Website

Web Governance Policy 

UNC Website Strategic Vision

The UNC website will have a user-centric web structure based on visitor needs as opposed to university department and office organization and incorporate user-friendly, ADA-compliant content, information architecture and navigation. The goal is for the site to be based on function and need, providing the end user with a one-stop shop to complete the actions they came to the site to do by organizing content in an intuitive way.

The site should have an engaging user experience and functionality with content that is quickly readable, mobile-friendly, written for the web, optimized for search engines and avoiding institutional jargon. Content will highlight the university’s strengths that best serve the needs of the primary audience. 

The site should enhance the reputation of UNC and illustrate its brand pillars and voice. 

Policy Overview

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The University of Northern Colorado's website serves as the primary online platform that reflects the UNC brand, provides an engaging and effective user experience, drives enrollment, deepens engagement with alumni and donors and raises awareness of UNC programs, services and successes among local, regional, national and global communities. The website communicates our brand and values while meeting the needs of our key audiences and reflecting their habits and preferences. 

While the Marketing and Communications Team works to ensure that the university has a compelling, user-oriented and goal-driven web presence, they are committed to providing a collaborative, centralized governance for the online development, deployment, delivery and maintenance of UNC’s web presence, ensuring proper training and an appropriate focus on privacy, accessibility and other essential site requirements. 

This policy outlines the rules, standards and procedures for managing and maintaining the UNC website. A Web Governance Policy helps the university ensure that its website is managed consistently and effectively and supports the university’s 2030 strategic plan of Rowing, Not Drifting! 

• Ownership and Governance of Web

  Our website, unco.edu, and all its subdomains are the sole property of the University of Northern Colorado. While some approved faculty and staff have access to edit certain portions of the site, create new content and remove old content, the site and all its sub-sites remain the property of the university. 

  The public face of the website is managed and controlled by UNC Marketing and  Communications Team to maintain a cohesive, compelling, user-centered design as well as a consistent look and feel. Marketing and Communications will be involved in and have decision-making authority over the function, presentation and accessibility/compliance for all UNC branded sites as well as integrated web features and services. 

  UNC’s approved content management system and its brand architecture will be used to develop all pages on unco.edu. No software products, plug-ins, services, embedded scripts or content will be deployed on the UNC website without the consultation, approval and oversight of Marketing and Communications. 

  Official UNC resources, programs and services must be hosted in the unco.edu domain or via approved, linked vendors. The Marketing and Communications team only supports pages within the unco.edu domain. 

  To ensure site security, accessibility and a positive brand experience, all external links are subject to the approval of the Marketingand Communications Team and can be removed at any time without notice. 

• Audience

  The primary target audience of the UNC’s website is prospective and current undergraduate and graduate students. These are individuals who are considering attending the University of Northern Colorado and who are interested in learning about our academic programs and majors, admissions requirements and process, campus life, scholarship and financial aid, student support services, career experiences and outcomes and other relevant areas. The homepage, admission pages, program pages and the global navigation are intended to target potential students.  

  Another primary audience is current undergraduate and graduate students who are already enrolled at UNC and need information on academic programs, advanced degrees, career services and support, hands-on experiences, course schedules, policies, campus events and other relevant information and resources. The website can help connect current students with resources to help them succeed academically, financially and socially so that they remain at UNC and graduate. 

  Secondary  target audiences of the website include: 

  • Donors and friends who are interested in supporting UNC through philanthropic gifts and learning more about the university’s mission, strategic priorities, accomplishments, impact and fundraising initiatives. 
  • Faculty and staff who need access to information about policies, procedures, and resources related to their work
  • Alumni who are interested in staying connected to or reconnecting with the university, learning about alumni events and accessing resources for career development 

  The target audiences of the website are diverse and can include a wide range of individuals. However, it is essential that the University of Northern Colorado’s brand and reputation be reflected in our website’s structure, language, visuals and calls to actions. 

• Content creation and management

  In keeping with best practices for writing for the web, the UNC website embraces a conversational writing style. Web visitors are task oriented. They skim and scan to get just enough information to get to their next destination. Long blocks of text are not easy to absorb online. Content creators and writers are encouraged to use subheads, bulleted and numbered lists. 

  To convey a clear and consistent message, it is crucial that all parts of the site use the university naming conventions and style outlined in the Writing Style guide. Unco.edu follows the AP Stylebook. 

  All web pages must use the existing UNC logos and branding, and in no cases may you create your own. No exceptions. The university has the full legal right and obligation to protect its materials, and certain non-authorized uses may violate the computing and networking policy, various faculty, staff and student handbooks and UNC Brand Guidelines. 

  Web content should be engaging, informative and relevant to the target audience. Once developed, the content needs to be organized in a manner that makes it easy for the target audience to access and understand. This includes creating keywords, tags, and metadata descriptions to help users find the information they need. Content should also be optimized for search engines so users will be directed to UNC’s site. 

  It is vital that content is maintained to ensure that it is accurate and relevant. It is the responsibility of the communication specialists to remove any outdated information. This also involves tracking user behavior (google analytics) to see what content is popular and what needs to be improved.  

   All content on UNC’s website must adhere to the university’s Web and Editorial Guidelines. The Marketing and Communications Team has full access to all areas of the UNC website and has broad authority to oversee, edit and remove content that does not comply with these policies. 

  In summary, content creation and management require careful planning, research, development, organization, management, and optimization to ensure the website provides a positive user experience and meets the University’s strategic goals and objectiveswhile reflecting its values and brand. 

• Brand and tone

  University of Northern Colorado’s website is the online public face of the university. For many, the website is the first interaction they have with UNC. It is essential that our brand and tone is consistent throughout to create a cohesive and professional image.

• Archiving and removing content

  Outdated information on the UNC website can have serious negative consequences for UNC, our students, and our stakeholders. Our archiving and removing content policy is designed to ensure that our website remains relevant, accurate, and up-to-date. We understand that some content may become obsolete or outdated over time, and it is our responsibility to maintain a high standard of quality on our website.  
  Our policy outlines the following guidelines: 

  • Archiving: The marketing and communication department will archive content that is no longer relevant or necessary. It is suggested that all information documents are saved on department share points for archival processes.  
  • Removal: The web communications team will remove content that is inaccurate, misleading, or contains inappropriate material. Content that violates policy will be redesigned to meet guidelines.
  • Review process: Primary editors and the marketing and communications department will conduct periodic reviews of our website to identify content that needs to be archived or removed. We will consult with relevant stakeholders, such as content owners and subject matter experts before making any decisions.
  • Notification: We will notify content owners before archiving or removing any content from the website. We will also provide reasons for the decision and offer alternatives, if applicable.
  • Exceptions: In some cases, we may make exceptions to this policy, such as content that has historical or cultural significance. Such exceptions will be reviewed and approved by the marketing leadership team. 
• Web Help/Support and emergencies

  For general assistance with your website, please submit a request through the web request form. Please note that standard turnaround times for web requests apply.

  Any requests that are sent directly to a member of the Marketing & Communications team will be directed to the web request form.

  In the case of a web emergency, such as the site being down or a prominent page on the site producing a 404 error, please send an email to webmaster@unco.edu or submit a support ticket.

  Major projects, such as site redesigns, significant content changes, and new site launches, must be completed in partnership with Marketing & Communications. Your request will be reviewed by the Marketing & Communications leadership team according to departmental and strategic priorities. To initiate major projects, please submit the web request form.

• User management

  The UNC Web Team is responsible for managing user accounts and permissions, including adding new users, removing inactive users and assigning roles and permissions to different users.

  To gain editing access and training use the request Omni access form.

• Training and support 

  The Web Team provides training and support to users of the CMS, including content creators, editors, and publishers, to ensure that they understand UNC’s website’s policies and procedures, as well as best practices for creating and managing content. 

  To gain editing access and training use the request Omni access form.

• Approval and publishing process

  All content on the UNC website must adhere to UNC’s web and style guidelines. The Marketing and Communications Team has full access to all areas of the UNC website and has broad authority to oversee, edit and remove content that does not comply with these policies.  

  Primary Editors and Communications Specialists 

  Primary editors and Communications Specialists have a critical role in ensuring that their assigned websites are up-to-date, accurate; and consistent with the institution's brand and messaging. Communication Specialistsand other primary editors are responsible for creating, editing; and reviewing website content to ensure that it meets quality standards, is error-free and adheres to UNC’s brand guidelines and messaging. 

  Content editors and student workers  

  Certain faculty and student workers who are employed by UNC may conduct basic content edits but are not allowed to publish to the production server without workflow approval from their  supervisor/Communications Specialist.  

• Analytics and reporting 

  The Marketing and Communications Team monitors website analytics and metrics and generates reports on website traffic, user behavior; and other key performance indicators to inform website improvements and optimization.

Accessibility and Compliance

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An accessible and compliant website is important to ensure that all users, including those with disabilities, have equal access to the information and services provided by the institution.

The Marketing and Communications Team has the right to remove any content from unco.edu and all subdomains that do not meet our Web Content and Accessibility Guidelines.

• WCAG 2.1

  Guidelines such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 ensure that the website is accessible to users with disabilities. This includes providing alternative text for images, ensuring that video and audio content have captions and transcripts, and making sure that the website can be navigated using a keyboard.

  Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) help make web content accessible to people with disabilities. The following are key principles of the guidelines:

  • Perceivable. Information and user interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive. 
  • Operable. User interface components and navigation must be operable.
  • Understandable. Information and the operation of user interface must be understandable. 
  • Robust. Content can be interpreted by a wide range of user agents including assistive technologies.
• US Section 508

  US Section 508 is a standard that requires governments and federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities. 

  Keep in mind that different disabilities require different accommodations. For example, users with visual impairments may require screen readers, while users with mobility impairments may need to use assistive devices such as a mouth stick or a head-mounted pointer. 

• Accessible design

  Use accessible design principles such as high contrast, UNC approved typography, and consistent layout to make the website easier to use for all users. 

  Conduct regular accessibility testing to ensure that the website is compliant with accessibility guidelines. This can be done using the automated testing tool within Omni, as well as by testing the website with users who have disabilities. 

  Provide accessible alternatives for users who may not be able to access certain content. For example, include html text under all event flyers.  

  Do not use image infographics and reports as these cannot be easily interpreted. Web accessible reports such as Power bi can be embedded into the website