About the ADA Compliance Office

Ensuring equitable access to workspaces, facilities, programming, and events for every member of the CU Boulder community.

What We Do

ADA Compliance works to ensure that all workspaces, facilities, programming, and events are accessible to everyone. We work directly with individuals to understand their specific needs and remove barriers to access — and we provide guidance, individualized education, group trainings, and targeted discussions to advance accessibility across campus. 

Our team collaborates with event planners and organizers of theatrical, musical, athletic, and educational events open to the public. For all events, we work to implement meaningful accessibility measures, including ASL interpretation and captioning, audio description, and accessible seating and pathways. 

The University of Colorado Boulder is committed to ensuring access to our campus, community, and programming. 

Who We Serve

The ADA Compliance Office works with a wide range of individuals across campus and the broader community. Whether you're an employee navigating a workplace need, a visitor attending a campus event, or an HR partner supporting an applicant, our office is here to help. 

Employees

We work with employees at all levels to administer disability-related workplace accommodations through an interactive process. Many employees work with our office on an ongoing basis as their roles, responsibilities, or medical needs evolve over time. 

We support students for any non-academic-related accommodation needs. Some examples of this include students attending an on-campus event, navigating physical access to university facilities, requesting modifications for student employment, or participating in campus-wide programs like graduation and athletic events. 

While Disability Services handles all student academic and classroom-based accommodations, our office ensures that every other aspect of the student experience remains inclusive and accessible. 

We partner with supervisors to help them effectively support employees with disabilities and ensure that approved accommodations meet both individual needs and the operational needs of the department or unit. 

We assist visitors of all kinds as they engage with campus programming, events, and facilities. For individuals with disabilities planning a visit — whether for an athletic event, musical production, student move-in, commencement, or any other occasion — we respond to accessibility requests in advance to ensure a smooth experience. 

Visitors may include: 

  • Family members and friends attending Commencement or other student-focused events 
  • Community members attending athletic events 
  • Employees attending a lecture, symposium, or event unrelated to their work 
  • Prospective and admitted students attending tours, concerts, or other campus events 
  • Visiting faculty or lecturers
  • Staff, actors, and musicians working on the Shakespeare Festival or other on-campus productions 

We work with Human Resources to support applicants seeking disability-related accommodations during the interview and hiring process. 

We support both employees and visitors who are pregnant or breastfeeding when medical complications related to pregnancy or lactation are impacting their daily activities or time on campus. 

How ADA Compliance Differs from Disability Services

While both offices are committed to supporting individuals with disabilities at CU Boulder, we serve distinct populations and purposes. Understanding the difference helps ensure you reach the right office for your needs. 

ADA Compliance Office

The ADA Compliance Office supports employees in securing disability-related workplace accommodations. We navigate the interactive accommodations process, partner with supervisors, and work to remove barriers within the employment context. We also support student employees, whose needs in the workplace may differ from their needs in the academic setting. 

Disability Services Office

Disability Services supports students seeking academic accommodations — in the classroom and in other educational settings such as labs, field studies, and research. Both offices collaborate to holistically support student employees, recognizing that an individual's needs and limitations may present differently across academic and employment environments.

When to Contact Us (and When Not To)

Not every situation requires a call to our office. Use the guidance below to determine whether ADA Compliance is the right starting point for your needs. 

Contact Us When:

Our office supports a wide range of situations — if you're unsure whether your need falls within our scope, don't hesitate to reach out. Some common examples include: 

  • You're an employee whose medical condition is affecting your ability to perform at your full potential in your role. 
  • You're a supervisor and someone on your team has indicated — either directly or through their performance — that a medical condition is impacting their work. 
  • You're a program organizer or event planner and a participant has indicated a need for accessibility measures. Please reach out as early as possible — we typically require a minimum of one week to plan, schedule, and implement most accommodations, including ASL interpretation and live captioning.
  • You're visiting campus and need to request accessibility support in advance of a campus event or program. 

Not Sure? You May Want to Contact Disability Services If:

Disability Services supports students with disability-related needs in academic and residential settings. You may want to reach out to their office — rather than ours — if: 

  • You're a student seeking accommodations in a course, lab, field study, or other academic setting 
  • You're a student who requires ASL interpreting or real-time captioning for academic coursework or university-related educational activities 
  • You are a student requesting an on-campus housing or dining accommodation 
  • You have questions about service or assistance animals in an academic or residential setting
  • You're a faculty or staff member looking for guidance on how to implement a student's approved academic accommodations 

Disability Services can be reached at 303-492-8671, dsinfo@colorado.edu, or in person at the Center for Community, N200.