MADISON, Wis. -- Students at UW-Madison gathered more than 2,000 signatures on an online petition fighting to preserve American Sign Language education at the university after learning some ASL classes would be canceled due to budget cuts.

"We need to preserve the program so that students can learn ASL and connect more with the Deaf and hard of hearing students here at UW," said Lauren Kline, a student enrolled in ASL 3.

Current ASL students say demand for the language, first offered at UW-Madison in fall of 2023, is so high that their classes are full as is.

"There have been waitlists for classes," said Lilith Wehrs, who also takes ASL 3. "It's hard to get into the class. Even the class that we're currently in... a bunch of my classmates are on the waitlist."

The College of Letters

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