Web Governance Policy
Policy Number: #500
Responsible Executive(s):
- AVP Marketing and Communications
Responsible Office(s):
- Marketing and Communications
Date Adopted: 05-01-2020
Date Revised: 06-25-2020
General
Regis University’s digital presence is the public face of the University. For many, it’s the first time they encounter us. We want all visitors to have a unified, easy-to-use experience that effectively reflects on-brand messaging and Regis’ strategic goals.
All documents (i.e. web pages and media) appearing on the World Wide Web representing Regis University must comply with the criteria defined in this policy. In addition to this policy, web pages must be consistent with existing federal, state and local laws, policies and applicable copyright, licensing and personal privacy laws.
Any questions, comments, or suggestions concerning this policy should be addressed to Marketing and Communications web team (webmarketing@regis.edu).
Guiding Principles
The Regis web team’s primary function is to support the Regis reputation through all Regis University web initiatives, and is guided by these three principles:
· Content should be geared primarily toward recruitment and retention of students.
· All website work, from content to design to allocation of resources, is created in line with the needs of the University.
· All website work should support and enhance the brand, vision, mission, goals and values of the University
1. Purpose of policy
1.1. This document outlines the management and governance of the Regis University website and supporting digital properties. Web governance refers to people, policies, procedures, standards and guidelines that govern the creation and maintenance of our Official web presence with the highest quality possible.
1.2. Achieve a consistent look and feel for the Official University digital presence through collaborative, centralized governance for the online development, deployment, delivery and maintenance of Regis University’s digital presence.
1.3. Standardize processes, roles, responsibilities and practices in relation to creation and maintenance of the Regis website and digital properties.
2. Official University Websites
2.1. The website, regis.edu, is the sole property of Regis University. While Marketing and Communications will have access to edit certain portions of the site, create new content and remove old content, the site and all sub-sites remain the property of Regis University.
2.2. Official University websites are defined as websites or web pages created by Regis University entities including, but not limited to, its colleges, schools, departments, research centers, and administrative offices purporting to represent Regis University.
2.2.1. Effective May 1, 2020: All new Official University websites must be approved by Marketing and Communications and the vice president or dean with administrative authority over the department or area represented by the proposed website. Subdomains will not be created for any departments unless there is a specific need. Assignment and use of regis.edu subdomains must be approved by Marketing and Communications.
2.2.2. Marketing and Communications must be notified of all Official University websites created prior to May 1, 2020.
2.2.3. Each college, division and department is responsible for appointing a web content coordinator who is responsible for the integrity and accuracy of content on their respective web pages on regis.edu and any other Official University websites.
2.3. All Official University websites must adhere to the minimum standards described in this policy, including, but not limited to:
2.3.1. Display clear affiliation with Regis University on the top-level pages of each website. The preferred means of identification is to display a Regis logo or wordmark in compliance with Regis University brand standards.
2.3.2. Display a clearly labeled link on each webpage to the Regis University website (http://www.regis.edu/).
2.3.3. Display clearly labeled ownership information, at minimum in the form of a sponsored contact e-mail address. In pre-approved cases, a contact name and telephone number may be substituted for a sponsored contact e-mail address. Personal or individual university email addresses are not approved forms of contact information.
2.4. All Official University websites must present information using the highest editorial standards (spelling, punctuation, grammar, style, etc.).
2.5. Although Regis University is a nonprofit educational institution, the website will play in a commercial space. Other organizations and for-profit enterprises will compete with the site for visitors, reputation and authority. The chosen name for a site should not infringe on the commercial interests of other organizations or exploit the success of others. The practice of borrowing names or using variations of other successful web addresses in an attempt to attract more visitors, is prohibited.
3. Unofficial University Websites
3.1. Unofficial University websites are defined as websites or web pages initiated or sponsored by Regis University entities including, but not limited to, individual University employees, faculty, staff, students, and student organizations for the purpose of representing those individuals, groups, or organizations.
3.2. All Unofficial University websites must carry the following disclaimer or similar: "The views, opinions, and conclusions expressed in this page are those of the author or organization and not necessarily those of Regis University or its officers and trustees. The content of this page has not been reviewed or approved by the Regis University, and the author or organization is solely responsible for its content."
3.3. Regis University will not review or approve the content of Unofficial University websites. Any pages discovered in violation of this policy are subject to action to remove the pages from the World Wide Web. For more, please see “Non-compliance”.
3.4. Any websites containing “Regis” in the URL and claim affiliation with Regis University will automatically be considered Official University Websites and must adhere to standards outlined in Section 2.
3.5. Marketing and Communications reserves the right to designate web properties as Official or Unofficial based on these guidelines. Entities unsure of their status should inquire with webmarketing@regis.edu.
4. Webpage Design and Content Creation
4.1. Pages will be created using existing and available web page components. Custom development work will only be considered in pre-approved instances where significant need is demonstrated and budget is available.
4.2. Edits to the Regis University website will be made in compliance with the Service Level Agreement (SLA) as determined by available resources, team bandwidth, university priorities and the official university administrative calendar.
4.3. Written Content
4.3.1. All content on Official University websites must adhere to Regis University web, brand and writing guidelines. Marketing and Communications must have full access to all areas of Regis University digital properties and has broad authority to oversee, edit and remove content that does not comply with these guidelines.
4.3.2. Marketing and Communications reserves the right to edit all web content for length, tone of voice, grammar, style, accuracy, and keyword optimization for the purposes of brand consistency, user experience and web best practices.
4.3.3. All web content coordinators as defined in section 2.2.3 are required to review their respective webpages on a routine, scheduled basis for accuracy, currency and relevancy. Content found to require modification will be flagged and is subject to removal by the Marketing and Communications team without notification.
4.3.4. All content should portray Regis University and its events, programs, faculty, staff and students in a positive manner. Content should be mindful to avoid innuendos, double-meanings, and other potential misinterpretations that could be harmful to the Regis brand and reputation.
4.3.5. Text displayed on websites should be written specifically for the web as a medium. Text that has been written for print does not always translate well to the web. The Regis University web team reserves the right to edit content accordingly.
4.3.6. Do not recreate content that already exists elsewhere on Official University web pages. Always link to the official source or policy. Requests to display content that is already published in other areas will be denied.
4.4. Visual Content and Multimedia
4.4.1. The official Regis University brand system is the only visual identity system that may be used on Official University websites or digital properties. No alterations of the existing Regis University logos or branding elements may occur, and in no cases may you create your own. Websites or properties found to be in violation are subject to non-compliance (See section 8).
4.4.2. Photography that meets a high professional standard plays a crucial role in creating a positive image of Regis University. All photos must align with the Regis University visual standards and be sourced through Marketing and Communications, which has access to thousands of professional photographs of campuses, students, classrooms, etc.
4.4.2.1. In the event that a suitable photo is not available through existing resources, contact Marketing and Communications for alternative options.
4.4.3. Videos will be displayed on the website through an external link or embed code from a video hosting service such as Youtube or Vimeo. Marketing and Communications will not upload video files directly to the CMS due to file size limitations.
4.4.4. Effective January 1, 2021, the maximum length of videos created by Regis University and displayed on the University website shall not exceed 2 minutes and 30 seconds unless otherwise approved by the Marketing and Communications team. This runtime limit is supported by research to ensure Regis is following best practices in effective video marketing towards our intended audiences.
4.4.5. All photos and videos posted on Official Regis websites must be ADA compliant and contain captioning or alt-text. This does not apply to videos posted on YouTube not created by the University and over which the University has no control. We recommend limiting the use of these videos and a diligent search to find versions that are appropriately captioned.
4.4.6. At minimum, PDFs and documents published on the website must include a revision date and Regis logo. PDFs and documents must use an approved branded font. Documents that do not adhere to these standards will be sent back to the original creator for revision. Fillable PDFs intended for submission may not collect highly sensitive information, including but not limited to social security numbers or credit and/or debit card information.
4.5. Event Calendar and Event Pages
4.5.1. Information about Regis-sponsored events and community events will be published on the Regis calendar. References and promotions for university events will link to the calendar event page. Events are subject to approval by Marketing and Communications before they are published to the calendar.
4.5.2. Event pages must be comprehensive and up to date. Placeholder text, such as “information coming soon” will not be published. If an event will not reoccur, the event page will be removed 10 business days after the event has passed.
4.6. Faculty Profiles and Biographies
4.6.1. Faculty biographies will be published for active teaching faculty and those with emeritus status. Faculty who no longer teach at Regis University will be removed from the website upon request. Individual “In Memoriam” pages for deceased staff or faculty will not be posted.
4.6.2. Faculty biographies must include appropriate content and be written in third person. Appropriate content for a faculty bio includes prior work experience, published work or research, awards and recognitions, professional affiliations or certificates and current research projects. Faculty biographies are subject to review and approval as outlined in Section 4.3 “Written Content”.
4.6.3. Faculty biographies will not include active hyperlinks to outside websites.
4.6.4. Faculty headshots must be taken by Marketing and Communications for consistency. Personal photos or other headshots submitted will not be posted unless approved.
4.6.5 Affiliate faculty will not be listed on the regis.edu Faculty Finder. Departments consisting of 80% or more affiliate faculty may request that affiliate biographies be listed on their respective department page only.
4.7. Web Forms
4.7.1. Web forms may not be used to collect sensitive data including but not limited to social security numbers, credit card or payment information. All forms that collect personal information must link to the privacy policy.
4.7.2. Marketing and Communications is not responsible for maintenance or storage of form submission data. All web forms will send a notification of form submission to a university sponsored email account. Forms associated with sponsored email accounts that are not maintained or routinely checked will be removed from the website.
5. Navigation Standards
5.1. Vanity URLs are implemented on a first-come, first-served basis. Vanity URLs should be limited to 2 words if possible and should not include more than one navigation level (i.e. regis.edu/presidentsoffice rather than regis.edu/rc/visitthepresidentsoffice).Marketing and Communications reserves the right to edit vanity URLs to align with common styling.
5.2. Pages deleted from the website will redirect to the existing parent page unless otherwise requested to avoid instances of 404 errors.
5.3. Overall information architecture on the regis.edu site will be maintained by Marketing and Communications in alignment with prospective student needs and best practices.
6. Metrics and Data Sharing
6.1. The University uses Google Analytics to measure traffic to the Regis University website along with other supporting analytics platforms. This account is monitored by Marketing and Communications in collaboration with Admissions Marketing.
6.2. All Official University websites as defined in section 2 must have analytics tracking capabilities enabled prior to launch.
6.3. Access to analytics and SEO-related accounts is restricted to members of the Marketing and Communications team. Data may be shared with other University departments via static reports if requested and significant need is demonstrated.
6.4. Google Analytics is embedded within all Official University pages to provide robust audience tracking. Analysis of these metrics assists in strategic marketing decisions and continued improvement to our digital presence. Placement of additional monitoring code may result in inaccurate data collection, processing or reporting and requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
7. Compliance and Copyright
7.1. All content on Official University websites and pages must adhere to the University’s Electronic Information and Technology Policy including compatibility with screen readers. Users should be directed to address accessibility concerns to the webmaster of the respective website and promptly resolved.
7.2. Copyright violation is a serious offense with strict penalties for which the University could be held liable. It is the responsibility of all web content coordinators to ensure that published content, including text, images, video and audio complies with all copyright laws. Any content on Official University websites that infringes on copyright will immediately be removed by Marketing and Communications, and the content owner will be notified.
7.3. Regis University is obliged and empowered by law to actively monitor the use of its own trademarks and copyrighted materials and to protect them as necessary from unauthorized use, even by members of the Regis University community, whether on websites or on social media accounts. Unauthorized use of the Regis University logos, for example, on student or departmental projects, even for humorous purposes, may constitute a copyright or trademark violation (as well as a violation of other policies), particularly if such materials are made publicly available.
7.3.1. Please obtain prior authorization for all uses of Regis University brand and trademarked materials and other copyrighted materials in your online media by contacting brand@regis.edu. Unauthorized and/or inappropriate use of copyrighted or trademarked Regis University materials may result in sanctions, including the removal of web pages and disciplinary action against the individuals and organizations by their authorized governing bodies.
7.4. Both Official and Unofficial websites, as defined above, must comply with all applicable local, state and federal laws, and applicable policies, rules and guidelines of Regis University, including those defined herein.
8. Non-compliance
8.1. The appropriate administrative unit(s) that publishes information on an Official University website is fully responsible for factually accurate content, editorial errors and currency of information.
8.2. Coordinators of department/division/offices that violate these guidelines, including security and ADA compliance violations, will receive email notification from the Marketing and Communications team with 10 business days to address violations.
8.3. If no attempt is made to address violations within this timeframe, Marketing and Communications will notify the vice president or dean of the department/division and take direct necessary action to address any content in violation of the guidelines.
8.4. If three (3) or more violations occur within a six- (6) month period, the department’s vice president or dean will be contacted to develop a corrective plan of action and the department will be required to identify a new web content coordinator. Continued and egregious violations will incur significant penalties, up to removal of a site or other digital property from the regis.edu domain.
8.5. In the case of an ADA compliance/web accessibility violation, Marketing and Communications will work with tthe EO and Title IX Coordinator to investigate the violation and provide corrective measures.
8.6. Marketing and Communications will make every effort to work with coordinators and departments to address violations and assist with necessary website updates.
9. Policy Updates
9.1. The web governance policy is a working document that must remain flexible to suit the business and academic needs of the University.
9.2. Marketing and Communications reserves the right to update the governance policy and will notify web content coordinators and content owners of relevant changes that affect them.