StudentAffairs Case Study Competition 2003 Julien Agnew Pamela Brown Jayme Little

1. StudentAffairs.com Case Study Competition 2003 Julien Agnew Pamela Brown Jayme Little Joshua Morrison Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis “Most college and university Web sites are poorly designed. As a result, they reflect badly on their institutions. The problems range from embarrassing and inexcusable mistakes -- like poor grammar, misspellings, and out-of-date information -- to the failure to take full advantage of new technology. Furthermore, too many sites baffle or aggravate visitors, offering them links that do not work, sending them to pages that do not exist, referring them to information that they are not allowed to view, and so forth.” -Raisman, 2003 Western Idaho University is no exception. The Web site for the Department of Student Life incorporates poor design, randomness, confusion, and lack of information, broken links, and unprofessional formatting. There was no clear philosophy set forth by the Web site, and there was an apparent lack of organization and goals for the site’s design. In response, a redevelopment of philosophy, purpose and focus for the Web site, and redevelopment of Web site’s format are topics that will be covered in this examination.

2. Theory K eep I t S imple S am The University of Washington’s goal for their Web site is to provide their constituents with the information that they need—When they need it, where they need it, and in a format that can easily be acted upon. (Katz, 2002) The internet serves as a good tool to share information about the institution and enhance one’s educational experience. (Mechitov, 2001) Case Study Western Idaho College Student Life Department’s Web site should serve as the convenient source of information about student involvement and activities both on and off campus as they relate to the educational mission of the institution. Both internal and external constituents should find the accessibility of the department’s home page an easy means of navigating the college’s involvement opportunities while sharing important policy information. The department’s Web site should provide the resources to completely and adequately answer questions that visitors may have about the department or the college, and provide contact information for further inquiry. The site should also provide information regarding campus involvement and policies and procedures for students, faculty, and staff. It is critical to have current information, complete Web pages, and timely submission of events because users will rely on the site for accurate and timely information. Statement of Philosophy

3. What does the college hope to accomplish with its Web site? • Information Source • Concise information sources; one-stop shop for information gathering • Purpose of the department (mission, vision, goals) • Information dissemination allowing students can make appropriate decisions regarding their campus involvement • Resource bank promoting student development (i.e., leadership tools, organization handbooks, student handbook) • Departmental staff information/who to contact • Accessible to people with functional and situational disabilities • Author all site content in professional and appropriate language • Entertainment Value • Promote community (both internal and external) participation • Calendar of on-campus and off-campus events • Sports schedules, intramural competitions, etc. • Accessible to people with functional and situational disabilities • Design • Attractive, fun, and entertaining portal that encourages visitation • Accessible to people with functional and situational disabilities Sources: (www.webaim.org; Mechitov, 2001)

4. Current and Prospective Students Extension students Minority populations Certificate program students Graduate and professional students Parents Alumni Sports fans Donors Career planners Continuing professional education students Researchers Faculty and staff Prospective employers Businesses, corporations, and institutional partners Who are WIC’s constituents? According to Katz (2002), a Web site for a university serves many constituents. Some of our constituents include:

5. Use plain back grounds and simple layouts to improve the readability of text Avoid the use of HTML tags or extensions that are supported by only one browser Keep file sizes small as possible; not everyone has broadband capability Provide size and type of file information for audiovisual features Ensure site is fully accessible for the disabled as outlined in US Government Section 508 Consistent layout for each page Provide complete and accessible site map with text of each page Avoid moving content, and if it has to be used, ensure it can be frozen for reading purpose Be specific on all links, and make sure links are not broken or inoperable Keep number of colors to a minimum and make sure there is enough contrast between colors Ensure balance in Web page design and layout How Can WIC Better Serve its Constituents? Everyone deserves the right to view WIC’s Web site. According to the State of Connecticut Web Site Accessibility Committee, there are many guidelines for appropriate Web design. Listed below are few of the important guidelines that WIC should follow:

6. Suggestions for Improvement in WIC’s Student Life Department Website

7. Front Portal:http://studentaffairs.com/vcs/2003vcs/ • Create overall regularized format for each page within portal. This ensures usability and ease of access to site’s interior. • Quick Links must match sidebar. Sidebar is the preferred method of displaying interior site links (State of Connecticut Web Site Accessibility Committee) • Add a Student Organizations and Activities link for students wishing to get involved. • Create a Resources link for students who may be in search of other vital student-related information, including counseling, academic advising/services and health and wellness center. • Clearly define areas of page utilizing internet frames to separate disparate areas. • Front page content must include contact information for Student Life Department staff and webmaster. Site must be updated consistently and frequently to ensure accurate information. Site must also include hours of operation and link to send Email to department. (University of Missouri-Kansas City Student Life Office) • Front page should contain a forums site that allows students, faculty, staff, and guests to discuss current issues and events on and off campus. • Create a Calendar of Events link that includes both on and off campus calendars of events. • Include link to Student Handbook and move Policies & Procedures page to Residence Life page since all of these policies deal with residential issues. List all relevant information by subject area in alphabetical order for this area of the site. • Front page should include a link to a campus web camera, to be set up in the Student Center. (To view examples, go to IUPUI Webcam Project) • By employing the Keep It Simple Sam philosophy, visitors can be quickly directed to areas of interest.

8. Residence Life Page:http://studentaffairs.com/vcs/2003vcs/residencelife.html • Change title to “Residence Life” to match quick link and sidebar link. • Add Policies & Procedures link to Residence Life page. • Add contact information for Residence Life office, including office hours. • Add relevant information regarding staff, including name, location, contact information, and short biographies. • Add information for prospective and current students, including room sign-up, Resident Assistant selection, and employment opportunities in Residence Life. • Add information regarding campus crime or other statistics relevant to on-campus living. Also include information on how to protect yourself from on campus and off campus crime. • Convenient links to area restaurants and campus meal services and hours. • Other links such as campus security or campus police department should be included for easy access by residents. • The Health and Wellness office should like to this page to help residents who may need such services. Fitness center links with hours may also be a convenient resource for residents. • Include form for facilities maintenance or repair requests. • Include Residence Life Calendar of Events. • Include a quick link to the main campus page for easy navigation by residents. • Make sure page matches portal in format and accessibility.

9. Career Services Page:http://studentaffairs.com/vcs/2003vcs/404error.html • Create a Career Services page with same format and link styles as other internal pages. • Create an atmosphere on the site that invite alumni back to the center for career assistance. • Add Policies & Procedures information specific to Career Services. • Add link to employer web pages for information about companies and jobs, to place resumes on the Web, and present their credentials to hundreds of employers (Barr, et al. The Handbook of Student Affairs Administration, p 220; IUPUI Career Center). • Add link to online resources for resume completion, cover letters, successful tips for interviews and other necessary employment information. • Add relevant staff information, including location, contact information and short biographies of counselors and staff, including Email and hours of operation. • Add career services calendar for information on education opportunities sponsored by the office. Upcoming events may be highlighted on the front page of the Career Services site.

10. Orientation Page:http://studentaffairs.com/vcs/2003vcs/orientation.html • Include current orientation information, including a link to a schedule of orientation activities. • Include a link to the advising center and registrar to assist students with registration and academic advising. • Include staff information, including contact information, professional staff biographies, office location and hours of operation. • Include a separate page for student orientation leader’s biographies and serve as a recruitment resources for future orientation leaders. • Add Policies & Procedures link that references relevant information for Orientation division. • Add Pictures link, allowing Orientation to accentuate the enjoyable aspects of Orientation. • Include a link for a Virtual Campus Tour (University of Delaware). • Make sure page matches portal in format and accessibility.

11. Athletics Page:http://studentaffairs.com/vcs/2003vcs/athletics.html • Add staff information, including contact information, staff biographies, office location for both intramural and intercollegiate athletics and hours of operation for each office. • Include link to information about athletic facilities, including intramural sports, recreational sports, and physical fitness classes. (University of Missouri) • Add link to men’s and women’s athletics. In each page, add link for event schedule and results, team roster, coach and recruiting information, and a records & history link for each of the team. • Add Policies & Procedures link relevant to Athletics, including code of conduct, sportsmanlike conduct and guest conduct policies. • Include WIC’s Athletic Association logos.

12. Student Organization and Activities • Add this link for students interested in extracurricular involvement in Greek affairs, community service and professional and service organizations. • Have an alphabetical list of student organizations at WIC available for reference. If organizations have Web sites, include a link to their site on this page. • Include contact information for the office staff, including title, Email, office phone, and advising responsibilities. Office location and hours of operation should also be included. • Incorporate Calendar of Events for all student activities on this page. • Include information on forming clubs/organizations, including policies, relevant forms and contact information. Source: IUPUI Student Life and Diversity Programs

13. Site Index Page:http://studentaffairs.com/vcs/2003vcs/siteindex.html • Make sure sidebar and quick links match. • Delete exclamation points on “Site Index” and make sure the site index format matches the portal page. • Eliminate graphics and use text-only descriptions for those individuals that have special needs. (www.webaim.org) • Ensure site index links are functional. • Use professional language to introduce each link in the site. Give brief description of the content found in each link.

14. References Carey, P. (1997). Wired for learning. Youth Studies. Vol 16, Issue 2. Gardner, J. & Wissick, C. 2002. Enhancing thematic units using the world wide web: tools and strategies for students with mild disabilities. Journal of Special Education Technology. 17 no1 27-38. Katz, R. N. (2002). Web portals & higher education. Jossey-Bass: San Francisco. Loh, C. & Williams, M. (2000). What’s in a web site? student perceptions. Journal of Research Technology in Education. Mechitov, A. & Moshkovich, H. & Underwood, S. & Taylor, R. (2001). Comparative analysis of academic web sites. 121 no4 652-62. Raisman, N. A. (2003, February 14). Ah, what rotten webs we weave. In The Chronicle Review. 49(23), p. B0. Ruffini, M. (2001). Blueprint to develop a great website. The Journal. 28 no8 64-73.

15. Electronic References Bobby Watchfire. Retrieved on February 19, 2003 from http://bobby.watchfire.com/bobby/html/en/indes.jsp. Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis Career Center. Retrieved on February 23, 2003 from www.career.iupui.edu/enployersf.html. Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis Jagsports Athletics. Retrieved on February 23, 2003 from www.iupui.edu/~jagsport/. Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis Student-Athlete Handbook. Retrieved on February 23, 2003 from www.iupui.edu/~athlete/. Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis Student Life and Diversity Programs. Retrieved on February 23, 2003 from www.sldp.iupui.edu. Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis Webcam Project. Retrieved on February 23, 2003 from http://registrar.iupui.edu/webcam/. State of Connecticut Web Site Accessibility Committee. Retrieved on February 21, 2003 from http://www.cmac.state.ct.us/access/policies/accesspolicy40.html#Checklist. University of Delaware Virtual Campus Tour. Retrieved on February 23, 2003 from www.udel.edu/main/tour. University of Indianapolis Forums. Retrieved on February 23, 2003 from http://intranet.uindy.edu/phpBB2/. University of Missouri-Kansas City Student Life Office. Retrieved on February 23, 2003 from www.umkc.edu/stulife/. University of Missouri Rec Services and Facilities. Retrieved on February 23, 2003 from www.mizzourec.com. Web Accessibility in Mind. Retrieved on February 21, 2003 from www.webaim.org.