Campus Accessibility Committee - UTDBP3109

Policy Statement

The Campus Accessibility Committee (the "Committee") is a University-wide Standing Committee appointed by the President not reporting to the Academic Senate of The University of Texas at Dallas.

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 facilities. 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 instruction. 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 planning. 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.

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. The members shall be appointed by the President or the President’s designee and shall include:

• one faculty member from each school (seven at the time this policy was last updated) nominated by the Academic Senate;
• one representative from Staff Council;
• one undergraduate representative from Student Government;
• one graduate representative from the Graduate Student Assembly;
• at least one student, one faculty member, and one staff member who are users of disability accommodations or have specific relevant expertise recommended by the AccessAbility Resource Center.
• one representative of the general community who is a user of disability accommodations or has specific relevant expertise;
• and representatives from individuals, university offices, departments, or committees with relevant expertise or interest, including but not limited to:
  • ADA coordinator
  • Electronic Information Resources (EIR) Accessibility Coordinator
  • Dean of Students
  • AccessAbility Resource Center
  • McDermott Library
  • Office of Institutional Risk & Safety Programs
  • Office of Information Technology
  • Facilities & Economic Development
  • Office of Human Resources
  • Office of Institutional Compliance
  • Office of Budget and Finance
  • University Police Department
  • Parking & Transportation Services
  • Educational Technology Services
  • Office of Communications
  • Office of Graduate Education
  • Office of Undergraduate Education
  • Student Counseling Center
  • 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 member resigns, the President shall appoint another individual to serve the remainder of the unexpired term. The Chief Compliance Officer shall serve as the Responsible University Official for this committee.

To ensure continuity, appointments of Committee members will be for staggered terms so that one-third 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.