Guidelines

Union College Web Guidelines

Revised by the Union College Web Policy Board February 28, 2003.

Introduction

Union College web sites are available to the entire world, and they dramatically affect visitors' interactions with the College. Because of the importance of this medium, the Union College Web Policy Board drafted this policy statement to ensure that visitors receive accurate information (both explicit and implicit) about the College and its programs.

Union encourages all members of the campus community (faculty, staff, and students) to create and maintain effective web sites. Toward this end, all members of the campus community hold space on a Union web server to build personal web pages; all administrative and academic departments hold space as well.

Guidelines for All Web Sites

As with all Union College computing resources, web sites in the Union domain (union.edu) are subject to the Union College Computing Guidelines (available from the Office of Computer Services).

The web makes it extremely easy to reproduce another person's work. Keep in mind that the web is subject to copyright laws and fair use guidelines (available from Schaffer Library).

The College reserves the right to immediately remove any web site that violates the College's codes of conduct, which are available in the Student Handbook, Faculty Manual, and Staff Manual. All sites must also adhere to all local, state, and federal laws, and all College policies.

Complaints about the content of web pages should be directed to the Executive Director of Computer Services. In cases where there is a violation of applicable policies, laws, or established codes of conduct, the Executive Director of Computer Services may remove the site from the network and suspend individual access privileges. The matter will then be referred to the appropriate campus judicial body.

Each page in a site must contain a general email address to which communications can be sent. This should be a generic email "alias" (economics@union.edu, for example) that is forwarded to a representative in the department/office (usually the web steward). Each page should also indicate when it was last updated.

Union College supports the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Accessibility Initiative and encourages web developers to follow the consortium's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, which are available at http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG/. The Guidelines help make web pages accessible to people with disabilities.

Types of Web Sites

There are a number of different types of web sites at Union. While the guidelines for each type of site differ slightly, web authors should review the guidelines for all types, because many of the recommendations hold for all types of sites.

The Official College Web Site

The official College web site is maintained by the web team (wwwstaff@union.edu) in the Office of Communications, and consists of the Union home page (www.union.edu) and all official campus publications.

The web team develops and implements the official campus web style, and develops templates and guidelines to enable members of the campus community to create effective web sites.

All materials, including text and photographs, appearing on the home page or subsequent official home pages of specific departments are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without written permission from the copyright holder.

Departmental and Academic Program Web Sites

Every department and office on campus, both administrative and academic, is strongly encouraged to develop and maintain an effective web site. Each departmental web site should designate a "web steward" who is responsible for maintaining the site, and notify the web team whenever the designated web steward changes. The web steward will be the "point of contact" for both internal communications about server downtimes, address changes, etc., and external queries about the department. The head of the department will be responsible for the site, and for designating a web steward. Wherever possible, special consideration will be given the web steward in requesting equipment, training, and software.

Departmental web sites are representations of the College; for some users they will be the primary or only representation of the College. As such, users expect all College sites to have the same level of accuracy and presentation as do other College publications. Web stewards are encouraged to keep their sites up to date, and the Web Policy Board reserves the right to remove sites that are not being maintained.

The Communications Office maintains the official Union web template for official College web sites. The Communications Office also provides an easy-to-use departmental template (and training) for departments and offices who want to use a template that is recognizably "Union" and contains all of the standard navigational tools a user needs. The template and guidelines are available at www.union.edu/Guidelines.

General guidelines for creating good web pages are available through Yale University's Web Style Guide at http://info.med.yale.edu/caim/manual/.

Course Web Sites

Union encourages faculty to create web sites for as many of their courses as possible. Keep in mind, however, that visitors to the site will draw conclusions about the level of scholarship at Union in part by looking at course web sites.

Student Club and Organization Web Sites

Student organizations and clubs are encouraged to create web sites to promote and document their activities. As with departmental web sites, Group and Club web sites represent the College, and should therefore be maintained with valid information. Given that web sites maintained by students necessarily change hands at least once every few years, it is especially important to maintain a valid contact name and "last updated" stamp on all pages of the site. Sites with invalid or outdated information may be unlinked from the Union web site or taken down altogether.

Student Club web sites residing on Union College owned systems or served through the Union College network are permitted but shall include the disclaimer that:

"Union College does not monitor or endorse student club web sites residing in the Union College domain. The College is not responsible for the contents of student club web sites or electronic mail communications. Views and opinions expressed on student club web sites or in e-mails are strictly those of the authors."

Personal Web Sites

All members of the campus community are encouraged to express themselves on the web creatively and responsibly. Personal site developers are encouraged to remember that their sites will be available worldwide, and will be viewed as representative of the College. Remember that potential visitors include prospective students, parents, professional colleagues, and the general public.

Personal web sites residing on Union College owned systems or served through the Union College network are permitted but shall include the disclaimer that:

"Union College does not monitor or endorse the personal web sites residing in the Union College domain. The College is not responsible for the contents of personal web sites or electronic mail communications. Views and opinions expressed on personal web sites or in e-mails are strictly those of the authors."

The contents of personal web sites are the sole responsibility of the individual; Union College accepts no liability for personal web sites.

Amendments

The College reserves the right to amend these policies and procedures.

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Offices & Services Home Academic Resources Campus Resources Technology Resources Curricular Support Information Technology Services Telecommunications U-Start Business Incubator Web Office Web Policy Board CMS Overview Web Guidelines CMS User Guide	Union College Web Guidelines Revised by the Union College Web Policy Board February 28, 2003. Introduction Union College web sites are available to the entire world, and they dramatically affect visitors' interactions with the College. Because of the importance of this medium, the Union College Web Policy Board drafted this policy statement to ensure that visitors receive accurate information (both explicit and implicit) about the College and its programs. Union encourages all members of the campus community (faculty, staff, and students) to create and maintain effective web sites. Toward this end, all members of the campus community hold space on a Union web server to build personal web pages; all administrative and academic departments hold space as well. Guidelines for All Web Sites As with all Union College computing resources, web sites in the Union domain (union.edu) are subject to the Union College Computing Guidelines (available from the Office of Computer Services). The web makes it extremely easy to reproduce another person's work. Keep in mind that the web is subject to copyright laws and fair use guidelines (available from Schaffer Library). The College reserves the right to immediately remove any web site that violates the College's codes of conduct, which are available in the Student Handbook, Faculty Manual, and Staff Manual. All sites must also adhere to all local, state, and federal laws, and all College policies. Complaints about the content of web pages should be directed to the Executive Director of Computer Services. In cases where there is a violation of applicable policies, laws, or established codes of conduct, the Executive Director of Computer Services may remove the site from the network and suspend individual access privileges. The matter will then be referred to the appropriate campus judicial body. Each page in a site must contain a general email address to which communications can be sent. This should be a generic email "alias" (economics@union.edu, for example) that is forwarded to a representative in the department/office (usually the web steward). Each page should also indicate when it was last updated. Union College supports the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Accessibility Initiative and encourages web developers to follow the consortium's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, which are available at http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG/. The Guidelines help make web pages accessible to people with disabilities. Types of Web Sites There are a number of different types of web sites at Union. While the guidelines for each type of site differ slightly, web authors should review the guidelines for all types, because many of the recommendations hold for all types of sites. The Official College Web Site The official College web site is maintained by the web team (wwwstaff@union.edu) in the Office of Communications, and consists of the Union home page (www.union.edu) and all official campus publications. The web team develops and implements the official campus web style, and develops templates and guidelines to enable members of the campus community to create effective web sites. All materials, including text and photographs, appearing on the home page or subsequent official home pages of specific departments are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without written permission from the copyright holder. Departmental and Academic Program Web Sites Every department and office on campus, both administrative and academic, is strongly encouraged to develop and maintain an effective web site. Each departmental web site should designate a "web steward" who is responsible for maintaining the site, and notify the web team whenever the designated web steward changes. The web steward will be the "point of contact" for both internal communications about server downtimes, address changes, etc., and external queries about the department. The head of the department will be responsible for the site, and for designating a web steward. Wherever possible, special consideration will be given the web steward in requesting equipment, training, and software. Departmental web sites are representations of the College; for some users they will be the primary or only representation of the College. As such, users expect all College sites to have the same level of accuracy and presentation as do other College publications. Web stewards are encouraged to keep their sites up to date, and the Web Policy Board reserves the right to remove sites that are not being maintained. The Communications Office maintains the official Union web template for official College web sites. The Communications Office also provides an easy-to-use departmental template (and training) for departments and offices who want to use a template that is recognizably "Union" and contains all of the standard navigational tools a user needs. The template and guidelines are available at www.union.edu/Guidelines. General guidelines for creating good web pages are available through Yale University's Web Style Guide at http://info.med.yale.edu/caim/manual/. Course Web Sites Union encourages faculty to create web sites for as many of their courses as possible. Keep in mind, however, that visitors to the site will draw conclusions about the level of scholarship at Union in part by looking at course web sites. Student Club and Organization Web Sites Student organizations and clubs are encouraged to create web sites to promote and document their activities. As with departmental web sites, Group and Club web sites represent the College, and should therefore be maintained with valid information. Given that web sites maintained by students necessarily change hands at least once every few years, it is especially important to maintain a valid contact name and "last updated" stamp on all pages of the site. Sites with invalid or outdated information may be unlinked from the Union web site or taken down altogether. Student Club web sites residing on Union College owned systems or served through the Union College network are permitted but shall include the disclaimer that: "Union College does not monitor or endorse student club web sites residing in the Union College domain. The College is not responsible for the contents of student club web sites or electronic mail communications. Views and opinions expressed on student club web sites or in e-mails are strictly those of the authors." Personal Web Sites All members of the campus community are encouraged to express themselves on the web creatively and responsibly. Personal site developers are encouraged to remember that their sites will be available worldwide, and will be viewed as representative of the College. Remember that potential visitors include prospective students, parents, professional colleagues, and the general public. Personal web sites residing on Union College owned systems or served through the Union College network are permitted but shall include the disclaimer that: "Union College does not monitor or endorse the personal web sites residing in the Union College domain. The College is not responsible for the contents of personal web sites or electronic mail communications. Views and opinions expressed on personal web sites or in e-mails are strictly those of the authors." The contents of personal web sites are the sole responsibility of the individual; Union College accepts no liability for personal web sites. Amendments The College reserves the right to amend these policies and procedures.
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