This month we will be featuring a presentation on Web Content Strategy.

Topics covered include:
- What is Content Strategy?
- Why do you need it?
- Communication through Content
- How to do a Content Inventory
- Creating your Information Architecture

Time: September 28, 2012 from 3:30pm to 4:30pm
Location: GL 220 (changed from GL 835 due to scheduling conflicts)

To RSVP visit: http://fiuuweb.ning.com/events/content-strategy-101

If you would like to learn a bit more read our post What is content strategy?

• August – Responsive web design (how to build an all in one mobile, tablet and desktop compatible site using frameworks)
• September – Building a website content strategy (plans for the creation, publication, and governance of useful, usable content)

FIU Tech jobs
—————————

• Application Developer I- Division of Information Technology
  https://pslinks.fiu.edu/psp/jobs/CUSTOMER/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM.HRS_CE.GBL?Page=HRS_CE_JOB_DTL&Action=A&JobOpeningId=504534&SiteId=1000&PostingSeq=1

• Temporary – Web/Technology Assistant (College of Business)
  https://pslinks.fiu.edu/psp/jobs/CUSTOMER/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM.HRS_CE.GBL?Page=HRS_CE_JOB_DTL&Action=A&JobOpeningId=504594&SiteId=1000&PostingSeq=1

• Temporary – IT Student Associate Coordinator (South Beach Wine & Food Festival)
  https://pslinks.fiu.edu/psp/jobs/CUSTOMER/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM.HRS_CE.GBL?Page=HRS_CE_JOB_DTL&Action=A&JobOpeningId=504622&SiteId=1000&PostingSeq=1

Links from around the web
—————————

• How to Get Google to Index Your New Website & Blog Quickly
  http://blog.kissmetrics.com/get-google-to-index/
• 11 Lessons Learned From Content Management System Implementations
  http://www.attentionmessageaction.com/the-real-cost-of-your-cms/
• Webinar: How to Start Using Analytics Without Feeling Overwhelmed
  http://blog.kissmetrics.com/webinar3/
• Thoughts from a content manager on adpative content
  http://webdesign.vassar.edu/2012/06/thoughts-from-a-content-manager-on-adpative-content

Thanks and see you next month

-Uweb

Here is a live example
http://calendar.fiu.edu/

Here is the github repo
https://github.com/fiuwebteam/Calendar

We would love to be able to collaborate with other institutions to make this a stronger tool. For those of you here on campus feel free to contribute to the core of the project.

Features

• Multiple calendars
• RSS/ iCAL / hcal / pdf
• Multi tiered calendars
• Embedding via RSS, play and play snippets
• Memcached
• Approval queue
• Multiple users and user roles/ permissions
• Featured events

Why did we not use UNL calendar:

Yes we did look at UNL cal and I think it is a great cal. I have recommended it quite a few times to others.

Some of the main reasons we choose to build our own

• Framework we decided to go with CakePHP which was in our wheelhouse, UNL was built with PEAR
• We wanted more controls for sovern multi tiered calendars IE There could be a dept which feeds to a college which feeds to main.
• Internal per event moderation
• Pull in external iCal events from other calendar systems

Otherwise, we have most all the same functionality of the UNL cal but these were the main things we see that are different.

Let me know your thoughts or if you have any questions.

• XML/ xslt
• HTML/css
• javascript/ jquery

We aren’t really looking for a grunt that does crap work. We are looking for someone that has intermediate knowledge and is looking to grow and contribute to the team. I would say we offer very close to an agency experience with our processes that we use http://webcomm.fiu.edu/process/

So If you have a good student that you know of we would be glad to talk to them.

*NOTE* We don’t expect you to meet all these needs, we are looking for a person who can fullfil some of these and is a good fit and willing to learn.

To submit resume please email Matt Herzberger mherzber {AT} fiu {DOT} edu

Proposal

Here is the proposal I wrote and I now look at it as a manifesto of sorts of how to create a great web culture on campus:

Do you have lots of web people on your campus? Feel like there are no cohesive bonds? Even in our siloed higher ed culture, it just takes a small dedicated group to rally the troops.

We will explore how to build community on a campus through various different approaches including creating a university web group to provide leadership, idea exchange and learning opportunities for web professionals and others around campus. Work to create collaborative web policies that will enable people to do things following best practices. Create a culture of open data so people will embrace the use of central tools. Blog about the state of web on campus and keep an open and continued dialogue. Provide campus thought leadership and advise executives on major decisions. Create collaborative spaces where people from different teams can work to solve common problems on campus. Build campus wide tools that leverage and produce open source software and have open planning sessions with community members. Have coffee talks with community members to provide advice, be an advocate or simply lend a friendly ear. Do work pro-bono to help people with their goals that will also advance campus goals. Look outside of campus to leverage local tech and entrepreneurship. And last but not least look to the national communities UwebD, BlogHighEd, HigherEDLive, eduStyle etc. and our friendly peer institutions to provide solutions and best practices for campus.

We must recognize that no one person is able to accomplish a better web on campus or community, therefore we must be open to a plan that encourages networking, cooperative relationships with others outside the campus, and implementation of practices that may reach our goal of a simple “better web on campus.”

Uweb

To add here is the mission statement I created in my first week here on campus when I was looking to start the University Web Group (Uweb)

University Web Group (Uweb) is an organization open to all web designers, developers, etc who use the web as part of their role with Florida International University. We encourage you to join regardless of your web knowledge or the amount of your job that is committed to working with the web.

Uweb seeks to create a collaborative web community for FIU, to exchange ideas, resources and best practices. We also seek to provide development in the form of online assistance and seminars.

Call to action

My call to action is two fold

1. What would you add to this action list
2. Who’s coming with me

I would love to hear the thoughts of people outside the FIU community as well.

We also provided a nice PDF post-launch-checklist in case you want to print it out and check them off on your own.

Please let us know if you have any questions about how to implement any of these steps. If we forgot anything that you have learned from your site launch let us know and we will be glad to add it.

*NOTE* This list maybe not include everything you need to check for your site launch. Be sure to think of additional items particular to your setup. We cannot be held responsible for any errors on omissions on this list. Please let us know if you have any questions about how to implement any of these steps.

Accessibility

It is the policy of FIU that all official university information published on university websites shall be accessible to all users.

All FIU web pages are required to comply with state and federal laws governing web accessibility.

The university must comply with the US SECTION 508/ADA, and therefore all websites containing official university information must comply with the US SECTION 508/ADA  of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 794d), which establishes the minimum standards for accessibility of electronic and information technology; developers are encouraged to go beyond the minimum whenever possible.

For guidance regarding legal requirements, contact the Office of the General Counsel.

For a thorough explanation of accessibility design standards, contact the Office of Web Communications.

To meet accessibility standards, all FIU websites must employ as many of the following general accessibility strategies as possible:

• Title frames with text that facilitates frame identification and navigation
• Provide alternative text for all photos and graphics
• Provide text alternatives for multimedia (Flash, video, and audio)
• Provide a link to a longer description for graphics that present important information such as charts, graphical tables, and diagrams
• Provide a description for each link
• Make sites usable for assistive technologies by providing alternative text for content that might normally be managed and/or hidden by web components (such as JavaScript, Applets, Scripts, CSS) that these technologies do not utilize
• When electronic forms are designed to be completed online, allow for assistive technologies to access information http://webaim.org/techniques/forms

Advertising

The use of FIU web pages (especially any “.edu” sites)to advertise for, or link to a commercial site is generally prohibited. Any such advertising or link must receive advance written approval from the Vice President and Chief Information Officer and the Vice President for External Relations.  In addition any such advertising or link requires approval by the Provost and Executive Vice President (in academic areas), or the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (in administrative areas).  Approval will be considered only if:

• the purpose of the advertising or link is consistent with the university mission,
• the advertising or link is essential to the purpose of the site, and
• the advertising or link does not imply university endorsement of the product or service.

Because of the numerous business, legal and policy issues that arise in connection with the sale of advertising on university web space, only the following units of the university may place advertising on their websites:

• Athletics (fiuathletics.com)
• FIU Alumni Association (fiualumni.com)

In the units listed above, such advertising must be approved by the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and the Vice President for Advancement, respectively. All such advertising must also be discussed with the Vice President for External Relations.

Recognizing Corporate Supporters on the Web

• From time to time, the University enters into sponsorship arrangements with corporate entities for the the purpose of fundraising or underwriting of events or programs and the like.  Each unit must abide by the specific requirements that may apply to the disclosure of such sponsorship agreement or underwriting. In general, units that enter into approved sponsorship arrangements may provide limited sponsorship recognition on their web pages in the form of a link that includes the Sponsor’s name, a static logo, a short factual description of the the Supporter’s relationship with the University, and a link to the Supporter’s home page.
• Links may only point to the Supporter’s corporate or main home page or a page developed specifically for the Sponsor’s relationship with the University.
• Links to retail pages (other than the Supporter’s corporate home page) are prohibited
• A University web page must not contain (1) a comparative or qualitative description of a Sponsor’s or Underwriter’s products, (2) price information or any other indications of savings or value regarding such products, or (3) any message that endorses such products or induces one to purchase or use such products.

Site security

• Administrative units must receive advance authorization from the Office of IT Security as well as the Office of the Controller and must comply with the University’s Information Technology Security Policy, the Payment Card Processing Policy, and all applicable laws or related policies applicable to the conduct of financial transactions. These offices will review and approve the website’s plan, including the adequacy of transaction security, make recommendations on the type of electronic credit card or other process needed, and provide cost information. See:
  Information Technology Security Policy (http://policies.fiu.edu/record_profile.php?id=96&s=information%20technology%20security%20policy)
  Payment Card Processing Policy – (http://policies.fiu.edu/record_profile.php?id=728&s=payment%20card%20processing)
• If the commercial activity involves receipt of online credit card payments, the Office will obtain a merchant ID, if appropriate, under the domain of the University’s central credit card contract, and provide training on securing the data, as well as recording and depositing the funds on university records.
• If you accept online payments, you may be required to include privacy and terms of use policies, which must be approved by the Office of the General Counsel.
• FIU web editors and administrators should work with the Division of IT to develop effective e-commerce strategies for their specific situations, ensuring complete compliance with all university guidelines and policies.
• Security of the FIU campus network and campus web servers is the responsibility of the Division of IT and the departmental IT professionals.
• FIU web administrators must periodically install updates and security patches, as needed.
• The collection and maintenance of sensitive information on the University’s systems and applications is subject to the review and approval of the designated University representatives e.g., social security numbers may not be used or collected without the prior approval of the Office of the General Counsel; credit card payment information may not be used or collected without the prior approval of the Controller’s Office; etc.   If you have any questions regarding the use or collection of sensitive information, please contact your division’s designated IT administrator, the FIU IT Security Officer/University HIPAA Security Officer, or the University Compliance Officer/Interim Privacy Officer.