Letter from the Chancellor
August 14, 2018
Dear Colleagues:
As part of the USM commitment to diversity and inclusion, we have a responsibility to ensure all of our teaching, learning, research, and campus and community service activities are accessible to everyone. I endorse the Accessibility Guidelines that were created by a work group of Disability and Accessibility Officers from around the USM. As each institution in our System is unique, these Guidelines are provided as a resource and should serve as an important first step in informing the electronic accessibility efforts at each institution. It is expected that each institution will implement the Guidelines as appropriate to the needs of its own campus. The USM Accessibility webpage includes these Guidelines as well as links to national standards and best practices for developing and presenting electronic materials accessible to all.
As more information and services move online, the effort to ensure full accessibility will be more important to the USM. As a result, it will be important to continually review our Accessibility Guidelines and for individual institutions to implement them as appropriate to the needs of their services and community. In this vein, the USM will continue to facilitate the activities of the USM Accessibility Work Group and disseminate the insights, tools, and best practices that they identify.
I ask that you share my commitment and fully support accessibility endeavors on each of your campuses.
Sincerely yours,
Robert L. Caret
Chancellor
View a signed copy of the Chancellor's Letter