These CUNY Access web pages and related programs are designed to

• bring together information about policies and procedures that might be of assistance to members of our community to whom disability-related information may be important, and
  
• highlight best practices in all areas of the University's functions, in order to help ensure that all courses, campus and central CUNY programs as well as Information Technology (IT) are accessible to all members of the CUNY community. 
  

Whether you are a student, a prospective student, a faculty or staff member, or a member of the community in some other way --- we hope you find the information presented here useful. 

We are constantly adding to the broad range of resources on this site for all members of the CUNY community. Please check back often.

1) Available Now - Opportunities to Network and Learn More
- Conferences and other programs with registration NOW!

• Center for Visually Impaired People (CCVIP) has workshops and programs throughout the year.  For schedule and registration information, check their web site at http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/ccvip .

2) What's Happening at CUNY?
-  Reasonable Accommodations / *** NEW UPDATES ***
     - Requesting Accomodations
             - Students
             - Faculty / Staff / Applicants for Employment     
             - Visitors
     - CUNY's guide Reasonable Accommodations: A Faculty Guide to Teaching Students with Disabilities.
- Campus Services, Centers, Library Access, and Other Resources
- CUNY Matters article - June 8, 2004
- Comprehensive Focus Group Report - January 2004
- Web Sites and Technology Accessibility
- Conferences
     - Current and Previous
- Requirements and Courses
- Faculty Research         
- University Faculty Senate (UFS) Committee on Disabilities Issues

We hope you read our focus group report and begin to understand the wide range of issues facing members of the community with disabilities, and learn about some suggested, often easy, solutions that make life simpler for all members of the University community.  What else can you do?  Here are a few suggestions:

1. Send us information on more resources (especially from within CUNY) that would be helpful to post on this site.
   
2. Share information on our site with colleagues, and put a link on your web site to ours.
   
3. Think about the issues in our report, and what you might be able to change in things you do.
4. Exercise the easiest form of control over a variety of technology accessibility issues through your own web and courseware design, and how you share files with others.
   
5. Learn about technology access issues and consider access as you review your web sites and other course and conference materials.  Share information about the issues and these techniques with your students or your instructors.
   
6. Demand accessibility in products from vendors and contractors in all areas, not only technology.  Include access requirements in specs and in your vendor / contractor selection process.
7. Planning a conference?  Plan for physical and program accessibility, and offer materials in accessible formats.
   
8. Work with others on campus and in the University to avoid problems for people with disabilities, and to provide important alternatives in a variety of areas (such as learning styles, safety, etc) for all members of the University community.
   
9. Apply your understanding of how technology can expand the reach of students with disabilities as you advise them about their academic choices and professional opportunities.  Consider similar issues related to faculty and staff at the same time.
10. Contact a campus Disability Services / Special Services for Students With Disabilities Office  or one of the CUNY centers listed above (CCVIP or CATS) if you want help.  See the campus services links that we have located so far.

Prepared by
The University Faculty Senate Committee on Disabilities Issues