To our campus community,
Today in celebration of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), we are pleased to announce the new Web Accessibility Procedures now available on the Digital Accessibility Program website. As you may recall, in December UC Berkeley entered into a Consent Decree with the US Department of Justice regarding the accessibility of specific web-based content. The new Web Accessibility Procedures provide information and guidance on what we need to do as a campus to meet accessibility requirements under the scope of the Consent Decree. Below we share details of the first deadline, Sept. 2, 2023, and actions faculty, staff, and student employees must take to ensure their public berkeley.edu websites, BerkeleyX online courses, audio, and video content meet required accessibility standards.
What do I need to do?
- Review the Web Accessibility Procedures to familiarize yourself with the information and the role you play in creating and updating berkeley.edu websites, BerkeleyX online courses, audio, and video content.
- If you answer yes to any of the following questions, fill out this short survey, so we can connect with you to provide targeted guidance, information, and support.
- Video: Do you own, manage, or contribute to UC Berkeley video content on platforms like YouTube, Vimeo, etc?
- Audio: Do you own, manage, or contribute to UC Berkeley audio content on audio players like iTunes, Apple Podcast, Spotify, or any other podcast type of platform?
- Website: Do you own, manage, or contribute UC Berkeley digital content to a berkeley.edu or subdomain like dap.berkeley.edu?
Who is responsible for these actions?
Generally, if your content is available to the public on a berkeley.edu website or Berkeley-controlled platform like YouTube or Apple Podcast, then you are responsible for taking action to ensure your online content meets the accessibility requirements outlined in the Web Accessibility Procedures; however, students and student groups are exempt. Please review the Procedures for the details regarding responsibility
Who can I talk to for questions or to schedule a consultation?
If you have questions or if you would like to schedule a consultation with a digital accessibility team member, please email improving-accessibility@berkeley.edu. If you have questions about your existing BerkeleyX online course, please contact berkeleyx@berkeley.edu
What is the first deadline for ensuring content is accessible?
The first web content deadline under the Consent Decree with the US Department of Justice is coming up this fall. By Sept. 2, 2023, audio-only (i.e. Podcasts) and videos published since Dec. 2, 2022 must meet specific accessibility guidelines. Please review the following pages to ensure your audio and video content is accessible:
Pro Tip: If you choose to move your YouTube Channel under the UC Berkeley’s Multi-channel Network, you can enjoy additional financial and technical captioning support. Learn more about the YouTube Multi-channel Network or email improving-accessibility@berkeley.edu with your questions or to request a consultation with one of our digital accessibility team members.
Additional information and deadlines, including more detail on the terms of the consent decree, are shared in the Web Accessibility Procedures. It is essential that our community understands our obligations detailed in these procedures, so we may address outstanding web accessibility conformance issues accurately, efficiently, and swiftly. We appreciate your attention to this matter and your partnership to improve digital accessibility at UC Berkeley, so our content may be enjoyed by all.
Regards,
Jenn Stringer, Associate Vice Chancellor for IT and Chief Information OfficerWes Johnson, Executive Director of Campus IT Experience
Ella Callow, Director of Disability Access & Compliance and ADA Compliance Officer
Related Links: Digital Accessibility Program | Consent Decree| GAAD WebsiteThis message has been sent to all faculty, staff, and student employees. If you are a manager who supervises UC Berkeley employees without email access, please circulate this information to all.