In line with the mission of SUNY Broome Community College, it is the expectation that all meetings, programs, and events sponsored by the college are accessible to all individuals. Planning and hosting accessible events ensures all attendees, including those with disabilities, whether visible or invisible, are able to fully participate in the event or engage in the program. Creating events with universal design in mind from the first step in the event planning process considers the diverse needs and abilities of all individuals in a proactive versus reactive manner and empowers people of all abilities. This allows event planners to address potential barriers participants may face during the planning stage, resulting in an event that is equitable and accessible for all.
Download the Accessible Meeting & Event Checklist (pdf)
Additional event planning items to consider:
- Accommodations can cost money, and the organizer of the event is responsible for providing them. Incorporate this into your planning and remember to budget accordingly.
- Contact Lisa Hughes from the Accessibility Resources Office at hugheslm@sunybroome.edu for additional assistance on making the requested accommodations.
- Check with presenters to determine if they require accommodations and to ensure their videos and materials follow accessible guidelines.
- When planning the logistics of your events, make sure to be mindful of attendees that may need additional time to move between rooms. Consider providing breaks for attendees.
- Service animals may be in attendance.
- Registration tables should be no higher than 36”.
- All videos should be captioned.
- Virtual events should always be captioned.
- Zoom has accessibility features.
- Live captioning does not follow breakout rooms in Zoom.
- Recordings from Zoom can be edited for captions afterwards.
- Automated captions in Google Slides can be turned on while presenting over Zoom.
