When MSU plays the University of Michigan in football this year, the fist pump Wolverine fans so enthusiastically incorporate into their cheers really carries an unintentional message. In essence, as a fist pump resembles the American Sign Language sign for the letter “S,” they are unknowingly supporting the Spartans. Chris Hunter, the former director of the Michigan Division of Deaf and Hard of Hearing, told this story last week at the opening celebration of the new living/learning option in American Sign Language available in Phillips Hall.
The option is new for fall 2008 and is a residential program for those who wish to live in an area where they can increase their proficiency in ASL. It also will be the hub for deaf culture events, said Jill Elfenbein, an associate professor of communicative sciences and disorders.
“It’s an environment where both hearing and deaf students can live together,” said Marta Belsky, the ASL coordinator for the Deaf Education program, in an e-mail. “The hearing students have the opportunity to use ASL all the time and learn more about deaf culture. The deaf students are able to live with others who use ASL.”
Belsky said there are 11 residents in the program, and though it’s open to deaf students, all the students can hear.
“I thought it would be a good opportunity to be able to use ASL as much as possible — going to classes and then coming home to a community where I could use ASL,” program member and community services junior Mitch Holaly said.
Elfenbein said about 190 people attended the opening, plus the interpreters who were on hand to assist those who couldn’t sign.
“It was a wonderful mix of people from on and off campus, deaf and hearing,” she said.
Members of Belsky’s American Sign Language III class signed the MSU fight song while the MSU cheerleaders and audience members sang along.
Hunter said MSU is the only college in the state with a program of this kind for ASL users.
“In the future, we hope it will grow larger and get deaf students who would like to come to MSU the opportunity to use their native language and give hearing students the opportunity to practice their skills,” he said.
There are two floors in Phillips Hall that house the program participants — one for men and one for women. Students who are not in the ASL option also live on the floors, because of the small number for the first year. Belsky said they hope to eventually fill an entire wing with ASL users.
Elfenbein said the expectation for the students living on the floors is that they will sign in common areas.
“We certainly understand that they’re going to have friends over who don’t sign,” she said.
Sociology junior Marianne Tritten said she tries to teach some of her friends and girls who live on her floor to sign.
“I try to teach them a few basic signs, enough to get by if they meet somebody,” she said. “They can tell them their name and ‘It’s nice to meet you.’”
Staff writer Chris Vannini contributed to this report.
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