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Faculty warn trustees that new Title II accessibility requirements could create heavy conversion workload
Summary
Faculty representatives told the University of Maine System ASA that upcoming Title II accessibility requirements will require converting student‑facing digital materials and could impose large, unclear workloads and costs; system staff said a working group led by Sarah Henry is coordinating responses and that contract/workload talks with unions are planned.
Faculty representatives told the University of Maine System’s Academic and Student Affairs Committee that heightened Title II accessibility requirements will force broad conversions of online course material and could create large, unclear workloads and costs for instructors.
"Some faculty have estimated that could be, like, 1,500 hours to get that work done," said Clyde Mitchell, a faculty representative from Farmington, who raised the issue during the student‑representative portion of the meeting. He asked who will perform the conversion, whether assistance will be provided, and how costs will be allocated.
System staff replied that the initiative sits in equal opportunity and human resources and that Sarah Henry, director of UMS equal opportunity and Title IX services, is leading a two‑pronged working group to respond. A system official who participates in the working group said many of the required practices are things the system "should have already been doing," but acknowledged the scale of the work is large and that specific questions about what counts as "in‑load" versus additional workload remain.
Trustee Nipam Alexander asked whether the mandate represented new federal law or a new enforcement posture of existing rules, and requested examples of how peer institutions with large online portfolios are handling compliance. A system presenter said institutions nationwide are "struggling with" the shift from individualized accommodations toward making materials accessible upfront.
Staff said they plan to discuss contract language and workload with union leadership and to provide trustees with further details, including what assistance and phased approaches might be available. Trustees stressed the need for the system office to provide a clear plan and cost estimate before any enforcement steps. The committee did not take formal action; staff committed to follow‑up reporting and consultation with affected campuses.
Why it matters: Title II accessibility work affects course delivery, faculty time and potentially program continuity across campuses that rely heavily on online instruction. Trustees asked for additional background, benchmarking, and a clearer plan for workload, budgeting, and union negotiation.
Next steps: Staff will continue working with the equal‑opportunity director, campus governance groups and unions and will provide trustees further briefings and data on scope, estimated costs, and possible phased implementation.
