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Website Governance Policy

Website Governance Policy

Policy Type: Corporate
Policy Owner: Vice President, External Partnerships and Strategic Enrolment
Approval Date: June 7, 2024
Replaces: Version 2020

Purpose

To provide a framework for ensuring a strong and positive brand, aligned with Cambrian College’s (the “College”) mission, vision, and values, is reflected through the College’s web presence. Cambrian’s Website was designed to reflect the true Cambrian student experience. The design and functionality decisions are backed by extensive engagement and research. It is focused on the needs of prospective students and is also built for the Cambrian community and their needs. It includes relevant content that provides dynamic and personalized content that fosters belonging and student success.

Scope

This policy applies to all College employees.

Definitions

Microsite: A smaller web property controlled and approved by the College and specifically created to serve and/or promote a specific department, agency, or initiative at the College that warrants exceptional and stand-alone audience attention and serves a purpose as an extension and value-add to the College’s digital properties.

Website: Refers to the College’s corporate website or web presence.

Webpage: Refers to another page within the College’s Website that may be specific to a program, unit, administrative service, student service, etc.

Policy

  1. General
    1. The College’s Website is an official publication of the College. It is essential to the College’s success in the recruitment of prospective students as well as key stakeholders such as donors, business leaders, community partners, and educators. As such, the Website is a key communication and marketing tool designed primarily to enhance the College’s brand and to promote its programs and services.
  2. Permission
    1. Marketing, Recruitment and Student Success, in consultation with relevant College departments, approves and determines all content, content placement, and priority on the College Website and all associated webpages.
    2. Marketing, Recruitment and Student Success has the accountability for assessing and approving all requests for the creation of a Microsite.
    3. When determining the appropriateness of creating a Microsite, consideration is given to:
      1. The distinctiveness of the department, agency, or initiative from the College’s core business functions.
      2. The primary audience to be served by the Microsite.
      3. The ability/capacity of the requesting department, agency, or initiative to ensure the Microsite is properly and effectively maintained.
    4. For all approved Microsites, the Digital Media Manager (and/or designate) of Marketing, Recruitment and Student Success must also be included as an administrator with full rights, access, and privileges.
  3. Content
    1. The structure, placement, and prioritization of all content of the College’s Website aligns with the strategic enrolment objectives of the College.
    2. The College makes every effort to ensure the accuracy, integrity, and clarity of content created for and presented on its Website and Microsites, as well as adherence to Cambrian’s Brand Guidelines.
    3. All content must adhere to all legal requirements, College policies, and Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Content is made available in alternative formats upon request.
    4. Content on Microsites must be relevant only to college business and not used for private financial gain or for the purpose of engaging in any illegal or otherwise questionable activity that could harm the College’s reputation and interests.
    5. The College reserves the right to review all materials of a College Microsite and to edit or remove any material which it, in its sole discretion, believes may be unlawful, obscene, abusive, or otherwise objectionable.
    6. The College does not permit, in part or in whole, the replication of any content regarding program admission requirements, programs of study, and program recruitment information on any Microsite.

Responsibilities and Accountability

Vice President, External Partnerships and Strategic Enrolment is responsible for:

  • Ensuring overall integrity and effective management of the College Website and associated Microsites.

Marketing, Recruitment and Student Success is responsible for:

  • Setting the overall direction and priorities for the Website.
  • Providing overall leadership and guidance in the development, management, training, and monitoring of the College Website and any Microsite including:
    • Ensuring and managing the corporate look and consistency throughout the site.
    • Ensuring content and style uniformity and conformity.
    • Developing and ensuring adherence to the visual appearance (design), layout, and promotional approach of the site.
    • Ensuring content and style consistency with Cambrian’s Brand Guidelines.
  • Ensuring the integration and approval of all applications/sections, corporate links, etc.
  • Ensuring the technical construction and links, as required and applicable, warranting that the links throughout the site are accurate and user-friendly.
  • Investigating and resolving any non-compliance issues.
  • Soliciting and evaluating user feedback to evolve web design, governance, and architecture.
  • Ensuring annual content review in concert with other college departments and stakeholders.

College Departments/Agencies of Microsites are responsible for:

  • Managing the day-to-day maintenance/upkeep of the Microsite after having received the proper training.
  • Notifying the Digital Media Manager of the Microsite’s lifespan including expectations of launch (publication) and removal of the Microsite upon the end of the term of use or in the case where the Microsite has not been maintained properly.