Web Policy
The World Wide Web is one of SUNY Cortland’s primary tools for presenting its public image and for communicating with key audiences.
The quality of information and the look of the pages appearing on the Web site play an important role in maintaining that image.
These Web policies and procedures are intended to promote the appropriate use of this medium and to enhance the College’s mission by clarifying responsibilities of page authors.
These policy guidelines apply to information: (1) published on servers owned by SUNY Cortland; (2) published within the SUNY Cortland cortland.edu domain; and, (3) published elsewhere under direction or control of a SUNY Cortland department, organization or individual, where the contents are identified as SUNY Cortland information.
Statement of Philosophy
SUNY Cortland’s Web site is an important campus resource, often providing a visitor’s first look at the College and its programs and services. Therefore, the site must reflect the College’s mission as well as the goals and objectives that emanate from that mission.
The Web site is intended to serve both external and internal constituents, including current and prospective students and their families, faculty and staff, and alumni.
Like its official publications, the College’s Web site plays a significant role in maintaining the strong reputation and image of SUNY Cortland. All materials published on the site must strive to meet the highest of standards.
Access to Web Site
SUNY Cortland seeks to enhance and not inhibit the use of technological resources. Academic departments, administrative units and student organizations are encouraged to publish information on the Web provided such information supports the College’s mission.
Access to the College’s Web site by faculty, staff and students is considered a privilege, not a right, and users must conform to existing College policies and procedures.
In many instances, use of the site is governed by the same policies that regulate similar operations across the College, such as campus advertising policies in the College Handbook, style guidelines in the SUNY Cortland Writing Style Guide, and the Code of Student Conduct. Policies that are specific to use of the Web site are found in the present document.
Failure to conform with any College policy applicable to the Web site may result in the immediate loss of Web access privileges.
The Web Advisory Team
The Web Advisory Team (WAT) is a presidentially appointed committee that advises on issues related to the College’s Web site as well as broader concerns relevant to the Web.
The WAT is responsible for developing an institutional structure, including policies, standards, enforcement procedures and organizational support in an effort to ensure consistency and compliance throughout the College’s Web site.
The WAT proposes recommendations to the College president and the President’s Cabinet for review and approval. The WAT also serves as an initial contact point and clearinghouse for policy matters regarding the College’s Web site.
Members of the WAT are:
- Michelle Cryan, publications and electronic media
- Elizabeth Klein, childhood and early childhood education
- Peter Koryzno, public relations
- Virginia Levine, president's office
- Joshua Peluso, administrative computing services
- Tracy Rammacher, publications and electronic media (chair)
- John Sternfeld, biological sciences
- Sharon Todd, recreation and leisure studies
- Gail Wood, library
- Mark Yacavone, admissions
Responsibilities
Department and administrative unit heads are ultimately responsible for their unit’s Web page. Each department or office shall designate one individual, who may be the unit head, as that unit’s Web representative. This individual will serve as a liaison between the unit and the WAT.
Web representatives will be responsible for maintaining the accuracy and timeliness of Web-page content for their respective departments and units and for ensuring that their unit’s Web page adheres to all relevant College policies. Web representatives must acquire training related to creating and maintaining Web pages and communicating with their department members about Web-related policies and procedures.
Faculty and staff advisors to student organizations are responsible for those organizations’ Web pages, while the Student Affairs Office is responsible for the content of any Web publications developed by the Student Government Association. The College administration is responsible for providing adequate resources so that individuals receive adequate training necessary for Web access and that departments and units receive necessary support in developing and maintaining their sites.
The WAT is responsible for developing and proposing Web site-related policies to the College’s president, while the Information Resources Office and the Institutional Advancement Office share responsibility for enforcing these policies.
When unit Web pages are clearly in violation of College policies, the director of publications and electronic media has the authority to make changes to those pages, making sure that the appropriate unit head receives notification of the changes that have been made.
Home Page Buttons
Buttons on the home page reflect the stated mission of the College and serve its major constituents. Anyone wishing to have a button added to the home page must submit their request to the chair of the WAT.
Quick Links
Quick Links supplement the home page buttons. They further define major functions of the College while providing rapid access to frequently used pages. Anyone wishing to add information to the Quick Links must submit their request to the chair of the Web Advisory Team.
Content Standards for Official SUNY Cortland Web Pages
All Web pages are the electronic equivalent of printed publications. Academic departments, administrative departments and student organizations are required to have a standard cover page or to use the official Web template for their page(s).
Templates for Web pages may be obtained from the director of publications and electronic media or the multimedia specialist. The College logos are located within the logo downloads page.
All Web pages should clearly identify the name of the College department, unit or organization and include contact information. All SUNY Cortland Web pages must meet the standards established in the SUNY Cortland Communication Guide.
Departments, units and organizations requiring clarification of style issues should consult the Publications and Electronic Media Office.
No anonymous information may be published on the College’s Web site. Information posted on all official SUNY Cortland Web pages must contain the e-mail address of the author, owner or sponsor of the information.
Advertising is prohibited on the College’s Web site. For more information regarding the College’s advertising policy, see the College Handbook.
Personal Pages
A personal page is defined as a Web page for any SUNY Cortland individual faculty member, staff member or student that contains information of a personal nature unrelated to their responsibilities at the College and to which a link has been established from an official College page.
The following disclaimer must appear on all personal pages to which there is a link from any official College page: "The views and opinions expressed in this page are strictly those of the page author. The contents of this linked page have not been reviewed or approved by SUNY Cortland."
If a personal Web page is judged by the WAT to contain material that is grossly offensive or inappropriate, the College may remove all links from official College pages to that personal page.
Accessibility
SUNY Cortland has a legal and moral imperative to ensure that its Web site meets every standard established by New York State’s Office for Technology. New Web pages must be reviewed for compliance following the procedures described below. Assistance will be provided to individuals and programs to bring new and/or existing pages into compliance. In extreme cases, it may be necessary to take a site down temporarily while revising it so that it conforms.
Web Page Development and Redesign
Standards
Individuals, departments, and units in the initial stages of Web page development or in the process of substantive Web page redesign must follow the standards contained in the SUNY Cortland Graphic Standards and Style Manual and the New York State’s Office for Technology’s Policy 99-3, Universal Accessibility for NYS Web Sites. In addition, web page designs must not violate copyright or trademark laws and should adhere to the Copyright and Fair Use Policy of SUNY Cortland (www.cortland.edu/copyright).
Finally, Web page developers must use the College’s Web site design template, which may be obtained from the director of publications and electronic media or the multimedia specialist.
Review Process
First-time Web pages will be placed in a holding location on the College’s Web site and inaccessible to the general public until they are reviewed by the director of publications and electronic media. Those pages that are determined to meet existing standards will be activated on the College’s Web site.
Use of Students and Consultants
In some cases, units may assign Web site development and maintenance to another party such as a student or external consultant. Department and administrative unit heads should first ascertain whether these individuals are familiar with all relevant policies and standards and are adequately trained.
Students who are given this responsibility are required to undergo appropriate training as provided by the College.
Similarly, units that contract out their Web page development, redesign, or maintenance to external consultants must first ensure that the consultants are knowledgeable about the College’s Web policies and standards.
Web Software
The College does not require the use of a particular software package in developing and maintaining a Web site. See http://cortland.edu/ir/support.asp.
Technical Support
Information Resources staff maintains most of the College’s Web servers. Staff members also identify, evaluate, and provide technical support for Web-authoring software, assist in the creation of Web pages, and offer training workshops.