Introduction

The values of accessibility and inclusion upon which the College is founded provide us with goals that require continued effort. The traditions of one generation do not always reflect the values of those that come after. Although the college has taken substantial and high-profile steps toward increasing equity among historically marginalized groups, an expanded effort to meaningfully address the needs and concerns of those with disability status is required.

During the 2020–2021 academic year, nearly one-in-five Vassar students were registered with the designated disability services office, the Office for Accessibility and Educational Opportunity, making it the largest minority group on campus while also intersecting with nearly every other group identity. Strong advocacy from students and the community has necessitated a large-scale institutional response which is the foundation that undergirds the creation of the Accessibility Committee.

The Accessibility Committee was formed as a new Governance committee in Fall 2020, replacing an ad hoc accessibility committee formed several years prior to address compliance around changing laws governing website design. The Committee draws from and depends on the work done by that earlier committee, and does not replace or supplant other active groups on campus working on these topics, such as the Committee on Disability Issues (CODI) and the Vassar Student Association. The work of these groups was and remains foundational to the work of accessibility on campus.

The initial charge of the Committee was to develop a three-year plan for campus accessibility that worked towards not simply accommodating differences, but allowing for universal access. This plan would be the first of many, with a goal of consistently refreshing the plan with new priorities on a 2-3 year cycle.

The Committee ultimately adopted four Guiding Principles for the plan:

• Identify and address immediate & long-term accessibility needs of the Vassar community
• Recognize that all constituencies of the College reflect a neurodiverse spectrum of individuals
• Prioritize inclusivity and accessibility for the entire campus community
• Center principles of equity and social justice

To develop this plan, the Committee mirrored practices used in the development of the most recent Campus Master Plan and the 2020 Climate Action Plan. In Spring 2021, the Committee hosted a series of forums and administered a campus-wide survey. In Summer 2021, a smaller team benchmarked practices at other institutions and researched existing barriers endemic to campus. The process culminated in this two-year plan for campus accessibility, intended to address immediate challenges and make a strong, immediate, positive impact while positioning the College for even more ambitious work moving forward.