University Policy # 4060
Section 1. Policy
The purpose of this policy is to establish appropriate guidelines for establishing and maintaining university web pages. This policy applies to faculty and staff.
Official University Information
University information similar to that usually included in the Catalog is considered official university information and will be maintained by the Webmaster. The appropriate vice president must approve all web content. This information includes, but is not limited to, the following:
A. External Information
University mission
General information about the university; directory listings of faculty, staff and students location finders; basic Facts-at-a-Glance
University calendar of events
Admission to the university (undergraduate and graduate); inquiry forms; applications
Transfer guidelines
Financial aid information; listing of scholarships
Graduation requirements, including general education and liberal studies (GELS)
Academic program/major requirements
Tuition/fees
Registration
B. Internal information
Institutional research facts
University policy/procedures
Governance manuals
Vacancy notices – internal and external
Personnel policies
Glossary
Section 2. Authority
This regulation is issued pursuant to the operating authority granted to the university’s president by the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and University System.
Section 3. Effective Date
This policy is subject to review and change on a regular basis. It shall become effective upon signature by the president and shall remain in effect until modified or expressly revoked.
Section 4. Responsibility
The responsibility for implementation and revision of this policy is assigned to the vice president for administration and finance. Exceptions to the policy may be granted by the president, following requests made via the vice president for administration and finance.
Section 5. Implementation
A. Official Division Information
Colleges, schools and divisions within the university should maintain their own information on the web page. Divisions should use the university template (wordmark and navigation bar), and the web information should be consistent with web design standards (available from the webmaster) and maintained by the appropriate college, school, or division. The appropriate cabinet-level officer or designee must approve content. Information on division pages includes, but is not limited to, the following:
Admissions updates/information meetings; open houses
College/school information
Program descriptions
Academic support services
Student support services
Course schedules
Catalyst
Faculty News
Calendar newsletter information
Internal calendars
Other newsletters
Web stylebook
B. Official Department/Course Pages
Department chairs and individual faculty members may develop web pages for their departments and/or their courses. These pages should be consistent with the university web design standards and should use the standard template. Content of department and course pages must be approved by the appropriate dean/director/department chair.
- Faculty and Staff Web Pages
Metropolitan State University allows faculty and staff to develop individual work and/or professionally related web pages. However, the university does not accept any responsibility for the content of those pages. Individual web pages must display the following disclaimer:
Home Page Disclaimer
The individual web pages of Metro State staff and faculty do not in any way constitute official Metropolitan State University content. The views and opinions expressed in these pages are strictly those of the page authors and comments on the contents of those pages should be directed to the page authors.
Section 6. I Inappropriate Material
A. The following materials are inappropriate for inclusion on any Metro State page:
copyrighted information without written consent of copyright owner;
information libelous to groups or individuals;
information that violates federal, state and local laws or university policies;
information which may injure someone else and/or lead to a lawsuit or criminal charges; and
information that constitutes an invasion of privacy
B. Some examples of these materials are:
pirated software, destructive software, pornographic materials or libelous statements;
pictures or videos of people on a Web page without the permission of the people in the picture or video; and
advertisements for commercial products or enterprises.
Section 7. Links from Metro State Web Pages
Links to Internet resources may be included in web pages. All links must include a disclaimer (see below). Links will vary widely in scope, format and content and should be selected with the following criteria in mind:
Perceived quality of the source
Relevance to the purpose of the linked page
Availability of instructions for access and use
Evidence of stability and ongoing maintenance
Appropriateness of content for general users
Link Disclaimer
When you leave Metropolitan State University’s web space to visit other sites, Metro State will not accept any responsibility for the contents of those sites.
Section 8. Required Design/Content Standards on all Web Pages
All Metro State pages, including individual pages, must include the following.
A navigational link or button that returns the user to the Metropolitan State University home page
Maintainer’s name and electronic mail address with Request for Comments
The date the page was last updated
Appropriate distinctive file names so users can easily download pages
Any known omissions or problems with the information
Full names and program descriptions (no abbreviations which might confuse the user)
A description, copyright notice, origin and authority of the data (if appropriate)
The official university wordmark
Disclaimer, except for official pages
Official university and division pages must use the university template and established web color palette.
Section 9. Content Review
Review of any materials that are put on the web page will be consistent with all processes currently in place for reviewing print materials.
The maintainer of a Metro State web page is expected to review and update the page as needed, and at least once per term. The person responsible for reviewing the page must submit substantive changes to the appropriate authority for approval.
Any additions to official university information and/or changes to the template will be reviewed by the web policy committee.
Section 10. Review
This policy will be reviewed annually.
Section 11. Signature
Issued on this 22nd day of June 2000.
Cathleen Brannen, Vice President for Administration and Finance
Wilson G. Bradshaw, President