EAC charter 2012

Established April 2, 2010
Updated July 17, 2012

The UC Information Technology Leadership Council (ITLC) is committed to promoting an electronic environment at the University of California that is accessible to everyone, especially individuals with disabilities. To this end, the ITLC formed the UC Electronic Accessibility Leadership Team (EALT) in April 2010 to provide systemwide strategic direction for the UC electronic accessibility initiative and to identify and promote projects that will substantially improve the accessibility of the University electronic environment.

Membership
Representation: The Electronic Accessibility Leadership Team is composed of one or two representatives from each UC campus, UCOP, ANR and LBNL, as well as representatives from key functional areas: information technology, student and faculty/staff disability services, procurement, IT policy, faculty, libraries, medical centers, and campus bookstores.

In general, members should be able to lend a first-person perspective on issues and opportunities related to electronic accessibility. The campus and location representatives selected to serve on the Electronic Accessibility Leadership Team should be champions of electronic accessibility, not necessarily technology experts. They also should be in a position to coordinate effectively with other personnel responsible for campus accessibility issues, and with a broad cross-spectrum of the campus community. Whenever appropriate, members should be selected from existing UC-wide groups representing the functional areas listed above, thereby ensuring timely and effective coordination across both campuses and committees.

ITLC Participation: Up to two members of the ITLC serve as members of the Electronic Accessibility Leadership Team. The ITLC members are responsible for conveying ITLC recommendations to EALT and vice versa, and for ensuring that the EALT and its work groups communicate with ITLC standing committees whose work overlaps with electronic accessibility issues.

Chair: Members elect a chair and vice chair to set agendas and schedule and facilitate meetings. These positions may be held for multiple years. At least every two years, the EALT reviews and confirms the leadership.

Purpose and Charge
The EALT identifies, prioritizes, and promotes initiatives that advance the cause of electronic accessibility at UC. These include the following:
  • Make a recommendation about Presidential policy on electronic accessibility
  • Determine areas of greatest risk, opportunity and prioritize accordingly
  • Identify areas, resources, and processes for multi-institutional collaboration
    • Define and prioritize specific opportunities for effective collaboration and partnership (e.g., within the UC system and with the CSU and Community Colleges)
    • Pursue collaborative funding and develop grant proposals to advance electronic access in the UC system (and more broadly throughout California)
    • Encourage and support collaboration with faculty initiatives in critical disability studies
  • Define a set of effective practices for adoption by campuses and departments
  • Develop strategies to make accessible design a standard component of new IT initiatives
  • Develop training opportunities and materials for UC staff and a corresponding program for faculty focused on universal design in teaching
  • Establish discrete work groups to delve into specific issues and opportunities related to improving the accessibility of our electronic environment. These work groups consult broadly and work closely with their campuses to inform recommendations to the IT Leadership Council.
  • Designate EALT members to liaise with other ITLC-sponsored committees.

Reporting
The EALT chair prepares periodic written progress reports to the IT Leadership Council. The reports are published on the EALT website to allow broader community input and awareness.