Web Policy

Last Updated: Apr 10, 2007
Adopted By: University Council
Department Responsible: University Relations and Information Technology Services
Pertains To: Everyone at Hamline

I. Purpose of the website

The Hamline University website provides online access to university and external information sources that support teaching, learning, and community activities, as well as the marketing and administration of the university.

Information on the website is provided by members of the community, including faculty, staff, and students, to enhance communication and informed decision-making by facilitating access to current information.

The Hamline website is a cooperative project of University Relations and Information Technology Services.

II. Ownership of Information

The scale of a university website precludes systematic review of published material by a single body.This policy relies on a distributed system of information ownership, with the following characteristics:

Each department or office that publishes information on the website has full responsibility for content and currency of that information, and is resposible for following all guidelines as described in this policy.
As described below, all documents are clearly labeled with ownership information so that responses to those documents can be directed to the appropriate individuals

A. Definitions

It is important that visitors to Hamline's Web site be able to clearly distinguish between "sponsored" publications from academic or administrative units and "non-sponsored" or personal publications from members of the community.

"Sponsored" pages are those that comprise part of the approved information structure of the University and are created in the CMS. They are created and maintained under the supervision of the Vice President for University Relations and are subject review and approval. Any photos or artwork on these pages must be optimized for the Web and be formatted to the standard sizes detailed in the Web Image Treatment Guide. Photos or artwork not complying with the Web Image Treatment Guide will not be allowed and may be removed, with or without notice.
"Non-sponsored" pages are those created outside the CMS. They may be maintained by academic departments, administrative units, faculty, staff or student organizations or organizations loosely affiliated with the university. They may choose to employ the same templates as sponsored pages, in which case they will be subject to the same university style and editorial review as sponsored pages. All non-sponsored pages may be monitored for overall compliance with university policies.
"Personal" pages are those created by individuals associated with the university in "personal" accounts. Hamline University assumes no direct responsibility, legal or otherwise, for such pages. Personal pages must contain the standard disclaimer (see below). Personal pages may be reviewed periodically for appropriate content (see 4a 1a below); Hamline University reserves the right to deny access to personal accounts.

B. Disclaimer

All personal pages must contain the following text statement: "This page is a personal page on the Hamline Web site." The words "personal page" should be a link to the disclaimer below. This disclaimer should also appear on any page with links to student-maintained personal pages.

Postings to Hamline University's Web site by individuals and student organizations reflect their opinions; they do not implicitly or explicitly represent official positions and policies of Hamline University. By posting information on the University Web site, individuals and organizations assume responsibility and liability for the content of their pages. Individuals are solely responsible for obtaining appropriate permission to include copyrighted material or images on their pages; Hamline University assumes no responsibility for individual failure to fulfill this responsibility. Any comments and feedback should be addressed to the owner of the page. For further assistance, contact the site manager. For additional information, see the Hamline University Web Policy.

Note: The final line of the disclaimer must be a link to this policy.

III. Website Guidelines

Within a distributed publication system, it is important that all contributors observe a minimal set of publication guidelines to ensure consistency in style and appearance throughout the official structure, and to provide clear indications of ownership and timeliness on all documents.

Agreement to the following guidelines is required for:

any office, organization, department, or individual wishing to publish a Sponsored site(s) within the official Hamline website
any office, organization, department, or individual wishing to publish a non-sponsored site(s) using university-owned templates, wordmarks, or other copyrighted material
any offices, organizations, departments, or individuals wishing to publish other non-sponsored or personal site(s) on Hamline University's servers.

Failure to comply with the guidelines below may result in the removal of the site; changes to the site design, images, or content; or restricted access to the site, as directed by the Vice President of University Relations or the Chief Information Officer.

A. Design and Architecture
The following content guidelines apply to all websites, Sponsored, Non-sponsored, and Personal:

The design and architecture system utilized for the Hamline University website is managed and approved by the Vice President for University Relations through the Office of Marketing Communications.
Elements of the design and basic architectural conventions may not be changed without permission of the Vice President for University Relations.
The university will periodically review, renew, and update both the design and architecture on a university-wide basis. All units of the university must adopt and comply with the university-wide standards.

B. Content guidelines

The following content guidelines apply to all websites, Sponsored, Non-sponsored, and Personal:

Content of Web sites must not violate any federal or state laws or the policies of the university, including, but not limited to: copyright, harassment, libel, or obscenity.
Web sites containing copyrighted material must obtain the appropriate permission by the copyright holder. Hamline University accepts no responsibility for failure to obtain such permission.
Web sites may not include any direct or indirect promotion of or reference to the sale, use, or distribution of alcohol or drugs in connection with any university event.
Web sites may not contain non-Hamline advertising, except by the express permission of the Vice President for University Relations.

C. Implementation Guidelines
The following implementation guidelines apply to all websites, Sponsored, Non-sponsored, and Personal:

Permission to establish a sponsored Hamline website is granted by the Vice President of University Relations, through the university online marketing manager.
Documents published on any website are public by default; site authors or supervisors are responsible for restricting information intended for university use only.
Site authors or supervisors must review all pages under their control at least once per calendar year, and apply a modification date footer to reflect the date of that review.
D. Review Procedures

The following review procedures apply to all websites, Sponsored, Non-sponsored, and Personal:

Any site found to be in violation of any state, federal, or local law or university policies will be removed by the online marketing manager or ITS staff members, as directed by the Vice President for University Relations or Chief Information Officer. The site's author or supervisor will be contacted, and a schedule for addressing the issue will be determined
Disputes or complaints about information published on any site(s) should be resolved with the page author or supervisor or through the university's existing grievance procedure, where appropriate.

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