UTDBP3109
Campus Accessibility Committee

Policy Statement

The Campus Accessibility Committee (the"Committee") is a University Committee appointed by the President.

Committee Charge

The Committee has three interrelated concerns: (1) accessibility of campus facilities, (2) accessibility of university programs and services, and (3) long-range planning to incorporate universal design principles into university programs and operations.

1. Accessibility of university The Committee is charged to maintain a system for receiving suggestions and concerns from faculty, students, staff, and visitors regarding the accessibility of university facilities and to make recommendations to the administration regarding enhancing the participation of individuals with disabilities. For this purpose, the term 'facilities' does not mean only buildings but refers to all university infrastructure, fittings, and equipment intended to support instruction and research, activities, and the services associated therewith.
2. Accessibility of university programs, services, and The Committee is charged to maintain a system for receiving suggestions and concerns from faculty, students, staff, and visitors regarding the accessibility of all university programs and services (including information technology), and to make recommendations to the administration regarding improving the participation of individuals with disabilities.
3. Long-range campus On the basis of its knowledge of utilization of current facilities and involvement in program planning, the Committee is charged to suggest and review long-range plans to promote universal design and the full participation of individuals with disabilities.

Membership

All members of the Committee are voting members. In order to hold a vote, a simple majority of voting members (51% or more) must be present. Members should have relevant interest or expertise in the area of disability acommodations and access. The members shall be appointed by the President or the President’s designee and shall include:

• one faculty member from each school nominated by the Committee on University Service (seven at the time this policy was last updated);
• one representative from Staff Council;
• one undergraduate representative from Student Government;
• one graduate representative from the Graduate Student Assembly;
• and representatives from university offices or departments with responsibilities for disability accommodations and access, including but not limited to:
  • ADA coordinator
  • Digital Accessibility Coordinator
  • Dean of Students
  • AccessAbility Resource Center
  • McDermott Library
  • Office of Institutional Risk and Safety Programs
  • Facilities Management
  • Office of Human Resources
  • Office of Budget and Finance
  • Parking and Transportation Services
  • Office of Communications and Marketing
  • The Committee on Effective Teaching

The term of office for Committee members shall be for two years (except for the Student Government and Graduate Student Assembly representatives whose term will be one year).

Service will be effective from September 1 to August 31,and members may be reappointed by the President for additional terms. If for any reason a Committee memberr esigns,the President shall appoint another individual to serve the remainder of the unexpired term.

To ensure continuity, appointments of Committee members will be for staggered terms so that half of the appointments expire August 31 of each academic year. The Chair and Staff Co-chair of the Committee shall be appointed by the President annually. Committee leadership should have a strong working knowledge of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 compliance, and accessibility issues, either from academic or research expertise or personal experience.

All meetings, events, and other activities sponsored by the Committee (whether in-person, virtual, or other) shall be held in accordance with applicable accessibility laws to fully promote for Committee members and guests.

Responsible University Official (RUO)

The Chief Compliance Officer shall serve as the RUO for this committee.