The committee officially approved the American Sign Language minor today. I am overwhelmed knowing that future students will finally have the opportunity to study this language and culture properly. Thank you for pushing right alongside me to make this campus a more accessible place.
November 22, 2016
Final supporters
We, the students and supporters of American Sign Language, urge the Liberal Arts and Sciences Curriculum Committee to solidify the ASL program and foster an environment for ASL students and the Deaf community that reflects the desire of this university to become more inclusive. Iowa State prides itself on working towards a more diverse campus, and what better way to become more inclusive and continue to set Iowa State apart from other universities than to offer an ASL minor.
American Sign Language is a complex, beautiful, and unique language. According to Modern Language Association’s statistics, ASL is the fourth most studied modern and foreign language at colleges and universities in the U.S. In addition to this, it has a higher percent of enrollment than the three languages ahead of it. Like any other language, American Sign Language isn’t just about the language itself, but the rich culture embedded in it as well.
Rita Mae Brown once said, “Language is the road map of a culture. It tells you where its people come from and where they are going.”
The goals of this petition are to:
- To spread awareness of the need an American Sign Language minor, as it would serve to tear down the language barrier between the hearing world and Deaf world, amongst many other things.
- To recognize the respect and value that the Deaf community and culture deserves.
- To help continue to set Iowa State apart from other universities by offering a more diverse campus and promoting inclusion.
Updates
October 19, 2016
Seeing 500 names on this list feels like a genuine turning point for our community. I am thinking of my friends in the Deaf community who pushed me to start this and I know they will be moved by this level of support.
Reached 500 supporters
October 19, 2016
Reached 100 supporters
October 14, 2016
October 12, 2016
We are approaching the one hundred signature mark and it is time to push harder. I need you to help me get this over the hurdle so we can finally demand a serious conversation with the curriculum committee.
83 Comments
As a professor at the university and a student of ASL, I am full support of this minor. I have several Deaf friends, and I know that the state of Iowa is sorely lacking in resources for the Deaf community.
ASL is among the top 10 most frequently used languages in the U.S. (based on Census Bureau statistics 2009-2013), and about 3.8 per 1,000 over the age of 5 are functionally deaf. It's about time ASL gets a seat at the table at all colleges in the U.S. Iowa State as a leading state university in the nation should lead by example and adopt ASL as a minor.
I took almost all of the ASL offerings at ISU from 2013-2015. By establishing a minor the University embraces another cultural minority and encourages more diversity in our community.
I'm graduating at the end of the semester so I wouldn't be able to do this. But I would have taken the ASL classes if I could have made it a minor. I hope future students could have that opportunity.
My great-grandmother taught at a school for the deaf so I've always wanted to learn ASL. But since it wasn't offered as a minor, I was steered toward another language offered at ISU.
I would gladly take ASL if it were a minor!
I am currently homeschooling my children. They have chosen ASL as their foreign language, it would be nice for them to continue their ASL studies in College.
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The committee officially approved the American Sign Language minor today. I am overwhelmed knowing that future students will finally have the opportunity to study this language and culture properly. Thank you for pushing right alongside me to make this campus a more accessible place.
November 22, 2016
Final supporters
We, the students and supporters of American Sign Language, urge the Liberal Arts and Sciences Curriculum Committee to solidify the ASL program and foster an environment for ASL students and the Deaf community that reflects the desire of this university to become more inclusive. Iowa State prides itself on working towards a more diverse campus, and what better way to become more inclusive and continue to set Iowa State apart from other universities than to offer an ASL minor.
American Sign Language is a complex, beautiful, and unique language. According to Modern Language Association’s statistics, ASL is the fourth most studied modern and foreign language at colleges and universities in the U.S. In addition to this, it has a higher percent of enrollment than the three languages ahead of it. Like any other language, American Sign Language isn’t just about the language itself, but the rich culture embedded in it as well.
Rita Mae Brown once said, “Language is the road map of a culture. It tells you where its people come from and where they are going.”
The goals of this petition are to:
- To spread awareness of the need an American Sign Language minor, as it would serve to tear down the language barrier between the hearing world and Deaf world, amongst many other things.
- To recognize the respect and value that the Deaf community and culture deserves.
- To help continue to set Iowa State apart from other universities by offering a more diverse campus and promoting inclusion.
Updates
October 19, 2016
Seeing 500 names on this list feels like a genuine turning point for our community. I am thinking of my friends in the Deaf community who pushed me to start this and I know they will be moved by this level of support.
Reached 500 supporters
October 19, 2016
Reached 100 supporters
October 14, 2016
October 12, 2016
We are approaching the one hundred signature mark and it is time to push harder. I need you to help me get this over the hurdle so we can finally demand a serious conversation with the curriculum committee.
83 Comments
My mother is an interpreter and in the future I plan to be one as well. I have grown up in the Deaf community and I believe that by including this in the curriculum at ISU, the hearing world will start to change their opinions about Deaf culture.
As a professor at the university and a student of ASL, I am full support of this minor. I have several Deaf friends, and I know that the state of Iowa is sorely lacking in resources for the Deaf community.
ASL is among the top 10 most frequently used languages in the U.S. (based on Census Bureau statistics 2009-2013), and about 3.8 per 1,000 over the age of 5 are functionally deaf. It's about time ASL gets a seat at the table at all colleges in the U.S. Iowa State as a leading state university in the nation should lead by example and adopt ASL as a minor.
I took almost all of the ASL offerings at ISU from 2013-2015. By establishing a minor the University embraces another cultural minority and encourages more diversity in our community.
I'm graduating at the end of the semester so I wouldn't be able to do this. But I would have taken the ASL classes if I could have made it a minor. I hope future students could have that opportunity.
My great-grandmother taught at a school for the deaf so I've always wanted to learn ASL. But since it wasn't offered as a minor, I was steered toward another language offered at ISU.
I would gladly take ASL if it were a minor!
I am currently homeschooling my children. They have chosen ASL as their foreign language, it would be nice for them to continue their ASL studies in College.
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My mother is an interpreter and in the future I plan to be one as well. I have grown up in the Deaf community and I believe that by including this in the curriculum at ISU, the hearing world will start to change their opinions about Deaf culture.