Policies and Legal Notices

All University websites, web pages, and web-based software whether hosted on campus or by a vendor and used for University business must comply with the required WCAG 2.1 AA standards and include a plain-text contact method for people with disabilities who experience access issues.

All electronic instructional materials whether required or optional must be accessible to individuals with disabilities. This requirement applies to materials used in face-to-face, hybrid, and online instruction and to any method of electronic distribution, including the University’s learning management system, email, and other electronic platforms.

Covered materials include, without limitation: syllabi, textbooks, presentations, handouts, and comparable documents, as well as electronic instructional activities such as instructional videos, online collaborative writing environments, web conferencing, discussion boards, blogs, and similar tools.

All University-produced, maintained, or distributed electronic documents and communications must be accessible to individuals with disabilities and conform to the University’s adopted accessibility standard. This requirement applies regardless of format, platform, or method of distribution, including materials created or shared by vendors on the University’s behalf.

Covered examples include, without limitation:

• Documents: word-processing files, PDFs (including scanned), slide decks, publications, spreadsheets, forms, and templates.
• Communications: emails and email attachments, e-newsletters, campus-wide announcements, SMS/app notifications, and content distributed via collaboration platforms.
• Posted/Published items: files uploaded or linked on websites, LMS, intranet, portals, file-sharing systems, and digital signage.
• Social media: posts and linked/attached files published through official University accounts.

All electronic multimedia used by the University for instruction, communication, marketing, promotion, or other academic or business purposes must be accessible and conform to the University’s adopted accessibility standards.

• Video (recorded or live): accurate, synchronized closed captions; audio description when essential visual information is not conveyed in the existing audio; accessible player controls (keyboard operable, visible focus).
• Audio-only media (recorded or live): accurate transcript; real-time captioning provided when required for effective communication.
• Third-party/hosted platforms: content published or procured on the University’s behalf must meet the same requirements.

The University shall procure electronic products and services—including, without limitation, software, operating systems, web-based applications, and video/multimedia—that meet or exceed the University’s adopted accessibility standard WCAG 2.1 Level AA. Accessibility is a required evaluation criterion and a condition of purchase.

Visit the Purchasing website

All software, hardware, and IT systems used for academic, research, administrative, business, or customer-service purposes must be accessible, compatible with assistive technologies, and produce accessible outputs in accordance with the University’s adopted standard WCAG 2.1 Level AA. This requirement applies to University- and vendor-hosted solutions, including learning and content management systems, library platforms, email and collaboration tools, HR and financial systems, course/event registration, enterprise applications and portals, freeware/shareware and departmental tools, online or remotely hosted services, workstations, kiosks, and other end-user hardware. Units must verify accessibility before acquisition, deployment, or major updates and maintain accessibility throughout the product lifecycle.