University of Iowa creates task force to update digital assets for accessibility

The University of Iowa has created a new task force to handle updates to the university’s websites and other digital assets in response to changes to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The Accessibility Task Force will lead efforts to comply with a new rule added to Title II by the U.S. Department of Justice, according to a news release, which requires accessible web content and apps. The deadline to put these changes in place is April 24, 2026.

“Ensuring compliance with Title II is crucial and required for our university,” said Liz Tovar, executive officer and associate vice president of the Division of Access, Opportunity, and Diversity, in the release. “It demonstrates our commitment to accessibility for all members of our community and builds on our strategic goal of providing a welcoming and respectful environment for all Hawkeyes.”

Tovar will sponsor the 15-member task force alongside Steve Fleagle, associate vice president and chief information officer of Information Technology Services, according to the release.

According to a fact sheet from the U.S. Department of Justice, the new rule places technical standards that public entities need to meet in order to have their websites and apps be accessible to those with disabilities. Entities like the UI must follow Level AA of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, the fact sheet stated, developed by the World Wide Web Consortium.

Included in the guidelines are practices like providing alternative text for pictures and other non-text assets, making text easy to understand and ensuring that people can use inputs other than a keyboard to navigate through a website.

All areas of the UI will see changes as a result of the new rule, according to the release, from academics to health care to athletics, and university policies will be updated. The task force will find which digital systems should be prioritized for a “remediation process,” the release stated, and identify where exceptions listed in the rule apply.

The task force will also work with third-party vendors to implement changes, offer training and conduct regular testing and audits to ensure the university remains compliant, according to the release.

Members of the UI community said they were encouraged to learn the new guidelines and review their own digital content to see what needs updating, and to collaborate with others and provide feedback to the task force when necessary, according to the release.

“Our goal is to ensure that all digital content and systems are accessible to everyone,” Fleagle said in the release. “This is not just about compliance; it’s about creating a path forward where everyone can access the information and services they need.”