Project Details

Project Name: ​​​​​Accessibility Task Force​​​​​ 

Project Co-Leads: ​​​Maggie Jesse, Tiffini Stevenson Earl​​​ 

Project Manager: ​Mike Frangi​ 

Projected Project Timeline: ​December 2024 – April 2026

Reporting Period: ​April - June 2025 

Overall Status: ​Progressing with challenges 

Project and Timeline Phase

We are currently in Phase 2: Implementation, which spans from February 2025 through April 2026. This phase focuses on collecting and prioritizing digital assets, launching accessibility training, refining procurement policies, and beginning remediation planning. 

 

Phase 

Timeline 

Status 

Phase 1 – Planning & Preparation 

Dec 2024 – Jan 2025 

 Completed 

Phase 2 – Implementation 

Feb 2025 – Apr 2026 

 In Progress 

Phase 3 – Monitoring & Reporting 

May 2025 – Dec 2025 

In Progress 

Phase 4 – Final Compliance Checks 

Jan 2026 – Apr 2026 

 Not Started 

Summary of Status

The Accessibility Task Force has captured an initial version of the digital asset inventory, with 4,553 items logged across campus, including approximately 2,500 from healthcare. This inventory is not considered complete and will continue to evolve as additional assets are identified and added. Several administrative and collegiate academic units have not yet submitted their inventories, and follow-up is underway to ensure full participation. To support the next phase of work, a proposal has been developed to form an inventory review team that will assist with de-duplication and data cleanup of the assets entered into the system. In parallel, a PDF Tiger Team has been convened to analyze and recommend strategies for addressing more than 30,000 flagged PDF documents across campus. The task force is now shifting its focus toward remediation planning and long-term sustainability.

On the communications front, the communication subcommittee lead has finalized a year-long messaging calendar and is preparing for a July summit with over 150 campus communicators. Messaging will begin rolling out in August and will include evergreen content, digital signage, and targeted outreach through existing campus channels. The communications strategy is designed to reinforce urgency, clarify expectations, and support leadership in driving accessibility efforts within their units.

Training efforts are progressing at a measured pace. The training subcommittee lead is currently focused on developing a series of short instructional videos, each approximately three to five minutes in length, that address accessibility best practices in commonly used tools such as PDF, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. In addition, work is underway to refine the Accessibility 101 module, which will serve as a foundational resource for campus-wide awareness. Finally, a proposal for a liaison program, which would provide unit-level support for accessibility implementation and serve as a key channel for distributing training and guidance has been approved. These efforts are intended to build a scalable foundation for both awareness and skill development across campus.

Status per Quarter

Quarter 2, 2025: April – June 2025

Status: Progressing

This quarter marked a transition from inventory collection to prioritization remediation planning and cultural engagement. Some subcommittees continue to meet regularly, while others have not convened recently.

Key Accomplishments:

  • Initial inventory captured in the system, with 4,553 items logged across most subcommittees; healthcare accounted for over 2,500 entries. However, there are a few administrative and collegiate academic units that have not yet submitted inventories and require follow-up.
  • PDF Tiger Team formed to address 30,000+ flagged documents; recommendations due August 15.
  • Draft digital inventory review team proposal developed, outlining structure, roles, and scope of work.
  • Liaison program proposal drafted to support decentralized implementation and communication.
  • Communications subcommittee finalized a year-long messaging calendar and began preparing for a July campus communicator summit.
  • The training subcommittee is developing short instructional videos for end users on accessibility in PDF, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint and updating Accessibility 101 content for potential campus-wide use.
  • ICON’s “Tidy Up” tool launched to help faculty reduce redundant files and improve Ally scores.
  • Student Life and other subcommittees began internal prioritization of high-impact items for remediation.
  • Contracts subcommittee resumed regular meetings to address accessibility in procurement and vendor engagement.
  • Web subcommittee began publishing SiteImprove rankings and accessibility scores to increase visibility and drive improvement.

Quarter 1, 2025: January – March 2025 

Status: On Track 

This quarter marked the start of Phase 2 (Implementation) and saw early wins in system launches, subcommittee activation, and campus engagement. The work of gathering digital assets and planning for remediation is well underway. 

Key Accomplishments: 

  • Subcommittees fully launched with defined charges and regular meeting cadences. 

  • Accessibility inventory system launched and distributed to subcommittees for data entry and prioritization. 

  • Training subcommittee drafted a training strategy document indicates that training plan will include short-format videos, live sessions, and potentially compliance tracking.  

  • Training subcommittee developed a draft Universal Competency in Digital Accessibility training module, providing foundational knowledge on digital accessibility and its importance for usability by all individuals, including those with disabilities. Participants would learn about legal obligations, accessibility principles, and practical strategies to enhance digital content accessibility. 

  • Communication subcommittee launched Accessibility website to serve as a centralized resource for the initiative. 

  • Co-Chairs delivered presentations to campus leaders (e.g., CIO Listening Post, Student Success Team). 

  • Contracts subcommittee developed standardized accessibility language and an escalation process for technology procurements; mapped contract ownership across departments to improve compliance alignment. Flagged textbook-bundled software as a complex issue requiring broader task force discussion. 

  • Developing a vendor exception process initiated by the Contracts subcommittee. 

Quarter 4, 2024: October – December 2024 

Status: Foundation Established 

This quarter focused on laying the strategic and operational groundwork for the Accessibility Task Force. Foundational planning and early coordination activities positioned the project for a January 2025 launch. 

Key Activities: 

  • Project kickoff and chartering, with definition of goals and timelines aligned to April 2026 compliance deadline. 

  • Appointment of co-leads and project manager; executive sponsorship confirmed. 

  • Identification of subcommittee areas and preliminary lead outreach. 

  • Initial communication planning, including website scoping and stakeholder messaging. 

  • Requirements scoping for the digital asset inventory system.

Items for Attention

This section outlines areas that warrant increased visibility, coordination, or action to maintain project momentum. These items are not currently at risk but may require executive support, interdepartmental alignment, or task force prioritization in the coming weeks.

  • Finalizing and launching the inventory data clean up team to begin addressing high-priority items.
  • Clarifying roles and responsibilities for remediation ownership across subcommittees and units.
  • Addressing the 30,000+ PDFs flagged with accessibility issues through the PDF Tiger Team and local action.
  • Launching the campus-wide communications campaign in September to reinforce urgency and expectations.
  • Finalizing the liaison program and developing support for distributed accountability.
  • Ensuring consistent messaging and response channels for accessibility questions and support.
  • Following up with administrative and collegiate academic units that have not yet submitted inventory data. Additional outreach and accountability measures may be needed to ensure full participation.
  • Escalating concerns around lack of prioritization and ownership within healthcare leadership. Despite representing over half of the total inventory, there is currently no dedicated team or clear urgency around remediation planning in this area.

Risks and Mitigation Strategies

This section outlines known risks that may impact project success if not actively addressed. While the task force has discussed many of these risks, formal mitigation strategies have not yet been fully developed or implemented. Continued monitoring and leadership engagement will be critical to managing these challenges as the project progresses.

  • Operational Bandwidth Constraints: Subcommittees and contributors are balancing accessibility work with other responsibilities, limiting available time and capacity.
  • Inventory System Engagement: Several administrative and collegiate academic units have not submitted inventories, which limits the completeness and utility of the system-wide view.
  • Training Plan Finalization: The training strategy is still evolving, and uncertainty around delivery formats and funding may delay rollout.
  • Content Volume and Resource Gaps: The scale of inaccessible content, particularly PDFs and legacy systems, requires more resources and coordination than currently available.
  • Exception Requests Undermining Compliance: Some units may seek to bypass accessibility requirements, which could create inconsistency and risk.
  • Over-reliance on Automated Tools: Automated checkers may miss critical accessibility issues, leading to a false sense of compliance.
  • Dedicated Resources or Full-Time Staffing: No staff are currently assigned full-time to accessibility task force work, which limits sustained progress.
  • Incomplete Inventory Participation: Progress has been made, but without full participation, the inventory cannot serve as a reliable foundation for prioritization and remediation.
  • Clarity Around SharePoint and Other Platforms: We need to develop campus-wide guidance on how to assess or manage accessibility risk in platforms like SharePoint, despite widespread use.

Next Steps

Short-Term (July – August 2025)

  • Finalize and launch the remediation and prioritization team.
  • Receive and review PDF Tiger Team recommendations (due August 15).
  • Evaluate and potentially adopt Deque University training.
  • Follow up with administrative and collegiate academic units that have not submitted inventories and escalate as needed.
  • Engage healthcare leadership to establish a focused remediation team and timeline.

Medium-Term (September – December 2025)

  • Launch campus-wide communications campaign.
  • Host campus communicator training and finalize liaison program structure.
  • Begin active remediation of critical and high-priority items.
  • Track and report progress using the inventory dashboard.
  • Expand training access and participation.
  • Continue cultural shift toward sustainable accessibility practices.