Leadership Commitment

University leadership sets the direction for accessibility across campus. The President is responsible for:

  • Appointing a Digital Accessibility Officer (DAO)
  • Approving accessibility exception requests when compliance is not immediately possible
  • Ensuring faculty and staff receive the training needed to meet accessibility requirements

These actions establish accountability and ensure that accessibility is supported at the highest level.

Digital Accessibility Leadership

The Digital Accessibility Officer (DAO) leads the university’s accessibility efforts and provides guidance across campus.

Responsibilities include:

  • Developing and maintaining accessibility policies, procedures, and tools
  • Tracking and documenting areas where digital content does not fully meet accessibility standards
  • Maintaining records of exception requests and associated plans to address them
  • Creating and managing a university-wide compliance plan
  • Providing reports and recommendations to leadership
  • Offering a way for students, employees, and the public to report accessibility concerns

The DAO helps ensure a consistent and coordinated approach to accessibility.

Technology Oversight

The Chief Information Officer (CIO) ensures that accessibility is integrated into technology planning and operations.

Responsibilities include:

  • Ensuring the university follows its accessibility compliance plan
  • Confirming that exception requests are properly reviewed and documented
  • Reporting required accessibility information to the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR)

The CIO supports compliance at the systems and infrastructure level.

Unit Leadership

Deans and Vice Presidents are responsible for accessibility within their respective colleges, divisions, and departments.

Responsibilities include:

  • Review accessibility compliance reports for their areas
  • Communicate accessibility expectations to their teams
  • Support and monitor progress toward accessibility goals

Their leadership helps ensure accessibility is implemented consistently across the university.

Faculty, Staff and Affiliates

Everyone who creates, manages or shares digital content has a role in accessibility.

Employees and affiliates are responsible for:

  • Ensuring digital resources they create or manage comply with accessibility standards and laws
  • Including accessibility in everyday work, such as:
    • Creating documents
    • Developing course materials
    • Sending communications
    • Using digital tools and systems
  • Participating in accessibility training and applying what they learn

Accessibility is part of daily work — not a separate task — and small actions can make a meaningful difference.

Shared Responsibility

Accessibility depends on collaboration across campus. Each role contributes in a different way, but all share the same goal:

  • To reduce barriers
  • To support independent access
  • To ensure programs, services, and information are usable by everyone

By understanding and fulfilling these responsibilities, the Texas A&M community can create a more accessible digital environment.