Arkansas Tech University
Web Policy Committee Members:
● Dr. Daniel Bullock
● Ms. Jana Crouch
● Dr. Marcel Finan
● Dr. Marc Fusaro
● Mr. Ken Futterer
● Dr. Johnette Moody
● Dr. Hanna Norton
● Mr. Michael Stoker, Chair
● Mr. Samuel Strasner
● Dr. Jeffery Woods
Arkansas Tech University World Wide Web Site Policies
Introduction
Arkansas Tech University makes this Web server and other computing resources available to support and promote the mission of the University. It is expected that individuals placing information on a server in the Tech network will abide by all applicable University policies and all laws governing the use of electronic communications media. For more detailed information, please refer to the Tech Appropriate Use of Computer Resources Policy at: https://support.atu.edu/support/solutions/articles/7000019369-appropriate-use-of-computer-resources.
This guide is provided to assist offices, departments, and individuals in the construction and the development of a consistent Web presence. Publication on the Web requires the same dedication to accuracy and good presentation as would be expected in printed materials. Content published on the Web will reflect directly on Tech and on its faculty, staff, and students.
Policies addressing additional specific issues related to the University's Web site are posted at https://support.atu.edu. These additional policies may include instructions and use for official graphics information, server usage, maintenance and reporting issues, Web storage, location, technical information and Web specifications. Technical policies will change over time due to the dynamic environment of the Web and the technology required to keep the Web viable. Individuals or groups responsible for developing official Tech Web pages should familiarize themselves with those additional policies and review them regularly to insure compliance.
Any pages that are not in compliance with this, or other Tech Web policies, may be disabled. Pages that have been disabled due to non-compliance may be reinstated once the identified problem(s) have been corrected and verified.
1. Copyright and Right to Privacy
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that published Web materials follow applicable laws and regulations, and respect the intellectual property and privacy rights of others.
Copyrighted photographs, text or graphics created by another person may not be placed on a page without documented permission of the photographer, artist or author. Developers should be aware of all legal issues, especially
copyright, which might apply to their Web pages. In the absence of legislation or test cases in connection with the Internet, Arkansas Tech University will observe the same copyright rules for its server as it does for printed materials. Any
pages that allow for the dissemination over the Internet of encryption algorithms or their products must abide by federal laws governing the use of this code. Revealing information about individuals, groups, or organizations without their
permission, unless the information is already public, constitutes an invasion of privacy, and is prohibited. The use of Social Security Numbers (or equivalent) for purposes of identification is specifically prohibited.
A) General Guidelines for Copyright and Right to Privacy
You may not place any materials owned by others, i.e. copyrighted works, on your Web page without the expressed permission of the copyright owner. (Examples: cartoons, articles, photographs, songs, software, or graphics scanned in
from published works or other Web pages).
Assume materials you find on the Web are copyrighted unless a disclaimer or waiver is expressly stated. You may include quotations of a few words provided you identify the author and the work from which the quotation is taken.
The University network should not be used for the storage of non-Web related information. Additionally, as Web sites are changed and updated, the previous version of the pages or site should be archived offline and the older version
removed from the network.
2. Arkansas Tech University Web
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that the Arkansas Tech University Web site presents accurate information, easy navigation and a consistent image.
A) Responsibility for the Arkansas Tech University Web
Arkansas Tech University's World Wide Web site is considered an official University publication and external marketing system, as well as a campus-wide information resource. Only approved University information will be communicated
through Tech's home page and all other official pages that are linked to it.
To the greatest extent possible, all official Tech Web pages will be housed on a server maintained and operated by the Office of Information Systems in order to ensure the quality and consistency of the University's Web presence. The
Office of Information Systems must be consulted and approval must be obtained if it is technologically necessary to house the site on a server other than one maintained and operated by the Office of Information Systems. In those cases
where an alternate server is used, the department or organization publishing the Web pages will not be released from any of the requirements included in this or other pertinent Tech Web Policies. Additionally, the department or
organization hosting the site on an alternative server (i.e., one not owned and operated by the Office of Information Systems) will be responsible for the maintenance and operation of that server so that the resources of the Office of
Information Systems staff will not be impacted.
If it is determined that a separate departmental/organizational server or software is incompatible with the official Tech Web or Tech server, whether it is the result of an upgrade in technology or software on the Tech Web or Tech servers,
the departmental/organizational link will be disabled until it is brought into compliance and has been verified.
The Office of University Relations will regularly review all official Tech Web pages in an effort to assure quality and consistency. In order to be included as an official Tech Web page, there must be an approved Web publisher responsible for
the page. The Office of University Relations will check pages for accuracy of content and adherence to policy guidelines.
B) General Guidelines the Arkansas Tech Web
Each page on, or linked to, the official Tech Web site must have a designated web publisher. This person is responsible for the information on the page, for ensuring the information is of the highest editorial standards (spelling, grammar,
and accuracy), and for making accurate and timely updates. Web publishers will be notified of any problems in content or design that are discovered and, if the problem is not corrected, University Marketing & Communication may remove the
page or link from the site.
Web publishers should carefully consider their audiences and the general technological capabilities of those audiences; use only the most widely used HTML standards and try to make pages accessible to non-graphical browsers.
Developers should avoid internal acronyms and abbreviations; full departmental, building, and other names should be used; and telephone numbers should include area codes. Outdated, incomplete, or inaccurate information is of little
use and departments should routinely review all text included on their pages.
University Marketing & Communication will establish a style sheet and graphics for the home page, first and second-level pages. As new technology extends the design limitations of electronic publications, University Marketing & Communication will
periodically update or redesign graphics and make the revisions available to all faculty and staff who are in charge of maintaining official pages. University Marketing & Communication will provide or designate official Tech branding on the Web
server at http://www.atu.edu/marcomm.
C) Content of the Arkansas Tech University Web
Departments should link directly to the official documents for standard University information and should not replicate these documents in their own Web pages. Any statistical information about the University that is not on the fact sheet
should be confirmed through the Office of Institutional Research before it is included on a page.
Every page within the Arkansas Tech University Web must include the following standard identification and links:
● The approved Tech header.● A link to the University home page.
● Sitemap.
● Directory.
● Search.
● The Arkansas Tech University copyright statement:
Copyright © Arkansas Tech University
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Russellville, Arkansas 72801 USA
For general information call (479) 968-0389
All trademarks herein belong to their respective owners.
i. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Compliance
Every page should have text labels for any graphical or iconic links in order to provide equivalent access to the information and reference links for non-graphical browsers. In general, providers should be aware that users access
information from a variety of hardware and software tools. Web publishers are encouraged to accommodate all levels of technology.
When designing Web pages, ADA suggested guidelines should be followed whenever possible. These guidelines include:
● Provide equivalent alternatives to auditory and visual content.● Do not rely on color alone.
● Provide clear navigation mechanisms.
● Ensure that documents are clear and simple.
● Scanned documents must be saved in an accessible forma.
For additional guidelines, consult the W3C Accessibility Guidelines at www.w3.org.
3. Departmental and Organizational Web Sites
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that departmental and organizational Web pages present accurate information and follow principles of good practice.
A) Responsibility for Departmental and Organizational Web Sites
Individual academic and administrative departments and Tech-affiliated organizations (henceforth referred to as simply "departments"), including student organizations, may develop their own web sites by requesting directory space on the
Tech server from University Marketing & Communication. The department will be responsible for creating and maintaining the information for its accuracy and for assuring compliance with all applicable University policies.
Departments should develop a thorough plan of implementation and maintenance for their Web sites. Outdated, incomplete, or inaccurate information is of no use and departments should review all text included on their pages.
B) Content for Departmental and Organizational Web Sites
Each departmental Web site must include standard identification and links:
● Student learning objectives (Academic Departments).● A listing of all faculty/staff with links to subsequent pages.
● A contact page containing appropriate contact information.
● The official Arkansas Tech University copyright statement (see section 2c above) .
i. Departmental Faculty and Staff Listings
Data for these pages should be extracted directly from the Course Management System and must contain the following in the approved standard formatting:
● Name, Rank
● Title
● Department
● Building Name, Room Number
● Building Address
● Phone Number
● Fax Number
● Education
● Classes Taught (Last Academic year minus special projects and independent studies)
● Picture (Taken by staff photographer at least every 5 years)
Faculty members who are concerned with the display of certain personal information should discuss the matter with the Office of Academic Affairs.
If the faculty/staff member has a professional Web site, departments may provide a link to http://faculty.atu.edu on their individual listing.
All other information (i.e. biographies, work experience, professional memberships, course materials and scholarly activities) can be placed on the faculty/staff member’s professional Web site (see section 4 below).
4. Professional Web Sites of Faculty and Staff
Professional Web sites are defined as a page or set of pages that represent the faculty/staff member within their respective discipline or professional role. Only information related to an individual's administrative or academic responsibilities at
Tech should be included on these sites. Any issues with the contents of the pages should be directed to the authors or filed as a grievance with the Faculty Welfare Committee.
A) Content for Professional Web sites of Faculty and Staff
Every page on these web sites must contain the following disclaimer:
This is the professional Web site of an Arkansas Tech University faculty member. The university supports academic freedom. While these pages do not in any way constitute official Arkansas Tech University content, we hope you find the
information in them useful. Tech does not actively monitor or generally restrict the materials published on these sites; the views and opinions expressed in the pages are strictly those of the authors. Any issues with the contents of the
pages should be directed to the authors.
Professional Web sites of faculty and staff may contain but are not limited to:
● Approved, current university logo, which can be found at: https://www.atu.edu/marcomm/licensing-promotional.php● Contact information
● Work Experience
● Professional Memberships
● Scholarly Activity Departmental information
◦ Publications
◦ Presentations at Professional Meetings
◦ Artistic Compositions, Performances, and Exhibitions
◦ Funded Grants
◦ Professional Awards and Recognition
● Course related materials or information
● Educational background information
● Links to professional articles published
Professional web sites of faculty and staff may NOT contain:
● Content promoting illegal activity of any kind● Content using threatening, harassing or slanderous language
● Links unrelated to the objectives of the academic materials and information
● Third-party advertising scripts, banner ads, links or other types of commercial promotions
● Content violating any policy, rule, or regulation of the university
● Unapproved copyrighted material (see section “Copyright and Right to Privacy” for more information)
B) Style Recommendations for Professional Web sites of Faculty and Staff
● Use templates to create a uniform look and feel .● Construct short and simple home pages which serve as tables of contents or indices to the other pages.
● Use meaningful linking text (i.e., avoid the use of "click here" and other descriptions which are unclear or dependent on particular Web browsers).
● Provide a suitable number of navigational aids, including links to peer pages within a department where not overly burdensome.
● Employ active links to mentioned points in other pages.
● Utilize the "preformat" option for such documents as syllabi and those with tabular data so that the widest variety of browsers can effectively present the material.
● Provide warnings (indicating, where appropriate, the size and type of file) for large links, movies, audio and other such files.
● Indicate restricted access where appropriate.
● Documents meant to be viewed in sequence, access to "previous" and "next" entries provided at the bottom of the page, or top and bottom if the document is lengthy.
5. Personal Web Sites of Faculty and Staff
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that personal web sites follow principles of good practice.
Arkansas Tech University does not allow personal Web sites to be placed on Tech servers. This is not to be construed as an attempt by Tech to restrict the free speech rights of individuals when using the Web.
University computers are not to be used for commercial purposes. Tech's policy on the use of computing resources (including the Web) is that they be used for instruction, research, or administrative support. Other uses may be deemed
inappropriate and may lead to suspension of a user's Web privileges. Users who wish to pursue such uses are encouraged to investigate alternative Web providers. For more detailed information, please refer to the Tech Appropriate Use of
Computer Resources Policy at: https://support.atu.edu/support/solutions/articles/7000019369-appropriate-use-of-computer-resources.
Official university data should not be directly included on personal Web sites, but provided through links to the Arkansas Tech University Web site.
6. Student Web Sites
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that the Tech has appropriate control over Web content and that principles of good practice are followed.
Student Web sites, or student portfolios, will not be stored on official Tech Web servers except when sponsored by a department as described in Section 3.1.1 above. Faculty members who wish to incorporate Web design into
their coursework should create a structure to store the student Web sites. Material published on these sites is governed by the same terms as a covered in this, and other existing university policies. The sites must be removed or
archived within 60 days of the conclusion of the course. The instructor is solely responsible for the content, creation, and removal of these sites.
Updated: May 21, 2014