Report 2017-102 Recommendation 26 Responses
Report 2017-102: California Community Colleges: The Colleges Reviewed Are Not Adequately Monitoring Services for Technology Accessibility, and Districts and Colleges Should Formalize Procedures for Upgrading Technology (Release Date: December 2017)
Recommendation #26 To: Los Rios Community College District
To ensure that all instructors are aware of the accessibility standards for instructional materials, American River should include in its next collective bargaining negotiations a requirement for instructors to periodically attend accessibility trainings.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2023
The District will not be fully implementing with this recommendation. However, the District and the faculty union are committed to ensuring that instructors have the opportunity to attend accessibility trainings. This commitment is evidenced by the fact that in the most recent negotiations cycle, the District and its faculty union negotiated compensation for all faculty to attend accessibility training and receive some sort of compensation. Faculty can receive training and be compensated, or receive flex credit or college service hours.
This recent development is new, as the District fully intends to incentivize faculty for attending accessibility trainings to ensure proper compliance and make instructional materials accessible. A dedicated website for accessibility support services, including how to request support and information on compensation can be found here: https://employees.losrios.edu/training/professional-development/faculty-professional-development/accessibility-support
The District is currently offering a course called Foundations, an asynchronous training course that faculty can complete in approximately fifteen (15) hours over a two-week period. It is facilitated by a colleague faculty member with extensive online teaching experience. The Foundations course meets the district's new minimum standard for distance education preparation referenced in section 4.4.4 of the 2020-2023 Contract.
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Will Not Implement
Although American River College offers training in implementing accessible materials as a resource to instructors, it has not required all instructors to take this training. As we state on page 23 of our report, without requiring faculty to attend accessibility training, colleges cannot ensure that faculty are aware of their responsibility to comply with accessibility requirements for the instructional materials they use.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2022
Los Rios Community College District response is unchanged for this recommendation. It indicated in its last response that it would not implement the recommendation.
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Will Not Implement
As noted in our comments to its original response, although American River College offers training in implementing accessible materials as a resource to instructors, it has not required all instructors to take this training. As we state on page 23 of our report, without requiring faculty to attend accessibility training, colleges cannot ensure that faculty are aware of their responsibility to comply with accessibility requirements for the instructional materials they use.
6-Month Agency Response
Los Rios Community College District did not submit a 6-month response for this recommendation. It indicated in its 60-day response that it would not implement the recommendation.
- Estimated Completion Date:
- Response Date: March 2019
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Will Not Implement
The district did not submit a response.
1-Year Agency Response
Los Rios Community College District did not submit a 1-year response for this recommendation. It indicated in its 60-day response that it would not implement the recommendation.
- Estimated Completion Date:
- Response Date: March 2019
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Will Not Implement
The district did not submit a response.
60-Day Agency Response
As noted in its original response, American River College objects to this recommendation and will take no further steps to move this recommendation forward.
- Response Date: February 2018
California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Will Not Implement
As noted in our comments to its original response, although American River College offers training in implementing accessible materials as a resource to instructors, it has not required all instructors to take this training. As we state on page 23 of our report, without requiring faculty to attend accessibility training, colleges cannot ensure that faculty are aware of their responsibility to comply with accessibility requirements for the instructional materials they use.
All Recommendations in 2017-102
Agency responses received are posted verbatim.