When conducting research for my daily postings to this blog, I always try to find something favorable about colleges and universities that have programs in business administration. But sometimes that is a difficult task. A case in point is Gallaudet University, a liberal arts school in Washington, D. C. for hea
ring-impaired students.
Gallaudet was founded in the nation's capital in 1864, and over the years has established itself as preeminent in the specialized field of education for deaf and hearing-impaired students. Although primarily a liberal arts college, it has steadily expanded its course offerings, and presently it offers majors in business administration, computer science and related fields.
In 2001 the school created a hearing undergraduate (HUG) program in order to admit students who did not have a hearing disability, but who knew American Sign Language. By the fall of 2006 the total school enrollment was 1,832 students.
The school is expensive. Despite the fact that it receives a federal subsidy of $108 million annually, the total cost per semester is $11,666 for U.S. students, an amount that covers tuition, room and board and all fees. The comparable cost for international students is $16,931 per semester.
The problem at Gallaudet nowadays is that the school has a reputation as a hotbed of student discontent. Approximately 19 years ago, students demanding a non-hearing president conducted raucous protests until their demand was met. When he retired in 2006, the Board of Trustees named the provost, Jane Fernandes, to replace him. Ms. Fernandes was a hearing impaired person, but students again protested, allegedly on the grounds that she "wasn't deaf enough." The Board of Trustees backed down and named someone else.
All of this has had a telling effect on the school. Staff and students are leaving, tired of the constant disruptions on campus by agitated students. The overall enrollement dropped to 1,673 in the spring of 2007, and the accrediting agency, MSCHE, placed the school on probation. The school's business program still lacks accreditation by AACSB.
Hearing-impaired students may have no choice but to attend Gallaudet, but others should avoid it.
You didn't do enough research into the issue. There's so much more to this than what you realize.
The students had very good reasons for protesting, both in 1988 and now 2006. They hold high standards for themselves and they want Gallaudet to improve. Instead of criticizing them, you should be praising them.
Posted by: anonymous | July 16, 2007 7:44 AM | Permalink to Comment