PUG Thanks Dr. Davila for Communications to the Gallaudet Community after Virginia Tech Shootings

 

PARENTS UNITED FOR GALLAUDET

 
 
April 25, 2007

 

Dear Dr. Davila,
  In light of the recent tragic shootings that took place at Virginia Tech, Parents United for Gallaudet, would like to thank you and your staff for the recent communications sent out to parents and families.  We appreciate having access to the latest information on events and happenings taking place on campus.  The safety of our students is always first on our minds. These communications are an important step forward in keeping parents and families up-to-date and linked to Gallaudet.  

Many Thanks!

Parents United for Gallaudet
Representatives
Tami Hossler, FL
Wilton McMillan, KY
Zibby Bayarsky, CA
LIz Katz, MD
Gail and Martin Kessel, DC

 
    
    
    
       

Nominations for Gallaudet Board of Trustees Members

Nominations of Board of Trustees Members

March 2, 2007

Pamela Holmes, ‘74, chair of the Board of Trustees announced a request for nominations of new members of the Gallaudet University Board of Trustees following today's meeting of the Board. New trustees will be selected to serve terms beginning in October 2007.
 
"We are seeking individuals who are dedicated to making Gallaudet a model of academic excellence and diversity," Holmes said. "We want dynamic individuals who are committed to active participation in Board and committee meetings and many other activities crucial to Gallaudet's mission."
 
Four documents have been made available by the Board's Committee on Trustees for those interested in submitting a nomination for themselves or another individual.
 
"These documents were created to make the role of a trustee, the criteria used, and the process as clear as possible," said. Dr. Harvey Goodstein, ‘65, chair of the Committee on Trustees. "We hope this additional transparency and clarity will result in a stellar group of candidates."

The documents are:

Trustee Selection Timelines
Gives deadlines for submissions, dates for review and voting by Board of Trustees. 

Trustee Duties and Additional Information:
Covers the number of trustees, duties and powers, committee responsibilities, term length, time requirements, voting, and compensation.

Trustee Nomination Process:
Explains establishment of the Board of Trustees, process for submitting nominations, preliminary and committee reviews, Board action and public announcement.

Trustee Selection Criteria:
Gives the qualities being sought in potential candidates.

After reviewing these documents, if you have additional questions, direct them to botnominations@gallaudet.edu   
 
Trustee Selection Criteria
Trustee Nomination Process
Trustee Duties and Additional Information
Trustee Selection Timelines

http://bot.gallaudet.edu/x3681.xml

PUG Meeting with Dr. Davila Jan. 13th 2007

Parents United for Gallaudet met with Dr. Robert Davila on Jan. 13, 2007.  

The purpose of the meeting was to introduce PUG to Dr. Davila, explain more about PUG and its role, to discuss current issues and concerns and lend PUG’s support to Dr. Davila in moving Gallaudet forward.  

Parents who attended were Frank and Diane Corrigan, Thelma Schroeder, Wilton McMillan, Tami Hossler, Liz Katz, Rick Hernandez, Gail Robinson and Jen Thomas.

The meeting was very successful and PUG looks forward to working together with Dr. Davila in continuing to support the students at Gallaudet.   

PUG Representatives to meet with President Davila

PUG representatives will be meeting with Gallaudet President, Dr. Robert Davila, January 13th at 1:00 p.m. in College Hall.

We will keep everyone posted.

Tami and Wilton

Welcome Message from Interim President Robert R. Davila

Office of the President
COLLEGE HALL
800 FLORIDA AVE. NE
WASHINGTON, DC 20002-3695

January 2, 2007

Dear Faculty, Teachers, Staff, Students, Alumni and Friends of Gallaudet University:
 
Today is my first day on the job as interim president. It is with a great sense of purpose and humility that I write to you. It is an honor and a privilege to come home and to have an opportunity to serve the community at Gallaudet University. I extend my personal thanks and appreciation to the Board of Trustees for appointing me and for demonstrating confidence in my ability to provide the leadership that will be required during my tenure.
As a community we have had a difficult year in 2006. Today we begin a new year. Together we can heal the hurt and seek greater understanding from one another. We have an opportunity to make Gallaudet an even better university and preserve its leadership role as the world's major resource for deaf and hard of hearing people. In the coming days and weeks, I will be looking forward to meeting as many of you as possible. I will be scheduling a number of opportunities for us to meet formally and informally. It is my intention for these meetings to be the beginning of ongoing dynamic conversations and exchanges among all of us, including other stakeholders from our national and international communities. Together, through open processes, we will define the challenges that lie before us and plan collectively to overcome them. Together we will find innovative solutions and make the hard choices that will assist our university to achieve greatness.
We are a diverse community of people with a wide range of backgrounds and ideas which draw strength from the shared passion and conviction that Gallaudet is a unique and valuable service organization. I am committed to providing capable leadership to find ways to ensure that everyone has a voice and that their ideas are valued. Together we can learn to respect, understand, and cherish each other and our diversity. This diversity of people and ideas is our strongest asset.
In the coming days I will be making some initial decisions about my administration. Some decisions will be immediate and others will involve a process of input and reflection. I anticipate that the coming days and months will engage us in conversations that will energize us and propel us along a unified path.

I ask for your support, your patience and your collective wisdom and energy. Working together, Gallaudet University will continue to have a bright and lasting future.

Warmest regards,
Robert R. Davila
President

You can view a video of President Davila’s message. Link at “Inside Gallaudet”

PUG Letter of Congratulation to Dr. Davila, Gallaudet Interim President

PARENTS UNITED FOR GALLAUDET


 
 
December 20, 2006
 
 
Dear Dr. Davila,
            On behalf of Parents United for Gallaudet (PUG), we would like to congratulate you on becoming Gallaudet's Interim President.  Our organization is made up of Gallaudet parents and families from across the nation. We continue to grow rapidly and have gone from 25 to several hundred in two months time. Our purpose is to support our children who are Gallaudet students.    
            Countless Gallaudet parents and families from all across the United States watched your speech on Sunday.  Your words were inspiring and they were words that through action will be of great service to healing the campus of Gallaudet and the Deaf Communities throughout the world.
            As you know, the events that transpired since last May were what brought the Deaf world together to stand behind those that began the protest. The issues became more than just removing Jane Fernandes as President Elect due to a flawed search process.  The steadfast conviction that the person who leads Gallaudet must be representative and respectful of the people who are being led resounded from every corner of the world.  The protest became a civil rights movement in freedom of speech, rights to assemble, democracy, and social justice.  
             As a result of Black Friday, October 13th, when 134 students were arrested by orders of Dr. Jordan, parents came together.  Many traveled great distances to be at Gallaudet during that time.  Those that couldn't were immediately communicated with via email.  Instant bonds were formed.  Our natural instinct to protect our children pulled us together. The students that were arrested are all our children.
            Throughout the protest, various parents from different parts of the country came to Gallaudet to protect their children from harm.  On October 19th, the first group of 25 parents came together and had a formal meeting with Dr. Jordan regarding events that were taking place on campus.  At that time, a variety of concerns were raised including the arrests, safety of students, and lack of communication between parents and administration with Dr. Jordan.  Unfortunately, our concerns were ignored.
             From there, in order to get accurate and up-to-date information on the events that were unfolding on campus, we found it necessary to organize, create a website, and a system of email communication.  We were able as a group to lobby Congress including such prominent offices as Senator Ted Kennedy, Senator John McCain, Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, Congressman Ray LaHood, Senator Tom Harkin, and Congressman Pete Stark.  In addition we meet with Gallaudet administrators, lent support to the students, faculty and staff at Gallaudet, and worked with other Stakeholders.
            This past October 31st, PUG became an official member on FSSA Leadership Council, and we hold two seats on the council.   On November 11th, we held a Breakfast meeting with eight Board of Trustee members in attendance.  We spoke mainly on "amnesty of reprisals" and asked for the Board of Trustee's support.  Through all the pain of seeing what our children had to endure in order to be heard during the protest and through similar pain of seeing those trying to deal with reprisals, this issue remains our top priority.  As parents, we could not be more proud of the students who stood up for their love of and belief in Gallaudet. They risked so much for the sake of the future of this University.  They are true heroes of Gallaudet.
             We remain a steadfast united organization of parents who are here to see that Gallaudet continues to thrive and move positively forward. You give us hope that you can make the changes necessary at Gallaudet to heal the community and campus while continuing to provide quality education.
             As you know, the Board of Trustees came back on December 14th with a statement that they will continue with Judicial Affairs proceedings.  The Campus memo from Pamela Holmes was sent on behalf of the BoT to the campus community that same night after PUG had just earlier that day sent her a request for the key constituencies to be heard in front of the Board. Although Pamela very kindly responded to our email, our request went unanswered.  (See our attached correspondence with Pamela Holmes on November 14th and her response.)
            It is apparent more than ever in history, that there is a huge communication breakdown happening on the campus of Gallaudet.  We hope that you will help open those lines of communication once again.  We would like to arrange a meeting with you soon after the first of the year. We would like to meet on Jan. 11th.  Wilton McMillan will be in contact with you to schedule such a meeting.
            Attached you will find our first meeting presentation with Dr. Jordan dated October 19th and our most recent letter to the Board of Trustees dated November 27th.   We wish you much success and look forward to working together with you and other key constituencies of Gallaudet.


Respectfully,
 
 
Parent Representatives for Parents United for Gallaudet
Wilton McMillan    Kentucky
Tami Hossler        Florida                       
Lizabeth Katz       Maryland                    
Zibby Bayarsky    California                    
Martin Kessel       Washington, DC          
 
 
cc:  Student Body Government
       FSSA
       Faculty Senate
       GUAA
       NAD
       Pamela Holmes, Chairperson BoT
         Michael Moore

Attachments (not posted):  PUG Meeting with Jordan
                                            PUG Letter to BoT-Reprisals
                                             PUG Correspondence with Pamela Holmes