Scope & Ownership

University of the West of Scotland (the "University", "us", "our" or "we") is committed to making our web presence as accessible as possible and we endeavour to make our website compliant with The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG2.1).

The online platform referred to in this statement is our residences booking platform ("the platform", "our platform", "this platform", "the site"). There are three distinct but inter-related facets to this platform (an application and booking system, an administration backend system and a residents-only system).

We run a number of other publically available websites but these will have their own accessibility statements.

Using the Website

The platform is built on the TCAS online property management solution.

We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website.

Feedback & Contact Information

Reporting accessibility problems with this website

You can contact us if you have digital accessibility feedback, issues, questions, or comments relating to our website.

If you are reporting an accessibility issue, please let us know exactly (in as much detail as you can) what issues you are experiencing as this will help us help you. You can contact us if you:

  • are experiencing issues with accessing information or using the platform
  • find an accessibility problem not listed in this statement
  • have positive feedback on the accessibility considerations made
  • need information on this website in a different format like accessible PDF or MS Word (please note that we cannot, at present, supply content in every format but will do our best to accommodate your needs)

Contact us by email

Contact us by post or visiting us in person

  • Phone: +44 (0)141 848 3159
  • Visitor address: Residences, University of the West of Scotland, High Street, Paisley, PA1 2BE
  • Postal address: Residences, University of the West of Scotland, High Street, Paisley, PA1 2BE

We would normally aim to respond to your mail in 10 working days upon receipt. However, due to the global pandemic and the necessary remote working procedures that are now in place within the University, we are unable to respond by mail and are working on campus in a limited capacity. We recommend using email for contacting us for the foreseeable future.

Enforcement procedure

We aim to meet the needs of all our website users as best we can. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the 'accessibility regulations').

If you are not satisfied with our response and would like to make a complaint, please check our complaints procedure. If you’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).

Technical information about this website’s accessibility

University of the West of Scotland is committed to making this website accessible, in accordance with The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

Compliance Status

This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG2.1) - AA standard, due to the non-compliances listed below.

Non-accessible content

The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons:

Structure

Across the platform, heading levels have been omitted and web pages are incorrectly marked up within a table. This fails success criteria 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships), 2.4.6 (Headings and Labels).

Keyboard accessibility

The platform exhibits no keyboard focus indicator and, as such, there are many focus indicator and keyboard accessibility issues on this website platform. This fails success criteria 2.1.1 (Keyboard), 2.4.7 (Focus Visible), 2.4.11 (Focus Visible (Enhanced).

Skip links

No skip link is included on the platform pages. This fails success criteria 2.4.1 (Bypass Blocks).

Labels and instructions

Across the platform, there are many forms where input fields and list boxes are not programmatically associated with their respective labels. There are also examples where input fields are unlabelled. These fail success criteria 1.1.1 (Non-text Content), 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships), 1.3.5 (Identify Input Purpose), 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value).

Also, in-line error messages are not always clear in relation to what the error is and how it can be corrected. Error messages are also not programmatically associated to their input fields. This fails success criteria 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships), 1.3.5 (Identify Input Purpose), 3.3.1 (Error Identification), 3.3.3 (Error Suggestion).

Across the platform, many form select boxes have no descriptions and fail success criteria 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships), 3.3.2 (Labels or Instructions), 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value).

Some forms used across the platform have no visible label indicating the purpose of the input field. This fails success criteria 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships), 3.3.2 (Labels or Instructions).

On many pages the form input fields do not have a description that is explicitly associated with the field. This fails success criteria 1.3.1 (Info & Relationships), 3.2.2 (Labels or Instructions) and 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value).

The form elements on many pages of the website have a label but text has not been added to those labels (i.e. the labels are empty). This fails success criteria 2.4.6 (Headings and Labels).

Finally, on many forms across the platform, there are many dropdown elements where labels are not associated with the dropdown elements themselves. This fails success criteria 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships), 3.3.2 (Labels or Instructions) and 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value).

Alternative text

Logos and images across the platform do not have appropriate alternative text. This fails success criteria 1.1.1 (Non-text Content).

Layout and appearance

The platform exhibits a range of lost functionality at 300% or 400% zoom.

Reflowing at 300% or 400% causes some dropdown items, elements and menus not to be fully visible. This fails success criteria 1.4.10 (Reflow).

There are pages where the forms are not available at 300% and 400% zoom. This fails success criteria 1.4.10 (Reflow).

On some pages textual content and items in the header such as main logo and main menu are not available at 300%, 400% zoom. This fails success criteria 1.4.10 (Reflow).

Colour

There are a range of insufficient colour contrast ratios issues across the platform.

Colour contrast is not sufficient for some text on pages. There are examples across the platform with a contrast ratio of 2.9:1 which is insufficient; the colour contrast ratio required is 4.5:1. This fails success criteria 1.4.3: Contrast (Minimum).

There are instances where form control values for input fields have a contrast ratio of 3.4:1 which is insufficient; the contrast ratio required is 4.5:1. This fails success criteria 1.4.3: Contrast (Minimum).

There are also instances of insufficient contrast ratio used in relation to icons where icons have a contrast ratio of 2.6:1; the ratio required is 4.5:1. These fail success criteria 1.4.11 (Non-text Contrast).

A custom student accommodation / residence booking solution for the University is not a viable option at this juncture and we are claiming that it would be a disproportionate burden at this time to develop one.

Although we have no control over the structure, design or style of the platform, we are in discussions with the 3rd party supplier of this platform concerning their plan to address digital accessibility compliance issues that the platform contains.

The supplier has provided a detailed development roadmap covering the accessibility of the platform which extends into 2023.

We will update this statement as the platform evolves to address the identified accessibility issues.

None.

Preparation of this accessibility statement

We have undertaken a manual digital accessibility assessments of the website. No automated digital accessibility assessments of the website were or are conducted.

This statement was prepared on 21 October 2021. It was last reviewed on 21 October 2021. The website was last manually tested on 13 August 2021. The manual test was carried out by AbilityNet Ltd.

See details of assessments undertaken below:

The manual digital accessibility assessment of the website was undertaken on the 13 August 2021. It was carried out by AbilityNet Ltd and consisted of assessing 5 webpages using 8 accessibility tests.

Pages tested:

Last Updated

This statement was prepared on 21 October 2021. It was last updated in April 2023. We update this statement at least annually and will next review it in October 2024.

What we’re doing to improve accessibility

We are working with our platform supplier to address the digital accessibility issues that have been identified in this statement in the months and years ahead.

Our supplier has provided the following update:

We have addressed the accessibility requirements in both the Application Form and the Resident Portal. There is a new Application Form available for V8 that came out earlier this year and our new Resident Portal will be available in 2023.

However, in updating our accessibility requirements for the Application Form and Resident Portal, we have identified the fact that the Admin Portal will require more substantial developments and therefore, time to address the accessibility issues contained therein.

The supplier has provided a development roadmap for the platform which extends into 2024. We will update this statement as the platform evolves to address the identified accessibility issues.

Last updated: 19/03/2024