Guest Contributor, Alyssa Funk

American Sign Language (ASL) had a unique position on campus in the form of E&H Signs, a student-led organization under the faculty advising of Dr. Amanda Romjue, professor of Spanish in the Foreign Languages department. Now, that position is expanding as ASL will be offered for credit as a language course in the upcoming fall semester.

Dr. Romjue initiated this opportunity for the college by focusing on members of E&H Signs.
“The club has been very popular,” Dr. Romjue said. “We’ve had a ton of students who are interested in it, and that led us to believe that we had enough interest to offer it as a class.”

Of course, any student can enroll in the course next semester. In fact, an interest survey sent throughout the campus via email by Dr. Romjue and members of E&H Signs proved that student interest from outside the club was just as high.

“I would love for ASL to be offered as a class, and I would make the switch if my schedule allowed,” Allison Letner, a second year student, said.

The impetus behind this course offering is not solely for credit, however. “I think all Americans should know ASL because deaf and hard of hearing people are part of our community, and they have the right to language and communication just like everyone else,” Dr. Romjue expressed.

“Offering ASL opens us up to more accessible and inclusive opportunities to the deaf and hard of hearing community, in particular,” Dr. Romjue went on. “I think it makes all of us better because it gives us an opportunity to strive to be more accepting of difference, and to embrace and celebrate that beautiful difference.”

“I think that ASL is important and people need to know it, especially essential employees,” Letner said. “I think it will be beneficial to the students and the community.”

Students who would be interested in taking the course, which will be listed as LANG 101 in the course catalog, or would like to learn more, should email Dr. Amanda Romjue, Dr. Adam Wells, Provosts Matthew Frederick and Michael Puglisi, or other members of the foreign language department.