VIDEO: Creating a digitally accessible campus

President Armacost says efforts to meet upcoming ADA regulations will strengthen sense of community and belonging at UND

Editor’s note: In the UND LEADS Strategic Plan, the Affinity core value calls on the University to “promote sustainable practices critical to the long-term health, well-being and success of the University community.” This story reports on a UND project that aims to boost the University’s long-term health and well-being by making digital resources more universally accessible.

This story was originally published on May 27.

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President Andrew Armacost meets with Beth Valentine and Brian Urlacher to talk about a new initiative in this week’s video message.

This spring, the president issued a formal charge for a University Committee for Title II Digital Accessibility, directing the committee to lead efforts to meet updated rules for the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The new rules affecting universities and government institutions nationwide call for digitally hosted material including websites, blogs, documents and course content to meet key accessibility standards. The rules take effect in April 2026.

Valentine, who serves as UND’s equity compliance and education manager, as well as deputy ADA coordinator, says this change will make UND more proactive about creating digital environments accessible to all students and employees.

As a professor of Political Science & Public Administration, Urlacher shares his firsthand experience in creating content that students could engage with across more devices. Meeting the regulations will require significant effort, he says, but it’s important to meet students where they are and provide support for their success.

Armacost remarks that the sum of the efforts will build a stronger sense of community and belonging across the campus.

In addressing a rumor that PDFs are effectively banned, Valentine clarifies that this is not the case. While other document types are likely easier to format accessibly and fix later if changes are needed, PDFs are still acceptable. They simply should be made accessible going forward, she says.

The Teaching Transformation & Development Academy provides live and on-demand training on the topic, Valentine says. Moreover, UND is partnering with Deque University for a self-paced, on-demand training platform that will soon be available to all employees.

Valentine also points to resources available through the Division of Marketing & Communications, which provides templates for PowerPoint and Word documents. More information is also available on the Equal Opportunity & Title IX office’s digital accessibility landing page.

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