A campus of The California
State University
Office of the Academic
Senate • One Washington Square • San
Jose, California 95192-0024
•408-924-2440 Fax: 408-924-2451
SS-S07-1
At its
meeting of
SENSE OF THE SENATE
RESOLUTION
Access to Electronic and Information Technology for Persons
with Disabilities
Whereas
Whereas
Resolved that
the Academic Senate formally recognize the issue of accessibility of
information resources and services as a human rights issue for all students,
faculty, staff and the general public, regardless of ability, and further be it
Resolved that
the Academic Senate support the development of policies and practices that
facilitate access to information resources and technology, and be it further
Resolved that
the Academic Senate recognize that faculty teaching students with disabilities
must be provided with the timely information, technology, training, resources
(including workload adjustments and the available technology, resources, and
related strategies), to enhance access for students with disabilities to
course/learning materials.
Rationale
It is the policy of the California
State University (CSU) to make information technology resources and services
accessible to all CSU students, faculty, staff and the general public regardless
of disability (January 2005 Executive Order 926, the CSU Board of Trustees
Policy on Disability Support and Accommodations, www.calstate.edu/EO/EO-926.html
, ).
Access to information technology resources
and services for all members of the San José State University community
regardless of ability is premised on federal and state laws including but not
limited to Section 504 of the 11973 Rehabilitation Act; the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990; Section 255 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996;
and California Government Code 11135 of 2003 which applies Section 508 of the
Rehabilitation Act as amended in 1998 to the CSU.
The particular events that
prompted the current resolution are two-fold: First, the Academic Senate of the
California State University (ASCSU) urges all campuses to ". . . assess
fully the extent to which barriers to disabled persons are created by the use
of technology, and where such barriers exist, develop comprehensive policies
and take the necessary actions to remove such barriers, providing disabled
students with the access and information required to promote the success of
their academic endeavors; . . . " (AS-2700-05/FA).
Second, Coded Memorandum
AA-2006-41, Access to Electronic and Information Technology for Persons with
Disabilities requires that all CSU campuses implement a three year plan
addressing web accessibility, instructional materials accessibility and
information technology procurement such that all persons, regardless of
disability, have access to electronic and information technology.
Aspects of Coded Memorandum
AA-2006-41 will require Senate policy development particularly in the area of
instructional materials. This resolution is intended to show broad support for
the concept of accessibility to all electronic and information technology for
persons with disabilities, and direct faculty attention both to the spirit and
the letter of law and policy that directs the campus in this regard.
Approved:
Vote: 12-0-0
Present: Van Selst, Veregge, David, Kassing, Hebert,
Bros,
Absent: Gutierrez
Financial Impact: Uncertain