Web Communications Guidelines and Standards

Introduction

Plymouth State University’s Web site serves as one of our largest marketing tools, designed to attract prospective students, faculty and staff, donors, corporate and regional partners and visitors.  The site is also a functional educational tool for other audiences, such as current students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, and the media.  Such a diverse audience and set of goals requires clear guidelines for the use of PSU Web pages as an accurate portrayal of the University and its mission.

The guidelines and standards here have been established to assist University Webmasters, Web editors, and outside vendors make informed decisions based on the University standards for optimal visitor experiences.

Web Site Goals

These guidelines reflect central themes that are important when preparing PSU Web sites including: clarity of purpose, access for all visitors, ease of use and consistent branding.  In addition, they aid University Web Editors and Webmasters in meeting the overarching web objectives:

  1. To serve as the most up-to-date and accurate communication vehicle at all times.
  2. To actively project a positive image for PSU.
  3. To provide resources to support the mission of PSU.

Audience Focus

While the University Web site strives to meet the needs of a wide range of audiences, its primary focus is to serve the following:

Primary Audiences

  • Prospective Students
  • Parents and Families
  • Prospective faculty and staff
  • Donors, friends, and corporate partners
  • Town of Plymouth and the surrounding community

Secondary Audiences

  • Current Students
  • Current Faculty & Staff
  • Alumni

The public University Web site (plymouth.edu) will focus on the identified primary audiences.  Other University sites such as myPlymouth will focus on the identified secondary audiences.  It is important to recognize that there is no clear line between these audiences and the various Web sites maintained by the University, therefore the widest possible audience should be considered at all times when developing a new Web site.

The University reserves the right to add, amend or revoke any of the contained regulations, policies, guidelines and standards, or incorporate additional ones with or without notice, as circumstances or the good of the University community may require.  Last updated by the Web Communications Team, 9/23/2009

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