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Letter from the President

The University of Houston-Victoria is committed to being an excellent university, and as President, it is my job to define how we measure that excellence. I would like to share with you what I believe defines an excellent university. First and foremost, a university is in the People Business. We are defined by the people who make up our campus community, our students, faculty and staff. When “our people” are excellent, or achieve excellence, it is a reflection of our university community. To be truly excellent, our community must reflect the diversity of our state and nation. We must have a place for everyone, and we must make every person feel welcomed and valued. When we achieve that kind of environment we can strive to make sure every student who comes to us has the support s/he needs to attain the skills and abilities for success. We never lower the bar that is set for excellence, but we make sure each student can get over the bar.

Technology is one of the tools we use to help every student get from where s/he is, to where s/he needs to reach to be successful. There are few areas that touch our lives in as many ways as technology does. In addition, it is central to our mission of creating and disseminating knowledge. We believe that it is critical that we take all necessary steps to ensure that all members of our community can properly benefit from the resources, services and opportunities that we can provide on-line. When we increase our digital accessibility, we increase one of our most precious commodities, a diverse community.

I want to acknowledge all the faculty and staff who work very hard to promote digital accessibility for our university. I want to encourage you to feel free to contact us with any problems you may experience in accessing our web content, or with any suggestions you may have for improving the content or our accessibility. Please feel free to contact me directly, if I can be of service to you. Welcome to our website, and welcome to our community.

Sincerely yours,

Robert K. Glenn

UHV President

Learn More about Technology Accessibility

Websites and online learning are one component of technology accessibility. Accessibility also includes interoffice emails, software, electronic devices and technology-facilitated interactive content. Faculty and Staff can check documents, spreadsheets, PowerPoints, emails and other electronic content using the UHV Accessibility Checklist available to employees on the Intranet.

The following information is adapted from UH System EIR Accessibility FAQs:

What are Electronic and Information Resources (EIR)?

Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) are technologies that provide access to information through telecommunications, with a focus on communication technologies (e.g. website content and multimedia).

Texas law defines EIR, in part, as "information technology and any equipment or interconnected system or subsystem of equipment used to create, convert, duplicate, store, or deliver data or information." See the full definition from the Texas Administrative Code (TAC) 213.

What does EIR accessibility mean? 

Accessibility means that websites, tools, and technologies are designed and developed so that people with disabilities can use them. More specifically, people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, interact with, and contribute to EIRs. The functional definition of accessibility states that people with disabilities must be provided the opportunity to (1) acquire the same information, (2) engage in the same interactions, (3) enjoy the same services as people without disabilities, with (4) "substantially equivalent ease of use." EIR must be usable to people of all abilities in an equitable manner. This can be achieved by either implementing accessible technologies or via an accommodation that provides an equitable experience.

What is the technical standard for accessibility?

The technical standards for accessibility, as defined by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, mirror the international Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), Level AA. While WCAG applies to web developer content, its standards have been incorporated in many word processor and content creator applications and their tools.

Who is responsible for providing accessible content?

Accessibility is a shared responsibility, beginning with content authors. Whether it is created in Microsoft Word, Blackboard, or HTML, authors must produce accessible content before it is shared with their communities. When the content is curated from an external source, the author must do their due diligence in selecting accessible content. This can be as simple as finding and citing accessibility support information from the original source.

Who is responsible for supporting accessibility at UH?

The EIR Accessibility Coordinator is responsible for supporting accessibility within the University of Houston System (UHS). If you have a question regarding accessibility, please contact the appropriate administrator for the technology in question. If the issue cannot be resolved, the appropriate administrator should escalate the concern to the EIR Accessibility Coordinator. 

Accessibility at UHV

If you locate a section of the UHV website that does not meet accessibility standards, please note the URL of the page and contact webmaster@uhv.edu.

If you have another type of accessibility need at UHV, you can email accessibility@uhv.edu. You can also contact Randy Faulk, EIR Accessibility Coordinator.

If you have a concern for technology accessibility at UHV that could have a disproportionate impact on persons with disabilities, please report using any of the UHV Equal Opportunity reporting options. The complaint process is also available under the UH System Anti-Discrimination Policy.

For questions about training resources, contact Eunice Mesa. For questions about the Advisory Committee or UH System policies to prevent discrimination, contact Brandon Lee.

Advisory Committee on Technology Accessibility

The Advisory Committee on Technology Accessibility is a volunteer, open-forum group of staff and faculty members. The Committee provides input on campus climate, programs and training materials. Participants can review, test and provide comments on forthcoming tools and training materials. Participants may also lead campus culture change by improving accessibility. Participants help shape implementation of policies that impact the University as a whole.

For questions about the Advisory Committee, please contact Randy Faulk.

Training and Resources

Year-round employee resources include:

The Accessibility Tier Training Program shares resources with on-campus point persons by department. Employees can learn more by visiting the Accessibility at UHV tab on the Intranet. 

The Accessibility Tier Training Program provides a plan for foundation knowledge in accessibility. The Program incorporates:

The Tier Training Program currently enrolls every Accessibility Point Person. University departments designate Accessibility Point Persons. The UHV Training & Development Department oversees the Program. For more information on training workshops, contact Eunice Mesa.

Policies and Resources

For additional information for faculty and students including accommodations-related services, visit UHV Disability Services website.

For concerns about discrimination, review the University of Houston Anti-Discrimination Policy (or see Anti-Discrimination Policy HTML version). For questions or concerns about discrimination or the policy, contact Brandon Lee.

For additional policy language on technology accessibility, review the University of Houston System Electronic and Information Resources Accessibility Policy.