The University of Wisconsin-Madison is set to cut classes in its American Sign Language (ASL) program, devastating years of progress despite elevated student demand.

The decision to diminish the program and severely limit course options was made without student input, without professor input, and most importantly, without input from Deaf/Hard of Hearing communities on campus. The budget cuts do not reflect student interest in the language, which is at an all-time high. 

This decision will shatter opportunities for students to begin learning or become fluent in the language and to gain the education needed to, someday, allow for the creation of a certificate, minor, or major in ASL. It will deprive both hearing and d/Deaf students of necessary Deaf culture exposure. Moreover, it will shrink Deaf resources and transform the University into a more hostile, inaccessible place for students who use ASL to communicate. While UW-Madison has decided to slash resources for this program, it will continue to offer courses for "dead languages" such as Old Norse and Old English.

In a University that claims to create "...a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background," this decision feels hypocritical, dishonest, and targeted. ASL is extremely important in American society, and it deserves the same respect in academic settings as spoken and historical languages. The fact that it has not been shown that respect is detestable.

By signing this petition, you are indicating that you stand in solidarity with the ASL students, ASL professors, and ASL-speaking communities at UW-Madison. You stand against the shameful treatment the University is enacting onto its ASL program. You stand against the exclusion of ASL and Deaf culture on campus. Most importantly, you voice to the University that this was the wrong decision -- and it is not an acceptable one.

Watch ASL students' and an ASL professor's testimonials here.