By Jaimee Kuperman
Arizona Daily Wildcat
American Sign Language officially became a foreign language at the University of Arizona in 1987. When the doors opened, it was speech and hearing, science, psychology and medical students who walked in.
The American Sign Language curriculum offers an understanding of the deaf heritage.
"It is a language in which you use your eyes and not your voice, that you speak with your hands, and not your tongue. It's a language that you can listen to, but you cannot hear," signed T.J. Hill, psychology junior.
Sixty students registered for ASL 370A and were told there would be no class offered this fall. In addition, each year, roughly 200 students show up on the first day hoping to add this class, all of whom are turned away because there is not enough room in the department.
Cuts to the American Sign Language program will continue next semester when 370B is dropped from the department. By the fall of 1996, there will be no sign language classes available.
The department is "phasing out the program" by letting the students in
ASL finish their requirements, signed Dr. Sam Supalla, professor and director of sign language and deaf studies.
The department that was once at 500 students is now at 300. The sign language and deaf studies department originally had four full-time positions, and now is down to three. Next year, the department is expecting to have only two full-time positions.
Signed Supalla, "Next year, the plan seems like it's really going to happen, that the department will be cut completely. It's like we fell into a crack and we just can't get out. I feel like we don't have a home."