Robert Davila.

I spent 17 years at Gallaudet University, during which time I moved up in rank as both an administrator and professor. In 1972, following completion of my Ph.D. at Syracuse University, I joined the faculty of the University (it was then a college) as an associate professor in the Department of Education. During my first year, I was only one of three deaf persons holding earned doctorates. The university was earnestly seeking deaf teachers and administrators with advanced degrees. This may account, in part, for the reason that I was able to negotiate the entry rank of associate professor even though I had never taught at the college level before. Another negotiating point was that I also had an offer to teach at a major California university at the rank of full professor. I suppose 1972 was a vintage year for deaf professionals with earned doctorates in hand.

Two years after I began my career at Gallaudet, I was invited by the President of the University to apply for the position of director of the Kendall Demonstration Elementary School (KDES). I was appointed to lead KDES in 1974 and was able to convince my assigned department at the University to allow me to keep my faculty appointment concurrently with my new administrataive responsibilities. I taught at least one course a semester and supervised practicum assignments while working full time as an administrator. Subsequently, I was able to obtain tenure, as well as promotion to full professor.

In 1979, the President of the University reorganized the senior administrative structure and I was promoted to Vice President for Pre-College Programs. In this position, I assumed administrative responsibility for both KDES and the Model Secondary School for the Deaf (MSSD). I held this position until the spring of 1989 when President George Bush appointed me to the position of Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, United States Department of Education. I served throughout the entire term of President Bush under two Secretaries of Education, Lauro Cavazos and Lamar Alexander.

My service as Assistant Secretary was challenging, often difficult and demanding, but extremely fulfilling because it gave me the opportunity to make direct contributions to developing national policies regarding the education and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities. During my tenure, I was fully aware of the issues surrounding the concept of the "least restrictive environment" as they applied to the education of deaf and hard-of-hearing children. Perhaps my most satisfying contribution to resolution of these issues was convincing the Secretary of Education of the critical need to issue a new statement about Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as they relate to the provision of education services to students who are deaf. I authored what in government parlance is called a "notice of policy guidance" and which listed the critical factors that must be considered when planning a program of educational services for deaf children. It was issued on October 30, 1992 over the strong protests of certain advocate groups who did not wish to see any categorical departures from the full inclusion movement. Over the years, this notice of policy guidance has been used by countless parents to identify and demand appropriate services and placements for their deaf children.

During my term of service in the U.S. Department of Education, I was able to direct increased funding to support Gallaudet University and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, as well as the regional post-secondary programs at Seattle, Washington; Knoxville, Tennessee; St. Paul, Minnesota; and Northridge, California. Funding was also increased for research in the area of deafness, the preparation of professionals to work with deaf and hard-of-hearing persons and a new program to fund community theaters for the deaf was established.

Additionally, my administration of OSERS gave high priority to fulfilling many of the recommendations of the 1988 Report of the Commission on Education of the Deaf.

The years of my service, 1989-93, were also significant for the landmark legislation that was enacted during the administration of President George Bush. The Decoder Circuitry Act of 1990, which required that decoders be built into all new television sets sold in the U.S., and which served as the forerunner for the Telecommunications Act of 1996, was the first major legislation in a long time that addressed the needs of deaf Americans. Significantly, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991 was the crown jewel of President Bush's legislative platform. As the highest-ranking federal official involved in disability policy at the time, I had personal involvement in the planning, deliberations, and advocacy for these legislative events. I am proud and extremely pleased to have been a part of this important time in the history of our nation.

In 1993, following my federal service, I was appointed Headmaster of the New York School for the Deaf at White Plains. This is the school where I had begun my professional career 40 years earlier. At the time of my appointment I had been a member of the School's board of trustees for a number of years. My service to the school, affectionately known as "Fanwood," was tremendously satisfying and it had originally been my plan to stay there until retirement. However, in 1996, the position of RIT Vice President for NTID opened up and I was encouraged by a number of persons to apply for it. I had always had a very high regard for NTID and for its staff and alumni. I also felt that my experience and interests were better suited to higher education. I applied and was appointed on June 1, 1996. Most definitely, I will retire from this position. My expectations for my work and service have been very satisfying. There has been a good match between my personal philosophy of education and the institution's.

I have been very fortunate throughout my career to have had the opportunity to set high goals and standards for myself and my ambitions. Everything I ever wanted has been fulfilled. I couldn't ask for any more.

Gail Hyde
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