TAMPA, Fla. — The well known interpreter training program at the University of South Florida could soon come to a close.

An email was sent out earlier this month from the interim dean of the Department of Communications sciences and Disorders, stating the program would be shut down based on “a combination of factors.”

In 2020, moves were made to expand the interpreter training program from a concentration to its own major, but a coding error in the system caused a multitude of issues.

Now the future of the program in any capacity remains uncertain, leaving students, alumni, faculty and the deaf community extremely concerned.

Especially Professor Michon Shaw.

“It is my honor just to be able to see when the students put the work in. They put the work in and now they are producing quality work, quality work," she says as she grades a video assignment. “He is ready to go out into the community and start accepting assignments.”

In 2018, the Bureau of Labor statistics indicated an 18 percent increased demand for interpreters, and as one of only two four-year programs in the state, Shaw says the interpreter program at USF helps fill the need with quality, trained professionals.

Last year, they graduated 19 students.

Many of them are now out working in the community — interpreting events, working in courtrooms and medical settings, and assisting people who are deaf and hard of hearing in their day to day lives.

“The fact that we’re even having a discussion about closing the program is a disgrace because our program does such good for the community,” said Shaw.

About 800,000 people in Florida are deaf or hard of hearing, and nearly half of them are here in the Tampa Bay Area.

Shaw says closing this program will be detrimental to the community.

“We don’t shrink away from acknowledging that access should be the standard. There should not be a request, ‘I have to request an interpreter for a public event.’ No that should be the standard, and I think it ties into respect,” said Shaw.

She explains ASL is its own language that takes time to master — just like English or Spanish.

Having properly trained interpreters is not only a a matter of respect, she says, but also of public safety to make sure messages are accurately conveyed.

“We cannot afford to close this program, and I’m not talking money. The community cannot afford for our program to close. The deaf community cannot afford it,” said Shaw.

One protest already happened last week, and Shaw says they plan to continue to fight for this underserved community that deserves better.

Shaw says in order to save the major, the university would have to hire two tenured faculty members.

She says Dean Julie Serovich has not spoken to the head of the department about making this happen.

Meanwhile, in a statement, Serovich says, “No such decision has been made. USF is still accepting applications for students interested in this major who wish to enroll for the summer or fall 2022 semesters.” She adds, “The college of behavioral and community sciences planned to recommend discontinuing the major, in part because a bachelor’s degree in the field is not a necessary credential to become a certified interpreter. However, the college’s proposal was not submitted to or reviewed by university leadership, who would have to approve of terminating a major.”​