Temporary Faculty Workload Relief to Support Accessibility Compliance
Subject: Request for Temporary Faculty Workload Relief to Support Accessibility Compliance by April 2026 Date: November 17, 2025
United University Professions (UUP) fully supports the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II regulations. These new requirements mandate that all instructional materials—past and future—meet accessibility standards as defined by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). We recognize this as a critical step toward equitable access and long-term student success.
However, the scope and urgency of this mandate present a significant and immediate workload challenge for faculty—particularly those teaching content-rich courses that rely heavily on images, videos, and PDF documents (e.g., Engineering, Art/Graphic Design, Architecture, Science, Medical School, Dental School, and the Humanities). Many faculty are now facing the dual burden of maintaining high-quality instruction while retrofitting and redesigning course materials to meet accessibility standards by April 24, 2026.
To ensure compliance without compromising instructional quality or faculty well-being, UUP respectfully requests that the University provide temporary, targeted workload relief. We recommend that Department Chairs be empowered to implement support strategies appropriate to their disciplines. These may include:
Investing in software tools (e.g., AWS accessibility solutions) to streamline PDF remediation and content conversion
Providing training on how existing campus-supported tools can assist with accessibility compliance
Offering temporary relief from administrative or committee responsibilities, with clear assurances
that this will not negatively impact tenure or promotion
Hiring Teaching Assistants (TAs) or Graduate Assistants (GAs) to support faculty in preparing
accessible instructional materials
Engaging instructional designers to partner with faculty in adapting web-based and digital course
content
We believe these measures will not only support compliance but also demonstrate the University's commitment to inclusive education and faculty success. We welcome the opportunity to collaborate on implementation strategies that are both effective and sustainable.
Sincerely,
Kathleen M. Kielar, Ph.D.
President, UUP Buffalo Center Chapter
Jim Lichtenthal
President, UUP Buffalo Health Sciences Chapter