Policy 2.09

​Part 1. Accessibility Policy Statement

Minneapolis College holds equity and inclusion in high regard. Minneapolis College values diverse perspectives and experiences and works to foster an appreciation and respect to ensure all students, faculty and staff feel welcome. Ensuring an accessible environment is the shared responsibility of all individuals affiliated with Minneapolis College including, but not limited to, its students, employees, volunteers and agents.

The purpose of this policy is to outline the standards and expectations for Minneapolis College's campus community regarding campus accessibility.

Part 2: Accessibility Standards

Minneapolis College commits to adhere to the following accessibility standards:

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability and mandates equitable and timely access to programs, services and activities for individuals with disabilities.

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act
In 1998, Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to require Federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology (EIT) accessible to people with disabilities. Inaccessible technology interferes with an ability to obtain and use information quickly and easily. Section 508 was enacted to eliminate barriers in information technology, open new opportunities for people with disabilities and encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals. On January 18, 2017, Section 508 was refreshed to include formal adoption of WCAG 2.0 Level AA as the minimum compliance standard for accessibility.

WCAG 2.0 Level AA
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines ("WCAG") refers to standards for web content accessibility that have been developed by the World Wide Web Consortium ("W3C"). State entities must adhere to WCAG version 2.0 Level AA according to the Minnesota State Accessibility Standard.

Part 3: Point of Contact

The Accessibility Resource Center (ARC) is responsible for the oversight and administration of this policy including associated audits, training, moderation of processes and collaboration with appropriate departments for the development of resources.

Part 4: Standards and Expectations

Subpart A: Course Materials

To ensure an accessible learning environment, faculty must:

• Follow any prescribed accommodations/modifications in a fair, non-judgmental and timely manner
• Maintain the student's right to privacy concerning the disability and any accommodations
• Provide timely access to course materials at the same time all other students receive the materials
• Include ARC approved accessibility statements in their syllabi
• Design their courses and course material in an accessible manner following guidelines provided by the ARC and accessibility best practices including, but not limited to:
  • Syllabi
  • Texts
  • Open Educational Resources
  • Course supplementals and platforms
  • Assignments
  • Handouts
  • Tests

Subpart B: Marketing and Promotional Materials

All marketing and promotional materials must be designed in an accessible manner and include approved accessibility statements as established by the ARC.

Subpart C: Procurement

All products purchased by Minneapolis College must be Section 508 compliant and meet WCAG 2.0 AA standards. All products and solutions are required to undergo an accessibility audit managed by the ARC prior to purchasing or implementation.

Subpart D: Contract Renewal

Upon renewal of existing contracts, an accessibility audit is required in the same manner as procurement, see "Part 4, Subpart C: Procurement."

See "Part 5, Subpart B: Legacy ICT for exceptions.

Subpart E: Design, Planning and Implementation

Accessibility confirmation in collaboration with the ARC throughout all aspects of design, planning and implementation phases to ensure compliance with state and federal requirements.

Part 5: Exceptions

Subpart A: Undue Burden

An exception for undue burden is only applicable to a material, service, product, activity, event, space or purchase that cannot be made accessible without imposing significant difficulty or expense on Minneapolis College.

If an exception for undue burden is identified, a written explanation must be developed in collaboration with the ARC explaining the basis for the decision including why and to what extent conformance to specific requirements would result in an undue burden on Minneapolis College. The ARC is charged with making the final determination as to whether conformance to specific requirements of the aforementioned accessibility standards would impose an undue burden on the campus community.

Subpart B: Legacy ICT

Minneapolis College will adhere to the Section 508 E202.2 Legacy ICT General Exception which indicates: Any component or portion of existing ICT that complies with an earlier standard issued pursuant to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended (as republished in Appendix D) and that has not been altered on or after January 18, 2018 shall not be required to be modified to conform to the Revised 508 Standards.

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Owner(s) Title: Vice President of Student Affairs

Date of Adoption: 10/18/2018

Date of Implementation (if different from adoption date): N/A 

Date Last Reviewed: 2/29/2023 (Limited Review)

History and Subject of Revisions:  2/29/2023 (Limited Review) 

Regulatory Authority (e.g. Minnesota State policy, federal or state law):  Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; WCAG 2.0 Level AA; MN.IT Minnesota State Accessibility Standard; ADA Title II Regulations; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973