July - September 2025 Progress Report

The University of Colorado Denver is committed to ongoing digital accessibility initiatives aligned with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.1, levels A and AA criteria. Level A represents the minimum level of accessibility, addressing basic web features necessary for some users to access content, while Level AA provides a more comprehensive standard that accommodates a wider range of users and situations. These efforts aim to enhance accessibility for users with sensory, cognitive, and mobility disabilities, fostering an inclusive online environment for all individuals. The university's commitment to equal access to IT has been more formally stated through the publication of an Information Technology (IT) Digital Accessibility Policy.

Organizational Efforts

Campus Accessibility Steering Committee (ASC)

In Progress: Efforts are underway to establish clear governance, roles, and responsibilities related to IT accessibility within the organization. with concerted efforts in the following sub committees: web, training, software, report and response, and procurement.

Web Subcommittee

In Progress: The group met once during the summer, as it is a break period for the committee, and continued working toward our three initial goals for web accessibility.

  • Goal 1: Assess CU Denver’s compliance with level A and AA WCAG standards, including web-hosted PDF files.
    • Identified ways for the subcommittee to support CU Denver Office of Information Technology (OIT)’s, including:
      • Members are training web editors who are either new to CU Denver or whose sites have not made progress in Siteimprove. Three one-on-one trainings occurred during Q3.
    • Members hosted and attended the Digital Collegium regional conference, which included case studies in broad accessibility initiatives and PDF remediation at other universities. 
  • Goal 2: Measure and report progress in Siteimprove, CU Denver’s automated accessibility checker.
    • No progress
  • Goal 3: Create a user-friendly central web page for digital accessibility information and resources.
    • Coordinated with Com to include content on the Accessibility website for best practices using branded templates in Office 365.

Training Subcommittee

In Progress: The Training subcommittee will establish a consistent meeting cadence starting fall semester 2025.

  • University faculty and staff attended the AHEAD conference in July 2025.
  • TIPS released their fall digital accessibility schedule which includes:
    • Enhancing the Digital Accessibility of your Course with Anthology Ally
    • Principles of Digital Accessibility
    • Your Canvas Course, on Mobile
    • Digital Accessibility Live, a series where faculty learn a skill and then immediately put it into action in their course.
  • No further actions were taken by the subcommittee.  

Software Subcommittee

  • In Progress: Software subcommittee (along with Procurement) took a break over Summer 2025.
  • Met with Anschutz Information Security and IT Compliance (ISIC) Risk & Compliance group (early summer) with Procurement subcommittee regarding assessment process. Clarified existing Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) process within Risk & Compliance
    • Data is collected and stored within Isora – the software utility and database that the Risk & Compliance team uses to collect, store, track, automate, and report on compliance requirements for software tools. Identified one location for both campuses.
    • Follow-up discussions on adding software that is not procured, i.e., is free.
  • Working on revised goals / milestones for Software Exemption process
  • Reporting on areas that are responsible for larger systems / shared resources (ex. UIS – UCD Access)
  • Recruiting additional Software subcommittee members, as Kenny Sisco & Storm Gloor have other commitments (late Summer 2025).

Report and Response Subcommittee

In Progress: The Report + Response subcommittee took a break over the summer and resumed monthly meetings in August. The subcommittee meets the first Wednesday of each month.

  • Continuing to work on a draft of the response process for the resolution of digital accessibility barrier reports.
  • Will connect with key stakeholders this fall to review proposed resolution process.
  • Continuing to recruit additional subcommittee members to promote representation of key stakeholders.

Procurement Subcommittee

Status: In Progress: The Procurement Subcommittee met briefly over the summer and will reconvene in the fall. 

  • Work continued to gather feedback on the current assessment process.

Publish Date: 10/1/2025

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