Purpose

To ensure the User experience with Memorial University’s institutional Website (mun.ca) is professional, compelling, consistent, accessible, effective, and aligned with Memorial’s brand and web standards.

To ensure the management of mun.ca is efficient and that information on mun.ca is accurate, appropriate, up-to-date, legitimate, and unduplicated across University web pages.

Scope

Memorial University’s institutional Website, www.mun.ca. Sub-domains, such as library.mun.ca or affiliated domains, such as www.mi.mun.ca, are not included but must be assessed for compliance with brand and security standards.

Definitions

Accessibility Standards – Standards that ensure Web Pages comply with WCAG 2.0 accessibility standards to accommodate users with a wide-range of needs.

Content – Text, images, videos, tables, graphics, forms and other information.

Content Type – Block of Content designedfor a specific purpose. For example, the news Content Type is designed to effectively present news stories.

Contributor – A web CMS user who can create, edit and delete web Content, but cannot publish web Content

E-Commerce – Also known as electronic commerce or internet commerce, refers to the buying and selling of goods or services using the internet and the transfer of money and data to execute these transactions.

Moderator – A Web CMS user who has all the privileges of a Contributor plus can approve and publish content. Moderators are responsible for approving all Content published on their Web Pages and ensuring that the presentation of Content follows web best practices, web standards, brand standards and the University’s policies.

mun.ca – All Web Pages and sub sites of Memorial’s institutional Website, mun.ca

Search Engine– A web service that helps users find Websites. Google, Bing and Yahoo are commonly used Search Engines.

Unit  - Academic or administrative body, as defined in the University Calendar, or any board or other body appointed or elected to carry out University business.

Unit Head — For the purposes of this policy, the term used to mean heads of departments, divisions and schools; deans; directors; executive directors; the University registrar; associate vice-presidents, and vice-presidents, as applicable.

User – Can refer to a person who visits web pages or to a Moderator or Contributor who works on the university’s Web Content Management System (Web CMS).

Web CMS -- A Web Content Management System is a digital application that is used to manage web Content, allowing multiple contributors to create, edit, delete and publish. Content in a Web CMS is typically stored in a database and displayed in a presentation layer based on a set of templates. Usually referenced as “the CMS.”

Web Page, URL -- A document for the World Wide Web that is identified by a unique uniform resource locator (URL). A Web Page can be accessed and displayed on a monitor or mobile device through a web browser. Web pages usually also contain other resources such as stylesheets, scripts and images. Users may be able to navigate to other pages through hypertext links. (from Technopedia)

Website -- A collection of publicly accessible, interlinked web pages that shares a single domain name. Websites can be created and maintained by an individual, group, business or organization to serve a variety of purposes. Together, all publicly accessible websites constitute the World Wide Web. A Website is also known as a “web presence” or simply “site.”(from Technopedia)

Web Template – A Website guide that standardizes design, layout, fonts, font sizes, colours, underlying code and functionality to align with institutional brand and web standards, ensuring cohesive user experience, requisite accessibility and Search Engine optimization.

Policy

Memorial University’s Website is often the first interaction that prospective students, faculty, staff, donors, news media and other key stakeholders have with Memorial University. It is therefore essential that the Website reflects in design, content, functionality and tone the University’s vision to be one of the most distinguished public universities in Canada and beyond, and fulfill its special obligation to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Division of Marketing and Communications is responsible for administering the policy, procedures and standards that guide the development of mun.ca, while serving as a guiding set of best practices for the development of websites across the entirety of the University.

1. To ensure Content consistency and accuracy and to promote operational efficiency and collaboration, Memorial University uses a highly ranked vendor-supported Web CMS to support mun.ca.
2. The Web Page naming or URL standard format for Memorial Websites on mun.ca is determined by MarComm in consultation with the Office of the Chief Information Officer. Typically, it is www.mun.ca/name.
3. Each Unit’s Website must have a Moderator who oversees Content and functionality of the Unit’s Website. Moderators are responsible for ensuring that Content is up to date and current.
4. Content on mun.ca must be public information pertaining to the University, such as information directly related to the teaching, learning, research and public engagement mission of the University and administrative information in support of the mission.
5. Content about other organizations does not normally appear on mun.ca, including advertising, solicitations, profiles, etc. Where other organizations, such as partners, sponsors or similar, must be referenced for operational purposes, links to their Websites should be included.
6. Fundraising on mun.ca for non-Memorial University programs, organizations or services is prohibited without the express written approval of leadership at the Office of Development.
7. Content on mun.ca must comply with University policies and applicable laws to ensure the values and standards of the University are demonstrated through the content on its website(s). For further details on prohibited web content please see the Web Standards and Procedures 
8. E-commerce conducted on mun.ca must use Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliant solutions that have been vetted by the Office of the Chief Information Officer(OCIO) and Financial and Administrative Services. This ensures PCI compliance, risk mitigation and security of credit card information.
9. The size, scale, functionality, and complexity of Memorial’s website(s) mean that at times advanced customization will be required to fit certain organizational needs. Communication and collaboration with MarComm and ITS is required in these situations to ensure brand and security standards are maintained. 

Responsibility

Unit Heads are responsible for ensuring that their Unit’s Website(s) adhere to this policy.

Deviation/Non-compliance

Policy questions or deviation requests may be directed to MarComm through its request for services form.

Failure to consult with and receive approval from MarComm may result in the removal of the relevant Web Page(s) from mun.ca.

Please contact Grenfell Campus and Marine Institute for issues related to their Websites.

Related Documents

• Accessibility for Students with Disabilities Policy
• Brand Standards
• Information Management Policy
• IT Investment Policy
• Photo Permission Release Form 
• Privacy Policy
• Public Engagement Framework
• Research Strategy Framework
• Respectful Workplace Policy
• Teaching and Learning Framework
• Visual Identity Policy
• Writing Style Guide

Procedures: