Introduction

As the scope of Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW) web presence broadens, it is necessary to have in place a framework to guide and accommodate the development and growth of the Georgia Southwestern website. The GSW website strives to be a dynamic, informative site that provides the visitor with reliable information and is easily navigable. To assist in accomplishing this goal, The Department of University Relations and Office of Instructional and Informational Technology (IIT) provide the following guidelines for publishing your information on the GSW website. The guidelines are listed to provide a general framework for publishing web pages on GSW websites. They are not meant to be restrictive, but to encourage web content authors to be attentive to a website’s structure and content so that visitors to the GSW website can quickly locate information.

Publishing on the Web

Web Content Management

The GSW website presents information to the GSW community and the world at-large. The organization of the home page, the global navigation and the visual style provides consistency in look and feel for each area of the Georgia Southwestern State University website. GSW University Relations has content oversight of gsw.edu. All content will be approved and updated by the Department of University Relations, specifically the Web Content Strategist. All individuals making updates to the GSW website within UR must have training using the GSW web content management system (CMS), Cascade; be willing to maintain and update the page(s) as needed; and be approved by the Director of Marketing and Communications.

GSW Web Publishing Overview

1. The GSW home page introduces the navigational framework to quickly access the first three levels of the GSW website. Specific areas of the GSW home page are used to publish new information as needed. GSW Communications administers the GSW home page. All new content appearing on the GSW home page must be vetted and posted by GSW University Relations.
2. All pages must reflect a visual and organizational consistency respective to their level, location and purpose. The branding established on the homepage sets the standard for the look and feel used throughout the website. The GSW Visual Identity Standards are applied to the overall branding of the GSW website, and when appropriate, to unique domains hosted on GSW web servers. The Visual Style Guide can be found at www.gsw.edu/StyleGuide. GSW website refers to the Georgia Southwestern website as a whole, including department websites that are part of the University. The GSW homepage is the most visible location on the GSW website and introduces site visitors to a navigational structure and visual design shared among the different levels throughout the site. Levels are defined as the following:
   1. The first-level is the GSW homepage.
   2. The second-level is any main section or department pages linked from the homepage.
   3. Third-level sections are any other web pages that comprise the GSW website.
3. The top-level pages should have content appropriate for the page and implement persistent navigation schema. Content should be reasonable in length. Longer documents should be placed as a lower level page or linked to as a document for downloading.
4. Before any higher level web pages (the first three levels) are posted, they must first be reviewed by GSW University Relations to ensure the following:
   1. textual accuracy;
   2. adherence to GSW Visual Identity Standards and ITS web coding standards;
   3. appropriate placement within the web structure.
5. Before a lower level page is added or modified, content authors shall check spelling, grammar, and organization. All content should be proofed before publishing on the Web. Any time content is added or modified, it should be immediately checked to ensure that it displays properly, contains no broken links or grammatical mistakes, and conforms to GSW standards as outlined here and in the Web Content Guidelines section of this document.

1. All new web content must be approved by the Department of University Relations before being placed on the GSW website.
2. Remember, your content will be accessible to anyone on the Internet. Your content represents not only you and your division, but also the entire Board of Regents and GSW and should be professional and consistent with the rest of the GSW website.
3. The Web audience is literally worldwide; be careful to ensure that posting the information on the GSW website will not violate any copyrights, restrictions, or agreements. For example, do not post information that would violate a non-disclosure agreement.
4. No “under construction” web pages are allowed. Every page should contain useful information before being published on a website.
5. Links to commercial entities are not allowed. It is the general policy of the GSW to avoid linking to commercial websites and thereby making implicit endorsements; however, links to companies that provide goods or services specifically of interest to the GSW and GSW institutions are not prohibited.
6. No copyrighted material in any form can be used unless permission from the original copyright owner is explicitly granted.
7. No information pertaining to other individuals who object to the information being placed on the Web is allowed.
8. No material that might be reasonably considered abusive, profane, harassing, or sexually offensive is allowed.