1. Purpose
Ensure that the University is monitoring compliance and each Unit has a clear process and designated staff responsible for monitoring digital accessibility compliance and reporting metrics to leadership and Compliance staff.
2. Scope
This policy applies to all digital content and applications acquired, developed, distributed, used, purchased, or implemented by or for the University and used to provide University services, programs, or activities regardless of the source of funding.
3. References
4. Definitions
Academic or Administrative Unit (Unit)
Academic or Administrative Units are divisions, campuses, or colleges headed by an executive who reports directly to the President or the Provost.
Unit Leaders
A unit leader is an executive head reporting directly to the President or the Provost.
5. Roles and Responsibilities
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- Designate appropriate staff from their unit to serve as Compliance Partners
- Notify the Deputy ADA Coordinator for Digital Accessibility of any change in the designation of Compliance Partners
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- Communicate compliance requirements within their units
- Track and report on the status of compliance goals and metrics
- Notify Digital Content Owners about issues and risks
- Connect staff and faculty in their unit to UW resources, people, tools, and training that support compliance
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Civil Rights Compliance - Deputy ADA Coordinator for Digital Accessibility
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- Schedules at least one meeting annually with compliance partners from each Unit
- Creates and maintains a list of designated Compliance Partners
- Collaborates with Information Technology to design dashboard(s) for monitoring compliance
- Coordinate an annual report
- Provides communications and information about ADA digital accessibility compliance
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Information Technology (UWIT)
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- Develop and host dashboard(s) for monitoring compliance
- Provide a ticketing system for tracking resolution of reported barriers
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Information Technology – Accessible Technology Services (UWIT ATS)
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- Collaborate with Civil Rights Compliance to design dashboard(s) for monitoring compliance
- Provide communications, information, and training about creating accessibility digital content
- Provide digital accessibility training and tools
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- Collaborate with Compliance Partners to identify issues and risks
- Resolve identified issues and risks
- Notify Compliance Partners when issues and risks cannot be resolved
- Notify Compliance Partners about upcoming major milestones such as website and application redesigns, and digital product acquisitions.
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6. Procedure Steps
A. Designating Compliance Partners
- Unit Leaders designate an appropriate number of staff from their unit to manage Compliance Partner responsibilities
- Unit Leaders contact the Deputy ADA Coordinator for Digital Accessibility within 1 month when a compliance partner is designated or removed
- Deputy ADA Coordinator for Digital Accessibility maintains a current list of designated compliance partners
- Deputy ADA Coordinator for Digital Accessibility notifies Unit Leaders if their unit does not have appropriate staff to manage compliance partner responsibilities
B. Communicating compliance requirements
- Deputy ADA Coordinator for Digital Accessibility shares communications to compliance partners related to digital accessibility
- Compliance Partners share communications to their Unit’s content owners related to digital accessibility (e.g., unit-level newsletters, Teams channels, or meetings)
C. Tracking status of compliance goals and metrics
- Deputy ADA Coordinator for Digital Accessibility provides Compliance Partners and other necessary staff access to compliance dashboard(s) and relevant data for monitoring progress on goals and metrics
- Compliance Partners monitor progress on goals and metrics to identify issues and risks
- Compliance Partners coordinate the development and implementation of a plan for their Unit that identifies areas of non-compliance or accessibility gaps, outlines the actions needed to achieve compliance, and sets target completion dates within the transition period identified in the Minimum Digital Accessibility Technical Standard
D. Compliance Partner Meetings
- Deputy ADA Coordinator for Digital Accessibility schedules at least one meeting per year with each Compliance Partner
- In each meeting, Compliance Partners and the Deputy ADA Coordinator for Digital Accessibility review progress on goals and metrics, including:
- Review dashboard(s)
- Discuss active and unresolved issues and risks
- Review upcoming deadlines such as product contract renewals and exceptions
- Identify opportunities for improvement and assistance
E. Reporting on issues and risks
- Compliance Partners notify content owners when issues and risks are identified in their digital content
- Compliance Partners report issues and risks to Unit Leaders and the Deputy ADA Coordinator
- Deputy ADA Coordinator for Digital Accessibility connects compliance partners with resources and guidance to support issue and risk resolution
- Compliance Partners share communications to the Deputy ADA Coordinator for Digital Accessibility from content owners, such as support and training needs, emerging risks, and digital accessibility wins
- Deputy ADA Coordinator for Digital Accessibility coordinates an annual report to document efforts, progress, and any outstanding issues related to conformance to the Minimum Digital Accessibility Technical Standard
F. Addressing Issues and Risks
- Compliance Partners alert digital content owners when an issue or risk has been identified in their content
- Compliance Partners connects digital content owners with resources and processes needed to resolve issues and risks
- Digital Content Owners resolve issues and risks
- Digital Content Owners notify Compliance Partners when issues and risks cannot be resolved
- Compliance Partners monitor progress on resolution and report outcomes to Unit Leaders and the Deputy ADA Coordinator for Digital Accessibility
7. Compliance and Enforcement
Describe how compliance will be monitored and what consequences apply for non-compliance.
8. Revision History