A RIVER, NOT A LAKE: ACCESSIBILITY PALOOZA SETS CAMPUS IN MOTION

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville campus community united for Accessibility Palooza: A Day of Learning, a full-day event preparing faculty, staff and administrators for upcoming Title II changes set to take effect in April 2026. Hosted by the Provost's Office, the event featured workshops, breakout sessions, and one-on-one support designed to strengthen digital accessibility knowledge and skills.

"The spotlight on building greater accessibility gives us the opportunity to ask, 'What do our students and colleagues need to fully engage?'" said Provost Laura Reynolds. "I am so encouraged by how many members of our campus community showed up today, from Residential Life to academics. That kind of participation shows a shared commitment to creating resources that fully support all faculty, staff, students and stakeholders."

The focus is especially timely. Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal law requiring state and local governments-including public universities-to provide equal access to programs, services and activities for individuals with disabilities. With the motto "Progress, Not Perfection," the day was designed to encourage learning, growth and collaboration among faculty and staff.

"I want you to look at it this way: we are not stationary-this is a river, not a lake," explained Reynolds. "Technology is always changing, as are the needs of those we serve. While today is about progress, not perfection, we need to be perfect in our effort because we want our students, as well as our faculty and staff, to be successful."

Reynolds emphasized that the event marked a beginning, not an endpoint. Due to high interest and strong engagement from across campus, the university moved the event to a larger venue in Ullsvik Hall.

The day kicked off with a listening session led by Provost Reynolds, Assistant Provost of Academic Affairs and English Professor David Gillota and Chief Information Officer Nathan McCarthy-Gilmore. Attendees were invited to share questions, express concerns and highlight their accessibility needs.

Following the opening session, participants moved into breakout sessions covering topics such as:

• Using TidyUp and UDOIT in Canvas
• Accessibility checkers
• Accessible graphic design
• Captioning and transcript strategies
• SharePoint workflow accessibility
• Making STEM PDFs accessible
• Lab session in Hempel

Design Manager Johanna Belken led the Accessible Graphic Design breakout session and emphasized the importance of understanding accessibility as a federal mandate.

"My goal was to equip participants with the tools and foundational knowledge needed to understand the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)," said Belken. "Developing a strong understanding of technical standards is critical to ensuring the web is accessible to all individuals."

Whether participants were content creators, instructors, developers, or administrators, the sessions provided practical tools and insights to help ensure digital content meets accessibility standards and serves all users.

Residential Life Director Jen Artz said she is excited to continue improving accessibility for students, parents and stakeholders. She compared the federal mandate and the day's work to curb cuts that support individuals using wheelchairs on the streets.

"This is curb cuts for technology," noted Artz. "We are making important modifications that will assist our students in their learning and support our faculty and staff. I wear glasses, and if I took them off, I would have difficulty reading. I think about that when we implement these changes. We are being more inclusive and assisting those who need it most."

Organizers said the event highlighted the campus's commitment to accessibility and inclusion while fostering collaboration across departments. Participants left equipped with practical strategies to improve digital accessibility, helping ensure that all users can fully engage with campus resources.

"We are creating a culture of continuous improvement," said Gillota. "Our ongoing effort is what unites and defines us as a campus community."

The event proved so successful that the Universities of Wisconsin is exploring the use of UW-Platteville's Accessibility Palooza model to help campuses transition smoothly and comply with federal accessibility mandates.

For more information on Title II, please visit: Go.uwplatt.edu/hub