Legal Requirements

The Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 require colleges and universities to ensure that individuals with disabilities have equal access to UB's services, programs and activities. For physical access, this means that newer facilities must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG). UB has many campus buildings that were constructed prior to accessibility guidelines and requirements. We are required to ensure that programs and activities that are scheduled in these buildings can be accessed regardless of whether an individual has a disability. This program access may be achieved through modifications to existing buildings, or by relocating the program or activity to an accessible location.

Federal accessibility requirements also expect that individuals with disabilities will have equal access to programs and services that are provided electronically. This includes the University's websites, online courses, electronic forms and other electronic content that is necessary to participate in school or work. A joint June 29, 2010 Dear Colleague Letter from the U.S. Departments of Justice and Education clarified that “individuals with disabilities, including students with visual impairments, may not be discriminated against in the full and equal enjoyment of all of the goods and services of private colleges and universities; they must receive an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from these goods and services; and they must not be provided different or separate goods or services unless doing so is necessary to ensure that access to the goods and services is equally as effective as that provided to others.” According to this letter, individuals with disabilities must have equal access to goods and services that are offered electronically. For more information, see Frequently Asked Questions About the June 29, 2010, Dear Colleague Letter.

On June 20, 2019, the State University of New York (SUNY) released an Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) Policy. This requires all SUNY schools, including UB, to take actions that include the following:

• Recognize EIT accessibility as the responsibility of all administrators, faculty, and staff.
• Develop, purchase, host, and/or acquire, to the extent feasible, web pages, websites, hardware and software products and services that are accessible to persons with disabilities.
• Designate an EIT Accessibility Officer who will be responsible for issuing, updating, and enforcing any requirements, standards, or guidelines supported by SUNY policy.
• Develop an Accessibility Plan to promote ongoing, inclusive access for individuals with disabilities.