KB User's Guide - Example of a UW-Madison Policy Embedded With Include Doc

Overview

The UW-Madison Policy Library contains all campus-level policies. To prevent inconsistencies in how policies are presented, UW-Madison units are not allowed to copy or duplicate these policies outside of the Policy Library. However, you are allowed to embed policies as long as they are being pulled directly from the Policy Library. This ensures that end users are always seeing a current version of the policy.

Below, you can see the Digital Accessibility policy for UW-Madison. This policy has been embedded in this document using the Include doc > Include external page body option. Learn more about this feature here.

For comparison, you can also view this policy directly in the Policy Library. Additionally, a link back to the Policy Library is automatically appended at the end of the embedded policy when using this feature.

Digital Accessibility

Policy Number

UW-519

Responsible Office

Office of Compliance

Type

University Policy

Rationale/​Purpose

In accordance with disability laws and University of Wisconsin System Administrative Policy 655, Accessibility of Web Content and Mobile Applications, the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) is committed to preventing disability discrimination. To the greatest extent possible, the university provides digital content that is fully, equally, independently, and privately usable by disabled individuals.

Policy

1. Digital Accessibility Requirements
   1. Digital content, including that which is developed, provided, or hosted by an affiliated third-party, must be accessible.
   2. Digital content that cannot be made accessible due to technological or legal limitations must be accompanied by a conforming alternate version. The alternate version must be provided by the individual or unit responsible for or requiring the use of the digital content within their program, service, or activity.
2. Procurement

   Contracts for obtaining, purchasing, or developing digital content must contain accessibility requirements as determined by the Office of Compliance.

3. Electronic Files

   Documents (e.g., Word, Excel, Google Doc, PowerPoint) must be distributed in their original file format unless the converted file format (e.g., PDF, ePub) is also accessible.

4. Effective Communication

   Information presented through text alternatives, captions, or audio descriptions must contain the same level of detail available to or intended for nondisabled individuals (e.g., values on a graph are also included in the text alternatives, all sounds in a video are also conveyed in captions).

5. Student, Program Participant, and Student-Organization Digital Content
   1. Digital content created by students, program participants, and volunteers is exempt from this policy unless created in response to a university requirement in which the content will be used by others to apply to, participate in, or benefit from a university program, service, or activity (e.g., assignment requiring students to create exam study guide for class to use).
   2. Digital content created or hosted by registered student organizations is exempt from this policy unless the digital content is for use in a university sponsored program, service, or activity.
6. Digital Accessibility Liaisons
   1. Each school, college, division, or unit must designate at least one employee as a digital accessibility liaison who must:
      1. Register via the Digital Accessibility Liaison Registration form on the Digital Accessibility Liaison Network webpage; and
      2. Email the Center for User Experience of any change to designee.
   2. Digital accessibility liasisons:
      1. Advocate for digital accessibility.
      2. Connect individuals in their unit to the Center for User Experience or Office of Compliance, as needed.
      3. Communicate the university's digital accessibility resources to their unit.
      4. Serve as a point of contact for digital accessibility in their unit.
7. Noncompliance
   1. Until April 24, 2027, issues of noncompliance unrelated to a discrimination complaint (see Section VIII) will be addressed through:
      1. Awareness, knowledge, and training as outlined through the Interim Digital Accessibility Policy Noncompliance Enforcement Procedures.
      2. Digital content that appears noncompliant is reported to the Office of Compliance through the Digital Accessibility Noncompliance Intake form (NetID required).
      3. Noncompliant digital content may be removed to ensure nondiscrimination if:
         1. It cannot be made accessible; or
         2. A conforming alternate version cannot be provided where permitted; or
         3. Its use does not satisfy the requirements established under 28 C.F.R. § 35.204.  
   2. Beginning April 24, 2027, enforcement of noncompliance unrelated to a discrimination complaint (see Section VIII) will be addressed through:
      1. Awareness, knowledge, and time-to-cure as outlined through the Digital Accessibility Policy Noncompliance Enforcement Procedures.
      2. Digital content that appears noncompliant is reported to the Office of Compliance through the Digital Accessibility Noncompliance Intake form (NetID required).
      3. Failure to bring the content into compliance or ongoing noncompliance on the part of individuals or schools, colleges, divisions, or units to this policy or enforcement procedures may result in any or all of the following:
         1. Removal of noncompliant digital content if:
            1. It cannot be made accessible; or
            2. A conforming alternate version cannot be provided where permitted; or
            3. Its use does not satisfy the requirements established under 28 C.F.R. § 35.204.
         2. For employees, discipline up to and including termination of employment.
         3. For students, outcome(s) as determined by applicable policies (e.g., UW-2002 Registered Student Organization Code of Conduct) or the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards.
   3. Noncompliance with this policy or disability laws may result in monetary damages or other obligations for the university as determined by federal or state enforcement agencies.
8. Complaints

   Disabled individuals, or their designee, may file a discrimination complaint with the Office of Compliance.

Related UW–Madison Documents, Web Pages, or Other Resources

External References

Approval Authority

Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs Compliance and Enterprise Risk Management

Policy Manager

ADA Coordinator

Contact

Deputy ADA Coordinator -- Mark Whittaker, ada_coordinator@wisc.edu, (608) 263-4718
ADA Coordinator -- Ruben Mota, ada_coordinator@wisc.edu, (608) 265-4508

Effective Date

12-06-2000

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Source: View policy UW-519 in the UW-Madison Policy Library