I. King Jordan
Encyclopedia
Irving King Jordan became, in 1988, the first deaf president of Gallaudet University
, the world's only university with all programs and services designed specifically for students who are deaf and hard of hearing. That year Gallaudet students, with support from many alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the University, protested the Board of Trustees' appointment of a hearing person to the presidency.
Called Deaf President Now
(DPN), the week-long protest was a watershed event in the lives of deaf and hard-of-hearing people all over the world. At its conclusion, the Board reversed its decision and named Jordan, one of three finalists for the position, the eighth president of Gallaudet and the first deaf president since the institution was established in 1864.
His persistent support for then-Provost Jane Fernandes as his successor as Gallaudet's president in 2006 greatly diminished his influence and respect in the deaf community as a result.
in the U.S. state
of Pennsylvania
. Jordan was born to hearing parents, with no other instances of deafness in his family. After graduating from high school, Penncrest High School, in 1962, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy
and served four years. Jordan became deaf at age 21 when, while driving a motorcycle without a helmet, he was flung into the windshield of a car and suffered a skull fracture.
Jordan earned his doctorate in psychology. He was serving as the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Gallaudet University
when he was chosen as candidate for the university presidency. As professor, department chair, dean, and president, Jordan has made numerous scholarly contributions to his field. In addition, he has been a research fellow at Donaldson's School for the Deaf in Edinburgh
, Scotland
, an exchange scholar at Jagiellonian University
in Krakow
, Poland
, and a visiting scholar and lecturer at schools in the French cities of Paris
, Toulouse
, and Marseille
.
Jordan and his wife, Linda, live in West River, Maryland. They have two grown children and two grandchildren. Jordan loves running daily. , he continues to run the Marine Corps Marathon
each year. He was a co-founder of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD)
, and the Distinguished Leadership Award from the National Association for Community Leadership. In 1990, President Bush
appointed Jordan Vice Chair of the President's Committee on Employment of People with disabilities.
On campus, he was widely applauded for his successful efforts to increase funding, including funds for the expansion and construction of two new large-scale centers for education research and support.
On Thursday, September 1, 2005, Jordan announced his intentions to retire from the presidency effective December 31, 2006.
Jordan became the subject of controversy himself when he defended the controversial decision made on May 1, 2006 by the Board of Trustees to appoint Dr. Jane Fernandes
as president designate. The announcement of her selection set off a campus-wide protest.
Critics claim that Fernandes was not highly regarded by both the faculty and students, and many deeply suspect Jordan orchestrated her ascension for personal reasons. Jordan, taking a line from page 10 of the 1995 book, "Deaf President Now" (by Christiansen and Barnartt), publicly accused some critics of rejecting Fernandes because she was allegedly not "deaf enough". They replied that such a charge is off-base, because Jordan himself was accepted as president, even though he did not become deaf until he was 21. The protesters insisted that they protested for more profound reasons, such as Fernandes' character, leadership, and policies.
On October 13, 2006, Jordan ordered mass arrests of Gallaudet University students at the 6th street gate. Dubbed as Black Friday, a total of 135 student-protesters were arrested. The bail was originally set at $250 as requested by Jordan. The D.C. Metropolitan Police later decided to set it at $50. This set off even larger protest the following day estimated at 1,000 people.
On October 29, 2006 the Gallaudet Board of Trustees met and voted to rescind Fernandes's contract to be the Ninth President of Gallaudet.
He retired from the Gallaudet faculty in December 2008.
Gallaudet University
Gallaudet University is a federally-chartered university for the education of the deaf and hard of hearing, located in the District of Columbia, U.S...
, the world's only university with all programs and services designed specifically for students who are deaf and hard of hearing. That year Gallaudet students, with support from many alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the University, protested the Board of Trustees' appointment of a hearing person to the presidency.
Called Deaf President Now
Deaf President Now
Deaf President Now was a student protest at Gallaudet University. The university, established by an act of Congress in 1864 to serve the Deaf, had always been led by a hearing president...
(DPN), the week-long protest was a watershed event in the lives of deaf and hard-of-hearing people all over the world. At its conclusion, the Board reversed its decision and named Jordan, one of three finalists for the position, the eighth president of Gallaudet and the first deaf president since the institution was established in 1864.
His persistent support for then-Provost Jane Fernandes as his successor as Gallaudet's president in 2006 greatly diminished his influence and respect in the deaf community as a result.
Background
Jordan is a native of Glen Ridge, a small town near PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. Jordan was born to hearing parents, with no other instances of deafness in his family. After graduating from high school, Penncrest High School, in 1962, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and served four years. Jordan became deaf at age 21 when, while driving a motorcycle without a helmet, he was flung into the windshield of a car and suffered a skull fracture.
Jordan earned his doctorate in psychology. He was serving as the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Gallaudet University
Gallaudet University
Gallaudet University is a federally-chartered university for the education of the deaf and hard of hearing, located in the District of Columbia, U.S...
when he was chosen as candidate for the university presidency. As professor, department chair, dean, and president, Jordan has made numerous scholarly contributions to his field. In addition, he has been a research fellow at Donaldson's School for the Deaf in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, an exchange scholar at Jagiellonian University
Jagiellonian University
The Jagiellonian University was established in 1364 by Casimir III the Great in Kazimierz . It is the oldest university in Poland, the second oldest university in Central Europe and one of the oldest universities in the world....
in Krakow
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, and a visiting scholar and lecturer at schools in the French cities of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
, and Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
.
Jordan and his wife, Linda, live in West River, Maryland. They have two grown children and two grandchildren. Jordan loves running daily. , he continues to run the Marine Corps Marathon
Marine Corps Marathon
The Marine Corps Marathon is an annual marathon held in Arlington, Virginia and Washington, DC. The mission of the MCM is to promote physical fitness, generate community goodwill and showcase the organizational skills of the United States Marine Corps....
each year. He was a co-founder of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD)
American Association of People with Disabilities
The American Association of People with Disabilities is a 501 non-profit organization in Washington, DC., which advocates for the legal rights of people with disabilities...
Presidency
Jordan became president of the university on March 13, 1988, after the Deaf President Now Protest. He holds eleven honorary degrees and is the recipient of numerous awards, among them: the Presidential Citizen's Medal, the Washingtonian of the Year Award, the James L. Fisher Award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), the Larry Stewart Award from the American Psychological AssociationAmerican Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States. It is the world's largest association of psychologists with around 154,000 members including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. The APA...
, and the Distinguished Leadership Award from the National Association for Community Leadership. In 1990, President Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
appointed Jordan Vice Chair of the President's Committee on Employment of People with disabilities.
On campus, he was widely applauded for his successful efforts to increase funding, including funds for the expansion and construction of two new large-scale centers for education research and support.
On Thursday, September 1, 2005, Jordan announced his intentions to retire from the presidency effective December 31, 2006.
Jordan became the subject of controversy himself when he defended the controversial decision made on May 1, 2006 by the Board of Trustees to appoint Dr. Jane Fernandes
Jane Fernandes
Jane Kelleher Fernandes is a deaf educator and is the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the University of North Carolina Asheville as of July 1, 2008. Dr. Fernandes was the former President Designate of Gallaudet University...
as president designate. The announcement of her selection set off a campus-wide protest.
Critics claim that Fernandes was not highly regarded by both the faculty and students, and many deeply suspect Jordan orchestrated her ascension for personal reasons. Jordan, taking a line from page 10 of the 1995 book, "Deaf President Now" (by Christiansen and Barnartt), publicly accused some critics of rejecting Fernandes because she was allegedly not "deaf enough". They replied that such a charge is off-base, because Jordan himself was accepted as president, even though he did not become deaf until he was 21. The protesters insisted that they protested for more profound reasons, such as Fernandes' character, leadership, and policies.
On October 13, 2006, Jordan ordered mass arrests of Gallaudet University students at the 6th street gate. Dubbed as Black Friday, a total of 135 student-protesters were arrested. The bail was originally set at $250 as requested by Jordan. The D.C. Metropolitan Police later decided to set it at $50. This set off even larger protest the following day estimated at 1,000 people.
On October 29, 2006 the Gallaudet Board of Trustees met and voted to rescind Fernandes's contract to be the Ninth President of Gallaudet.
He retired from the Gallaudet faculty in December 2008.