USU settles suit by deaf students

LOGAN — A discrimination lawsuit filed against Utah State University by deaf students who claimed the institution was not providing adequate interpreting services has been settled.

Dale Boam, the attorney representing the students, said the lawsuit was settled in April with a promise by the university to have three full-time interpreters and keep deaf students involved and informed of interpretation issues.

"The biggest point of contention — and it had gone on for years and years — the students felt the school was not making an effort to provide adequate services," Boam said. "Having three full-time interpreters gives them a much stronger base to work from."

Twelve students filed the lawsuit in May 2006, contending the university was violating the Americans with Disabilities Act because it was not providing them with appropriate services.

The students would request an interpreter for a class and would arrive to find someone not qualified for the task, or a stenographer would be there to take notes for the student but not be able to help them participate in discussion, Boam said.

"One of the points of the agreement was a philosophical agreement that these note-takers are not an interpreter. They don't provide an equivalent service," he said.

Angie Olsen, Utah State University deaf services coordinator, said the goal is to have one staff interpreter for every two students using interpreter services. Currently, USU has seven deaf students using interpreters and about 25 deaf or partially deaf students using note-takers.

Along with the staff interpreters, USU hires hourly interpreters to make sure needs are met.

Interpreters are available for classes, on-campus meetings and on-campus extracurricular activities.

Olsen said the university has struggled to meet students' needs because of a nationwide shortage of skilled interpreters.

"USU has a very well-established and well-known education program for teachers of deaf students," Boam said "So they attract students that are deaf."

A large part of the agreement is the university's promise to keep deaf students informed, Boam said. Under the agreement, students will have meetings with the Disability Resource Center to determine what kind of services they will be needing and will be informed well in advance if the type of interpreter they're looking for isn't available, he said.

"The primary thing the students feel was accomplished here was they were brought into the decision-making processes involving their education," Boam said. "They have expressed that they are pleased and watchful."