PART 1: AUTHORITY AND PURPOSE

1. Authority: New Mexico State University is committed to supporting digital accessible electronic and information technology that offers individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to participate in University programs and services in accordance with Federal and State law.
2. Purpose: This policy provides direction to meet the university’s commitment to equity and inclusion through creation of a digital accessible experience that enhances usability for everyone. Implementation of this policy allows individuals to have access to Digital Content, Resources, and Technology (“Digital Material”) provided by or on behalf of the University

PART 2: KEY POLICY STATEMENT(S)

Minimum required ICT accessibility standards and requirements issued under 29 U.S.C. §794d - Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, as amended, serve as the basis for Universal Design Principles (Principles).  Use of these Principles and compliance with the standards is intended to result in a welcoming and equitable digital experience for a wide range of people regardless of ability, disability, or use of assistive technology.

1. Aplicability: This policy applies to staff, faculty, students, and third parties who procure, design, develop, modify, maintain, otherwise make available, obtain or use Digital Material  when conducting University business or engaging  in the programs and activities of the University.
2. Minimum Standard: New Digital Material provided by New Mexico State University must abide by this policy, meet minimum accessibility requirements, and be in accordance with  Federal and state law, except where doing so would impose a Fundamental Alteration or Undue Burden as defined by this policy. The following requirements apply to specific types of content, resources, and technology used to help meet federal guidelines:
   1. Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA
   2. Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG) 2.0 for tools that support web content authoring (e.g. HTML editors, software for generating websites, multimedia authoring tools, wikis, and blogs, etc.)
3. University Digital Material: Regardless of audience or authentication constraints, University Digital Material maintained or made available requires compliance with Federal and State accessibility requirements. Examples of applicable categories  are provided below, with further guidance and information.
   1. Web:  All websites, web pages and web-based software published or hosted by the University or used to conduct University business, including remotely hosted sites and software.
   2. Instructional Materials: All electronic instructional materials and activities, optional and required, including but not limited to syllabi, textbooks, presentations, and handouts delivered within the University’s learning management system, via email or via another electronic means for face-to-face classes and online courses, instructional videos, online collaborative writing, web conferencing, blogging, and other.
   3. Documents:  All University produced, maintained or distributed electronic documents such as word processing documents, PDFs, presentations, publications and spreadsheets that are scanned, uploaded, posted or otherwise published or distributed electronically.
   4. Electronic Media: All electronic multimedia resources used by the University for instruction, communication, marketing, promotion or other academic or business purposes.
   5. Software, Hardware and IT Systems: All software, hardware and IT systems used for academic and research purposes, administrative and business purposes, and customer service must produce Accessible products or content, which includes compatibility with assistive technology. These systems include, but are not limited to, learning management, content management, library systems, email, human resources administration, financial systems, course or event registration, freeware, shareware, enterprise systems and online or remotely hosted software.
   6. Procurement Purchases: The University will purchase electronic products and solutions, including, but not limited to, software, operating systems, web-based applications, video and multimedia, that meet or exceed Accessibility standards. All requests for proposals from and contracts with vendors include language that outlines this requirement and provide stipulations for how the vendor is expected to demonstrate compliance. 
4. Roles and Responsibility: Regardless of audience or authentication constraints, University Digital Material maintained or made available requires compliance with Federal and State accessibility requirements. Examples of applicable categories  are provided below, with further guidance and information.
   1. Compliance: Digital accessibility compliance oversight is shared by the Office of Disability Access Services, Marketing and Communications, the Academic Technology Department and Information Technology. These units provide resources and guidance to University constituents in their responsibilities for Accessible Digital Media.
   2. Oversight: The head of each University unit such as a Dean, Department Chair, or Director, serves as the Digital Accessibility Liaison and is delegated oversight responsibility for compliance with this and other applicable University policies relating to Digital Material owned or used within their department by University constituents.
      1. The head of the University unit may designate another University employee to serve as a Digital Accessibility Liaison
      2. The Digital Accessibility Liaison is responsible  for taking  appropriate action(s) to uphold the accessibility of Digital Materials;  communicating this policy, and other applicable accessibility information and practices;  and collaborating with the compliance oversight offices listed in “item 1” above, to respond to and resolve accessibility issues resulting from the development, use, maintenance, or purchase of Digital Materials within the department
   3. Corrections and Timing: University faculty and staff are required to identify and prioritize Existing Digital Material that is not Accessible and develop an action plan to make it Accessible in a timely manner. In the event Existing Digital Material cannot be made Accessible, the University unit must provide an Equally Effective Alternative.
   4. Prioritization: Digital Material compliance activities may be prioritized based on available resources, audience scope, and amount or size of the request or content. When a request for accessible digital content is received, the timeline for making the existing or archived Digital Material Accessible must be expedited to meet established deadlines for compliance
   5. Ongoing Accessibility Evaluation: University faculty and staff are responsible for evaluating Digital Material for ongoing compliance with this Policy. Resources must be allocated to this ongoing evaluation, including the designation of an appropriate number of Digital Accessibility Liaisons. Consultation and training assistance  may be requested from one of the compliance oversight offices.

PART 3: KEY PROCESS ELEMENTS

1. The following offices and groups occupy key roles in the socialization and implementation of this Policy:
   1. The  Accessibility Response Team provides oversight of University accessibility efforts and initiatives, reviews the Policy on an ongoing basis, and is the final arbiter of whether a University website meets the Accessibility Standard. The Accessibility Committee reviews exception requests.
   2. The  Office of Disability Access Services facilitates equal access for students with disabilities by coordinating accommodations and support services.
   3. The  Office of the Provost is the owner of the Policy and is responsible  for University accessibility matters.
   4. Information Technology provides the University with central computing and communications services and owns the nmsu.edu network infrastructure.
   5. The  Office of Procurement  Services requires all University units seeking approval of a vendor to hold the vendor accountable for meeting the Accessibility Standard.
   6. NMSU University Libraries build and sustain vital research and teaching collections, many of which are available online to faculty, staff, students, and other scholars.
   7. The  Academic Technology Department partners with faculty, staff, and colleagues across the University to support excellence and innovation in teaching and learning
   8. The  Marketing and Communications Department maintains University branding, web, and identity guidelines and disseminates them to colleagues across the University. Marketing and Communications approves third-level domain names for all University websites and requires Site Owners to affirm that outside vendors have been supplied with all development, branding, accessibility, and network guidelines and policies.
   9. Site Owners manage  the University websites for which they are responsible to meet the Accessibility Standard
2. Exceptions:  An exception to this policy may be requested through submission of a form if the exception is:
   1. Minimal/De Minimis Use:  Digital Material will be used by one individual or a small number of  identified individual(s) (such as a small office or a research lab), and the responsible University faculty and/or staff member confirms that the Digital Material is Accessible to the identified individuals. This exception does not apply when Digital Material is intended for long-term use or by unknown future users or when an individual notifies the University unit of an accessibility need related to the Digital Material.
   2. Fundamental Alteration or Undue Burden:   An Equally Effective Alternative cannot be provided because doing so would impose a Fundamental Alteration or an Undue Burden, or if another requirement of this policy cannot be met, the University faculty and/or staff member responsible for the Digital Material must request an exception to this policy through the Office of Disability Access Services.
   3. Exception Requests: If the request for an exception  is not approved, the Office of Disability Access Services may assist the University faculty and/or staff member in creating an action plan including researching other vendors with similar products or identifying alternative methods to achieve the same functional goals. A written explanation for an exception must be tracked and made available upon request. All decisions are final.

PART 4: DEFINITIONS

1. Accessible: When an individual with a disability is afforded the opportunity to acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services as a person without a disability in an equally effective and equally integrated manner, with substantially equivalent ease of use.
2. Digital Content, Resources, and/or Technology: (also referred to as “Digital Material”) Information, products, and services available for download or distribution in an electronic format or presented on a web page or through a web or other computer application.
3. Equally Effective Alternative: Alternative access to electronic content that, while not required to produce the identical result or level of achievement, affords an individual with a disability equal opportunity to obtain the same result,  gain the same benefit, or  reach the same level of achievement in the most integrated setting appropriate to the individual’s needs.
4. Existing Digital Material: Includes all Digital Content, Resources, and Technology developed or procured prior to the effective date of this Policy, including Digital Content, Resources, or Technology that is archived.
5. Fundamental Alteration: A change so significant that it affects the essential nature of the instruction, program or activity provided.
6. New Digital Material: Includes all Digital Content, Resources, and Technology developed or procured after the effective date of this Standard.
7. Timely: as it relates to equally effective alternative access to electronic content, timely means that the individual with a disability receives access to electronic content in a reasonable time frame that meets the needs of the individual based on the circumstances.
8. Undue Burden: A significant disruption, expense, or difficulty that may result by the provision of accessible Digital Content, Resources, or Technology.
9. University Business: Activities carried out on behalf of New Mexico State University. University Business does not include activities organized or conducted by students when not designated to act on behalf of the University.