Accessibility at Reed
Dear Readers,
Reed aims to be a welcoming, navigable place for all members of our community to thrive. To help facilitate this goal, the Accessibility Committee is proud to announce a new Accessibility at Reed webpage, which can be found at https://www.reed.edu/about/accessibility-at-reed/. This webpage is a central repository for all things accessibility at Reed, including digital best practices, a new accessibility barrier reporting form, and other helpful tools.
Modeled after the Thesis Hub, the Accessibility Committee has created a centralized home where all community members can easily find accessibility-related resources. While digital accessibility was the original focus, the project has grown to include information on physical accessibility as well. The page shares accessibility best practices from around the college, including information from the Library, Disability & Accessibility Resources (DAR), and others. There is also a new reporting form for access barriers.
Avenues for academic or workplace accommodations have not changed, and we encourage folks to continue advocating for their needs. DAR will still manage student requests, and Human Resources will do the same for staff and faculty. Meanwhile, it is valuable for us to assess our practices through an accessibility lens so we can better create a functional college for all Reed Community members, regardless of disclosure or expressed need. A rising tide lifts all boats, as they say.
We would be remiss if we did not thank Trina Marmarelli, Jess Gibson, Beth Platte, Christy Martin, and Jason Parker for their exceptional work guiding these improvements and creating the end products. Many more folks were also instrumental, and we extend our deepest gratitude.
A final note: Reed College is not a single entity, but is made up of all of us together. We have the power—and the responsibility—to shape the institution into a place where every member of our community can learn, grow, and belong. Everyone’s effort is needed to accomplish this goal. We encourage you to take time to review the information on the Accessibility at Reed webpage and begin making changes to increase accessibility in your work.
Sincerely,
The Accessibility Committee