Student protest shutters school

WASHINGTON -- Students and alumni are blocking gates to Washington's Gallaudet University, shutting down the school for the deaf and demanding the resignation of its incoming president.

Hundreds of protesters locked arms yesterday, forming a human chain that kept administrators and reporters off campus. Banging drums and speaking through interpreters, the demonstrators said that provost Jane Fernandes has not been sensitive to the needs of the student body.

``I'm here because we have a failure in leadership," student Tara Holcomb said.

Holcomb, 21, said the school has been plagued by discrimination, mistreatment of students by campus security, and insensitive leadership.

Several calls and a message left for Fernandes were not immediately returned. The number listed for Gallaudet president I. King Jordan was constantly busy.

Mercy Coogan, the university's director of public affairs, denied entrance by the students, said the administration is exploring bringing in outside negotiators.

``We've all along been negotiating with the president of student government," she said. ``It can't be in a public forum where everyone's throwing out their opinions."

Protests over Fernandes's appointment began when it was announced last May, and have returned with the start of school .

Jordan became Gallaudet's first deaf president when students protested the appointment of a hearing person to the position in 1988, according to the website. Fernandes, who is deaf, will assume the post in January.