1. Introduction. The Montana University System (“MUS”) and the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education (“OCHE”) are committed to ensuring that people with disabilities have equal access to programs, benefits, and services pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. This includes providing all users with the ability to access electronic content. To assist with access to electronic content, it is the policy of MUS to adhere to standards established by the W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level AA and the Web Accessibility Initiative Accessible Rich Internet Applications Suite (WAI-ARIA) 1.0. Any person who believes he or she has been unfairly prevented from accessing content on the MUS website may file a grievance with MUS and the Commissioner of Higher Education pursuant to this policy.

  2. Grievance Procedure.
    1. A grievance under this policy must be filed within 30 calendar days from the date the alleged violation is discovered.
    2. The grievance must include the following:
      1. detailed written description of the alleged violation;
      2. a description of the issue with or barrier to electronic content;
      3. a description of any steps the person has taken to resolve the issue with MUS prior to filing the grievance; and
      4. the name and contact information of the person who submitted the grievance.
    3. A grievance must be submitted in writing to the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education, P.O. Box 203201, Helena, MT, 59620-3201 or via email to MUSinfo@montana.edu.

  3. Grievance Investigation and Determination Procedure.
    1. In conjunction with the OCHE IT Manager, MUS will investigate the issues identified in the grievance and will maintain a record of all grievances filed under this policy. The OCHE IT manager or their designee may contact the person who filed the grievance for additional information.
    2. MUS will issue a written decision on the grievance as soon as possible but no later than 30 days after the grievance is received.
    3. Within 15 days of receiving the decision from MUS, the person who filed the grievance may appeal the decision to the Commissioner of Higher Education. A decision by the Commissioner of Higher Education is the final administrative decision and may not be further appealed.

  4. Confidentiality. MUS will make all efforts to maintain the confidentiality of any information that is made available to MUS throughout the grievance process. All MUS personnel involved in the grievance process will be asked to maintain the confidentiality of the person who submitted the grievance and any information received. If a grievance is directed toward a specific person, the grievance will be disclosed to the person for purposes of obtaining a response. MUS will notify the person who filed the grievance prior to disclosing any information to the person identified in the grievance.

  5. Retaliation Prohibited. MUS prohibits retaliation against any person who files a grievance or alleges discrimination by MUS or MUS personnel. Any issues or concerns related to retaliation should be disclosed immediately to legal counsel for MUS.

  6. Other Complaints. This policy does not prohibit any person from filing a discrimination complaint with the United States Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.

Print version: MUS IT Accessibility Grievance PolicyPDF File