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Accessibility

NYU WEBSITE ACCESSIBILITY POLICY

Purpose of this policy

New York University is committed to supporting an information technology environment that provides individuals with disabilities an opportunity to participate in the University’s programs, benefits, and services that is equal to that of their peers without disabilities. The Website Accessibility Policy sets forth the actions that NYU will take to meet this commitment with regard to its Websites. NYU’s commitment to digital accessibility is grounded not only in principles of equity and inclusion, but also with the knowledge that accessible digital content generally enhances usability for everyone.

Policy Statement

All content and aspects of NYU’s Websites that are created, published, or substantially altered after January 1, 2015, shall conform to Digital Accessibility Benchmarks, except where an individual or committee designated by the University President determines that doing so would represent an Undue Burden or Fundamental Alteration. In such cases, the University will provide Equally Effective Alternative Access. All content and aspects of NYU’s Websites created or published prior to January 1, 2015, shall be made accessible upon request.

All personnel who are involved in the procurement, preparation and maintenance of the NYU Websites are expected to implement measures to advance this policy, including by incorporating accessibility into development roadmaps, planning for compliance in the project planning, design, and RFP stages, requiring that vendors’ services comply with the Digital Accessibility Benchmarks, and testing for compliance before publication or launch.


Definitions:

Content

Content should be construed broadly to include anything on the NYU Websites including, but not limited to, audio, video, images, tables, forms, documents (in any format, including .docx and .pdf), and html.

Digital Accessibility Benchmarks

NYU has adopted the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, Level AA as its standard for digital accessibility.

Equally Effective Alternative Access

As used in this Policy, Equally Effective Alternative Access means an alternative format, medium, or other aid that timely and accurately communicates and/or provides access to the same content as does the original format or medium, and which is appropriate to an individual's disability.

Fundamental Alteration

A change to the University's services, programs, or activities that fundamentally alters the nature of the services, programs, or activities, including academic courses and technology. A determination of what constitutes a Fundamental Alteration may be made only by an individual or committee designated by the University President.

NYU Websites 
  
Any website providing content and functionality for the University's programs, services or activities, including all subordinate pages and intranet pages and sites and web-based interfaces to applications, including content and functionality developed by, maintained by, or offered through a third party vendor or open-source through which the University (or one of its schools, global sites, portal campuses, or library) provides its programs, services or activities.

The NYU Websites do not include sites that are independent of the University (including sites that are linked to from the NYU Websites) and do not provide University programs, services or activities.  

Undue Burden

A proposed course of action that would result in a significant financial and administrative burden. A determination of what constitutes an Undue Burden may only be made by an individual or committee designated by the University President.
 
Notes:   
1. Dates of official enactment and amendments: Feb 15, 2018  
2. History: Last Review: 01/15/20. Last Revision: 02/15/18.   
3. Cross References: N/A