and develops outreach and programmatic development needs of the organization as it pertains to community education, social services and community as it pertains to deafness, education, social services and other impacted areas as it pertains to deaf and hard of hearing communities.
Responsibilities as assigned by Executive Committee, or Executive Board of NVAD (Nevada Association of the Deaf)

SALARY:
$55,350 - $57,564 DOE, plus customary benefits. Salary will increase as additional grant funding is obtained.

WORK EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:
3-5 years of management experience specializing in employee relations, staff training and development and resource management
Demonstrated experience in strategic planning and measuring outcome by objectives
Excellent interpersonal skills
Fiscal experience and management experience required
Advocacy; Social Services/Human Services; and Non-Profit management experience preferred

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:
Masters in Public Administration or related field preferred; Bachelors of Arts/Science in related Human Services discipline required.

TO APPLY:
All applicants must submit a letter of interest, a resume and three letters of reference to DHHARC at: 1800 Highway 50 East Suite 205, Carson City, NV 89701

APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 5:00 PM ON OR BEFORE THE CLOSING DATE (January 30, 2008)

DHHARC selects applicants for employment based on job related knowledge, skills and abilities without regard to race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, or political affiliation.

For further information contact NVAD Board Vice-Chair Jana Vickers at 775-887-1060 V/TTY/VP.

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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.

-- Hard of Hearing Specialist - Riverside, CA
-- Community Advocate - Ventura, Los Angeles (2) and Riverside, CA
-- Administrative Assistant - Los Angeles, CA
-- Community Interpreter - Bakersfield, CA
-- Community Interpreter - Los Angeles, CA
-- Placement Coordinator - Riverside, Rancho Cucamonga, West Covina, Anaheim
-- Job Developer/Interpreter - Norwalk, Anaheim, Riverside

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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Program Coordinator

National Deaf Academy, a state of the art residential treatment facility serving Deaf children, adolescents and adults in a behavioral health setting, has an immediate opening for a Program Coordinator. A Master’s degree in counseling, Deaf education, social work and/or a related field is required. Must be licensed in Florida or license eligible from another state. This candidate must be fluent in ASL, English and have a strong knowledge of Deafness and Deaf Culture, as well as have good resources within the Deaf and/or Hard of Hearing community.

The Program Coordinator will carry a caseload of 5 and oversee our adult enhancement program, independent living skills program and expand our vocational program.

Competitive salary and excellent benefit package.

Send resume to:
Director of Human Resources, National Deaf Academy, 19650 US Hwy 441, Mt. Dora, FL 32757
Email: btashlein@nda.com
V: 352-735-9500 TTY 352-735-9570 Fax 352-735-4939 EOE

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