Vice President for Information Technology Status and Activity Report for May 2026 Prepared by Timothy M. Chester, Vice President for Information Technology (VPIT) 1. Key Items for Faculty and Staff Meetings •
Digital Accessibility Federal Deadline Update: On April 20, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) extended the compliance deadline for its ADA Title II digital accessibility rule to April 24, 2027; however, this extension applies only to the DOJ rule. The University is also subject to a nearly identical digital accessibility rule issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and that compliance deadline of May 11, 2026, has not been extended. As a result, departments, colleges, and administrative units should continue working toward compliance with all University digital content by May 11, 2026, regardless of where or how it is distributed. The additional time before the HHS deadline may provide limited flexibility during final exams and the end of the semester. The University encourages continued progress, building on the work already underway. For more information, visit the Digital Accessibility Services Hub or contact the Digital Accessibility Services team.
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Annual Review of Mission-Critical Systems Required by June 8, 2026: The University System of Georgia (USG) requires an annual review of mission-critical systems to ensure systems that support daily operations or contain confidential or sensitive information are accurately identified and protected. Departmental Network Liaisons (DNLs) at UGA are responsible for reviewing their department’s systems in the IP Management System (Proteus at proteus.uga.edu), confirming classifications are correct, and updating records for any systems added, retired, or changed during the past year. All reviews and updates must be completed in Proteus by June 8, 2026. For questions or assistance, contact Ben Myers.
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Standardized Course Evaluations Introduced Across Campus: The University of Georgia has launched a new centralized system for end-of-term course evaluations this spring. The evaluation period runs from April 14 through April 28, 2026, and results will be available to faculty on May 12, 2026, which is the day after final grades are due. Students can complete their evaluations in several easy ways, including through a direct link sent by email, by logging into Athena (UGA’s student information system), or by visiting the course evaluation website. To help ensure participation, the system automatically sends reminder messages every two days until an evaluation is completed. The new platform also creates a more consistent experience across campus by using a shared set of standard course questions adopted by the university. Faculty and staff who have questions or need assistance can contact the course evaluation support team.
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SendFiles Login Page Refresh Coming May 14, 2026: Beginning May 14, 2026, University of Georgia (UGA) faculty, staff, and student workers will see a refreshed SendFiles login page with a new look and layout, but no change to how the system works or how users access their accounts. The updated screen will clearly show two login options: one button for UGA single sign-on (the standard UGA login used across many campus services) and a second button for username-and-password login for external, non-UGA users. Clear instructions and support resources will be shared before the change to help everyone transition smoothly. For questions or assistance, contact Lance Peiper.
VPIT Status and Activity Report for May 2026
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