Kansas State University

Task force established to develop, implement fully compliant universitywide digital accessibility strategy

Submitted by Jesse Perez Mendez and Thomas Lane

Dear colleagues, 

Today we write to you announcing a new collaborative initiative aimed at supporting our university community in understanding and implementing recently updated federal digital accessibility guidelines. 

Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a final rule establishing updated regulations under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The ruling, which applies to state and local government entities — including all public schools, community colleges and public universities — requires digital/online content to be fully compliant with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1, Level AA standard, by April 24, 2026. 

Put simply, these regulations require that K-State's digital content, including university websites, mobile applications and materials housed on third-party platforms — such as our Canvas learning management system — conform to the standards set forth in the ruling. This includes both public-facing content and authenticated content behind log-in, which is inclusive of digital course materials. 

Successful compliance with these updated regulations will require an audit of our current state and accessibility resources/tools available to our people, as well as the development of a digital accessibility strategy that provides a framework for the necessary training and remediation support for all digital content creators. We have appointed a digital accessibility task force to lead this effort and outline a roadmap to full compliance. 

Ashley Bourne, associate vice president for communications and marketing, and Elliot Young, assistant vice president and university risk and compliance officer, have agreed to co-chair our digital accessibility task force that will address these issues and more. Additional task force members include:

• Blake Billings, deputy general counsel, Office of General Counsel.
• Jason Ellis, professor and department head, department of communications and agricultural education, College of Agriculture.
• Jon Faustman, director, web and digital strategy, Division of Communications and Marketing.
• Scott Finkeldei, director, academic and student technology services, Information Technology.
• Kim LeCompte, assistant vice president, talent strategy and engagement, Human Resources.
• Jason Maseberg Tomlinson, director, Student Access Center, Division of Academic Success and Student Affairs.
• Margaret Mohr-Schroeder, vice provost, academic affairs and innovation, Office of the Provost.
• Lisa Shappee, professor, department of integrated studies and director, Center for Academic and Learning Innovation, K-State Salina.
• Christine Splichal, director, communications and marketing, K-State Olathe. 
• Marisa Stahl, director, cashiers and student accounts, Division of Financial Services.
• Michelle Turvey-Welch, associate professor and department head of content development, K-State Libraries.
• Lisa Wilken, associate professor, department of biological and agricultural engineering, Carl R. Ice College of Engineering.

The task force will begin to craft the path forward for our university in the new year, aiming to provide a draft digital accessibility strategy and implementation plan for review midway through the spring semester. It is expected that the task force will concurrently work to develop and/or update university accessibility policies and procedures in support of this effort. The task force is also expected to broadly engage with academic department heads and faculty; university, college and departmental digital content creators; instructional designers; business staff working with vendors; and other key stakeholders to communicate the importance of this endeavor and our steps forward over the course of their work, leading up to the April 24, 2026, compliance deadline. More information about this initiative can be found on the digital accessibility initiative webpage. 

We thank all the task force members for their willingness to commit their time over the next year and a half toward this critical endeavor. Their leadership will help us create a sustainable path forward that elevates the accessibility of our digital content, once again showcasing K-State's commitment to access and opportunity as the nation's first operational land-grant university — and the nation's preeminent next-generation land-grant university. 

Go 'Cats! 

Jesse Perez Mendez
Provost and executive vice president 

Thomas Lane
Vice president for academic success and student affairs and dean of students