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standards outlined in this section are designed to improve the experience
of visitors in obtaining information from University sites and to extend
onto the web the new University graphic identity system. Unlike the short-term
standards, the standards outlined below will, for most University sites,
require some level of site redesign.
Recognizing that there are differences
relating to purpose and audience among the wide range of sites at the
University, the long-term standards have specific requirements and recommendations
for each site level. These levels are outlined in the introduction of
this document. In addition, the standards include both requirements
and recommendations. The required standards set a minimum needed to serve
visitors to official sites, while recommendations extend this level of
service in ways that can prove useful in many sites. Use of the recommended
standards whenever possible is highly encouraged.
Long-term standards
are to be implemented with the next redesign of a site or by January
1, 2005.
Page
Title
Page title is defined as the text set by the HTML <title> tag.
For most browser software (Netscape, Internet Explorer, etc.), the page
title information appears at the very top of the browser window in the
window name area. The page title is a critical element in the indexing
of a page by search engines.
Collegiate and Primary Central Administration
Sites
Department and Unit Sites
Publicly Accessible Applications
and Resources Sites
At the minimum, all page titles must include “The
University of Iowa” as part of the title text. Note that the exact
text must be “The University of Iowa.” “University
of Iowa” is not acceptable.
Example page titles for specific
levels are included below:
Collegiate and Primary Central Administration
Sites
- College
of Liberal Arts and Sciences – The University
of Iowa
- Degrees
Offered – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences – The
University of Iowa
- The University of Iowa College of Law
Department
and Unit Sites
- Department
of American Studies – The University
of Iowa
- Our Faculty – Department of American Studies – The
University of Iowa
- The University of Iowa Department of Physics and
Astronomy
Publicly Accessible Applications and Resource Sites
- Jobnet – Office
of Student Financial Aid – Division of Student Services – The
University of Iowa
- Student
Life – The University of Iowa General
Catalog
- The University of Iowa Campus Maps
Recommendation: In
addition to meeting the minimum standard, the text of the title should
include text identifying the college or organizational units above the
site within the University hierarchy. There are two rationales behind
this recommendation. First, this format allows for better indexing and
display in most Internet search engines by organizing the title from
specifics to the general identity of the University. Second, use of this
format provides a clear reference for the location of the page within
the larger University organization. While the placement of the page or
site within the University is not of interest to all audiences, it can
be a crucial piece of information for some.
Following are recommended
title page formats for the appropriate levels:
Collegiate and Primary
Central Administration Sites
- Template:
- Title
of Page – Org/College
Name – The University of Iowa
- Example
- Contact
Information – University
Relations – The University of Iowa
Department and Unit Sites
- Template:
- Title
of Page – Dept/Program/Center Name - Org/College Name – The
University of Iowa
- Example
- Contact
Information – University
Relations Publications - University Relations – The University
of Iowa
Publicly Accessible Applications and Resource Sites
- Template:
- Title
of Page – Application/Resource Name – Responsible Department/Org/College
Name – The University of Iowa
- Examples
- Arts Campus – UI
Campus Maps – University Relations – The University of
Iowa
- Special
Resources – General Catalog – Office of the Registrar – The
University of Iowa
Note: In cases where the responsibility for a
department or resource site falls to more than one unit, all the responsible
units should be listed in the page title. For example, the Illumine
magazine web site is a joint publication shared
by the Vice President for Research and the University Relations Publications
department. Page titles in the Illumine site include both units.
Note: Because Search Engines and Web browsers will
truncate a page title and varrying lengths, it is not necessary to
make the text, "The
University of Iowa" visible in a browser or Search Engine display.
The text need only be in the Page Title, between the <title> </title>
tags.
University
of Iowa Health Care
At the minimum, all page titles must include
the text, “UI Health Care.”
Contact Information
Contact
information is defined as the addresses and phone numbers of the departments
and units behind the University’s many web sites. On many levels—from
customer service to site management to the positive perception of the
University—accurate and easily accessible contact information is
critical to the success of the University’s web presence.
Collegiate
and Primary Central Administration Sites
Department and Unit Sites
Publicly
Accessible Applications and Resource Sites
University of Iowa Health
Care
All sites at the collegiate, department and unit, and publicly
accessible levels must have a single page for contact information. All
other pages in the site must provide a clearly identifiable link to this
contact page.
The use of a single page for contact information allows
for a number of advantages. First, by moving the contact information
to its own page, a greater amount of space is available, allowing for
the full spectrum of contact options. Second, by isolating the information
to a single page, it becomes much easier to maintain the accuracy of
the information.
Note: The previous standard of an e-mail address
at the bottom of each page (e.g. “page maintained by department-webmaster@uiowa.edu”)
can be continued, but it cannot remain the sole contact information for
a site. It is recommended, though, for ease of maintenance, that the
contact e-mail be removed from all pages but the contact information
page.
Examples of names for the required link and requirements and
recommendations for the contact page contents for each level follow.
Collegiate
and Primary Central Administration Sites
Examples of names for the
contact link include:
- Contact Us
- Contact University Relations
- Questions
and Comments
The contact page must include the following information:
- An
e-mail address or an HTML form for questions and comments relating to
the site
- An e-mail
address or an HTML form for the site’s administrator
- Phone
contact information (including area code and seven-digit number)
- Campus
mailing address
- Off-campus mailing address
Recommendations:
- On-campus
directions to locate the unit’s main office
- Link to
the campus map for the building housing the unit’s main office.
- For
example, the Vice President for Finance and University Services
would have a link to the
map of Jessup
Hall
Department
and Unit Sites
University of Iowa Health Care
Examples of names for the contact link include:
- Contact Us
- Contact
University Relations
- Questions and Comments
The contact page
must include the following information:
- An e-mail address or an HTML
form for questions and comments relating to the site
- An e-mail
address or an HTML form for the site’s administrator
- Phone contact
information (including area code and seven-digit number)
- Campus mailing
address
- Off-campus mailing address
Recommendations:
- On-campus
directions to locate the unit’s main office
- Link to
the campus map for the building housing the unit’s main office.
Publicly Accessible Applications
and Resource Sites
Examples of names for the contact link include:
- Contact Us
- Contact
University Relations
- Questions and Comments
The contact page must
include the following information:
- The name of the sponsoring/responsible
department, with link. If more than one sponsoring department, list both.
- An
e-mail address or an HTML form for questions and comments relating to the
site
- An e-mail
address or an HTML form for the application/site’s
administrator
- Phone contact information for the sponsoring department
(including area code and seven-digit number)
Copyright Statement
The
copyright statement provides a legal basis by which the University can
protect the University web presence in terms of intellectual property.
In addition, it provides further means of marking a page as an official
University document.
The standards in this section outline the appropriate
and required uses of the University copyright statement on official University
web pages.
Collegiate and Primary Central Administration Sites
Department
and Unit Sites
Publicly Accessible Applications and Resource Sites
University
of Iowa Health Care
At the minimum, all pages in a site must display
the copyright statement, preferably at the bottom of the page. In addition,
the text “The University of Iowa” must be an active link
to the UI home page. The copyright statement must use the following format:
- Text
- © The
University of Iowa (year). All rights reserved.
- Example
- © The
University of Iowa 2003. All rights reserved.
- Code
- © <a
href="http://www.uiowa.edu/">The University of Iowa</a> 2003.
All rights reserved.
The year must be included with the copyright statement
and should be the year of the last material alteration of the site. The
exact measure of material changes in a web site is somewhat vague. Minor
copy changes (such as updating a faculty list) do not represent a material
change. A visual or organizational overhaul of the site, however, does
represent material change.
If the site is new and has not had any overhaul,
the year should be when the site was first published.
Note: The copyright
statement can be in HTML, or rendered graphically as part of the design.
University
Identity Elements (Logo and Wordmark)
The University of Iowa is committed
to having a cohesive visual identity system that reinforces the University’s
position as a leading educational institution and separates it from other
institutions at a glance. Consistent and correct use of identity elements
enhances the University’s image, making it clear that many excellent
departments, colleges, schools, and programs contribute to the makeup
of The University of Iowa. Likewise, the status of each smaller entity
is
promoted by its close identification with the University.
The standards
in this section outline appropriate and required uses of the University
graphic identity system in official University web sites.
Guidelines
for Appropriate Use of University Graphic Identity System on Web Pages
The
following bulleted points apply to any use of the University logo and Wordmark
in the University web space, including any use on course, faculty, or personal
pages.
- The logo and wordmark, when used, must be clearly displayed
and legible.
- The logo and wordmark, when used, must be active links
to the University home page.
- The minimum size for the logo is 31 pixels
in height.
- The minimim
size for the wordmark is measured by the initial capital “T”,
which must be no smaller than 11 pixels in height.
- A
collection of GIF format logo, wordmark and logo/wordmark combinations
are available through the University
graphic identity system Web site.
- Three
Colors: Black, Gold, White
- Two to three sizes for each image
- In
addition, scalable EPS files of the logo and wordmark also are provided
through the University graphic identity system web site (http://www.uiowa.edu/graphics/).
- Use
of the colors provided is strongly encouraged. If another color is needed,
please contact University Relations by sending e-mail to the University
webmaster at webmaster@uiowa.edu.
- Logo and wordmark images can be scaled,
as long as the minimum sizes are maintained and the scale is proportional.
The logo and wordmark images cannot be stretched.
- The UI
logo or wordmark may not be combined within a unit logo or wordmark.
If a unit’s graphic
logo contains the words “The University of Iowa,” these words
can be omitted from the unit’s logo to avoid repetition.
- The
wordmark is not a font but a designed graphic. Any design that attempts
to recreate the wordmark is not acceptable.
- The University logo and
wordmark cannot be animated.
Note: The University seal can be used as part of the design of a Web
page or site, but it cannot be used as a substitute for either the logo
or wordmark.
Note: The University’s logo and
wordmark are registered trademarks. The Iowa Licensing Program protects
the University’s legal interests in those trademarks by controlling
their proper use. For more information on the use of the logo and wordmark
on products or by outside agencies, please contact the program at 319-384-2000,
or uilicensing@hawkeyelicensing.com.
For more information on use of
the University logo and wordmark, see the University Identity Manual
at the University graphic identity web site.
Collegiate
and Primary Central Administration Sites
Department and Unit Sites
Publicly
Accessible Applications and Resource Sites
On all official University
sites, the wordmark must appear in its entirety within 133 pixels of
the top of each page in the site. In addition, the logo must appear on
the
site’s home page, but it need not appear on other pages in the site.
When
displayed, the logo and wordmark must be fixed features of the page. It
is not appropriate for the logo or wordmark to be utilized in an introductory
display and then removed as part of the page’s final display.
University
of Iowa Health Care
University of Iowa Health Care maintains its own
unique identity system. Sites within University of Iowa Health Care must
use the University of Iowa Health Care identity system; they are not
required to utilize the larger University graphic identity system.
For more
information on the University of Iowa Health Care identity system, please
contact the Joint Office
for Planning, Marketing and Communications.
Navigation
Elements
The University is a large and complex organization, and the
University web space mirrors this complexity with thousands of official
sites. It is easy to get lost in the mass of University web sites, even
for those familiar with the University structure. The standards below outline
a handful of common navigation elements that provide a framework to allow
visitors to more easily negotiate this complexity.
Collegiate and Primary
Central Administration Sites
At the minimum, each page in a site must
have the following link:
- On all
pages in the site, there must be a link to the University home page
that uses the text, “The University
of Iowa.”
- Use of the wordmark as a link back to the University
home page meets this criteria.
- Use of the copyright statement also
meets this criteria.
In addition, on all pages below the site’s
home page, there must be a link back to the site’s home page. The
link must use the name of the site’s college or administrative unit.
The following are examples of this link:
- University Relations Home
- Back
to University Relations
- University Relations
Department and Unit
Sites
At the minimum, each page in a site must have the following links:
- On
all pages in the site, there must be a link to the University home
page that uses the text, “The University of Iowa”.
- Use of the
wordmark as a link back to the University home page meets this criteria.
- Use
of the copyright statement also meets this criteria.
- On all
pages in the site, there must be a link back to the department/unit’s
college or vice presidential unit that uses the name of the college
or vice presidential
unit. The following are examples of this link:
- Back to the College
of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Tippie College of Business
- Biomedical
Engineering in the College of Engineering
In addition, on all pages
below the site’s home page, there must be a link back to the site’s
home page. The link must use the name of department or unit. The following
are examples of this link:
- Department of Chemistry Home
- Back to
Chemistry Home
- Department of Chemistry
Publicly Accessible Applications
and Resource Sites
At the minimum, each page in a site must have the
following links:
- On all
pages in the site, there must be a link to the University home page
that uses the text, “The University of Iowa.”
- Use
of the wordmark as a link back to the University home page meets this criteria.
- Use
of the copyright statement also meets this criteria.
- On all
pages in the site, there must be a link back to the home page of
the application/resource
owner’s site. In the case of more than one unit with ownership,
a link to all owner sites must be added. The following are examples
of this
link:
- Back to the Office of the Registrar
- Human Resources
- Campus
Maps provided by University Relations
- Published by the Office of the
Vice President for Research and produced by University Relations Publications
In
addition, on all pages below the application start page/site’s home
page, there must be a link back to the application start page/site’s
home page. The link must use the name of the site or application. The following
are examples of this link:
- ISIS
- Campus Maps Home
- HR Self-Service
/ FUS Portal Main Menu
- Logout
- Start Over
University of Iowa Health Care
Sites within
University of Iowa Health Care must have a link back to the University
of Iowa Health Care homepage (http://www.uihealthcare.com/).
Use of an approved University of Iowa Health Care logo or a text link
meets
this criteria.
University Colors
The hex value for the official University
gold color for the web is FF E1 00. A sample of this color is included
below:
Use of the University gold is
required as a design element in collegiate and primary central administration
sites, though it need only be an accent and not a dominant feature. Use
of the University gold is encouraged as a design element in all other official
University sites.
Note: The official University gold color is not a "web
safe" color. This was a deliberate choice and not an oversight. The
options available for yellow in the "web safe" palette are
very limited, with none coming close to the print color for University
gold. In addition,
the need for "web safe" colors in Web design has decreased
dramatically over the past several years. Very few computers anymore
use a 256 color
screen display. If you have questions or concerns about this choice,
please contact the University Webmaster at webmaster@uiowa.edu.
Note: University of Iowa Health Care has a different
color scheme from the rest of the University, including a different gold
color. Sites within University of Iowa Health Care should follow the color
schemes outlined in the University of Iowa Health Care identity system.
PDF
Documents (Adobe’s Portable Document Format)
PDF documents used
as a material part of an official University site must utilize University
graphic identity elements as outlined in the University Identity Manual.
For a copy of the University Identity Manual, see the University
graphic identity system web site.
Accuracy
and Currency of Content
All official University sites and pages represent
the University to the public. Keeping the content of official sites accurate
and up-to-date is a critical element in maintaining a positive public perception
of the University. In addition, communicating accurate content should be
the mission of all official University sites.
As a minimum standard
for all official University web sites and web pages, content should be
kept as accurate as resources allow. If information cannot be maintained
as accurate, the out-of-date pages in the site should be removed until
the resources are available to keep them up-to-date. An absence of information
is better than information that misleads.
Accessibility Standards
The
University of Iowa is committed to providing equal access to information,
programs, and activities through its technology and web pages, services
and resources. Fulfilling this promise is critical because the Internet
is fast becoming the central nervous system of university life. When
properly designed, web pages facilitate an inclusive environment and
culture, and
enhance learning, teaching, research, scholarship, creativity, and public
service and outreach. When improperly designed, without regard for the
needs and abilities of our diverse community, web pages may become barriers
and undermine each of those activities.
For more information about
accessibility standards, please consult the policy on Accessibility
Policy for Web Resources.
If you discover any conflict between
the accessibility standards policy and the standards outlined in this document,
please contact the University webmaster for assistance at webmaster@uiowa.edu.
Use
of Home Page Graphics and Styles
The University home page and
the pages that support it are developed around a specific visual design.
Use of this
design for pages other than the University home page site is not acceptable.
At
the same time, though, establishing a visual and organizational connection
between official University pages and the University home page is highly
encouraged. Use of the University logo, wordmark, and gold color are a
minimum in this regard. Any additional elements that connect site design
to the design of the home page are welcome.
Endorsement of non-University
Services or Products
Official University web sites should avoid endorsing,
or giving the impression of endorsing, non-University services and products.
Endorsements can include the placement of outside logos or advertisements
in an official site, providing testimonials about a product or service,
or recommending the use of a service or product. The acknowledgment of
a third-party relationship, however, is acceptable as long as no recommendation
or endorsement is made.
If you have a question about this standard,
or if you feel you need an exception, please contact the University webmaster
at webmaster@uiowa.edu.
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