Change.org - ASL at Syracuse

One million people use American Sign Language as their main method of communication. Despite this, Syracuse University does not credit ASL for their foreign language requirement. Students at the university started a petition to change this. They’re calling on Syracuse to live up to their promise of inclusivity and accept ASL as a foreign language—with additional ASL courses offered throughout the year. Get Syracuse University to Accept American Sign Language as a Foreign Language 957 have signed Syracuse Students’s petition. Let’s get to 1,000!

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Syracuse University needs to change its curriculum to recognize American Sign Language as a language that can fulfill the foreign language requirement. In addition, the university needs to increase the number of ASL courses offered throughout the year. By not crediting American Sign Language as a foreign language, students are discouraged from learning about deaf culture and also a language that deaf and hard of hearing students depend upon to communicate. Syracuse prides itself on being inclusive and progressive, yet their choice to omit ASL from the list of foreign language courses indicates otherwise.  Furthermore, Syracuse is known to have one of the best communications programs in the country, however, they are ignoring a language (ASL) that is proven to enhance communication skills in people of all ages. Research also shows that using ASL in school can improve classroom experiences, both online and in person. There is no reason for ASL to not count as a foreign language in the eyes of the University. Students should be encouraged to learn ASL, not left feeling constricted by their education and Syracuse’s choice to exclude ASL from its list of foreign languages.

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