On February 18, the Andrew Foster Auditorium was packed with students, alumni, faculty, and staff there to attend the yearly State of the University (SOTU). The assembly began with Student Body President Trent Mora giving a warm welcome to Gallaudet University President Roberta “Bobbi” Cordano.
Cordano strode to the stage under the dim lights and gave Mora a warm hug. She acknowledged Mora’s leadership, along with Dalina Schwartz, and the work they’ve done together this year. Cordano took a moment to recognize the students who demonstrated on Monday, February 16, outside of the Faculty Senate meeting, expressing their frustrations and concerns with Student Affairs (SA) and Student Engagement & Leadership (SEL) and how they did so in a peaceful, thought-provoking way. Unrelated to the SOTU, this peaceful demonstration led to SA working with the Student Body Government (SBG) to host a forum during the last week of February to hear students out and prioritize the issues. That’s another story…
Then Cordano gave a welcoming speech to the audience, marking her tenth State of the University address. “I’m excited to be here with you and share with you some thoughts and some ideas related to the State of the University,” said Cordano. She explained that the team had put together something special this year and created a video for the community to watch – a montage played on the screen that reminisced about the past ten years, including a new building that will replace Gallaudet’s old library at the end of the clip.
The audience lifted their hands and waved them in the air after the montage ended, and Cordano remarked, “That represents us, doesn’t it? Our ten years together have been quite remarkable,” she continued. “Thanks to all of you who’ve made this possible for all of us to be here today together as a community,” Cordano explained, referring to the importance of always being together. “And that’s not just a slogan for us, but rather it reflects our lived experiences together as a community.”
Cordano moved on to describe how the State of the University is measured by the way we answer a straightforward question: “Are we preparing our students to thrive, to lead, and to transform the world?” Then she presented examples of critical changes that the Deaf community will face. Genetic engineering was the first topic Cordano discussed. She described the phrases we often hear, such as “genetic screening” and “gene therapy.” “But in the end, it really comes down to genetic engineering and the impact it will have on our communities’ lives.” She then delved into how rapidly technology is changing and how it will transform society’s understanding of people with disabilities, diverse identities, and human differences.
Cordano mentioned that gene-based treatments are currently targeting different forms of deafness. She explained that while much of the work has been primarily theoretical, it has now advanced beyond the research stage and is being tested on humans, showing promising results. One example is the focus on the Otoferlin gene, which has received FDA approval to begin trials. Early findings indicate that some children are experiencing restored hearing as a result of this treatment. Currently, these experiments are being performed on both lab animals and humans.
Cordano then showed a video about Deaf Gain and the research they’ve done so far.
After the clip ended, Cordano presented another change we see in the news that will change our lives: artificial intelligence. “AI will change the world as we know it,” Cordano noted, “including the way we go about doing our work.” Employers, including Gallaudet, now have to acquire new skills to manage the world we live in. And students must be prepared to enter the world. She remarked that the rapid development and expansion of AI makes entry-level positions obsolete. This means students need to be trained to jump in higher level positions after graduation. This means more intensive training and incorporation of soft skills.
Cordano discussed how Gallaudet University is doing. She mentioned that the Clerc Center is strengthening early language acquisition programming and the quality of Deaf education nationwide. Nine partnerships have been formed, with six more schools in the pipeline. “We’re very excited to see the growth of their impact in this area,” Cordano stated. “The Clerc Center is out there modeling best practices in bilingual education and visually centered pedagogy.” It’s important not to focus only on academics in the classroom, but also to work with school leaders to ensure accessibility for Deaf students enrolled in their programs, ensuring they receive a quality education and are prepared for college.
Then Cordano shifted to Gallaudet University’s finances. Gallaudet University has become more financially disciplined over the last year. The school was able to close out this year with a surplus. Last year, Gallaudet ended with a $5.5 million loss in operations; this year, it had an $8.3 million margin.
Cordano broke down how 8.3 million were spent. Firstly, $2.1 million was disbursed for operating funds. It allows Gallaudet to manage day-to-day and cover budgetary needs through expenses. The school ended up spending less than anticipated. Secondly, $3.9 million was raised through fundraising efforts and used for specific purposes and specialized uses. The remaining funds came from the school’s capital funds. Cordano noted that Congress has appropriated funds specifically for construction. Those funds have yet to be spent before the close of the fiscal year on December 31. This totals 1.1% available margin for Gallaudet University, a relatively small amount of funds. However, for Gallaudet to increase regular pay and merit-based raises, the school must achieve a 3% margin. It was a significant turnaround for Gallaudet University despite the many sacrifices and budget cuts it faced.
Gallaudet University began investing in improvements across campus. Cordano mentioned renovations, including Carlin Hall, and that the following dorm buildings will be closed and renovated in the upcoming years. She also showcased a clip of a new building that will replace the old library. Their goal in investing in the campus is to create a modern environment.
The address closed with an analogy from last year’s State of the University Speech, reminding the community that we climb the mountain together. The strength of the climb doesn’t come from one single person reaching the summit alone; instead, the strength of our success comes from climbing the mountain together with a sturdy rope, a rope we steadfastly hold on to and use to guide us into the future. Cordano mentioned that we all must work together as a community and look out for each other – the bison spirit, as she called it.