Page 27 - OIT Progress Report: 2025 Edition

Advancing Digital Accessibility
Through Partnership
OIT’s commitment to accessibility reached a major milestone through
collaborative efforts with external partners and internal expertise.
SMU officially received its Letter of Digital Accessibility Conformance
from Allyant (A360), confirming that www.smu.edu meets Web Content
Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA standards.
This achievement required meticulous attention to detail and deep
technical knowledge, led by Associate Director of Web Development Beth
Andresen. Working closely with Allyant, Beth ensured that framework
elements, interactive navigation menus, and visual presentations all meet
the highest accessibility standards. The certification covers behind-the-
scenes code for interactive elements as well as manual reviews of key
pages including the SMU homepage and admissions page.
“I’m thrilled to have contributed to our code framework, ensuring it
aligns with the latest guidelines. It’s rewarding to help make our platform
more accessible for all website visitors,” shared Beth. Her collaboration
with applications developer Michael Law and support from institutional
governance made this ambitious project possible in a much shorter
timeframe than originally anticipated.
These examples represent just a sampling of how OIT works
collaboratively with every corner of the SMU community. Whether
developing custom applications, achieving accessibility milestones,
supporting cutting-edge research, or fostering innovative communities,
OIT’s approach remains consistent: listen, partner, and deliver solutions
that truly serve our community’s unique needs.
Harnessing Data for Informed
Decision Making
Thanks to multiple projects and partnerships dedicated to gathering and
processing information from areas across campus, the volume of raw
data managed by OIT has grown considerably. This surge underscores
the importance of ongoing efforts to warehouse data—not only to
enhance security and organization, but also to establish a comprehensive
repository that supports advanced visualization, analysis, and strategic
decision-making.
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