Contact Dr Karen Dilka Eastern Kentucky University Date

Contact: Dr. Karen Dilka Eastern Kentucky University • Date submitted to deafed. net – May 29, 2007 • To contact the author for permission to use this Power. Point, please e-mail: Karen. Dilka@EKU. EDU • To use this Power. Point presentation in its entirety, please give credit to the author.

First Deaf President of Gallaudet University

The Beginnings It’s a BOY!!! • Born June 16, 1943 in Glen Riddle, Pennsylvania • grew up with two sisters

Education • Not a hard working student in high school • C average • “Class Clown” • 1962 Graduate of Penncrest High School

Military Experience Joined the Navy after graduation Served for 4 years Spent one year aboard the U. S. S. Enterprise and the U. S. S. Intrepid

Turning Point In 1965, at the age of 21 he was struck by a car while riding his motorcycle The accident caused him severe cranial trauma and left him severely deaf Expected to die or become a vegetable

Deaf for Lif e Disbelief Only Temporary Learn Sing Language d e r a c S • First believed condition was temporary, did not want to learn sign language

Dr. Jordan said, “You would believe the accident would have narrowed my world, limited me. It did the exact opposite. I started to pay attention to the world instead of taking it for granted. ”

King goes to Gallaudet • After realizing he was permanently deaf, he enrolled in Gallaudet University as a freshman in 1966 • During his freshman year, he met his future wife, Linda

New New. Beginnings • Married Linda Marie Kephart on October 12, 1968. • Linda was an elementary school teacher • Had two children, King III and Heidi

College Education B. A. in Psychology, Gallaudet University, 1970 M. A. in 1971 and Ph. D in Psychology in 1973 both from the University of Tennessee

Served as fellow and scholar in: Toulouse, and Marseille France. Poland Scotland Paris

Degrees and Awards Dr. I King Jordan • Eight honorary degrees and has been the recipient of numerous awards…Freedom Award, Courage Center Award, Washingtonian of the Year Award, and the Distinguished Leadership Award, and appointed Vice-Chair of the President’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities.

Return to Gallaudet • In 1973, he returns to Gallaudet University as Assistant Professor of Psychology

Rise to the top • In 1983 he was named Chairman of the Department of Pyschology • Then, in 1986 he became Dean of the College of Arts and Science

Gallaudet’s Search for a President • The criterion for becoming President was two-fold. The successful candidate would have previous administrative experience and a deep and broad knowledge of deafness • The selection committee received 87 applications. The first cut narrowed the field to 25, the second cut narrowed it to 18

The search continues • Dr. Jordan was one of the early applicants for the position of President and one of the remaining 18 after the second cut • He also made third cut, which narrowed the applicant pool to 6 • The remaining 6 candidates interviewed with eight different representative campus groups • A final cut was made limiting the applicant pool to a list of 3 candidates: two deaf and one who was hearing

The Board of Trustees Names A President • “After the last interview, I was sure I had the job, ” said Jordan. “I went home that night and told Linda that I had done really well in all the interviews, and felt confident that I would be Gallaudet’s next President. ” • The Board of Trustees, however, named Elizabeth Zinser the new President of Gallaudet University

“Deaf President Now” Protest” • Students were outraged because they felt Zinser knew nothing about deafness; she didn’t even know sign language • King backed off because he felt, that as Dean, he should support the decision of the Board of Trustees

Sure I'm a dean and should support the Board of Trustees, but I'm also deaf and will be for the rest of my life, and that's more important. ". . . -I. King Jordan

King’s Participation in the Protest • On March 10, 1988 King changed his position and publicly announced he supported the protest despite his position as Dean. He was even prepared to resign his position as Dean • The next day, Board members Spilman and Zinser resigned, and King was named President of Gallaudet University

Works Cited • www. oswegoboces. org/distancelearning/studentw ork/drikingjordan. htm • http: //clerccenter. gallaudet. edu/dpn/activities/fc 1 re view. html. • http: //www. microsoft. com/enable/news/jordan 97. htm • http: //www. deaf. net/news. htm • Deaf Mosaic Video Series; Video #11 “Deaf President Now” • Gannon, Jack R. “The Week the World Heard Gallaudet. ” Gallaudet University Press. 1989