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University Policies and Procedures

Policy 7:14 - University External Websites

Policy Contact: University Marketing and Communications

  1. Purpose

    The University maintains a robust public web presence. The appearance, accuracy, and relevance of the information presented by the University’s public web presence reflect the University’s professional standards, credibility, and compliance requirements. The primary audience for the University’s public web presence is the general public, including individuals of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds—with a particular emphasis on student and prospective student services and engagement, alumni relations, and engaging those served by the University’s land grant mission of teaching, outreach, and research. This policy establishes the directives, standards and guidelines for the University’s official public websites, as well as affiliated websites and those websites that convey some outward connection to the University.

  2. Definitions:
     
    1. Affiliate Websites: websites of other entities or organizations that are associated with the University and have a primary role that directly relates to the mission and goals of the University. These include, but are not limited to, Ƶ Foundation, Ƶ Alumni Association, and Research Park at South Dakota State University. Registered Student Organizations using the University's names, Trademarks, or conducting official business on behalf of the University are subject to this policy.
       
    2. Domain: the second-level domain in a Domain Name System (e.g., sdstate.edu).
       
    3. Official Websites: websites with information pertaining to the University and its mission that is made available to external audiences by formal University action. Webpages operated by faculty featuring research and grant information, and Official University Social Media Platforms as defined in University Policy 7:1, are also Official Websites under this policy.
       
    4. Designated Domain: the second-level domain under which all Official Websites shall be located, unless the Official Website receives a special exception; sdstate.edu, or its successor second-level domain.
       
    5. Subdomain: A domain subordinate to the second-level domain, or a third-level (or lower) domain in a Domain Name System (e.g., catalog.sdstate.edu, climate.sdstate.edu).
       
    6. Website: a collection of linked web pages containing text, graphics, sound files, etc. residing on a web server or social media platform.
       
    7. Unofficial Websites: websites that do not meet the definition of Official or Affiliate Websites, but bear information which might imply endorsement by the University regardless of where they are hosted. Unofficial Websites include, but are not limited to, personal sites of faculty, staff, and students; vendor websites; websites of third parties collaborating with the University who do not meet the definition of Affiliate Websites; and sites promoting extracurricular student interests.
       
  3. Policy
     
    1. All websites bearing University names, logos, and trademarks, including names of University units, produced on behalf of the University must comply with the content and brand standards set forth by the University Graphic Identity Standards, University Brand Toolbox, and other applicable standards maintained by University Marketing and Communications, University Information Technology, SDBOR and University policies, and applicable laws and regulations.
       
    2. Official Websites
      1. Official Websites and their webpages must be established and maintained in accordance with the University’s mission and applicable federal and state laws and SDBOR and University policies, including but not limited to web accessibility standards, SDBOR Policy 1.7.6 (Communications and Branding), and SDBOR Policy 7.1 (Acceptable Use of Information Technology Systems).
      2. Official Websites, other than Official University Social Media Platforms, must be contained within the Designated Domain of the University, unless a special exception is granted in writing by the Vice President for Technology and Security and the Director of University Marketing and Communications, or their successors. Special exceptions shall be sparingly granted.
        1. If a special exception is granted, the website must still comply with the University’s content and brand standards as set forth in section 3.a.
      3. Without exception, all Official Websites, other than Official University Social Media Platforms, must be established and hosted on a University server or a cloud service authorized by the Vice President for Technology and Security and the Director of University Marketing and Communications, or their successors.
      4. Administrative credentials for all Official Websites must be provided to the Division of Technology and Security and to University Marketing and Communications prior to the Official Website going live.
      5. All Official Websites must be in compliance with the University Official Website Standards established by University Information Technology and this policy.
         
    3. Affiliate Websites
      1. Affiliate Websites and their webpages must also be established and maintained in accordance with their role that directly relates to the University’s mission and applicable federal and state laws and SDBOR and University policies, including SDBOR Policy 7.1. Content bearing University logos and trademarks, including names of University units, is subject to the requirements and approvals in SDBOR Policy 1.7.6, and applicable SDBOR and University policies.
      2. Affiliate Websites must be hosted either on a University server or a cloud service approved by the Vice President for Technology and Security and the Director of University Marketing and Communications, or their successors.
      3. Administrative credentials for all Affiliate Websites shall be provided to the Division of Technology and Security and to University Marketing and Communications prior to the Affiliate Website going live.
      4. Affiliate Websites for independent student media, including The Collegian and KSDJ Radio, are exempted from the requirements of 3.c.ii. and 3.c.iii; however, any content bearing University logos and trademarks remains subject to the requirements and approvals in SDBOR Policy 1.7.6 and applicable SDBOR and
        University policies.
         
    4. Unofficial Websites
      1. Unofficial Websites do not represent official views or opinions of the University and to the extent they articulate a relationship to the University, they must carry a disclaimer stating such. Failure to post this disclaimer in a conspicuous area of the website may result in disciplinary or legal action brought by the University.
      2. Unofficial Website owners or content creators shall be responsible for adhering to all SDBOR and University policies applicable to them by virtue of their status with the University. Otherwise, the University may pursue, to the fullest extent permitted by law, all claims against any Unofficial Website owners or content creators who infringe University rights.
      3. The University is not responsible for and does not monitor the content of Unofficial Websites. However, the University may, from time to time, review Unofficial Websites and seek the removal of, or limit access to, page(s) that are adverse to the University, members of the University community, the University’s affiliates, or the pursuit of the University’s lawful objectives.
      4. Unofficial Websites may only obtain authorization to use University Branded Content or Graphical Marks by adhering to the policy and following the procedure determined by University Marketing and Communications pursuant to SDBOR Policy 1.7.6 and University Policy 9:6 (Communications and Branding). When licensed or approved to bear branded content, the content must continue to comply with the requirements set forth in the University Graphic Identity Standards and applicable SDBOR and University policies.
         
    5. Official and Affiliate Websites shall provide accurate and timely information about the University and its mission in an easily accessible manner. These websites shall also provide links on every webpage to information regarding Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action, Privacy standards, and other required disclaimers that conform to the University’s standards provided on the webpages of the Designated Domain and updates
      thereto.
       
    6. In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the University’s mission, Official Websites, Affiliate Websites, and Unofficial Websites performing contracted services on the Unofficial Website on behalf of the University, are required to conform to web accessibility principles. Accordingly, any new, revised, or existing web content of any kind on any of these sites must meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA success criteria and Section 508 Standards, as amended, or successor standards in conformity with applicable law.
       
    7. All University-protected information including, but not limited to, information protected by privacy laws such as the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and information protected in law as nonpublic information must be only available through an internal portal requiring login by appropriate, authorized personnel, in keeping with the account security requirements of University Policy 7:10.
       
    8. All web editors of Official Websites shall complete the training provided by University Marketing and Communications, or successor, as a prerequisite to obtaining editing credentials.
      1. Training must cover the use of CMS tools to post and edit content; knowledge and understanding of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 and Section 508 Standards, as amended, or successor standards, and how to meet them; the use of third-party software to check all content for compliance with those standards and guidelines; and brand and communication standards.
         
    9. Web editors will only submit edits to webpages that comply with applicable SDBOR policies including the communications and branding policy, and applicable University policies including but not limited to the Graphic Identity Standards. University Marketing and Communications, or designee, is responsible for reviewing webpage edits and ensuring web sites are compliant with policies and standards.
       
    10. All posted materials must observe and comply with intellectual property laws affecting the work of others and appropriate acknowledgements thereof. Additionally, all Official Websites should display the following: 
      © South Dakota State University. All rights reserved.
       
    11. University Marketing and Communications, or its successor, determines the best possible publishing system based on website client requests.
       
    12. University Marketing and Communications, or its successor, may modify or remove, without notice, any Official or Affiliate Website, webpage or content therein that does not comply with this policy or other applicable laws, regulations, policies, or procedures.
       
    13. The Vice President for Technology and Security, or designee, is responsible for monitoring, reporting, and enforcing compliance with SDBOR Policy 7.1 (Acceptable Use of Information Technology Systems).
       
    14. The Director of Marketing and Communications, successor, or designee, is responsible for monitoring, reporting, and enforcing compliance with this policy and its requirements.
       
  4. Procedures
     
    1. Web editing:
      1. In order to receive the credentials to post and edit content on Official Websites, all web editors shall complete training provided by University Marketing and Communications, or its successor.
      2. All editors shall participate annually in any refresher training as directed by the Director of University Marketing and Communications, in order to retain authorization to edit content on Official Websites.
      3. The department or program shall be responsible for ensuring content accuracy and conformity with the University’s mission, adhering to FERPA and other privacy rights, meeting all confidentiality restrictions, obtaining proper attribution and rights to use any third-party material, and achieving proper grammar and consistent style.
         
    2. Creating, reformatting, or reconstituting Official Websites (including new Domains and Subdomains):
      1. University Marketing and Communications and the Division of Technology and Security, or their successors, shall be consulted at an early, conceptual stage.
      2. Before substantial resources can be allocated to the effort, approval from the appropriate supervisor (vice president, dean, director, department head) and approvals from the Vice President for Technology and Security and the Director of University Marketing and Communications, or their successors, must be obtained. Such approval may be granted only if the Official Website creation, reformat, or reconstitution: (1) has as its foundation the furtherance of the University’s mission, and (2) has broad connections to the mission.
      3. Requests for removal of existing Domains or Subdomains of Official Websites must be submitted to the Vice President for Technology and Security and the Director of University Marketing and Communications, or their successors for review. Written authorization must be received prior to removal.
      4. In order to receive the special exception needed for a new or existing Official Website to locate outside the Designated Domain, the department or program operating the Official Website must submit a detailed plan to the Vice President for Technology and Security and the Director of University Marketing and Communications, or their successors. This plan shall describe the University mission-based justification for this extraordinary treatment, as well as the measures that will be taken to ensure the Official Website’s branding, identity, and accessibility compliance and conformance.
         
    3. University Marketing and Communications, or its successor, shall be responsible for the following:
      1. Managing the Designated Domain, including any technology tools, software, services or other resources associated with its day-to-day operation;
      2. Developing general-level content for Official Websites on the Designated Domain;
      3. Facilitating the transition of Official Websites onto the Designated Domain;
      4. Establishing marketing and communications priorities and strategies;
      5. Enforcing site branding, site standards (including accessibility) and styles;
      6. Identifying the best solutions to meet client website needs and processing requests for all Official Websites;
      7. Creating and providing training and refresher training for web editors, including on web accessibility requirements and brand and communications standards;
      8. Working closely with, and reviewing the work of, web editors for Official Websites not employing the Designated Domain template;
      9. Reviewing webpages and webpage edit submissions and applying those that conform to applicable accessibility and communication and branding standards;
      10. Modifying or removing without notice—on behalf of the University—any Official or Affiliate Website, content, or page therein that does not comply with SDBOR policy, this policy, or other applicable laws, policies, or procedures; and
      11. Reviewing Official Websites outside of the Designated Domain for compliance with this policy, and other policies regulating communications and branding standards, to ensure that web pages are compliant and to remove noncompliant material.
         
    4. University Division of Technology and Security, or its successor, shall be responsible for the following:
      1. Defining, publishing, and updating technical and security standards that are required for websites; and
      2. Reviewing and purchasing all technology equipment, software, services and other resources associated with the Official Websites.
         
    5. Departments or programs operating an Official Website outside of the Designated Domain shall be responsible for the following:
      1. Ensuring the training, compliance, and reporting requirements provided in this policy are met, including the need to ensure accessibility of the Official Website; and
      2. Reporting on an ongoing basis to University Marketing and Communications, or its successor, all content posted and edited to the Official Website, all development work performed, and proof of ongoing adherence to the compliance and reporting requirements provided in this policy.
         
    6. Establishing an Affiliate Website
      1. Prior to operating an Affiliate Website, the entity or individuals seeking to establish the Website must sign an agreement with the Director of University Marketing and Communications, or designee, stating the entity or individuals will abide by the terms of this policy and other applicable policies. The agreement must also acknowledge that the Director of University Marketing and Communications, or designee, will have the authority to remove noncompliant material at the Director’s discretion.
         
    7. All purchases of technology equipment, software, services and other resources associated with websites—including the purchase of any web address (or “URL”), hosting, security, search, e-commerce, or content management service—must be made in accordance with University Policy 7:12.

  5. Responsible Administrator

    The Director of University Marketing and Communications and the Vice President for Technology and Security, their successors, or designees are responsible for the annual and ad hoc review of this policy. The University President is responsible for approval of modifications to this policy.

Approved by President on 02/05/2018. Interim Revisions Approved by President on 6/11/2020. Revised; Approved by President on 10/06/2020. Revised; Approved by President on 08/17/2024.

Sources: SDBOR Policies and ; University Policies 7:10, 7:12, 9:3, and 9:6
Associated Resources: University Graphic Identity Standards;