Protesters Occupy Gallaudet Classroom Building

The leaders of the National Association of the Deaf issued an open letter saying the campus is "in crisis" and asking the board to exercise leadership and for the university to "immediately cease any confrontational tactics toward campus faculty, students, and staff."

Thursday, protesters threatened more dramatic action if the board did not meet some demands by 10 p.m. They marched to a reception celebrating Jordan, who will step down at the end of this year, and tried to get inside. Then they blocked all the entrances to Hall Memorial and sent text messages at 1:30 a.m. yesterday: "Three hundred students have locked themselves in HMB . . ."

A warning from the administration that any steps necessary would be taken to restore order and that District police could be called in to remove dissenters flashed on students' pagers yesterday morning. Soon afterward, campus security officers began stretching yellow tape around the building. Inside, students and professors were tense, signing to each other and tapping out messages on pagers with no sound but the squeak of sneakers on tile as people ran to alert others. Hours passed without further incident.

Classes were moved or canceled -- including Fernandes's freshman seminar.

Trustees, who were on campus for the last scheduled meeting before Fernandes becomes president in January, abandoned their agenda and went into closed session yesterday, meeting with students late in the afternoon.

Early in the evening, board Chairman Brenda Jo Brueggemann and Jordan issued a statement saying that they look forward to Fernandes's tenure as president and that they would not negotiate on demonstrators' demands that they reopen the search process and ensure no reprisals for protesters.

Fernandes said she is the only one who can lead the school into the future and make it more inclusive for all types of deaf people. "I don't think there's anyone on earth who knows the issues better than I do. I've been living in it. . . . I know there's audism here. I know there's racism here. I know it happens, and more importantly, I have a plan to address it."

Last night, four student leaders, including Holcomb and student government President Noah Beckman, said they will withdraw from Gallaudet.

Staff researcher Karl Evanzz contributed to this report.