Today's Messages

Buffalo State's official websites are designed to be accessible to all, including users with vision, motor, or hearing impairments. Effective April 24, 2026, Buffalo State official websites must be compliant with Section 508, sub-part B, 1194.22 and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA. This standards update establishes a new minimum requirement for the accessibility of websites and web applications. Websites generated from the university's official installation of Drupal, Buffalo State’s content management system, that do not include user-entered custom code and styling and include alt tags with images, meet these guidelines.

Accessible PDFs and other documents are a critical part of the new digital accessibility requirements. The U.S. Department of Justice's new ADA Title II rule, which requires compliance by April 24, 2026, cites PDFs and other electronic documents must be made accessible at WCAG 2.1 Level AA. While there may be exceptions for "preexisting" documents posted before the compliance date, exceptions do not apply if the document is used to access services, programs, or activities. Overall, it is preferred that web pages be used in place of PDFs in order to ensure ADA compliance. It is important to remember that non-compliance may result in action being taken against the university.

Marketing and Communications offers resources to support ADA compliance. Site owners who would like a Siteimprove accessibility report run on their site and/or documents, may request by filing a ticket. Any questions about the coming standards may be sent to meehanme@buffalostate.edu.