Dec 22, 2024

The president of Gallaudet University, Roberta J. Cordano, earns an annual salary of $889,100—a staggering amount when compared to the national average salary for university presidents, which is $186,961, according to ZipRecruiter. This is especially striking given that Gallaudet serves fewer than 1,700 students—roughly the size of a large high school.

This figure underscores the institution’s prioritization of its own administration and infrastructure over the individuals it is meant to serve. The university receives significant taxpayer funding, with the federal government underwriting 80–90% of its budget. Despite this substantial public financial support, Gallaudet is not classified as a public institution. Instead, it is considered a private school, a designation that allows it to avoid compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Imagine that—a university primarily serving Deaf students is not required to adhere to the very ADA standards designed to ensure accessibility and equity for individuals with disabilities.

To compound these issues, Gallaudet has also been identified as the most dangerous university campus in the United States, raising significant concerns about the safety and well-being of its students.

These facts call for urgent scrutiny of Gallaudet's practices, accountability to the Deaf community, and the broader implications of its funding structure and classification. Should a taxpayer-supported institution be allowed to operate without the safeguards and oversight that public ADA compliance would provide?