1.Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to specify the requirements for ensuring University events are accessible and in legal compliance under the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (the “Rehabilitation Act”) as mandated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights.

2.Scope

This policy applies to all faculty, staff, students, visitors, and guests on any property owned, leased, or managed by The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (“UNC Greensboro” or the “University”) or any entity or component of the University.

3.Definitions

3.1Event :

Event  means, but is not limited to, academic lectures, receptions, student organization meetings, sporting events, and any other type of meeting or activity open to the University community and/or to the public (e.g., commencement). Events may be curricular or co-curricular, in-person or virtual.

3.2Event Organizer:

Event Organizer means the member of the University community, academic unit, department, student organization, or other unit(s)/group(s) sponsoring the event.

3.3Physical and Programmatic Access:

Access refers to the ability of an individual to fully participate in an event.

3.4Physical and Programmatic Accessibility:

Accessibility refers to any reasonable means of ensuring physical accommodations and communication prior to and during an event. For example, for those with disabilities impacting mobility, this may include scheduling the event in a space accessible to wheelchairs or other devices for mobility assistance; for the deaf or hard of hearing this may include interpreters, transcribers, or captioning; for the blind or those with low vision this may include braille, descriptive captioning, or electronic format delivery of text accessible via screen reading software. For these and other disabilities, this may include the provision of event-related materials in an effective accessible alternative format, including announcements and other forms of marketing for the event.

4.Policy

UNC Greensboro, as required by law, must make reasonable accommodations to its rules, policies, and practices to afford persons with disabilities an equitable opportunity to access its programs, services, and activities. Individuals seeking accommodations in order to participate in events are encouraged to provide as much advance notice as possible, preferably at least 10 days before the event.

5.Responsibilities for Accessibility

In compliance with the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, UNC Greensboro works to ensure its programs, services, and activities are accessible to those who wish to attend.

The event organizer is responsible for providing event accessibility, as needed, and any costs associated with such accessibility, including interpreting services, will be paid for by the event organizer. See “Additional Resources for Making Events Accessible” below.

6.Scheduling Events

The University will make every effort to schedule all virtual and in-person events in an accessible space. If for any reason an event is scheduled in a space that is not accessible, and the event organizer receives a request for an accommodation from an individual with a disability at least 10 days before the event, the event organizer will work diligently to provide reasonable accommodations or to find an alternate location that is accessible.

7.Publicizing Events

All event organizers are required to include an accessibility notice statement in all materials announcing an event. This includes electronic communications such as e-mail, as well as print materials (e.g., banners, posters, flyers, brochures, “clings,” postcards, etc.). The text of the notice must include contact information for the event organizer to be contacted for accommodations. Recommended notice:

UNC Greensboro will work diligently to provide reasonable accommodations, consistent with the requirements of the Americans with Disability Act, upon the timely request of individuals with disabilities. Requests can be implemented more effectively if the request is received at least 10 days before the event. Direct accommodation requests to (insert the appropriate contact person and contact info for the event organizer here).

The event organizer’s contact person would then consult the appropriate personnel for assistance with implementation, such as the Office of Accessibility Resources and Services (“OARS”), University Teaching and Learning Commons, or Human Resources.

8.Making Event Materials Accessible

Event organizers are required to ensure that event materials intended for participant engagement and/or use are available in a reasonably accessible format and must be available upon request. Pre-event marketing materials must also be reasonably accessible, including for use with screen reading software if it is digital/electronic.

9.Additional Resources for Making Events Accessible

Human Resources, Faculty Personnel Services, the University Teaching and Learning Commons, and OARS provide guidance to the campus about addressing accessibility issues. In addition, the Accessibility Resources website is an excellent resource for ensuring accessibility of digital materials and other online content

10.Enforcement

Human Resources, Faculty Personnel Services, and OARS, in cooperation with the Office of Institutional Integrity and General Counsel and other University authorities, will enforce this policy, which complies with the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Concerns regarding accessibility on campus can be reported here. The University will review the concern and contact the event organizer to determine an appropriate and timely resolution to the violation. Any violation of this policy by a University student could be subject to the Student Code of Conduct. For University employees, any violation of this policy could be considered “misconduct” or “unacceptable personal conduct” under University policies. Employees and students are required to cooperate in investigations of any alleged violations of this policy.

11.Review

OARS, University Teaching and Learning Commons, Faculty Personnel Services, and Human Resources will review this policy every three years or sooner if regulatory compliance changes. They will consult with the Procurement Office as needed.

14.Approval Authority

Chancellor

15.Reporting and Contacts for Additional Information

Revisions

Revision Date Revision Summary
12/12/2022 Updated previous "Policy for Accommodations at University Events" to reflect current campus practice

- Events Accessibility Policy. Retrieved 03/19/2024. Official version at https://policy.uncg.edu/university_policies/accommodations-at-university-events/. Copyright © 2024 The University of North Carolina at Greensboro.