Readable by design

Create text that’s sized, spaced, and structured so everyone can read it with ease

Not everyone sees color or reads text the same way. Accessibility is a core part of effective design, supporting clarity, hierarchy, and usability. It was a key consideration in developing university brand standards for typography, color, and templates.

Use high contrast

Light text on a dark background (or vice versa) is easier to read. Avoid low-contrast color combos like gold on white.
A good color contrast ratio is generally considered to be at least 4.5:1 for standard body text.
Use free tools like WebAIM’s contrast checker to confirm your choices.

Choose readable fonts

Sans serif fonts are easier to read on screens. Avoid fancy or decorative fonts.
Roboto is the university’s primary brand font and was selected with readability in mind. System defaults (Arial, Calibri, etc.) can be used when university brand fonts aren’t available.
Limit use of all capital letters to improve readability.

Keep text size readable

Use a size that is comfortably readable at the intended viewing distance.
Ensure clear hierarchy between headings and body text.
Avoid very small or very light text, especially for longer blocks of text.
Use enough space between lines so text is easy to read.

Use existing templates and tools

Use university tools like SiteNow and brand templates, which have built-in features to support accessibility standards.
This helps reduce guesswork and improves consistency across campus.