The Student Government Association unanimously passed a bill requiring all student organizations that receive SGA funding to include closed captioning on public media presentations. 

If student organizations do not provide closed captioning, they will lose funding.

“These efforts will enhance the UA experience for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community on campus, and we’re excited for organizations to use this resource,” said Sen. Luke Dille, one of the authors of the bill.

The University of Alabama provides optional closed-captioning resources for instructors to use in classes, including training in disability awareness and grants to create professional-quality closed captioning for multimedia presentations.

Alabama has one of the highest rates of disabilities in the country, with more than 1 in 10 residents reporting at least one disability. According to the Office of Disability Services, there are at least 30 students with hearing disabilities enrolled at The University of Alabama.

“It is vital for organizations to use closed captioning in media presentations to ensure accommodations are met for deaf and hard of hearing students, and the SGA is proud to support this initiative aimed at promoting equity for all students,” SGA press secretary Olivia Davis said in a statement.