The Nation - News from March 13, 1988

Gallaudet University’s board of trustees planned to meet today to discuss picking a new president for the school for the deaf days after massive student protests prompted the hearing person chosen for that post to resign. Students at the nation’s only liberal arts school for the deaf said they hoped the meeting will bring about their demand for the nation’s first deaf university president. The Washington campus was shut down for five days last week by student protests after Elisabeth Ann Zinser, who can hear and does not know sign language, was appointed by the board last week over two deaf candidates. Faced with student outrage, Zinser stepped down Friday. Meanwhile, student protesters, meeting on campus, prepared for more demonstrations, demanding the ouster of board chairwoman Jane Bassett Spilman, a deaf majority on the 20-member board and amnesty for student protesters.