The University of South Florida (USF) is one of TWO universities in the state of Florida that provide an American Sign Language Interpreting program. This week, with no warning and very little explanation it has been announced that this Interpreting program will be ending. This decision will stop incoming students with a passion for ASL and Deaf studies from pursing a degree that will better our society. There are 3 million people who experience hearing loss in the state of Florida alone, terminating this major will in time make it harder for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community to obtain quality interpreting services due to severe interpreter deficit. Not to mention our AMAZING professors are at risk of losing their jobs. For our faculty to come to this decision without considering how it will impact the Deaf and HoH community along with society as a whole is unacceptable. This is a call to action for all who understand the importance of this program and field of work it creates, we need to come together and stop this shut down from happening! Please sign and support by sharing, emailing, or showing up to the "USF ASL INTERPRETING IS HERE TO STAY" event happening Thursday Feb 17, 2022 4-7pm at 4204 E Fowler Ave, Tampa FL 33620-9951

Dr. nathan Maxfield (CSD Department Interim Chair) nmaxfield@usf.edu

Dr. Julie Serovich (Dean of the College of Behavioral and Community Sciences) jserovich@usf.edu

Dr. Ralph Wilcox (USF Provost & Executive Vice President) rcwilcox@usf.edu

Ms. Rhea Law (USF Interim President) president@usf.edu 

It is extremely important to advocate for the Deaf and HoH community, amplify their voices, and do what is right! I would like to share a statement made by a peer, friend, and member of the Deaf and Hoh community:

"First Deaf Studies shut down and now they want to shut down ASL Interpreting?! WHAT?! No, I am not allowing it. We have awesome, friendly, and amazing interpreters in all our community. We have people with hearing loss. I am hard of hearing, and I went through some difficult time in my life. I get rejected a lot! I know how it feels and it makes me piss off. Many of other hard of hearing and deaf people get rejected a lot too. Not just me. I want to show the world how amazing interpreter I will BE! There are amazing Interpreters too! There are more than 800,000 deaf and hard of hearing individuals in Florida. They need their access to communication to be easy for them to understand and to be able to communicate with people in the world. I am going to fight for it and do anything to keep this major going!  We have AMAZING professors who are helping students be successful in this major and they are at risk of losing their jobs. It not funny at all. This is very serious. I AM very serious, because I love my deaf and hard of hearing community so much. We need to stop this shut down from happening! Please sign and support by sharing, emailing, or showing up!"

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE SIGN, SHARE, EMAIL, AND SUPPORT!! ANYTHING HELPS!