Digital Accessibility Policy

Purpose

The University of Rochester is committed to its values of equity, accountability, openness, and respect. 创建一个可访问的数字环境欢迎并确保尽可能多的受众获得“更好”的体验.  该政策旨在通过遵守总统办公室和法律顾问办公室授权下的大学网络治理委员会制定的网站和数字资源的可访问性标准，促进无障碍的在线大学环境. 该政策的目标是消除障碍，确保大学数字环境的可用性和公平访问.

Scope

This policy applies to all members of the University of Rochester community who manage, develop, or provide content for new or redesigned web pages and other digital resources published, hosted, or otherwise provided by the University.

What constitutes a web page or other digital resource is to be interpreted broadly, and for example, does not depend upon the type of client or host device, the type of software on the client or host devices, or the technical means by which the client and host communicate over the web.

这一政策适用于数字和网络资源，无论它们是否为内部受众(如学生)创建, faculty, and staff or an external audience that includes the general public, or both.

Policy Statement and Standards

新的或重新设计的大学网站和数字资源应符合标准的最新版本或后续标准 Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (“WCAG”) 2.1 Level AA (“Policy Standards”), as published by the Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium.  遗留网页和数字资源应根据负责网页或数字资源的组织负责人(见下文)设定的优先级进行更新，以符合政策标准.

应使用多种评估方法来测试和维护网页和数字资源的可访问性, including automated and manual testing, user testing (including the use of assistive technology), and expert evaluation.

学校所属社交媒体账号的内容应充分利用各平台的可访问性特点和功能.

Compliance

1月1日之后创建或进行重大重新设计的大学网站和数字资源, 2024, shall conform to the Policy Standards with respect to their platforms, infrastructure, and content.

应尽合理努力使遗留网页和数字资源符合政策标准. Site owners should use analytics, their own strategic goals, 或用于确定处理遗留页面和资源所需更新的优先级的其他标准.

If requested, Web治理委员会或其他中央Web或数字可访问性支持人员可以帮助确定处理遗留Web站点和数字资源的优先领域, and recommend tools, resources, and training opportunities.

如果大学收到由于残疾而无法访问大学网站或数字资源的个人的请求, the site owner must, in a timely manner, either update the requested website or digital resource to conform to the Policy Standards, make the content available in an alternative format, or request an exception.

Responsibility and Accountability

Responsible: For each individual school, unit, or department of the University, the ”Organizational Leader”—typically a dean, vice president, department chair, 或主管最终负责确保所有新的和新设计的网站和数字资源属于他们的领域符合政策标准，并保持继续符合政策标准. 组织领导者还负责处理其领域内遗留网络或数字资源的遵从性的计划和方法.

Accountable: Individual site owners, authors, and contributors—anyone who manages, creates, edits, 或发布大学网页或数字资源，负责监督并进行必要的更新, tests, 或评估，以使其新的或新设计的网站和数字资源符合政策标准.  站点所有者还负责创建和实施计划，以解决其遗留网络或数字资源的遵从性.

Exceptions

如果遵守政策标准会导致大学网站或数字资源的预期功能发生根本改变, or pose an undue burden, 负责该网站或数字资源的组织负责人可向网络治理委员会申请例外. (某一特定单位的资金不足通常不会被视为例外的理由.)

网络管理委员会或其他中央网络可访问性支持人员将评估例外请求，并根据法律顾问办公室和其他大学组织的适当输入提出建议. If an exception is recommended by the Web Governance Council, 网站所有者可能会被建议以可访问的替代格式提供网站或数字资源.

Glossary of terms

Accessible
如果残疾人或使用辅助技术的人能够“感知”，则数字资源是可访问的, understand, navigate, and interact with” a website or digital resource.

Usability
可用性是一个网站或数字资源的属性，它描述了在线访问该资源的人使用该资源的容易程度和愉快程度.

Inclusion
Firmly embedded in our University’s Meliora values, inclusion describes a culture where all people are present and seen, and where all people have access to the tools they need to succeed as students, teachers, and staff.

Websites
A collection of related web pages (composed of text, images, multimedia assets, databases, interactions, and functionality) that are grouped together under its own information architecture or navigation scheme; are hosted on University of Rochester-controlled domains; and are used to conduct University business.

Digital Resource
Includes but is not limited to websites, email and e-newsletters, mobile applications, audio and video content, electronic documents, 以及通过使用数字技术提供并用于开展大学业务的其他信息或内容.

Legacy
Web sites or digital resources created before the date of this policy’s adoption.

Site Owner
The individual designated by the cognizant vice president, dean, chair, director, 或为该实体的大学网站或数字资源创建内容或代码的大学单位的经理. All websites must have an owner, and it is possible for a site to have more than one owner.

Organizational Leader
罗彻斯特大学的网络和数字环境模仿了其组织结构, and is highly decentralized and often nested in nature. A center might be inside a department, which is part of a school, for example. The Organization Leader is the manager, director, dean, 或副总裁负责确保网站所有者在该级别的网络和组织层次有资源和时间，他们需要遵守数字无障碍政策.