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Statement by
I. King Jordan
President
Gallaudet University
on
Fiscal Year 1998 Budget Request for
Gallaudet University
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee:
I am pleased to testify before you today in support of the Administration's Fiscal Year 1998 budget request for Gallaudet University. Today marks the ninth anniversary of the successful conclusion of the Deaf President Now revolution at Gallaudet, the day nine years ago on which I became the first deaf president of the world's only university for deaf students. This also marks my tenth appearance before this subcommittee to request continued Federal support for Gallaudet University support that has continued unbroken for 133 years and that reaffirms each year the Nation's commitment to higher education for its deaf citizens. Each year, I am grateful to have the chance to discuss with you the opportunities that are open to American deaf people because of Gallaudet University.
Deaf people are able to participate more fully in the American dream because of Gallaudet University. According to recent surveys, compared to national norms for former college students, high percentages of Gallaudet alumni hold executive, professional, and managerial jobs, and the salaries of Gallaudet alumni compare favorably with those of college educated people generally. Approximately half of Gallaudet's undergraduates go on to earn advanced degrees, and the vast majority will be productively employed during their postgraduate years. In addition, for more than a century, Gallaudet has provided educated leadership for an American deaf community that functions with an effectiveness generally unknown in the rest of the world.
However, while I have previously presented to you facts concerning Gallaudet's impact on American deaf people, I would also like to point out that the University now plays a highly significant role in the lives of deaf people throughout the world. During recent years, we have been mindful of the fact that there are limitations on the extent to which Congress can provide resources for even the most worthwhile of programs and activities. Consequently, we have sought increasing support from the private sector for these activities. In connection with Gallaudet's role outside of the United States, I am particularly proud to inform you that we have just received a $3 million endowment gift from the Nippon Foundation of Japan that will support development and training activities for deaf people in developing countries. Income from this endowment will allow us to apply our considerable expertise to the problem of increasing the educational opportunities for deaf people in these countries. The first countries to receive support from this endowment will be Thailand and South Africa.
As I reported to you last year, we are continuing to examine closely and review all of our academic programs with the intent to make them more effective and efficient. We have also reduced the size of our workforce. Since we began a voluntary program of downsizing in 1989, we have reduced our staffing levels by approximately 15%. We have accomplished this reduction in our workforce with a minimum of disruption to our programs. Indeed, in several areas our programs have become even stronger as a result of the administrative efficiencies we have been able to put into effect.
When I came before you last year, we had just gone through a period of unprecedented disruption in Federal funding and Federal operations. Fortunately, during this year a sense of stability has returned, and I want to express my appreciation to Congress and the Department of Education for this. I am confident that with the continued support of Congress and the Department, we can continue to accomplish our mission of providing educational services of the highest quality to deaf students from preschool to the doctoral level.
During the past two years, we have been reorganizing our university programs so as to make optimal use of resources. Restructuring has been focused in two major areas: the first two years of our undergraduate program and our deafness oriented research efforts. With respect to the first of these areas, we have created a School of Undergraduate Studies that has the goal of improving student success prior to the selection of a major. Included in this effort are developmental programs and an integrated program of first year studies. In addition, we have expanded our academic technology activities and increased resources devoted to assessment and faculty development.
The restructuring of research at Gallaudet has been completed. The major outcomes of this effort were the following: dissolving many small theme-based centers, infusing research and theme-based researchers into academic departments so that students may benefit from direct contact with active researchers, encouraging directed and special project research by faculty and students with funds freed up by the reorganization, strengthening the support for university-wide research provided by the Gallaudet Research Institute, and reallocating funds to other university programs and for an internal research grant program. In addition, excellent collaboration is occurring between the university and Pre-College National Mission Programs on several critical fronts. The Gallaudet University Regional Centers have been restructured to include Pre-College emphases and to expand opportunities for professional studies and conferences.
The Pre-College National Mission Programs at Gallaudet consist of the Kendall Demonstration Elementary School (KDES), the Model Secondary School for the Deaf (MSSD), and the research, evaluation, and outreach activities associated with these schools. Last year I described to you the process we have implemented to obtain public advice in the establishment of priorities for research, development, and demonstration, a process that is required by the Education of the Deaf Act (EDA) Amendments of 1992. We have now completed that process and have published priorities for distribution to the field of deaf education. These priorities are as follows:
We have already claimed $1 million in Federal matching funds for our endowment in fiscal year 1997, and for the first time for this program, we plan to claim this year an additional $500,000 in Federal matching funds under the two dollars for one plan established in the EDA Amendments of 1992. This is in accord with our overall commitment to invest in the future of Gallaudet by controlling current expenses. I am confident that we also can continue to successfully match Federal endowment funds in fiscal year 1998. I cannot overestimate the importance of this program to the success of our overall fundraising efforts. As I testify before you today, the total value of our endowment stands at $65 million. When the Federal matching program was first funded in fiscal year 1988, it was less than $10 million.
The budget request for Gallaudet University for fiscal year 1998 is $79,182,000, the same as the amount that was appropriated in fiscal year 1997. The University will apportion these funds to the three programs described above according to plans submitted to the Department. At this level of funding, the University can continue operations at the same level as in 1997 and can continue to invest in the Endowment Grant program.
Thank you for the opportunity to come before you today. I would be happy to respond to any questions you may have.
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