The University of Toledo Disability Access Plan 2020-2022
The University of Toledo values human diversity and improving the human condition. Disability enriches diversity. Disabled individuals must have the same opportunities to experience and engage in the wide range of activities and programs that the University offers to all who are connected with our community. UToledo seeks to remove/reduce environmental, technological, programmatic, and attitudinal barriers so that disabled individuals can fully participate. We are committed to sustaining a culture that embraces disability and makes accessibility a priority.
Disability Education
Goal 1: To increase the level of familiarity with perceiving disability through a social justice lens and how to properly implement accommodations when working with patients and visitors to The University of Toledo Medical Center (UTMC)
Strategy 1: UTMC, in consultation with the ADA Compliance Officer, will develop and provide training to all staff on how to appropriately interact with and provide accommodations to people with disabilities who are patients or companions.
Goal 2: To increase the level of familiarity with perceiving disability through a social justice lens and how to properly implement accommodations when working with students
Strategy 1: Accessibility and Disability Resources, with input from Disability Studies and the Office for Diversity and Inclusion, will Identify and implement a plan for proactive outreach and programming initiatives that can advance disability and social justice conversations across campus.
Strategy 2: Accessibility and Disability Resources will develop presentation material for disability education programming.
Strategy 3: Accessibility and Disability Resources will work with Academic Liaisons to ensure that every college receives training.
Goal 3: To have a united voice at the University of Toledo in our commitment to accessibility for disabled individuals
Strategy 1: Explore a genuine path through which senior administrators/leadership can demonstrate and state the University of Toledo’s commitment to disability access
Strategy 2: The ADA Compliance Officer will work with Marketing and Communications to develop consistent messaging for University webpages and publications depicting disability as a dimension of diversity equity, and inclusion as well as accessibility as a civil right.
Environmental Access
Goal 1: To incorporate accessibility into the fabric of all Facilities and Construction projects
Strategy 1: ADA Compliance Officer/Accessibility and Disability Resources will meet with the campus architect and others three times per year, and more as needed, to discuss projects in progress and upcoming projects.
Strategy 2: All classroom renovations will include an accessible station.
Strategy 3: The University will collaborate with the City of Toledo to ensure that all crosswalks that touch campus have audible signals.
Goal 2: To increase funding for accessibility improvements
Strategy 1: The University will explore and establish a plan for designating funding that is specifically earmarked for environmental accessibility improvements.
Goal 3: To enhance mobility on campus
Strategy 1: ADA Compliance officer will collaborate with Parking and Transportation and The Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) to ensure that access to the paratransit service provides access and runs smoothly.
Strategy 2: Parking and Transportation will work with Lyme to develop a plan to decrease the likelihood that scooters block walkways and entrances.
Technology Access
Goal: To centralize the creation and remediation of digital and printed materials
Strategy 1: A digital accessibility center will be created as part of the ADA Compliance/ Accessibility and Disability Resources function.
Strategy 2: A new position will be created and filled. This position will provide leadership and oversee all technology accessibility initiatives.
Strategy 3: The digital accessibility center will ensure video/audio content contains captions and create captioning upon request.
Strategy 4: The digital accessibility center will manage the assistive technology available on campus.
Strategy 5: The digital accessibility center will provide guidance in the creation of documents and process remediation for inaccessible documents.
Programmatic Access
Goal 1: To increase awareness for creating and hosting accessible events
Strategy 1: Accessibility and Disability Resources will meet with entities who coordinate events to gather input in order to create a checklist document detailing recommendation for hosting an accessible event.
Strategy 2: Accessibility and Disability Resources will participate in planning sessions for events.
Goal 2: To assess accessibility of recreational facilities and programs
Strategy 1: ADA Compliance Officer/Accessibility and Disability Resources will collaborate with leadership at recreational facilities to assess accessibility and enhance the inclusivity of programming for disabled individuals to more fully participate.
Recruitment and Retention
Goal 1: To increase the number of incoming students who identify as disabled through active recruitment
Strategy 1: Accessibility and Disability Resources will continue to attend high school transition events and college fairs where the audience is students with disabilities.
Strategy 2: Accessibility and Disability Resources will explore and implement a plan to create a pipeline from area high schools, community colleges, special education entities, disability organizations, etc. to recruit students with disabilities.
Strategy 3: Accessibility and Disability Resources will continue to attend all orientation programs for academic programs, preview Days, Rocket Launch Sessions, Rocket Transfer Fairs, Info Fairs, etc.
Goal 2: To increase retention and graduation rates of students with disabilities
Strategy 1: Accessibility and Disability Resources will monitor student GPA and accessibility specialists will meet with students who have a 2.3 GPA or lower as well as students on academic probation. Students will meet for a check-in appointment for a minimum of three meetings per semester.
Strategy 2: Accessibility and Disability Resources accessibility specialists will continue to work closely with the Center for Success Coaching, academic advisors, and other campus partners to empower students to utilize their resources.
Goal 3: To increase marketing of resources available to disabled students through Accessibility and Disability Resources
Strategy 1: Accessibility and Disability Resources will distribute marketing material to campus partners in academic affairs and student affairs offices on an annual basis.
Strategy 2: Accessibility and Disability Resources will present information about disability access and accommodations to campus partners at their team/staff/departmental/faculty meetings.
Goal 4: To actively recruit employees with disabilities
Strategy 1: Human Resources will place a statement in application information welcoming disabled individuals to apply for open positions.
Strategy 2: Human Resources and the ADA Compliance Officer will collaborate to review position postings to ensure the language is reflective of inclusivity of disabled individuals.
Employment Resources for Students
Goal 1: To increase opportunities for disabled students to become gainfully employed
Strategy 1: Accessibility and Disability Resources will collaborate with Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) to grow the College2Careers Program to 100 students by the end of 2020.
Strategy 2: Accessibility and Disability Resources will continue to coordinate participation of UToledo students in the Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP), a federal initiative that offers internships and employment opportunities for students with disabilities.
Goal 2: To offer programming for career readiness skills
Strategy 1: Accessibility and Disability Resources will partner with OOD and career services offices to offer at least three programs per year on topics such as self-advocacy, disability disclosure, completing applications, resume/cover letter writing, interview skills, etc.
Employee Accommodations
Goal 1: To increase efficiency for managing accommodations
Strategy 1: Human Resources, Faculty Labor Relations and Academic Inclusion, and the ADA Compliance Officer will explore and implement a web-based case management system
Strategy 2: Revise and create templates and documents to streamline the employee accommodation process.
Goal 2: To market the availability of disability accommodations to new and existing employees
Strategy 1: Human Resources will work with the ADA Compliance Officer to ensure presentation and literature pertaining to ADA accommodations are part of all new employee orientation sessions.
Strategy 2: Human Resource and ADA Compliance Officer will work with Marketing and Communications to ensure that communication pertaining to the process for requesting ADA accommodations is disseminated to all employees on an annual basis.