Accessibility

The Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA) is committed to ensuring barrier free accessibility for our members, staff, visitors, and the rest of the University of Waterloo community. We are dedicated to creating an inclusive environment where all members can participate fully and equally. We recognize there is still work to be done and will work to make continuous improvements to uphold the principles of accessibility and inclusivity in all our endeavours.  

WUSA supports the goals of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and will establish policies, practices and procedures consistent with the accessibility standards established under the AODA. Providing an accessible and barrier-free campus is a shared effort and we will continually work to make accessibility a reality for all. 

All members of the WUSA community and visitors with disabilities have a right to equitable treatment without discrimination or barriers, with respect to employment, services, goods, and access to facilities, in accordance with the provisions of the Ontario Human Rights Code and Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).

A Multi-Year Accessibility Plan (MYAP) allows WUSA to set clear goals, track meaningful progress, and remain accountable to our community over time. Through this plan, we will work to remove barriers, promote equitable access, and foster a culture of inclusion.

This MYAP builds on the meaningful accessibility work already in progress at WUSA, channeling existing momentum into a cohesive, long-term plan for lasting change. Some of the initiatives already underway include:

• Self-serve kiosks in The Bomber installed at varying heights
• Moveable/rollable furniture in new Student Life Centre (SLC) study rooms
• WUSA strategic documents published as webpages in addition to PDFs
• The use of an accessibility tracker for our membership emails
• The addition of braille to our room identifiers throughout the SLC
• Hybrid Annual Members Meeting, where members can cast their vote online
• Collaborating with the Associate Vice-President, Academic (AVPA) Office to design an Accessible Teaching Award
• Collaborating with Campus Accessibility to create tools including the Inclusive Events Guide for Student Leaders and staff to strengthen our approach to inclusive events and practices
• Continuing to build meaningful connections within the accessibility community on and off campus

From 2026-2030, WUSA commits to the following priorities to advance accessibility:

1. Updating washrooms in the SLC
2. Upgrading elevators and lifts in the SLC
3. Offering additional accessibility training for staff and students (beyond mandatory Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) training)
4. Developing Social Media Accessibility Best Practices Standards
5. Creating Accessible Meetings + Consultation Standards
6. Continuously improving and breaking down barriers so every student can engage with our events

Progress updates will be shared annually through our annual Impact Report, with termly check-ins conducted with department leads through WUSA’s Executive Leadership Team.

Note: as a tenant organization within the University of Waterloo, our ability to implement improvements may be dependent on UW’s systems, processes, and collaborative support.

If you have any questions about WUSA’s Multi-Year Accessibility Plan, please contact Andrena Lockley-Brown.

If you are unable to access any content across our websites and social media or have questions/feedback, please use the general inquiries form (Web Accessibility).