Email & Newsletter

Email and newsletters are key ways UC communicates with students, faculty, staff, alumni, and partners. Messages often include time‑sensitive information about classes, events, services, and opportunities. When these communications are accessible, everyone can understand what is being asked of them and how to respond. When they are not, people may miss deadlines, lose important details, or need to seek help just to access basic information.

Accessible email and newsletters are also easier for everyone to scan and act on, which improves engagement whether someone is reading on a laptop, tablet, or phone.

Focus Areas for Emails & Newsletters

Email and newsletters rely heavily on clear structure, readable formatting, and meaningful links. These Core Concepts are especially important.

  • Titles & Headings: Use clear, informative subject lines and, for longer messages or newsletters, in‑message headings. A good subject line gives readers a quick sense of what the message is about and why it matters. Headings within the body help people scan for relevant sections, especially in newsletters or multi‑topic messages.
  • Hyperlinks: Make link text descriptive so readers know what will happen when they click. Instead of “click here” or a bare URL, use labels like “Register for the workshop,” “Download the policy document,” or “View the event details.” This is important when people navigate by tabbing through links or when emails are read on screen readers or mobile devices.
  • Copy Formatting: Keep text concise, well structured, and easy to skim. Break long blocks of text into shorter paragraphs, and use lists for steps, actions, or key points. Use bold or italics sparingly to highlight important details, not entire paragraphs. Clean up content that you paste from other sources so fonts, sizes, and spacing are consistent and readable.
  • Color Contrast: Ensure that text, headings, and buttons in HTML or branded emails have strong color contrast against their background. Avoid relying on color alone to show status or urgency (for example, “items in red are urgent”); always include text labels or icons. Test key elements like headings and buttons to make sure they remain readable across devices and email clients.
  • Alt Text: Provide alt text for important images such as banners, logos that convey more than branding, and graphics that include key information. If an email contains an image with text (such as a flyer graphic), include the essential text in the message body or alt text so people who cannot see the image still receive the information. Decorative images should be marked as decorative when possible.
  • Captions & Transcripts (for linked media): If you link to or promote videos, podcasts, or recorded events, note where captions and transcripts are available and ensure the linked media meet accessibility expectations. Email itself does not host captions, but it should direct people to media that does.
  • Navigation & Order: Especially in newsletters or multi‑topic messages, present content in a logical order: key information and calls to action first, followed by supporting details. Group related content into sections with clear headings so readers can easily find what applies to them.

Tools to Know

Most UC email is sent through standard tools like Outlook, as well as third-party email or newsletter platforms for larger campaigns.

Outlook includes formatting options and, in some versions, an Accessibility Checker that can flag common issues such as low contrast and missing alt text. Using simple, consistent formatting in Outlook—clear headings, lists, and descriptive links—helps ensure that messages are readable and accessible across devices.

Email and newsletter platforms typically provide templates designed to work well on both desktop and mobile. Using these templates and avoiding heavy, custom formatting helps maintain consistent structure, color contrast, and text sizes. Many platforms also offer preview tools or basic checks so you can see how messages will look in different email clients.

Free tools such as color contrast checkers and browser‑based accessibility checkers can be helpful when you are designing branded newsletters or HTML emails. You can also test messages by viewing them on multiple devices and using basic keyboard navigation to ensure links and interactive elements are easy to reach and activate.

As email and marketing tools evolve, the specific features and options may change. Checking platform documentation and release notes periodically will help you stay aware of new or improved accessibility features you can use.

Sample Use Cases

Start with a subject line that clearly states the topic and importance, such as “Upcoming changes to parking permits” rather than a vague label. In the body, break the message into sections with short headings like “What is changing,” “Who is affected,” and “What you need to do.” Use short paragraphs and bullet lists for steps or key dates. Make sure any links are descriptive so readers can tell what each link will do without reading the entire paragraph.

Avoid putting critical information only in images, such as text‑heavy flyers or graphics that contain dates and locations. Include the same information in the message body or as alt text so people who cannot see images, or whose email client blocks them, still get the details. For images that are primarily decorative, such as background textures or purely stylistic photos, mark them as decorative or avoid adding alt text so screen readers skip them and focus on the important content.

Instead of using “click here” or “learn more” as link text, label links with the action or destination: “Complete the survey,” “Download the scholarship application,” or “View the event schedule.” When multiple links appear in the same email, make sure each one is clearly distinguishable. This helps all readers and is especially important for people who navigate using a list of links provided by assistive technologies.

When working with a designed template, check that text is large enough to read comfortably and that color contrast between text and background is strong. Ensure headings, body text, and buttons are consistent across sections. Avoid placing text over busy images; instead, use solid or high‑contrast background blocks behind text. Test your newsletter on both desktop and mobile, and confirm that links and buttons are reachable with the Tab key.

When linking to a video or audio recording, mention in the email whether captions and transcripts are available. For example, you might say “Watch the recorded session (captions available)” or “Listen to the podcast and read the transcript.” This lets recipients know they can access the content in multiple ways. Make sure the linked media itself meets accessibility expectations so the email is not directing people to inaccessible content.