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• Campus Checklist: new FAQs (tentatively planned for Nov. 5, 2024)
• Email to faculty: student accommodations and faculty workload (Aug. 6, 2024)
• Campus Checklist: revised AC1205 academic acccomodation policy (July 23, 2024)
• Email to faculty & instructors: supports for Winter Session 2024/25 (May 1, 2024)
• Email to faculty & instructors: supports for Summer Session 2024 (April 4, 2024)
• Email to faculty & instructors: supports for 2023/24 follow-up email (Oct. 16, 2023)
• Email to faculty & instructors: supports for 2023/24 (Aug. 1, 2023)
• Annual report to Senate on accessibility (April 2023)

An access-centered approach to education prioritizes accessibility as an ongoing process, recognizing that individual needs and learning environments constantly evolve. It aims to proactively remove barriers and create inclusive learning experiences for all students. This approach contrasts with traditional models that only react to individual accommodation requests, often leading to unsustainable practices and workload concerns for faculty.

Pedagogy grounded in an access-centered approach fosters a more equitable educational environment, where teaching methods and materials are designed with diverse student needs in mind, enhancing the learning experience and fostering engagement for all learners.

An inclusive classroom is an access-centred classroom, reflecting a commitment to innovative, inclusive educational practices that is discipline appropriate. An inclusive classroom values the diverse identities, perspectives and backgrounds of all students.

We all have a responsibility to work towards access-centred, and to ensure we are adopting sustainable solutions that work with multiple disciplines and across the university.

No, UVic is not mandating the use of UDL. The university acknowledges that academic freedom is a right under the collective agreement and encourages faculty to determine the most appropriate and effective approaches for their specific disciplines. The university encourages faculty to consider UDL principles as an optional framework, among others, to support inclusive and accessible learning environments.

UVic's direction aligns with broader trends in higher education that prioritize access and inclusive pedagogical methods. We are taking a multi-faceted approach to transition to an access-centered model, which includes:

• Pedagogical changes: faculty and instructors are encouraged to provide flexible and inclusive learning environments and assessments that cater to diverse student needs from the outset.
• Providing temporary accommodation support resources: UVic has invested in additional accommodation resources for the Office of the Registrar and Enrolment Management while implementing longer-term solutions.
• Engaging in consultations with stakeholders: The university is actively seeking input from faculty, staff, students, academic leaders and relevant committees to inform the transition process and address workload concerns.
• Developing resources and training for faculty: UVic offers resources and workshops through LTSI to support faculty and instructors in adopting inclusive teaching practices. UVic is exploring additional central supports for faculty and instructors, including TA invigilation support to alleviate workload.
• Empowering unit leaders to make changes: Deans and department chairs are encouraged to find discipline-specific solutions to support faculty workload and the university's functions.
• Policy revisions: UVic has revised its academic accommodation policy (AC1205) and course outline guidelines to reflect our commitment to access-centered education, aligned with the Accessibility Plan, Equity Action Plan, and changes in our regulatory environment including legal changes to the Accessible British Columbia Act.

Strategies have been proposed or informed by faculty and instructors, chairs and directors, the Associate Deans Academic Council, Deans’ Council and Academic Leadership, the Accessibility Committee, the Society for Students with a Disability, UVic General Counsel, the Office of the Registrar and Enrolment Management, the Centre for Accessible Learning, the Division of Learning and Teaching Support and Innovation, and the Joint Working Group on Student Accommodations and Faculty Workload.

UVic offers several resources to support faculty, including:

• Consultations with LTSI: Faculty and instructors can receive discipline-specific guidance on implementing inclusive course design and teaching practices through one-to-one appointments and drop-in support.
• Workshops and resources: LTSI offers various workshops, , and examples of inclusive teaching practices across different disciplines.
• Collaboration with colleagues: Faculty and instructors are encouraged to share best practices and learn from each other's experiences in adopting access-centered approaches.
• Community of practice: The new LTSI-coordinated  supports faculty and instructors in enhancing accessible pedagogy and expanding accessibility and inclusive learning approaches in their courses. It provides a space for dialogue and professional development centered on inclusive teaching practices, fostering an access-centered campus culture. Faculty and instructors will be invited to attend any or all forms of engagement (meetings, conversation cafes, workshops, etc.).

The university acknowledges that the transition to an access-centered approach to teaching and assessments may raise concerns about increased faculty workload and is committed to finding solutions that balance the needs of students with the realities of teaching responsibilities. Open dialogue and collaboration are encouraged to address workload concerns and implement practical solutions specific to disciplines. Strategies include:

• Empowering leaders: UVic is empowering unit leaders to make changes to support the workload and functions of the university and is working collaboratively across campus on what those changes might look like depending on the discipline.
• Enhanced central resources: UVic continues to implement central resources strategically to maximize impact and supports to units while being financially responsible within our current operational environment.
• Community of practice: LTSI is coordinating a for faculty and instructors beginning in fall 2024.
• New workshops for instructors: CAL developed a new academic accommodations workshop in summer 2024 that covers the laws and policies governing accommodations, the role of CAL and instructors, the process of assigning accommodations, and accommodated exam processes. It was first delivered to the Engineering and Computer Science in collaboration with the Associate Dean, and CAL is available to collaborate with other faculties upon request. LTSI also continues to offer and evolve their suite of workshops, available via .
• Streamlining invigilation requests: CAL has improved final exam invigilation request process based on feedback from instructors; simplified deadlines; and started using UVic’s event calendar, so instructors can add reminders to their calendars and to future accommodated exam events.
• New invigilation supports: VPAC is actively exploring TA invigilation support. Data-informed decision making: CAL launched a pilot project in fall 2024 for improved academic accommodation summaries for the 200 largest courses by enrolment, updated regularly. VPAC is also working to provide better and more timely data to Deans.
• Software solutions: We are working to procure a replacement for ClockWork.

No, UVic remains committed to supporting students who require academic accommodations. Funding for the Centre for Accessible Learning has been prioritized and was protected from recent university-wide budget reductions. However, instead of relying solely on traditional, reactive support models, the university is investing in a proactive approach. This involves:

• Providing temporary additional funding for staffing resources to the Office of the Registrar and Enrolment Management to support faculty during the transition.
• Investing in instructor training and resources for more inclusive pedagogical approaches.
• Exploring alternative assessment methods that are inherently more inclusive.

As defined by the Accessibility Committee, “access-centred means that accessibility is a process that is forever changing versus a static state of being. Access is a constant process that changes in each space and with each individual.”

Conversely, ableism is “the interaction of institutional structures, cultural norms, and individual beliefs and behaviors that together function to maintain the status quo and exclude people with disabilities from many areas of society.”

Moving towards access-centred teaching and assessment practices means moving away from our current approaches and the status quo. It is essential that we remain open to evolving our strategies, rather than solely relying on traditional support models, which are not sustainable or inclusive. By removing barriers and fostering accessibility, we change the narrative.

Stay updated on UVic's access-centered initiatives and available resources by:

• Revisiting this web page for updates and information. We will notify faculty and instructors through the Campus Checklist or other email channels if there are significant updates.
• Referring to for teaching resources and support.
• Visit and for workshop announcements.
• Participating in the (launching fall 2024).
• Engaging in conversations with your colleagues, Chair, Director, Associate Dean Academic, and/or Dean.