<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style=""><span id="gmail-docs-internal-guid-0194f5ae-7fff-ac54-aadf-9ce8c0f57f42" style=""><font face="tahoma, sans-serif" style=""><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Dear Campus Community:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The University of California and UCR are committed to providing a </span><a href="https://accessibility.ucr.edu/digital-accessibility" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">digital environment that is accessible to everyone</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, including individuals with disabilities. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">For many years, UC campuses have implemented a</span><a href="https://www.ucop.edu/electronic-accessibility/initiative/policy.html" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">system-wide policy</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> to promote full, equal, and independent use of our digital resources. Recent changes to federal law under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act mean that all UC campuses and national labs must meet </span><a href="https://www.ada.gov/resources/2024-03-08-web-rule/" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">new requirements to ensure accessibility</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">.</span><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">These changes mandate new standards for digital content produced by the university. This includes websites, web applications, emails, online surveys, social media, electronic documents, learning management system content, podcasts, streaming video, mobile applications, third party software, instructional materials, and all other content delivered digitally. </span><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">It is essential that all UCR employees become familiar with and help to implement these new standards.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">UCR’s Digital Accessibility Steering Committee has been leading our efforts to meet these new federal requirements before the deadline of</span><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> April 24, 2026</span><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">. Consistent with UC guidance, the committee has established an advisory committee with faculty representatives and staff experts, reviewed campus practices, drafted a </span><a href="https://accessibility.ucr.edu/digital-accessibility/policies-and-guidelines" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">campus IT Accessibility Policy Program</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, identified and prioritized areas where remediation is most needed, collaborated with staff who serve as webmasters for much of our high-priority content, and procured new software to facilitate remediation and produce compliant content going forward.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Because digital content is produced and managed broadly across the university, almost all of us at UCR will need to change our work habits. </span><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Below is what this means for you, depending on your role:</span></p><ul style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Anyone who is responsible for digital content (even just email or online meetings):</span></p></li><ul style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:circle;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Visit </span><a href="https://accessibility.ucr.edu/digital-accessibility" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">UCR’s digital accessibility home page</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> to learn about what you need to do. For non-compliant content that you are responsible for, archive what you no longer need, fix what you will continue to use, and begin producing compliant content going forward.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:circle;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Watch for future campus-wide communications from the Provost’s office focused on specific digital accessibility topics. These may include things like installing helpful plug-ins, archiving old content, transcribing and captioning, using alt-text, and remediating PDFs. Advance notification of changes to enterprise-level default settings in our digital tools and platforms also will be sent.</span></p></li></ul><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">All instructors who use Canvas: </span></p></li><ul style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:circle;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">UCR’s learning management system (Canvas) is our most-viewed digital platform. UCR has procured software from UDOIT that integrates with Canvas and facilitates content remediation. XCITE has developed resources to help you </span><a href="http://teaching.ucr.edu/udoit-guide" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">learn how to use UDOIT in Canvas</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, and to </span><a href="https://teaching.ucr.edu/accessibility-guidance-faculty" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">improve digital accessibility in instruction more broadly</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">.</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:circle;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Provost’s Office is temporarily funding Canvas remediation assistance that will be provided by trained personnel in XCITE. </span><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">If you are an instructor of record for Spring 2026</span><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> and would like to request help for remediating your Spring 2026 Canvas content, please </span><a href="https://teaching.ucr.edu/a-team" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">complete this XCITE registration form</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">. Pending availability of funds, this service will be offered at a later date to instructors of record who are scheduled to teach after Spring 2026. University Extension instructors should </span><a href="mailto:ann.kwinn@ucr.edu" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">contact Ann Kwinn</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">. </span></p></li></ul><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Website owners and editors (including sites not hosted on the <a href="http://ucr.edu">ucr.edu</a> domain):</span></p></li><ul style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:circle;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt" role="presentation"><a href="https://websites.ucr.edu/accessibility/siteimprove" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Learn how to use SiteImprove</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, which helps identify digital accessibility issues and measure progress toward compliance with the new requirements. If you supervise a professional or student staff member who edits web content, ensure they become familiar with digital accessibility standards and using SiteImprove. </span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="list-style-type:circle;font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:12pt" role="presentation"><a href="mailto:kathleen.rondeau-taylor@ucr.edu" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Contact Kathy Rondeau-Taylor</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> in ITS if you would like to be included in a series of regular meetings focusing on accessibility issues for website owners and editors. </span></p></li></ul></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:6pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Thank you for your partnership in this important effort, and please direct any questions to the Digital Accessibility Steering Committee: </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:6pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ken Baerenklau, Associate Provost (Chair)</span><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Kiersten Boyce, Chief Compliance Officer and ADA/504 Coordinator</span><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Beth Claassen Thrush, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Special Projects</span><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Matt Gunkel, AVC and Chief Information Officer</span><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Mariam Lam, VC for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion</span><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Kathy Rondeau-Taylor, Executive Director for Portfolio Management </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:6pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Sincerely,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:6pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">S. Jack Hu, Ph.D.</span><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Chancellor</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:6pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Elizabeth Watkins, Ph.D.</span><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span><span style="font-size:11pt;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor </span></p></font></span></div></div>