Campus & Community

Information and Communication Technology Accessibility Policy Available for Open Comment

Thursday, January 19, 2017, By Christopher C. Finkle

Among the short-term recommendations made by the Chancellor’s Workgroup on Diversity and Inclusion was the adoption of a Universitywide policy on information and communication technology (ICT) accessibility. A broad-based University committee has met monthly since April 2015 and completed a draft of the policy that has been reviewed by the provost and the senior vice president and chief human resources officer, and faculty and student stakeholders. The policy is now available for review and comment on the University’s technology accessibility website. Once the comment period has closed, feedback will be reviewed and considered. The policy will then be vetted by the University’s Policy Advisory Committee as set forth in the University’s policy process.

To encourage discussion and understanding of the policy and its ramifications, four public comment sessions will be held. Sessions are scheduled as follows:

Monday, Jan. 23, 10-11:15 a.m., 500 Hall of Languages

Thursday, Feb. 2, 3:30-4:45 PM, 500 Hall of Languages

Wednesday, Feb. 22, 3-4:15 p.m., Peter Graham Scholarly Commons, 114 Bird Library

Tuesday, Feb. 28, 9-10:15 a.m., Peter Graham Scholarly Commons, 114 Bird Library

All University faculty, students, and staff are welcome to attend. CART and ASL services will be provided. All attendees are encouraged to become familiar with the policy, available on the University’s technology accessibility website.

About the Information and Communication Technology Accessibility Policy

 The policy is designed to ensure that all people can effectively access University content on information and communication technologies (ICT). These comprise equipment, systems, technologies or processes for which the principle function is the creation, manipulation, storage, display, receipt or transmission of electronic data and information as well as technology-based equipment.

Included are:

  • academic and administrative software applications
  • websites, web-based and mobile applications
  • interpreting services for events
  • email and electronic documents
  • search engines and databases
  • multimedia (audio and video)

The policy states:

  • ICT services and products shall be accessible to individuals with disabilities.
  • ICT shall adhere to International (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 AA) and Federal (Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973) standards.
  • Events on campus shall be accessible and enable full participation

Priority areas include:

  • course content: documents, video and library reserves
  • University websites and associated documents
  • public non-academic video and audio resources
  • auxiliary aids and services for University events
  • library multimedia resources
  • procurement of information and communication technology
  • oversight and support for sustaining ICT accessibility

If you have questions or need a disability-related accommodation other than CART or ASL, please contact Information Technology Services by phone at 315.443.2677 or email at accessibleIT@syr.edu. Requests should be made as soon as possible. Please include your name and phone number in your email.