[Athen] EIT Accessibility - Position Description / Policy

[Grey Pierce]

Hi Eric,

I'd be happy to provide some information to you about all of those topics. I was hired as the University of Oregon's Digital Accessibility Architect a few months ago, and prior to that, I spent over a decade involved in digital accessibility work at Michigan State University (and consulted for a variety of other organizations). Feel free to send me an email if you'd like to find a time to meet (due to dexterity disabilities, I'm limited in how much I can type, and the answers to some of your questions are a bit long).

--
Grey L. Pierce (they/them)
Digital Accessibility Architect
University of Oregon



________________________________
Date: Thu, 7 Jul 2022 18:50:07 +0000
From: "Matson, Eric (ecmatson at uidaho.edu)" <ecmatson at uidaho.edu>
To: Access Technology Higher Education Network
        <athen-list at u.washington.edu>
Subject: [Athen] EIT Accessibility - Position Description / Policy
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Hey all,

After a couple years of nagging and a some major accessibility issues, I finally got my administration to at least talk about the need for an Electronic Information Technology Accessibility position. Figured I'd see if any ATHENites have gone through the process of getting an EIT position at their institution and have some pointers. More specifically is anyone is willing to share some or all the things below:


  1.  Position Description w/ pay range. The few I've found just say salary dependent on experience, so would like to get a better idea of pay scale.  And figure once I get to job description stage would be easier to pull language from existing positions rather than reinvent the wheel.
  2.  EIT Accessibility Policy - UIdaho is pretty late to the game. Currently no University wide policy, with accessibility left to each department. Again, hoping to use other schools' policy as a starting point to write ours.
  3.  Policy Enforcement - specifically around EIT used in classes. I assume some of that is in the policy, but wondering how it works in practice.  I've had faculty voice concerns that this position would take away their freedom to structure courses as they see fit. As opposed to currently, where any barriers are brought to my director and I to come up with an alternative format or accommodation, but the issue doesn't actually get fixed.
  4.  Proposal / Presentation around the need for an EIT Accessibilitity Position - I have a communication disability, so in my brain it all just makes sense, but when I try to explain, it comes out as a rambling list of disjointed facts. If anyone is willing to share any proposals or presentations they've done relating to an EIT accessibility position, I would be forever grateful.

For those of you without an EIT Accessibility position, who handles digital accessibility at your school?  In the past I've helped different departments and done accessibility reviews, but my case load has gotten to the point where I don't have time for that.


Eric Matson | Assistive Technology Specialist
Center for Disability Access and Resources
Division of Student Affairs
The University of Idaho
Phone: 208.885.6307 | ecmatson at uidaho.edu|<mailto:ecmatson at uidaho.edu%7C> Bruce M. Pitman Center 127
Fax: 208.885.9404
Campus Zip: 4257

Pronouns: He / Him / His

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