Integrated Technology Services Department

Web Page Guidelines & Procedures

Purpose
The purpose of Southwestern Oregon Community College websites are to support the mission of the college and to promote the college’s programs and services.

Website Development at SOCC
Southwestern Oregon Community College makes every effort to maintain an active web presence that is available to current & future students, community, alumni, faculty, staff and the public in general seeking information about SOCC.

To ensure consistency throughout the SOCC website, all web site development is directed through the Integrated Technology Services Department’s Web System Administrator.

Website Support/Contact

If you need assistance developing a website or need help with an existing website, please contact the Web System Administrator. The Integrated Technologies Services Department asks that all requested services be posted to HelpBox.

HelpBox - Integrated Technology Services maintains HelpBox on our Intranet (secure) to log all job requests that come into the department.

CMS Training – If you have a site developed with the new CMS and would liked to be trained on how to maintain the content for your website or for your department, please contact the Web System Administrator to schedule an appointment.

Contact:
Pat Davidson
Web System Administrator
Phone: 541-888-7427
Email: webmaster@socc.edu

Getting Started

If you need a website developed, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll outline the steps in getting started to help you through the process.

1. HelpBox - Log your request in HelpBox.
2. Schedule a meeting - We’ll contact you to schedule a meeting to discuss your web development project.
3. Time Frame - We’ll do our best to estimate a target date for completion.
4. Layout / Design – If your project requires something unique from the rest of the website, we’ll work up a mockup of the layout in a graphical format for you to view. This will be easier to make changes to prior to the website development. If it is decided that you will use the existing templates for the web pages, you will not get a mockup.
5. Content Development – You will be responsible for developing your own content in your area of expertise. We can give you some tips on content development for the web. Please create in Word and email them to us.
6. Photos – If you have photos that you want on your pages, they must be in digital format. They can be either emailed or sent over on a disc.
7. Development Stage – We will be in contact with you during the entire development stage. A lot of communication will be emailed to you. You must be able to respond in a timely manner. After the initial structure of the website is online, you’ll be asked to view it for changes and approval.
8. Completion – After all details are completed and you have approved the site, you’ll be asked to proof it again before site launched. That’s it – the site will be launched!
9. Training – Someone in your department or you may be trained to update the site content. There will be a time scheduled for this.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why do we need to have the Web System Administrator design a website for our department? For consistency and making sure that the website is standards compliant, we’ll set up the initial site. You may want to have training on our new CMS so that you can keep the content current. We reserve the right to have the final say in the design and layout of the website.
2. I designed my own web pages; can I have access to your web server? At this time the ITS department is using a CMS in which all of the Southwestern websites will be built upon. All content editors will update their website through the CMS and no one will have ftp without special consideration or approval from the ITS staff.
   

Web Standards

What are Web Standards?
The W3C has set some guidelines and recommendations for developing websites. By building sites with web standards, the web becomes a better place. Consistency in web development means cross browser support, future compatibility, accessible to people with disabilities, search engines can index sites easier and many other benefits. (See below for resources that outline the benefits of building a standards complaint website.)

Web Standards are very import to us. For this reason newly developed websites on our web server and as well as the new SOCC site currently in development, are written in XHTML/CSS which is the current recommendation by the W3C. Each new page must pass the W3C HTML markup validation service.

What are the benefits of Web Standards?

• The Business Benefits of Web Standards
• Benefits of Web Standards

Consistent Look and Feel
We are currently redesigning the new SOCC website and bringing it up to date with the most current web standards. We have designed consistent templates that will be used throughout the site. Some will be different than others, but they will be consistent and blend with the rest of the new website. These templates are developed with table-less layouts using XHTML and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) to separate presentation from content. This makes it easier to update the site as well.

Content Management System (CMS)

Big Medium
Integrated Technology Services has purchased a CMS that is already installed and implemented on our web server. We chose Big Medium software to stream line our efforts in content management on all our various Southwestern websites. The old way to update websites was by static html (still good for small projects). This required someone that knows html to edit files and then to upload them to the server, like the Web System Administer. For a large website this is very time consuming for one person to maintain. The CMS will allow multiple editors to maintain the content because it is browser based. Simply put, content editors don’t have to know HTML to edit their pages. All they need is an internet connection to login and update their web pages from anywhere. There is no need to install software on their work computers because the software is installed on the web server here at SOCC.

Content Editors
As we are developing a new website built upon our new CMS platform, we will be training content editors in various departments to maintain the web content they are responsible for. After initial website setup, editors will be chosen and trained to update the content. The training can take place in only 1 hour’s time. Many editors will enjoy using the CMS and be responsible for their own content.

Coming Soon… Information for Content Editors

Accessibility
Building a Standards Compliant website helps to make the web pages more accessible to people with disabilities. Southwestern is moving toward greater accessibility to our students with disabilities as well as the general public. We have a ways to go, but we are moving in that direction.

To learn more about webpage accessibility view the resources below.

• Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
• Adobe Document Accessibility

General Web Content Policies

Web Page Content
The Southwestern Oregon Community College Websites will be used to promote the college and as an educational tool. Website activities and products must be consistent with the college’s academic ethics and aesthetics policies and standards including Equal Education and Employee Opportunities, Harassment, Copyright, Computer Software Copyright Protection, and Integrated Technology Services procedure.

Department, faculty and approved Associated Student Government club web pages are controlled by Integrated Technology Services and are intended as a public representation of the educational practices of Southwestern Oregon Community College.

Faculty, Staff, Students, and ASG Clubs are expressly prohibited from:

• Placing personal web pages on the College Web Site, except for personal web pages that focus on professional/personal interests related to college activities.
• Displaying, creating, transmitting, or publishing harassing, racist, sexist or obscene language or materials.
• Licensing, copyright and personal privacy violations.
• Acts of mischief or vandalism that destroys or compromises college equipment or resources or acts that violate college policies/procedures or local, state, and/or federal laws.
• Faculty advisors are responsible for and will provide professional guidance to their respective student publications.

Violations: A violation of this procedure as determined by the Web System Administrator, Integrated Technology Services, will be denied use of Southwestern’s Web Site for a period of three months. Subsequent or serious initial violations will be subject to the College’s disciplinary procedure. Violators may also be subject to local, state and federal penalties.

Terms of Use /Acceptance of Terms
The services that Southwestern Oregon Community College provides to you are subject to the following Terms of Use ("TOU"). Southwestern Oregon Community College reserves the right to update the TOU at any time without notice to you.

Description of Services
Through its network of Web properties, SOCC provides you with access to our resources, educational programs and our course outlines, collectively called "Services". SOCC's Services, including any program changes, updates, enhancements, new features, and/or the addition of any new Web properties, are subject to the TOU.

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