Today's Update: Tuesday, September 9, 2025

September 9, 2025

Dear Student Life team,

I want you to imagine yourself in this scenario. 

You’ve been given a task, and your success depends on being able to gather information from a specific website. But when you call up the page, the material is out of order and finding what you need is nearly impossible. Also, the charts and graphics have no context and are unintelligible. 

You would rightfully be frustrated. You will have also experienced what someone using assistive technology such as text-to-voice software goes through every time they try to use digital media that is not made properly accessible.  

Student Life is dedicated to making our digital content—websites, software, media, documents and more—accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. 

Digital accessibility tools aren’t just used by those with a disability. You’ve probably benefited, too. If you have used captions, adjusted your screen brightness, enlarged a font or used a dark mode, you have used design tools that help all of us access digital media based on our individual needs. 

Student Life Technology Services is leading an effort to ensure that all our digital material is accessible, which means that all of us must be committed to the creation of accessible content. 

Making content accessible is not just the kind and right thing to do, it is also university policy and the law. Compliance with the updated Americans with Disabilities Act Title II rule is mandatory by April 24, 2026. A great starting point to explore the resources is available at Digital Accessibility: Title II and You. 

If you have any questions, feel free to send a message to sl-accessibility@osu.edu.  

I want to thank everyone involved in this large and very important initiative. It’s yet another example of how we can provide Scarlet and Great service to everyone who relies on us.  

One other note for this Update—tomorrow is our next Scarlet and Great Gathering at 9:30 a.m. in the Ohio Union Performance Hall. It was originally going to be the annual State of Student Life address, but we are postponing that theme until October. Instead, tomorrow will be a chance to connect with fellow team members for a number of activities including an opportunity to write appreciation notes for colleagues, take photos together with a backdrop and props and more. I hope to see you there. 

   

Melissa S. Shivers, PhD     
Senior Vice President for Student Life      
The Ohio State University