Accessibility
The Office of University Communications is now creating accessible designs for logged job requests. This includes implementing color contrast standards on all requests and for a tagged PDF to be created for digital usage. We are continually improving and applying relevant accessibility standards with the tools and staff we have to strive for equal access to information in our designs.
Why it’s Important?
Implementing these requirements opens the door for more users to engage with your message and respective area on campus. It also means we are being equitable in meeting the needs of our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community which aligns with both the University’s Strategic Plan and the Strategic Plan for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
Accessibility is not only the right thing to do, it is a requirement by law. Accessible content is a must for people with disabilities and it is of the utmost importance that SUNY Brockport caters to our entire audience.
What is Color Contrast?
Color contrast is a process that checks text colors on top of background colors to ensure they meet minimum color contrast ratio standards. There are minimum color contrast ratios for each level of compliance. As an institution, we are following WCAG 2.0 A. Due to the intricacy of these standards, our office will make the final decision on what colors are used in a job request.
This standard will be applied to all designs we create. All logged jobs will be designed following color contrast guidelines. This does not mean the design will be “boring” or “lose integrity.” Our team will work to achieve your vision to the best of our capabilities while remaining compliant.
What is PDF Remediation?
PDF remediation is the process to make a document accessible for e-reader devices through the use of tags. If you plan to use a design produced by our team online (our website, social media, email, etc.) it must be accessible. It is important to mention this information in the initial job request so we can discuss any issues at the beginning of the design process. It takes more time and work to make an existing design accessible rather than to apply accessibility standards at the beginning. By not indicating this, the job request will be delayed as it takes a significant amount of time to ensure PDFs are accessible. Brochures, multipage documents, tables, and fillable forms will require more time to ensure they are accessible.
Once the design is approved, the designer will provide you with an accessible PDF. The PDF will have “ACCESSIBLE” listed in the file name, so there’s no confusion as to which PDF is the accessible version. We will only conduct PDF remediation for logged job requests created by our designers. If you have a design created by an outside company or you create one yourself that you plan to use digitally, it will be denied by Web Team for use online. You can visit Academic Systems & Instructional Support for information on making your document accessible.
Contact
For comments or questions, please reach out to Patrick Armstrong by email or phone at (585) 395-2633.