QCC Web Site Policies and Procedures

Prepared by the QCC Web Site Committee

The QCC Web Site exists to support the teaching, learning and administrative functions at Queensborough Community College and to respond to the needs of current and prospective students, faculty and staff, alumni, community members and donors. The Web Site enables the College to convey key messages directly to its various publics and thus has become an integral component of institutional communications.

Encompassing all pages hosted by the QCC Web server farm, the QCC Web Site must effectively address the College's mission and organizational goals. With the understanding that all that appears on this Web Site reflects upon the image of Queensborough Community College, and recognizing existing limitations in resources, staffing and technology, the following policies, standards and guidelines for web development have been devised by members of the QCC Web Site Committee. These policies and procedures are in no way intended to curtail or limit academic freedom. Their sole purpose is to establish a realistic framework in which the college can responsibly build and maintain its Web site.

The QCC Web Site Committee was formed to discuss and address issues pertaining to the QCC Web Site, to develop policy and guidelines for its usage, and to suggest modifications for the Web Site's overall enhancement. Reporting to the President, the Committee comprises the Executive Director of Information Technology, the Director of the Academic Computing Center, the QCC Webmaster, Academic and Administrative representatives, and members of the faculty as designated by the Academic Department Chairs (see APPENDIX A for a listing of current committee members).

1. DEFINITIONS
   • General Terms
     • Internet: computers on networks that are linked to each other throughout the world.
     • World Wide Web (the Web, WWW, or W3): a full-color, multimedia database of information on the Internet comprising electronic pages (Web Sites) that are connected together.
     • Web Site: a collection of electronic pages of information on a Web server.
     • Web Server: the hardware and software that are required to make Web pages available (for delivery to others) on networks.
     • Webmaster: the person(s) who is (are) responsible for the technical operation of a Web site.
     • Home Page: any document on the World Wide Web that is a starting point for finding other information.
     • Link (Hyperlink): a part of a Web page (text or graphic) that causes a new Web page to be displayed when it is selected, usually by clicking on it. Expressed as a "link to" or "link from" a Web site or page.
     • Environment: supported Web site building and hosting tools.
     • Web server farm: a group of Web servers that perform "load balancing" to alleviate Web site congestion and provide redundancy in the event of a failure.
   • QCC Terms
     • QCC Web Site: the entire QCC Web Site residing at URL http://www.qcc.cuny.edu including all Web pages, databases, and Web applications.
     • QCC production Web server: a Web server farm that uses Microsoft Internet Information Server software installed. The QCC production Web server URL is http://www.qcc.cuny.edu, and it hosts the QCC Web Site for public viewing.
     • QCC development Web server: a Web server system that uses Microsoft Internet Information Server software installed. The QCC development Web server hosts Web applications for the purpose of designing, developing, and testing prior to placing those pages on the QCC production Web server.
     • QCC Theme: the QCC theme is a set of elements that make up the design and navigational aspects of the QCC Web Site.
     • Academic Departmental Materials: Information designed to promote and support academic departments, programs of study, or faculty.
     • Administrative Materials: official college information, including the college catalog, calendar, phone and email lists.
     • Course Materials: information related to teaching any QCC course.
     • Standard Course Materials Environment: course materials that are currently being hosted in the Blackboard environment.
     • Alternative Course Materials Environment: course materials that are outside the Standard Course Materials Environment (currently Blackboard) (see 2.7 for the policy on requests for an Alternative Course Materials Environment).
     • Web Site Coordinator: the designated contact person from each office, department, chartered organization, or other official entity at QCC who is responsible for the content of his or her department's section of the QCC Web Site. Web Site Coordinators will to be designated by the chair or department head.
     • Working, as needed, in consultation with the department head, department chair or his/her designee and/or the director of marketing or his/her designee, the Web Site Coordinators are responsible for the periodic review and updating of the content and materials on their respective department's QCC Website pages to ensure consistency, accuracy and timeliness of information. This is to be accomplished by the Web Site Coordinator organizing any content changes and/or new content to be added or appended to his or her departments' website section, obtaining the appropriate approvals from the department head, and submitting that revised or new content to the QCC Web Master to execute and bring live on the QCC Web site. (Note: certain Web Coordinators are trained and authorized to use Adobe Contribute or Dreamweaver software to accomplish the last step of putting the new or revised content onto the department's web pages directly.)
     • QCC Web Master : Person responsible for the day-to-day maintenance, design implementation, and overall operation the QCC Web Site.
     • Personal Web site : a Web site that is hosted by a non-QCC service provider and contains personal information not related to activities or functions at QCC.
2. POLICIES
   • Official Web Site: the QCC Web Site is the official Web Site of Queensborough Community College. Queensborough Community College does not support any other site on the World Wide Web. The name "Queensborough Community College" and the College logo are the official property of Queensborough Community College and are not to be used on any Web Site without proper authorization.
   • Responsibilities
     • Day-to-day updates, and changes to the QCC Web Site are the responsibility of the Academic Computing Center with Information Technology providing emergency- support personnel.
     • The Information Technology Department is available to assist in the development of administrative sections of the QCC Web Site.
     • The QCC Web Site hosting infrastructure, mainframe database interfaces, database servers, and Web Registration and Web Advisement applications are the responsibility of the Information Technology Department.
     • The Information Technology Department will provide emergency closing messages updated remotely to the QCC homepage.
   • All Queensborough Community College policies and procedures apply to the QCC Web Site.
   • The QCC Web Site is subject to the same policies and standards as that of print publications at the College.
   • The QCC Theme (see 1.2.6) will be used to construct QCC Web pages containing both academic department and administrative materials and establish the Web Site's navigational structure.
   • The Standard Course Materials Environment (currently Blackboard) will be utilized to host QCC Web pages containing materials used for instructional purposes.
   • However, if there is a request for an alternative theme or mode of Web page hosting for course materials outside of the Standard Course Materials Environment, an Alternative Course Materials Environment can be used if the materials meet the following criteria:
     • Alternative course materials must be compatible with the QCC Web Server environment (currently Microsoft Internet Information Server);
     • There must be sufficient bandwidth to deliver the alternative course materials without interfering with standard Web materials delivery;
     • Links to Web pages containing alternative course materials must be constructed in a way that causes the alternative Web pages to "pop-up" in a separate Browser window, thus maintaining QCC Web site consistency (see footnote 1);
     • Alternative course materials cannot be of such design to which they require a hosting technology or server extension (i.e. FrontPage Server Extensions) which impose a security vulnerability to the QCC Web Server environment;
     • Alternative course materials must adhere to QCC Web Site rules and regulations pertaining to Copyright, Accessibility, and Privacy as described in this document.
   • Web pages containing time-sensitive information should indicate the revision date.
   • The homepage of every department/organization/office shall have a "contact us" link supplied by the departmental Web Site Coordinator.
   • Links:
     • Requests from other Web Sites to link to the QCC Web Site will be forwarded to and reviewed for approval by the QCC Web Site Committee on a case-by-case basis;
     • The QCC Web Site is not to be used for advertising or other commercial activities. Any request for links to other sites not related to QCC courses should be forwarded to the Web Site committee.;
     • The QCC Web Site will not link directly to any external personal Web sites that are not related to QCC courses;
     • Links to Web sites external to QCC should open a new, dedicated Browser window.1
   • Student Organization Web Sites: Student Organization Web Sites will be available to chartered QCC student organizations and will be overseen by the faculty member or administrator who advises the organization. The Director of Student Activities will serve as the Web Site Coordinator for these sites.
   • Hosting Multimedia Materials : Animations, Audio and Video
     • Location: Multimedia materials will physically reside on a server other than the QCC production Web server
     • Format: A Streaming Media format should be used. The currently recommended streaming format is Microsoft Windows Media
     • Size: Multimedia materials should be broken into reasonably sized pieces (we recommend 30 minutes or less) so that they can be delivered discretely.
   • Hosting Databases and Database Applications
     • Location: Database materials will physically reside on a server other than the QCC production Web server
     • Format: A supported database should be used. Currently recommended databases include Microsoft SQL Server™ and Oracle Corp. Oracle Database™.
     • Size : Databases should be of reasonable size so that they do not cause other Web applications to slow down or malfunction.
   • Hosting Other Web sites on Queensborough Community College Web Server
     • On a case-by-case basis as determined by the Web Committee, Queensborough Community College may provide Web server space for Non-Profit Professional Organizations or Societies. Approved cases will be reviewed once a year by the QCC Web Site Committee.
3. PROCEDURES
   • Procedure for Creating a Departmental Web Site:
     • The Web Site Coordinator will gather information their department would like displayed on the Web site.
     • The Web Site Coordinator completes a Web Services Request form and contacts the QCC Web Master;
       • An appointment will be scheduled with the Web Site Coordinator to discuss the department's needs and to assist in designing the site, placing the gathered information, and identifying the potential need for further compiling of information;
       • Information for the Web site will be submitted to the Academic Computing Center in electronic format (Word document, Excel file, PDF, etc) either prior to or after the meeting with the QCC Web Master;
       • Using the QCC Theme, the site will be created and presented for review by the Web Site Coordinator;
       • Once approved by the Web Site Coordinator, information will be made available on the QCC production Web server.
         Note: Departments are encouraged to be as creative and innovative as possible within the technological criteria set forth in section 2.7
       • Access will be via http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/departmentName
     • Procedure for Establishing an Individual Faculty Member Web Site
       • The faculty member contacts the QCC Web Master;
       • An appointment will be scheduled with the faculty member to discuss his/her needs and to assist in designing and compiling information;
       • Information for the Web Site will be submitted to the Academic Computing Center in electronic form;
       • The Web Site will be created using the QCC Theme or approved Alternative Course Materials Environment (see definition 1.2.11 and see 2.7 for policy), and presented for review by the faculty member;
       • Once approved by the faculty member, information will be made available on the QCC production Web server.
         Note: Faculty members are encouraged to be as creative and innovative as possible within the technological criteria set forth in section 2.7
       • Access will be via http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/departmentName/facultyName
     • Procedure for Creating a Blackboard Course Web Site:
       • On the official start date by the college to allow students to register for the upcoming academic course, the Registrar's Office populates the SIMS system with course information (Course ID, Course Name, and Instructor). 24 Hours after Registrar begins creating courses in SIMS, Blackboard creates empty course shells containing Course ID, Course Name, and Instructor information. Student enrollment is a continuous update process running into the third week of the upcoming semester. This process is entirely automatic.
       • Information will be placed into the Blackboard Course Web site by the faculty member. Please note: The Academic Computing Center is available to assist faculty members in the development of their Blackboard sites.
       • Access will be via the Blackboard login page
       
       Note: It is strongly recommended that those building a Blackboard Web site should take one of the Blackboard workshops given each semester by the Academic Computing Center.
     • 3.4 Procedure for Creating a non-Blackboard Course Web Site:
       • 3.4.1The faculty member contacts the QCC Web Master;
       • 3.4.2An appointment will be scheduled with the faculty member to discuss his/her needs and to assist in designing and compiling information;
       • 3.4.3Information for the Web Site will be submitted to the Academic Computing Center in electronic form unless the faculty member wishes to maintain their own site on the Remote Faculty Web Server;
       • 3.4.4The Web Site will be created using the QCC Theme or approved Alternative Course Materials Environment (see definition 1.2.11 and see 2.7 for policy), and presented for review by the faculty member;
       • 3.4.5Once approved by the faculty member, information will be made available on the QCC production Web server.
       • 3.4.6Access will be via http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/departmentName/facultyName/courseID
     • Procedure for Establishing a Student Organization Web Site:
       • All content will be approved by the advisor for the club or organization; materials will then be forwarded to the Director of Student Activities, who serves as the Student Organization Web Coordinator for these sites.
       • The Student Organization Web Coordinator or his/her representative will contact the QCC Web Master, and submit materials to the Academic Computing Center in electronic form;
       • The Web Site will be created using the QCC Theme and presented for review by the Student Organization Web Coordinator
         • Once approved, information will be made available on the QCC production Web server.
         • Access will be via http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/organizationName
       • Procedure for posting Materials to an Academic Senate Committee Web Site
         • Official and unofficial materials should be sent by the Committee Chair via Email to the QCC Web master
         • The information will then be made available on the QCC production Web server.
         
         NOTE: Documents that have not been voted on by the Senate will be designated as "Unofficial Document of the Academic Senate".
       • Procedure for posting News and Events
         • Materials should be sent via Email to the Director of Marketing (Ruth Griggs Fontana at [email protected]) for validation
         • Validated materials will then be forwarded to the QCC Web Master
         • The information will then be made available on the QCC production Web server.
     • INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND COPYRIGHT
       • Information on the QCC Web Site is guided by the CUNY Intellectual Property Policy.
       • Written permission is required from the owner of copyrighted material (including graphics, video, audio, and text) before copyrighted information can be placed on the QCC Web Site.
       • No portion of the QCC Web Site may link to other Web sites that violate copyright law. Questions pertaining to copyrighted material should be forwarded to the Chair of the QCC Web Site Committee (Ruth Griggs Fontana at [email protected]).
     • ACCESSIBILITY
       • Efforts will be made to ensure that the QCC Web Site is accessible to all users.
     • POLICY REVIEW AND CHANGES
       • Changes to these policies and procedures may be made as often as necessary. Policies and procedures will be reviewed at least once a year by the QCC Web Site Committee.
       • Suggestions for changes to these policies and procedures should be directed to the Chair of the QCC Web Site Committee.
       • The Web Site Committee will be responsible for forwarding suggestions affecting policy and operating procedures to the President of the College.
     • PRIVACY POLICY
       • The QCC Web Site Privacy Policy is guided by the CUNY Web Site Privacy Policy.
       • Information, such as name, address, phone number, etc., provided by visitors to any Queensborough Community College Web page will remain confidential. The information will not be shared with anyone who is not directly affiliated with the college.

     9/18/08

     These policies and procedures were developed after reviewing the policies of other colleges and universities. Microsoft, Internet Information Server, and Blackboard are registered trademarks of their respective owners. February 14, 2007