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Checking Google, there's about 3,000 students, so this isn't a majority of students who agree, so this isn't likely to pass. That's worth noting.
As far as asking for an alternative to exams, I think that is actually a reasonable request. I think many educators would agree that if there was the time for students to have each student withstand a 30 minute conversation (Read: questioning), that would be a far more reliable indicator of a students knowledge than any exam. That being said, people don't have time of that, especially for large classes sizes (50 students, let alone the 100/200/300 student intro STEM classes). So for the usual reasons, it won't happen. None the less, if I were a student, I would want it. I'd definitely be getting more for my money.
Bare in mind, I think most people think of this like sitting down with some hot cocoa and talking about Game of Thrones with your professor. That's a totally incorrect picture. This system, where you stand in front of a professor while they ask you questions, is the exact same system by which we award PhD's, the highest ranking academic degree. You don't take a test precisely because people take PhD's seriously. You wouldn't be allowed to get that degree because you just wrote a thesis or you just filled out a "really hard" exam that you could study for. It works, it cuts through the BS, and you're very, very responsible for the material.
Well, The Donald would co-sign that message, anyways. =)
1300 out of 3000 signed the petition?! That's amazing.
Alternative exams are not a reasonable request. A college education is supposed to set a kid up to be a functional member of the labor force.