Public Accessibility Statement

Oakland University is committed to providing our digital content, public-facing websites, mobile applications, and online documents with access for the widest audience; regardless of ability, device, or assistive technology. We are actively working to enhance usability, remove barriers, and align with inclusive design best practices.

Scope & Standards
OU designs and maintains the web infrastructure to meet the technical standard of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA (or later) and comply with applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and related regulations. In April 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) finalized new digital accessibility rules under Title II of the ADA, which require public institutions, including universities, to ensure web content and mobile apps are accessible by April 24, 2026.  

Our Progress

• Implemented accessible-design features across our core oakland.edu website including proper heading structure, descriptive link text, alternative text for images, captioning of video content, transcripts of audio, keyboard-navigable layouts, and high-contrast color palettes. 
• Actively auditing older web content, documents, and media, and remediating known barriers; prioritization is based on student-success content, recruitment portals, and high-traffic pages.
• Incorporated digital-accessibility responsibilities into our vendor and contract review process to ensure third-party tools meet accessibility standards.
• Training, tools and internal guidelines are in place to embed accessibility early in content creation workflows and reduce repeat errors.

Ongoing Commitment
Though substantial progress has been made, we recognize that perfection is an ongoing goal. Some legacy materials or third-party integrations may not yet fully meet all accessibility criteria. When we identify such issues, we strive to remediate them promptly and continuously refine our processes.

It is important to note, while Oakland University strives to adhere to the accepted guidelines and standards for accessibility and usability, it is not always possible to do so in all areas of the website. 

Additional Resources:

• Oakland University Accessibility Information
  • https://www.oakland.edu/president/digital-accessibility/
• University Technology Common Good Resources
  • https://www.oakland.edu/uts/common-good-core-resources/common-good-resources-philosophy/
• University Disabilities and Support Services
  • https://www.oakland.edu/dss/
• Oakland.edu works best with the Google Chrome browser, but always be sure any browser you're using is fully up-to-date for the best experience. Update your browsers here:
  • Chrome
  • Firefox
  • Edge
  • Safari
  • Opera

Contact & Feedback
If you experience difficulty accessing any portion of our website or digital content, or you have suggestions that would improve accessibility.