2026-2028 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan

Territorial Acknowledgement

Renison University College is located on the traditional territory of the Anishinaabeg, Hodinohsyó:ni, and Attawandaran (Neutral) Peoples, which is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes ten kilometres on each side of the Grand River from mouth to source. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place in all corners of our campus through research, learning, teaching, community building and outreach. We are guided by the work of the Office of Indigenous Relations at the University of Waterloo.

We make every effort to honour and respect the implications of this land acknowledgement in the work that we do, and the programs and courses that we offer. Renison is committed to the inclusion of all at every level, and this includes the work of decolonization.

Commitment to Accessibility

Renison University College is committed to making its campus community inclusive and accessible for persons with disabilities, whether they are studying, visiting, or working at Renison. This document outlines how Renison promotes accessibility and ensures equitable access to its services and facilities, and how these measures will adapt and expand over the next few years. Promotion of accessibility includes consultation with our community and integration of input. Renison has intentionally and purposefully aligned many of the goals of its Strategic Plan with the goals of the Multi-year Accessibility Plan (MAP) to ensure that goals relating to accessibility remain at the forefront of ongoing planning process and that measurable outcomes are in place.

In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), Renison has taken measures to advance accessibility within its organization. In particular, Renison has implemented practices and established accessibility policies to ensure the Customer Service, Employment, Information and Communication, Transportation and the Built Environment Standards meet the requirements set out by the AODA.

Renison’s MAP, along with its policies, practices and procedures, all complement the University of Waterloo’s commitment to accessibility and their published protocols.

Accessibility efforts within the University of Waterloo (Waterloo) are supported through executive level oversight, with senior executive membership. They focus on planning, budgeting, and interdisciplinary collaboration that aims to provide a unified approach in creating a fully inclusive environment for people with disabilities within the campus community.

As an Affiliated College of Waterloo, Renison students graduate with Waterloo degrees. As such, Renison’s efforts to make its campus more inclusive and accessible are necessarily tied to those of Waterloo while, at the same time, Renison must adopt its own relevant accessibility policies, practices, and procedures. To this end, Renison has created a committee, known as Accessibility Matters at Renison. This group was formed to raise awareness and make recommendations regarding accessibility needs on the Renison campus.

Contents

Administration and Governance

Reporting to Renison’s President and Vice-Chancellor, along with the Senior Leadership Team, Accessibility Matters at Renison was formed as an advisory and working group established to address accessibility on the Renison campus. Its responsibilities include:

  • Serve as a resource to the university college community on issues related to accessibility;
  • Educate the Renison community on real and potential barriers to accessibility including sharing best practices for addressing issues and eliminating barriers;
  • Serve as the Renison campus contact point for all accessibility concerns; and
  • Provide, when needed, a liaison with services on campus at the University of Waterloo to ensure that everyone’s needs are met.

Life at Renison

Accessibility Matters at Renison is made up of a cross-section of students, faculty, and staff, and includes members who identify as having accessibility needs. The committee, which reports to the President and Vice-Chancellor, has been leveraged to provide feedback and guidance with the Renison community on matters related to accessibility. Together, the committee shares best practices for the shared Renison community.

Accessibility Matters has already had considerable impact on the Renison community:

  • With input from the community, new railings were installed at Building 5 to provide increased coverage
  • All entrances and washrooms that require accessible door openings have been installed
  • Implemented a policy related to service animals on campus which aligns with practices at Waterloo
  • Accessibility Matters hosted a workshop that addressed inclusive practices in education through lived experiences in Spring 2025

Future objectives include:

  • Address course accessibility challenges for students;
  • Conduct a review of barriers for students related to the processes and forms when requiring accommodation;
  • Create accessibility awareness-raising events and considering community resources/services that may be able to visit Renison (for example, a hearing screening van)

Accessible Parking Spaces

Renison understands the need to provide adequate, accessible, well-lit parking on campus for students, staff, faculty, and community visitors. Renison has allocated accessible parking spots beside the main entrance, and several accessible parking spots are available within the controlled parking area, closest to the building entrance. Additionally, as Renison owns and controls its own parking allotment, it is well-positioned to address additional accessible parking needs as they arise.

Assistive Software for Students

Students at Renison who are completing courses toward a degree (often referred to as for-credit courses) have access to Kurzweil 3000 software through the University of Waterloo, which will provide this assistive technology on any computer at Waterloo. Access to learning strategy and assistive technology is available through Accessibility Services.

Additional support for students is provided through the use of Outline, a digital course syllabus repository, which ensures access to course outlines in an accessible format.

Academic Accommodations

All Renison students, including those enrolled in courses that do not provide degree credit (such as continuing education or short-term programs), have access to the Renison Student Advocacy Advisory Committee, which can assist in referrals for academic accommodation.

Students enrolled in for-credit courses offered at Renison have access to academic accommodations in accordance with Waterloo’s policy, available from AccessAbility services.

Currently services include:

  • The Graduate Student Medical Leave Award, created for eligible research-based graduate students who must go inactive for medical reasons
  • A 10 per cent tuition discount for undergraduate students who require a reduced course load as part of their accommodation plan
  • Access to Disability Awards, a portal to awards and scholarships for students with disabilities studying at Canada's colleges and universities
  • A protocol to ensure students with disabilities receive interim accommodation pending formal documentation
  • Kurzweil 3000 online software, which promotes greater independence and autonomy
  • Streamlined processes for facilitating academic accommodation to allow students to obtain the required accommodations sooner, and minimize disruption to their studies

Student Accessible Transportation

Accessible transportation is provided on campus for students with a disability across the Waterloo Campus (including Renison) and can be accessed by registering with AccessAbility Services.

A Healthy Working Environment

Renison desires to remove barriers during the application and selection process for positions, and employment of, persons with disabilities, Indigenous people, women, and visible minorities. To do this, Renison has put several policies in place in accordance with the AODA as well as the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Renison considers the dignity of each person, and creates workplace accommodation based upon individualized needs, with the goal of ensuring the employee is fully able to be integrated and able to participate in the workplace. Renison gladly undertakes its duty to accommodate employees with disabilities so that they may perform the duties associated with their positions free from any barriers that are explicitly related to their disability.

Examples of accommodations include:

  • Access to adaptive technologies and ergonomic products
  • Adjustments to work schedules or break time
  • Accommodation within Return-to-Work processes
  • Alternative formats for teaching
  • All policy development considered with a lens to accessibility

All new and current employees of Renison are informed about accessibility policies and measures. This information is given to employees as soon as possible when they begin their employment.

Professional Development for Employees

Renison employees have access to training and professional development opportunities to increase their knowledge on accessibility and inclusion, including AODA-specific training.

Waterloo’s internal Information Systems and Technology department maintains a number of resources for employees to ensure digital materials are accessible. Among the resources are accessibility guidelines and an introduction to web accessibility, along with tools to check the accessibility of webpages and PDF files.  

Faculty is supported by AccessAbility Services to understand obligations and to offer services and resources to facilitate accommodation.

Scheduling of Classes

Renison’s Registrarial Services within the Office of the Vice President Academic and Dean (VPAD) carefully considers matters of accessibility when scheduling classroom space and teaching windows for faculty/lecturers and students. Renison is able to schedule class locations and class times that best meet the accessibility needs of its community.

Additionally, in consultation with their departments, instructors may request limitations on teaching time availability. There is a priority level #1 given to instructors with verified disabilities, which is accommodated by Registrarial Services at Renison when scheduling teaching activity.

Actions for 2026-2028

Policies and Procedures

The goals and objectives as articulated by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, align with the mission of Renison University College and our motto: sed coelom solum (one sky over all). Renison believes that it is the role of the university to remove any obstacles that impede its students from achieving their full potential.

Renison, in connection with its Strategic Planning Process, is in the process of reviewing and updating all internal policies; this process has been informed by Renison’s commitment to AODA compliance. All policy development and re-development is being completed using an accessibility lens.

Renison is committed to continually updating and reviewing its accessibility policy for Renison employees, including onboarding and training programs.

The RFP process has been updated to require vendor compliance with the AODA Standard for Customer Service. All bidders are encouraged to review Renison’s accessibility guidelines.

Customer Service

In accordance with the Customer Service Standard of the AODA, Renison provides accessible customer service in every way possible. This means that Renison will treat every person with a disability, whether they are a student, faculty member, staff, or guest of Renison (our “customers”) with dignity. Renison acknowledges the desire for independence and does its best to integrate services provided to persons with disabilities with services provided to others, ensuring that the opportunities afforded to persons with disabilities are equal to those afforded to others. Renison will also make an effort to communicate with persons with disabilities in ways that consider their disability.

Information and Communication

The Information and Communication Standard within the AODA is focused on ensuring persons with disabilities are able to access information. Renison will identify commonly required communication formats and develop a strategy to visibly support a culture of inclusivity and reduce the number of individual requests for accommodation. All course materials are available in an accessible format; all materials posted on the website are AODA compliant.

Renison’s websites use Waterloo’s Web Content Management System (WCMS), which meets WCAG 2.0 Level AA standard. All employees who create or manage content using WCMS are trained in the use of its accessibility features. Additionally, Renison’s Website Working Group and Social Media Committee maintain a Best Practices document that includes resources for making digital communications accessible. On Renison websites PDF documents are being used less frequently; all users are encouraged to use webpages when possible instead of PDFs to maximize accessibility. All uploaded PDFs are required to be remediated for accessibility. Renison is currently participating in a project with Waterloo to remove all inaccessible materials and, when necessary, transition them to accessible webpages.   

Additionally, through WCMS, Renison has access to Siteimprove, a tool that analyzes websites within the WCMS and makes recommendations for improved accessibility. Regular review of recommendations and subsequent updates using information from Siteimprove is an ongoing action for continued accessibility of webpages.

Design of Public Spaces

The Design of Public Spaces Standard within the AODA is focused on making it easier for persons with disabilities to move through and use the environment. Renison will make every effort possible to incorporate accessibility design, criteria, and features when procuring or acquiring goods, services, or facilities, except where it is not possible to do so. If it is not possible, Renison will provide an explanation as to why this is so if requested.

Among our new objectives is the continued effort to improve accessibility of signage within Renison. This includes the addition of braille, colour, and signage to address low vision needs. Renison is also in the process of designing pathways between buildings to address accessibility, while also enhancing existing ramps and lifts.

Additionally, Renison will continue to publicly display signage related to any service disruption of building elements impacting accessible elements (elevators, ramps, etc.). Service disruptions will also be posted on Renison’s website with an anticipated date of repair.

Employment

The purpose of the Employment Standard within the AODA is to integrate accessibility into regular workplace processes and to ensure that employers provide accessibility across all stages of the employment life cycle – including recruitment, onboarding, performance assessment, promotion, and departure.

Renison’s priorities are to uphold the privacy and confidentiality of individuals in need of accommodation (to prevent real or perceived bias against an individual based on their disability); as well as to ensure that funding is provided for accommodation solutions, regardless of an individual’s faculty/department affiliation.

Renison will be undertaking a process to improve the experience of hiring and onboarding with a lens toward accessibility, particularly in relation to documentation.

Education

Renison works to align our efforts with the University of Waterloo’s application of the proposed AODA Education Standards. Since Renison and Waterloo have a shared student experience, Renison will work closely with UW to incorporate the elements of these Standards that apply to its environment and create individual action plans where necessary. Several initiatives to provide students with equitable access to programs and the ability to complete their degrees have already been identified by University of Waterloo and will be further developed. Renison’s Accessibility Matters Committee will continue to focus on identifying and removing barriers that may impact students with disabilities, based on the final recommendations of the Postsecondary Standards Development Committee.

Training and Tools for All Employees

Renison continues to meet its obligations for training on all aspects of the AODA and Customer Service Standard as well as the Human Rights Code to all employees, volunteers, all persons who develop policies for Renison, and all people who provide goods, services, and facilities on behalf of Renison. This training is completed as soon as possible when new employees or other service providers commence their tenure, or when changes are made.

From a teaching perspective, both University of Waterloo and Renison University College strive to incorporate universal design principles within teaching spaces and look for training and awareness opportunities for all faculty/instructors regarding student accommodation.

Additional resources are available for employees through the University of Waterloo’s Digital Accessibility website.