UIC support for digital accessibility

Dear UIC faculty, staff and students,

UIC is dedicated to the full inclusion of students, faculty, staff, patients and the community in all our programs, services and activities. This commitment aligns with our mission to provide the broadest access to the highest levels of educational, research and clinical excellence.

In April 2024, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division issued a final rule revising Title II of the ADA. This rule mandates that state and local governments ensure their websites, mobile applications and all other information and communication technologies are fully accessible to people with disabilities by April 24, 2026. The new standards adopt the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 Level AA.

This ruling will significantly enhance inclusivity at UIC, and we are fortunate to have subject matter experts in IT digital accessibility, along with dedicated faculty and staff, who are committed to ensuring student access and success.

To lead this effort, we are establishing a new campuswide UIC Digital Accessibility Steering Committee, which will be co-chaired by Caryn Bills, associate chancellor and director of the Office for Access and Equity, and Jemma Ku, PhD, UIC’s director of IT accessibility. This committee will provide leadership and guidance throughout the initiative and support its implementation. Should you have questions, we encourage you to reach out to the steering team at accessibility@uic.edu.

We recognize that this will require a substantial effort to ensure compliance across campus with the revised rule. We are confident that the UIC Digital Accessibility Steering Committee will effectively lead this critically important initiative.

Sincerely,

Marie Lynn Miranda, PhD
Chancellor

Karen Colley, PhD
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

Robert Barish, MD, MBA
Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs

For more information, please contact:
Jemma Ku
accessibility@uic.edu