Marywood University Policy & Procedure Information

University Website Policy

Policy Statement

The Marywood University website, marywood.edu, is essential to the growth, brand, and external communication of the University. The Website Policy and procedures seek to establish standards that will:

External

  • Support Marywood University’s Mission, Core Values, vision, goals, and growth in the following key areas:
    • Brand awareness, perception, and messaging,
    • Academic Program and service information,
    • Student enrollment,
    •  Donors, and
    • Social media links.
  • Continuously improve and maintain:
    • Web accessibility in compliance with federal and state laws and applicable web accessibility guidelines,
    • Current and engaging content, and
    • Navigation and site structure.

 Internal

  • Assist content contributors in creating content that complies with laws, regulations, and is consistent with Marywood University’s Mission, Core Values and Brand Guidelines, using the Content Management System (CMS).
  • Provide current students, faculty, staff and administrators with resources related to their roles at Marywood and access to online services.

Definitions

CMS – A content management system used to create digital and web content that is edited, authored, managed and maintained to optimize the end-user experience. The CMS is not a file repository, archive, or storage unit for documents, images, or any other kind of multimedia.

Procedures

  • All web pages must comply with the following criteria:
    • Applicable copyright, licensing, and personal privacy laws,
    • Website Privacy Policy, and
    • Federal and State laws.
  • Each department of Marywood University is responsible for appointing a content contributor as a subject matter expert to work with the Marketing Department to develop new content, update content, and to review designated site pages.
  • All web content represents Marywood University, and therefore, must be in conformity with Marywood University’s Mission and Core Values.
  • Official web pages must prioritize audiences, page goals, and outcomes.
  • Departments must work collaboratively with the Marketing Department to upload and review their website content.

Quality Assurance

  • The Marketing Department and designated content contributors will conduct annual reviews of content.
  • The Marketing Department reserves the right to alter/remove content from the website at its sole discretion after three failed attempts to contact the content contributor.
  • At its discretion, the Marketing Department will investigate broken links on a website and then contact the content contributor with guidance for correction.  In the event the content contributor does not remove or correct the broken link within seven business days, the Marketing Department may remove the link from the website.
  • In the event of a disagreement with content, a consultation between Marketing and the content contributor will take place to resolve content concerns before publishing.

File Management on the Web

The designated content contributors must review all content and remove outdated content as soon as practical.

The guidelines for general web retention are:

  • Two (2) years: Internal agendas, minutes, memos, publications, presentations, images, and similar documentation with the exceptions of external annual reports, student outcomes data, and catalog information.
  • Previous year’s content will be archived in Marywood’s current cloud platform.

Maximum File Size

Files and images must be optimized for web and mobile download/viewing. The recommended upload size is 1MB. Files larger than this size will automatically be compressed for optimized viewing.

Content

  • All pages and content within the website must adhere to Marywood University’s Mission, Core Values, Brand Guidelines and messaging.
  • Permission to use third-party content (video, image, text, etc.) is required.
  • All official pages are created and managed in CMS.
  • Prohibited content may be removed including the following:
    • Content inconsistent with Marywood University’s Mission, Core Values, and Brand Guidelines, and
    • Advertising or endorsement for non-university entities, businesses, organizations or products.

Links

  •  Links must add to the value of a webpage’s goals.
  • Use caution when considering a third-party link to avoid broken links and malicious sites.
  • Email addresses must be hyperlinked.

Text

  • Copy should portray the Marywood’s Brand in a positive manner.
  • Text size, font, and color must follow Marywood Brand Guidelines.
  • Text displayed on the web should be:
    • Brief: Short sentences and summary information are preferred.
    • Chunked: Display ideas and information in short paragraphs.
    • Scannable: Use bulleted lists and headings in order for users to find information in an efficient manner.
    • Reviewed and Updated: Keep content up-to-date for accuracy and improved Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
  • All messaging needs to be consistent, accurate, useful, and professional. 

Multimedia and Videos

  • Multimedia and videos are content elements that must portray Marywood University’s Mission, Core Values, and Brand Guidelines in a positive manner.
  • Appropriate permission from third-party media must be obtained.
  • Videos should be hosted on sites such as YouTube, Vimeo, etc. and linked to the website.

Photographs and Images

  • Photographs and images should be appropriate material for a page/site that is viewed by the Marywood community and the public.
  • Images should portray Marywood University’s Mission, Core Values, and Brand Guidelines in a positive manner.
  • Image naming conventions should be adhered to for accessibility.
  • Appropriate permission from third-party media must be obtained.

Design

  • All official Marywood sites/pages must use the current template design in CMS.
  • Colors, logos, and fonts must adhere to Marywood University’s Mission, Core Values and Brand Guidelines.

Analytics

Marywood’s website utilizes Google Analytics and other customized tools to track site metrics. Upon request, a complete analysis will be provided to departments and specific programs.

Related Policies


Related Committees


History

01/10/97 - Recommended by the College Committee on Policy
02/06/97 - Approved by the President with publication of the President's Memo
03/21/00 - Revised to include references to the Webmaster and to delete CWIS
12/09/11 - Revised by the President of the University as recommended by the Policy Committee of the University
05/10/19 - Revisions approved by the President of the University as recommended by the Policy Committee of the University.