A commitment to an information technology environment that is accessible to all, and in particular to people with disabilities, is now an official UC policy.

Look for it on the UC Office of the President website, in the “Presidential Policies” section (search for “Information Technology Accessibility”). Or click here for Policy IMT-1300.

UC unveiled the policy in draft form in May, for public review. With minimal changes, the four-page policy and three-page addendum policy took effect Aug. 27. See earlier story on the proposed policy.

The policy defines “accessible” as follows: “Refers to the concept that people with disabilities are able to access and use a product or system, including with the help of assistive technologies. For example, an ‘accessible’ website may be designed so that the text can be enlarged by the user, rather than having a fixed font size, or may be designed so that it can be interpreted and ‘read out loud’ by screen reader software used by blind or low-vision people.”

Administrative Officers for the Future

Nominations and applications are due by Thursday (Sept. 12) for a new training program, Administrative Officers for the Future, or AOFTF, part of an effort to bolster the university’s succession planning and employee engagement.

“We need to prepare emerging leaders for positions where attrition and demographics pose an imminent loss of knowledge and talent,” said Susan Gilbert, associate vice chancellor of Human Resources.

Administrative Officers for the Future is open to employees on the Davis and Sacramento employees, those considered high potential and specifically targeting those with career status in PSS (Professional and Support Staff) Grades 2 through 8.

The intensive, seven-month program features cohort-style training, to include professional assessment and action planning; competency-based, facilitated sessions; and high level project work culminating in presentations to project sponsors, Davis campus and UC Davis Health System leaders.

Application materials and more information are available online.

Same-sex marriage: UCOP provides tax, benefit info

The UC Office of the President has completed its review of tax and benefit issues for employees and retirees in same-sex marriages, and provided additional information. The review followed the Supreme Court’s recent decision saying that the federal government could not withhold recognition of such marriages.

The June 26 ruling declared the Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, unconstitutional.

“Per IRS guidance, changes to federal tax treatment apply to all same-sex married couples, regardless of where they live,” UC Human Resources officials said in a Sept. 5 memo posted on the At Your Service website. “In light of that guidance, UC will continue to update records for those who identify themselves as having a same-gender spouse, and taxes will no longer be withheld on the value of UC’s contribution to benefits for a spouse and-or a spouse’s children.”

The memo also includes information on recouping taxes paid in previous years.

UC also has prepared a chart, spelling out the effect of the DOMA ruling on all UC benefits for employees and retirees in same-sex marriages; and frequently asked questions.

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