Incoming Gallaudet President Hurwitz keeping many roots in Rochester
Alan Hurwitz heads for Washington, D.C., next month to become president of Gallaudet University — the world's leading liberal arts institution for the deaf.
But he realizes that much of his future life will remain anchored in Rochester.
He forged his career at Gallaudet's traditional rival: the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, or NTID, one of eight colleges at Rochester Institute of Technology. Joining as a science professor in 1970, he became its first deaf dean in 1998 and president in 2008.
After 39 years, he's not willing to pull up roots. He and his wife, Vicki, will keep their Pittsford home when they move into House One — the elegant president's mansion on Gallaudet's campus.
"Rochester is far and away the most deaf-friendly town I've ever been to," said Hurwitz, speaking American Sign Language through interpreter Doney Oatman. "We intend to retire here.
"Our son, Bernard, and his family live nearby and we have many friends in the area. This will be our getaway from Gallaudet."
Two ground-breaking projects also will keep him commuting from Washington.
He plans to begin a partnership between NTID and Gallaudet to train health care workers.
"There's a critical shortage of health care professionals who can communicate with deaf and hard-of-hearing patients," he said. "I want to start this as soon as possible."
Students would begin their studies at Gallaudet, and go to NTID for technical courses. Hurwitz hopes to tap the expertise of two Rochester institutions.
Rochester General Hospital would provide internships, and UR's National Center on Deaf Health Research could share its expertise on promoting health care for deaf populations. Preliminary talks with them should begin early next year, and a national task force will be formed to shape the program, Hurwitz said.
He also has launched a new service at NTID to aid veterans who lost hearing in Iraq or Afghanistan.
"Many troops do not use hearing protection while out on missions," RIT said in a statement, citing reports from military doctors. "They feel that it affects their ability to do their job."
An estimated 70,000 soldiers suffered hearing losses in combat, the Department of Veterans Affairs estimates.
"Serving them is our responsibility, by virtue of our expertise in hearing loss," Hurwitz said.
Next year, NTID will help such veterans with communications skills and psychological support. With the help of interpreters and note-takers, some may enter RIT degree programs. RIT is a Yellow Ribbon College offering low-cost tuition to recent veterans.
Hurwitz's dual residency in Rochester and Washington might seem like having the best of both worlds. In fact, Gallaudet's offer sent his life into turmoil this past summer. He hadn't applied for the presidency, intending to finish his career at NTID. But Gallaudet wouldn't take no for an answer.
"By July, I was steamrolling along with three other candidates," he said. "My interviews went well. But right up to Gallaudet's decision (on Oct. 18), Vicki and I weren't sure what we'd do.
"Even now, we get up in the morning and look at each other: Is this really happening? It's a wild transition, everything's moving so quickly!"
At times, he becomes acutely aware of the new public spotlight aimed at him.
"Gallaudet has a lot of history, a lot of pride," he said. "I'm trying to hit the ground running. ... I view this as a call to national service, because Gallaudet needs new leadership."
He interrupted his move early this month to fly to Moscow. He and fellow NTID leader James J. DeCaro met with the leaders of Russia's largest deaf organizations. (DeCaro is NTID's interim president while it conducts a national search for its next leader.)
"It is indeed December in Moscow!" DeCaro wrote, shivering by e-mail. "We have been discussing ways that NTID and Gallaudet can work collaboratively with the organizations, to improve the circumstances of deaf people in Russian postsecondary education."
Just before his trip to Russia, Hurwitz decided to take a rare breather at home.
Dressed in blue jeans and loafers, he welcomed a few friends with easy cordiality. But even in repose, Hurwitz is notably intense. He signs pensively but with great gusto. Each emphatic gesture advances a point of logic, like a drillmaster marshaling his troops.
This sense of methodical drive has propelled Hurwitz's entire career.
Deaf since birth, he was raised by deaf parents in Sioux City, Iowa. His mother made sure that he read plenty of stories about successful deaf people — useful role models when he became the only deaf student at a large public high school.
"It was often a lonely experience," he said of that time. "But I was good at football, basketball and baseball, and made some friends that way."
Yet his firmly ingrained habit of self-reliance and his expert lip-reading soon came to his aid. He excelled as an electrical engineering major at Washington University, St. Louis. That led to five years as an engineer and programmer in that city's McDonnell Douglas aerospace company.
He first began using sign-language interpreters at the University of Rochester, where he earned a doctorate in education. His newfound teaching skills and science background were fully exploited at NTID, which saw major changes during his tenure.
In 1970, 85 percent of NTID's 339 students came from residential schools for the deaf. Today, 65 percent of its 1,474 students attended mainstreamed public schools.
They use a wide variety of communication modes, including American Sign Language, lip reading and real-time captioning. Teachers at NTID and Gallaudet are still stretching to meet their students' classroom needs.
With such a diverse population, Hurwitz saw the need for a central gathering place. In 2005, he opened the $4.5 million CSD Student Development Center housing the student government, multicultural clubs and a communication center.
He has made a point of experiencing student life first-hand, sometimes living in dormitories for several days to inspect conditions. One of his roommates last summer was Shonathan Lawrence, a student from Columbus, Ga.
"He was very friendly and told us some things about his personal life," said Lawrence, 20. "I've shared much of his wisdom and learned a lot from him."
Outside of NTID, the Hurwitzes both have been active in Rochester organizations serving deaf and hard-of-hearing residents. Vicki co-founded Deaf Women of Rochester, while Alan served two decades on the board of Rochester School for the Deaf.
"I'll miss having Alan and Vicki close by," RSD Superintendent Harold Mowl said in an e-mail. "They're genuine people who enjoy life immensely and care deeply about people."
The local deaf community will throw the Hurwitzes a farewell party at RSD today.
At Gallaudet, the Hurwitzes will find a relatively tranquil campus. But that school has witnessed student turmoil that made worldwide headlines over the last two decades.
In 1988, students staged successful protests to install Gallaudet's first deaf president: I. King Jordan. The unrest revived in 2006, when provost Jane K. Fernandes was named his successor.
Deaf from birth, she didn't learn to sign until age 23. Students who invested their cultural identity in American Sign Language judged her "not deaf enough" and occupied the campus. More than 100 were arrested before Robert Davila, NTID's first deaf CEO, was appointed president.
Hurwitz's appointment was greeted enthusiastically this fall, and his wife expects a smooth transition as Gallaudet's first lady.
She brings strong credentials to her new role. She was a student development coordinator at NTID and directed RSD's outreach center. She also moonlights as her husband's main cheerleader.
"We plan to have dinner and lunch parties at House One," she said. "I want students to come over and feel comfortable to talk with me. This won't be an ivory tower."
But next May, Alan will venture from House One to the ultimate tower of power — the White House.
"Barack Obama and I will be signing Gallaudet diplomas," he said, beaming at the thought of presidential friendship flowing along with the ink. "Well, I'm signing. Maybe he'll use a rubber stamp."
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
City may shut down group home for deaf teens
City may shut down group home for deaf teens
The City of Albuquerque could shut down a home that helps several deaf teens, because of a large number of police calls.
Police have been called to the La Familia group home for the deaf dozens of times, and the woman in charge says she’s doing the best she can.
The home sits on a quiet northeast Albuquerque cul-de-sac, meant to blend in with the neighborhood, but multiple police calls show that crime is standing out.
Back in June, a teen threatened to kill staff members, and in March, staff and a client were punched and slapped and a window was broken.
One neighbor said “It’s like living next to a mental hospital with a couple 7-11s thrown in for parking.”
The city says the excessive police reports are enough to warrant revoking the group home’s license, so the city will hold a public meeting next year.
La Familia CEO Beverly Nomberg says many of the teens have been abused or neglected, and all of them have communication problems.
Nomberg says she’s afraid the city will force them out of the house.
"Of course I'm worried that that could happen. Because then I have children living there that I have to figure out another place for them to live," she said.
She says they’ve taken steps to minimize problems in the house, including additional training for staff.
"We're very sorry if it's disruptive to the community and we've tried to minimize that. And we will continue to try to minimize that," she said.
The zoning hearing is set for January 11, then the zoning administrator will have 15 days to make a decision on La Familia’s future.
The City of Albuquerque could shut down a home that helps several deaf teens, because of a large number of police calls.
Police have been called to the La Familia group home for the deaf dozens of times, and the woman in charge says she’s doing the best she can.
The home sits on a quiet northeast Albuquerque cul-de-sac, meant to blend in with the neighborhood, but multiple police calls show that crime is standing out.
Back in June, a teen threatened to kill staff members, and in March, staff and a client were punched and slapped and a window was broken.
One neighbor said “It’s like living next to a mental hospital with a couple 7-11s thrown in for parking.”
The city says the excessive police reports are enough to warrant revoking the group home’s license, so the city will hold a public meeting next year.
La Familia CEO Beverly Nomberg says many of the teens have been abused or neglected, and all of them have communication problems.
Nomberg says she’s afraid the city will force them out of the house.
"Of course I'm worried that that could happen. Because then I have children living there that I have to figure out another place for them to live," she said.
She says they’ve taken steps to minimize problems in the house, including additional training for staff.
"We're very sorry if it's disruptive to the community and we've tried to minimize that. And we will continue to try to minimize that," she said.
The zoning hearing is set for January 11, then the zoning administrator will have 15 days to make a decision on La Familia’s future.
Combat veterans going deaf
Combat veterans going deaf
More than two-thirds of British troops returning from Afghanistan are suffering from severe and permanent hearing damage, according to the most comprehensive study into one of the less well-known side-effects of the conflict in Helmand.
Internal defence documents reveal that of 1250 Royal Marine commandos who served in Afghanistan, 69 per cent suffered hearing damage due to the intense noise of combat.
The findings indicate that complaints such as tinnitus or almost complete deafness among combat troops are considerably greater than previously reported.
One audiologist said the report revealed that hearing loss was endemic among Afghan veterans, with many suffering defects that could bar them from frontline service.
The intensity of the conflict in Helmand and its close-combat fighting, roadside devices and the noise of low-flying coalition aircraft caused the problems, according to the British Ministry of Defence study.
The report, dated December 7 and written by military consultant surgeon Chris Pearson, warns that the known scale of the problem might prove to be the "tip of the iceberg" because only the most severe forms of hearing loss, grave enough to bar troops from frontline service, are officially reported.
Professor Mark Haggard, honorary vice-president of Deafness Research UK, which is working with the MoD to resolve the problem, said: "The issue has become systemic, endemic.
Combat gunfire and explosions mean significant numbers are turning up with significant hearing problems."
Hearing tests were conducted on 1254 troops from 42 Commando Royal Marines following their six-month tour in Helmand between April and October 2008. Analysis by the defence audiology service found that 865 of the Marines displayed signs of severe hearing damage caused by loud noise. Of these, 410 were classified as more extreme cases.
Pearson concluded that 69 per cent of the Royal Marines had "audiometric evidence consistent with NIHL [noise-induced hearing loss]".
British employers must not subject staff to noise levels over 85 decibels for prolonged periods. Haggard said the blast of a gun or "medium" explosion measured 140dB, equivalent to hearing a jet plane taking off about 40m away. The sound of a pneumatic drill at 2m distance measures 126dB while an alarm clock is 90dB. The normal pain threshold is around 120dB.
The MoD study also points towards major problems among reservists deployed to Helmand. Pearson's report reveals that one in 10 Territorial Army recruits also experienced a significant degree of hearing loss following their tour of duty which was "unlikely to be due to anything other than noise or blast".
Tests comparing the Royal Marines from Afghanistan with service personnel from an RAF base in the UK found that 17.7 per cent had severe ear damage compared with 5.2 per cent of the RAF personnel.
The MoD report also scrutinised in detail the medical records of 73 soldiers who had served in Helmand province and found that 67 had problems with their hearing. Of these 39 were diagnosed with noise-induced hearing loss with 16 new cases of hearing problems thought to be from "blast injury".
A MoD spokesman said they were trying out new ear protection: "The system uses a custom moulded earplug with an inbuilt microphone to cut the noise impact of loud explosions while still giving the wearer the ability to hear colleagues. Feedback from trials with soldiers in training and in theatre have allowed the rapid development of new earplugs that stay in place."
More than two-thirds of British troops returning from Afghanistan are suffering from severe and permanent hearing damage, according to the most comprehensive study into one of the less well-known side-effects of the conflict in Helmand.
Internal defence documents reveal that of 1250 Royal Marine commandos who served in Afghanistan, 69 per cent suffered hearing damage due to the intense noise of combat.
The findings indicate that complaints such as tinnitus or almost complete deafness among combat troops are considerably greater than previously reported.
One audiologist said the report revealed that hearing loss was endemic among Afghan veterans, with many suffering defects that could bar them from frontline service.
The intensity of the conflict in Helmand and its close-combat fighting, roadside devices and the noise of low-flying coalition aircraft caused the problems, according to the British Ministry of Defence study.
The report, dated December 7 and written by military consultant surgeon Chris Pearson, warns that the known scale of the problem might prove to be the "tip of the iceberg" because only the most severe forms of hearing loss, grave enough to bar troops from frontline service, are officially reported.
Professor Mark Haggard, honorary vice-president of Deafness Research UK, which is working with the MoD to resolve the problem, said: "The issue has become systemic, endemic.
Combat gunfire and explosions mean significant numbers are turning up with significant hearing problems."
Hearing tests were conducted on 1254 troops from 42 Commando Royal Marines following their six-month tour in Helmand between April and October 2008. Analysis by the defence audiology service found that 865 of the Marines displayed signs of severe hearing damage caused by loud noise. Of these, 410 were classified as more extreme cases.
Pearson concluded that 69 per cent of the Royal Marines had "audiometric evidence consistent with NIHL [noise-induced hearing loss]".
British employers must not subject staff to noise levels over 85 decibels for prolonged periods. Haggard said the blast of a gun or "medium" explosion measured 140dB, equivalent to hearing a jet plane taking off about 40m away. The sound of a pneumatic drill at 2m distance measures 126dB while an alarm clock is 90dB. The normal pain threshold is around 120dB.
The MoD study also points towards major problems among reservists deployed to Helmand. Pearson's report reveals that one in 10 Territorial Army recruits also experienced a significant degree of hearing loss following their tour of duty which was "unlikely to be due to anything other than noise or blast".
Tests comparing the Royal Marines from Afghanistan with service personnel from an RAF base in the UK found that 17.7 per cent had severe ear damage compared with 5.2 per cent of the RAF personnel.
The MoD report also scrutinised in detail the medical records of 73 soldiers who had served in Helmand province and found that 67 had problems with their hearing. Of these 39 were diagnosed with noise-induced hearing loss with 16 new cases of hearing problems thought to be from "blast injury".
A MoD spokesman said they were trying out new ear protection: "The system uses a custom moulded earplug with an inbuilt microphone to cut the noise impact of loud explosions while still giving the wearer the ability to hear colleagues. Feedback from trials with soldiers in training and in theatre have allowed the rapid development of new earplugs that stay in place."
Deaf-blind residents have all of the comforts of home
Deaf-blind residents have all of the comforts of home
Politicians and visitors got a close-up look Saturday at one of the city's most valuable group home settings, Lions McInnes House on Henry Street.
"It's given her a life," Eleanor Young of Wartburg, Ont., said of her 50-year-old daughter Cathy, during the facility's annual open house.
"She can do anything in the community with help of an intervener; she's involved in activities like swimming and karaoke."
Cathy Young, like all of the 13 residents of Lions McInnes House, is deaf-blind. She has some vision, however, enough to understand sign language when the speaker's hands are close.
Cathy thinks of Lions McInnes as home, she confirmed, adding that she likes it there, has many friends and will be going home with mom for Christmas.
Cathy is a gregarious woman, and was curious about the attention being shown Saturday by the many visitors. Flash photography brought a smile and a reporter taking notes led to an up-close inspection of pen working on paper.
"It's great here," Eleanor said. "I remember when she was coming out of W. Ross (Macdonald School for the Blind), wondering, 'What's going to happen?' "Thank God for the Lions clubs. As the mother of a child, you worry about their future . . . . Lions clubs came along (with help) at the right time."
The residents get support around the clock, with 35 interveners available to them in addition to administration and staff.
It takes a special person to be an intervener, executive director Joan Brintnell said.
"In hiring interviews, the biggest thing is that they come in and learn about the clients and the philosophy of intervention," she said. "Because there's very limited post-secondary education for interveners, most of them learn here, on the spot."
Essentially, the spirit is one of assisted independence. The intervener goes everywhere with the res- ident, finds out what they need or want, and tries to help them secure that. Not every intervener is the right person for the job.
"Everyone has a variety of needs. Sometimes they'll need a different person to go to work than go to the bar and have a drink," Brintnell said. The most important thing is a willingness on behalf of both the client and the intervener to keep on learning.
"We never stop," she said. "There's no end to the client's learning and no end to our learning."
Lions McInnes House has four three-bedroom apartments and two one-bedroom apartments. It has a couple of big anniversaries coming up in June: 25 years in operation and 10 at this location.
In addition to meeting residents' needs, Brintnell said, the house also works to help the estimated 100 to 150 deaf-blind people throughout the province. Many of them would like similar placement but there simply isn't enough room or support.
"Most of our clients have been here for some time," Brintnell said. "If there's an opening, we let the Canadian Deaf-Blind Association know.
"And when people do come to visit, we want them to realize that unless someone moves out, there may not be a spot."
Politicians and visitors got a close-up look Saturday at one of the city's most valuable group home settings, Lions McInnes House on Henry Street.
"It's given her a life," Eleanor Young of Wartburg, Ont., said of her 50-year-old daughter Cathy, during the facility's annual open house.
"She can do anything in the community with help of an intervener; she's involved in activities like swimming and karaoke."
Cathy Young, like all of the 13 residents of Lions McInnes House, is deaf-blind. She has some vision, however, enough to understand sign language when the speaker's hands are close.
Cathy thinks of Lions McInnes as home, she confirmed, adding that she likes it there, has many friends and will be going home with mom for Christmas.
Cathy is a gregarious woman, and was curious about the attention being shown Saturday by the many visitors. Flash photography brought a smile and a reporter taking notes led to an up-close inspection of pen working on paper.
"It's great here," Eleanor said. "I remember when she was coming out of W. Ross (Macdonald School for the Blind), wondering, 'What's going to happen?' "Thank God for the Lions clubs. As the mother of a child, you worry about their future . . . . Lions clubs came along (with help) at the right time."
The residents get support around the clock, with 35 interveners available to them in addition to administration and staff.
It takes a special person to be an intervener, executive director Joan Brintnell said.
"In hiring interviews, the biggest thing is that they come in and learn about the clients and the philosophy of intervention," she said. "Because there's very limited post-secondary education for interveners, most of them learn here, on the spot."
Essentially, the spirit is one of assisted independence. The intervener goes everywhere with the res- ident, finds out what they need or want, and tries to help them secure that. Not every intervener is the right person for the job.
"Everyone has a variety of needs. Sometimes they'll need a different person to go to work than go to the bar and have a drink," Brintnell said. The most important thing is a willingness on behalf of both the client and the intervener to keep on learning.
"We never stop," she said. "There's no end to the client's learning and no end to our learning."
Lions McInnes House has four three-bedroom apartments and two one-bedroom apartments. It has a couple of big anniversaries coming up in June: 25 years in operation and 10 at this location.
In addition to meeting residents' needs, Brintnell said, the house also works to help the estimated 100 to 150 deaf-blind people throughout the province. Many of them would like similar placement but there simply isn't enough room or support.
"Most of our clients have been here for some time," Brintnell said. "If there's an opening, we let the Canadian Deaf-Blind Association know.
"And when people do come to visit, we want them to realize that unless someone moves out, there may not be a spot."
Group’s £3m gift to deaf charity
Group’s £3m gift to deaf charity
The Royal National Institute for the Deaf has accepted a cheque for £3 million from the Co-operative Group.
Royal visitor, Sophie, the Countess of Wessex — a dedicated trustee of RNID — attended the event in Manchester to acknowledge the hard work of Group staff in fundraising for the charity during 2009.
The society adopted RNID as its Charity of the Year in January, and has raised £3m so far this year for its Hear to Help Project, which trains volunteers to provide support to hearing aid users in their local communities.
RNID Chief Executive Jackie Ballard said: "The Co-operative Group has raised a phenomenal amount. This is a fantastic achievement, and we are grateful to have been involved with such a successful partnership. The money raised will go a long way towards reducing isolation for those who have a hearing loss."
The Royal National Institute for the Deaf has accepted a cheque for £3 million from the Co-operative Group.
Royal visitor, Sophie, the Countess of Wessex — a dedicated trustee of RNID — attended the event in Manchester to acknowledge the hard work of Group staff in fundraising for the charity during 2009.
The society adopted RNID as its Charity of the Year in January, and has raised £3m so far this year for its Hear to Help Project, which trains volunteers to provide support to hearing aid users in their local communities.
RNID Chief Executive Jackie Ballard said: "The Co-operative Group has raised a phenomenal amount. This is a fantastic achievement, and we are grateful to have been involved with such a successful partnership. The money raised will go a long way towards reducing isolation for those who have a hearing loss."
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