Skip Navigation

Website Publishing Policy : 1:08:00:04

Skip Navigation

 

I. PURPOSE

Motlow State Community College websites exist as the institution’s most important communication tool. Therefore, websites should maintain and build upon the projected image of Motlow through the highest level of excellence in education, policy, research, and workforce development by concerning the administration with the digital image projected. This policy should facilitate usability and consistency and promote a cohesive online brand throughout all Motlow websites that correlates directly with other Motlow methods of communication and visual representation.

II. GOALS

  1. Identify a consistent brand for the Motlow system and all of its programs and services.
  2. Effectively serve students, faculty, staff, legislators, and other people of interest with useful and easily accessible information.
  3. Provide easy to use information and services on as many devices as possible.
  4. Promote a positive impression of Motlow, its staff, and its institutions with a unified and compelling image.
  5. Promote ease of use with intuitive web standards.
  6. Present Motlow and its activities as a seamless entity.

III. SCOPE

Any Web document that represents Motlow, its units and their activities, its initiatives, its programs and collaborations, and its contractors and partners, while having its own purpose and agenda, is also part of the whole and, therefore, needs to be clearly identified with the Motlow brand and is expected to follow this policy.

IV. MANAGEMENT OF WEBSITES

The Webmaster, under direction of the Vice President for Marketing & Campus Activities, maintains and enforces this policy, including any granted exceptions, and has primary responsibility for the content, format and appearance of all web pages and systems.

V. CONTENT MANAGERS

  1. Content managers must be classified as regular full-time or regular part-time Motlow staff or an approved third-party vendor who works under the direct supervision of the Webmaster.
  2. Request for access must be submitted for each unit/content manager to the Marketing Department who will maintain an accurate list of content managers and the purpose of their access. The Vice President of Marketing & Campus Activities and the unit's leader must approve each access request.
  3. Management of web content, including web pages, media and data, and ensuring that pages within their unit are up to date, meaningful and appropriate, and follow the official Motlow Electronic Publishing and Web Style Guide, is the sole responsibility of the corresponding department and their designated content manager(s).
  4. Web content ownership and responsibility will be directed to the unit leaders who are ultimately responsible for each unit’s access and their web-publishing activities.

VI. GUIDELINES

  1. Use
    1. Motlow websites may only be used for official college, administrative and educational activities.
    2. Websites must comply with all Information Technologies policies regarding the use of Motlow resources.
  2. Organization
    1. All websites should strive to be a part of the overall web structure of Motlow. No unit may go outside the Motlow web structure and represent itself or activities unless an exception is granted by the Vice President of Marketing & Campus Activities and the respective Vice President for the unit.
  3. Web Projects
    1. All website projects must comply with Motlow policies and media guidelines, and request for web projects must be submitted in writing via the Marketing Request form and be assessed for feasibility and authorized action.
    2. All websites, when feasible, should be developed in-house and within the available systems.
    3. If the Marketing determines a project cannot be completed in-house, Marketing will work with the requesting division to develop a project plan and will make a recommendation on how to achieve the desired goal. Marketing, IT, and the collaborating division must achieve approving consensus for any outside contract web project to move forward.
  4. Layout and Design Elements
    1. All Motlow websites should follow the official Motlow Electronic Publishing and Web Style Guide.
    2. When possible, all sites should be developed device agnostic.
    3. Visible credits such as "Site powered by..." or "Site created by..." are prohibited.
    4. Federal law and guidance letters regarding nondiscrimination policies require that the nondiscrimination statement be available. The official statement will be provided in the Electronic Publishing and Web Style Guide.
    5. All websites associated with Motlow and its affiliate groups must follow the current approved Motlow web template(s) and style guides to maintain institutional consistency of image and brand.
  5. Accessibility
    1. All Motlow websites are subject to the same accessible web standards as state and federal agencies. Section 508 of the Federal Register establishes requirements for federal electronic and information technology, and the federal Access Board has issued the standards to meet those requirements.
    2. Websites should be accessible for those using assistive methods and/or alternative methods to access the Web.
    3. All Motlow websites should have a link to the Motlow’s top-level “Web Accessibility” page.
  6. Domains and Sub-domains
    1. All domains and related product purchases (secure certificates, etc.) must be made through the Office of Information Technology.
    2. The Marketing Vice President and/or Webmaster may make an exception for promotional URLs or collaboratives with other systems/partners, (e.g. tntransferpathways.org). Unless noted in the exception, all promotional domains must forward to an mscc.edu page or sub-domain.
  7. Content Validity
    1. Content must be kept up-to-date and relevant.
    2. Any website or page deemed as outdated or incorrect may be changed or removed by the Webmaster upon notification to the respective unit.
  8. Disclaimer of Endorsements
    1. While Motlow may allow advertising on select pages, the college does not endorse or recommend any commercial products, processes, or services. It may however, share stories related to the relationships those sponsorships, advertisements, or partnerships reflect. Therefore, mention of commercial products, processes, or services on Motlow websites must be written in a way as they may not be construed as an endorsement or recommendation of products for commercial purchase. Any advertising, logo placement, or third-party reference on the Motlow website much be approved by the Vice President for Marketing & Campus Activities.
    2. When users select a link to an external website, users must be made aware they are subject to the privacy and security policies of the owners/sponsors of the external site.
  9. Redundancy
    1. Redundant information, especially different published versions of content, can be confusing and may result in severe consequences if incorrect or outdated information is posted. Only publish the latest version of content.
    2. Repeating static information maintained elsewhere should not be copied but rather linked or be displayed by the use of a data feed such as RSS, XML, or database API.
  10. Copyright
    • All material used on Motlow websites must comply with federal and state copyright laws, including respecting proper licensing rights for purchased reports, data, images, video, and text.
  11. Exceptions and Exemptions
    1. The Webmaster may exempt certain web applications that are technically limited in their ability to meet the necessary guidelines.
    2. Exemptions noted in this document should be requested in writing to the Webmaster and Vice President for Marketing & Campus Activities and the respective Vice President for the unit.

Sources

Corresponding Policies: Motlow Policy 1:08:00:00

History

Approved by the Leadership Council on April 13, 2018; effective date: April 13, 2018

Responsible Party

Vice President for Marketing & Campus Activities

 

Scroll to top