Digital Accessibility Community of Practice

Steering Committee 

In 2016, the Digital Accessibility Steering Committee was charged to convene a stakeholders’ group composed of staff from 40 units across the University of Minnesota campus to examine the University’s digital accessibility landscape. 

Since then, the steering committee has formed many workgroups to improve digital accessibility systemwide (see below).

Current Chairs 

• Enjie Hall, Director, Disability Resource Center, Twin Cities
• Keith Brown, Sr. Director of Academic Technology, Office of Information Technology, Twin Cities 

Current Members 

• Sean Froyd, Web Developer/Designer, UMD Library, Duluth
• Sara Froehlich, Director of Digital Communications, University Relations, Twin Cities
• Kellie Greaves, Business Relationship Manager, Office of Information Technology, Twin Cities
• Liz Guimont, Manager, Office of Information Technology, Twin Cities
• Patricia Izek, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Consultant, Office of Human Resources, Twin Cities
• Luke Kudryashov, [add new title], Disability Resource Center, Twin Cities
• Meryl Lucchesi-Freyberg, Director, Disability Resource Center, Duluth
• Paula MacDonald, Distributed Learning Program Analyst, Distributed Learning, Twin Cities
• Lisa Marshall, Director of Communications, Office for Equity and Diversity, Twin Cities
• Kate Martin, Interim Co-Director, Center for Educational Innovation, Twin Cities
• Christopher Mechell, Technology Support Specialist, Crookston
• Khaled Musa, Director, Office for Digital Accessibility, Twin Cities
• Steve Nguyen, Service Owner, Collaboration and Web Content Services, Office of Information Technology, Twin Cities 

Contact Us

• Questions? Contact the executive steering committee by emailing [email protected].

Workgroups 

2023

Policy 

Developed the new Accessibility of Digital Content and Information Technology Policy.

Web Accessibility 

Established a campus-wide web accessibility strategy and recommendations for best practices and provide recommendations to the Policy Workgroup to make sure the web accessibility strategy is aligned with the University’s Policy on web accessibility.

2022

Pedagogy

As a result of recommendations from the Provost’s Office Task Force on Disability Accommodations in the Learning Environment, the workgroup identified, reviewed, and documented existing resources related to accessibility professional development modules, including the Digital Accessibility Badging Program and Accessible U website.

2019

Captioning and Audio Description

Developed recommendations​ ​for​ ​a set​ ​of​ ​supported​ video​ ​captioning​ ​and​ ​audio​ ​description tools and​ ​​captioning​ ​practices and create​d ​University-wide​ ​best​ ​practices​ ​and​ ​training resources​ ​to​ ​support​ ​them.​

Facilitating Collaboration

Worked with department and college administrators to create sustainable opportunities for staff to share expertise, experiences, best practices in communications, communications resources, and online resources, such as checklists and reference guides.

Human Resource Procedures

Identified and implemented expectations regarding accessibility as it relates to job duties and performance.

Purchasing Processes

Developed and shared best practices for accessibility in technology purchasing processes and guidance resources to support those practices. 

Training and Professional Development

Convened​ ​stakeholders​ ​to​ ​create​ ​shared​ ​resources,​ ​including​ ​online/on-demand​ ​as well​ ​as​ ​face-to-face​ ​opportunities for​ ​learning and ​practicing accessibility ​skills.​ ​​Assessed training​ ​needs​ ​and​ ​training​ ​already​ ​developed​ ​across​ ​the​ ​institution​ ​and​ ​formulated​ ​a​ ​training​ ​plan​ ​to prioritize​ ​needs,​ ​while​ ​maximizing​ ​available​ ​resources.

2017–2018

Accessibility Ambassadors (Google Group)

Steering Committee Governance

Facilitated the development of a work plan that brings together University accessibility activities and those of stakeholders to the EOCC for executive consultation, feedback and prioritization as needed.