New UCSC website

August 26, 2010

To: UCSC Community
Fr: Barry Shiller, AVC, Communications & Marketing
Re: Newly designed campus website

Late this evening, a newly designed campus web home page and related secondary pages, supported by a new content management system, are scheduled to go live. The structure and design of these pages reflect input from academic and staff personnel; students; alumni; and others.

This is part of an ongoing comprehensive web improvement program, commissioned in late 2008 by Chancellor Blumenthal and CPEVC Kliger. Co-led by University Relations and Information Technology Services, this initiative also involves the adoption and implementation of an enterprise-wide system for managing website content, the development of clear guidelines for UCSC web sites, and an updated definition of web services supported centrally by the campus.

These web enhancements are intended to aid efforts to promote UCSC's many strengths and distinctions; recruit students, faculty and staff; increase private financial support; and provide a clear, accessible information portal for faculty, staff, students, and others.

In early September, the Humanities Division, two of its departments, and Porter College sites are scheduled to transition to the new design and architecture within the campus Web Content Management System (WCMS). Other partners in the pilot phase of this project will transition their sites in coming months.

More information about this comprehensive effort is available at: http://www.ucsc.edu/redesign/

Your input is valued. Please share any comments via the Feedback link that will appear at the bottom of each revamped web page.

Many people have worked tirelessly on this intensive, complex project. On behalf of Vice Chancellors (and project co-sponsors) Donna Murphy and Mary Doyle, please join me in expressing appreciation to all who have contributed — and in celebrating this first visible milestone.