TEAM 1
SBS Websites Initiative Project
A. Introduction to the Department Head and Business Manager
1. The Dean, JP Jones III, has provided an initiative to help all of the Departments and Units under the umbrella of the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences. In order to help departments with a professional web presence, to aid in profile, image and visibility to all audiences, and to provide departments with the ability to maintain their own online materials, SBS Technical Services has taken on the project. This project is called the SBS Websites Initiative Project. Please refer to the email sent out by JP Jones on April 7, 2010.
B. In layman’s terms, what are departments getting from this project?
1. A free website (no more contracts, outside vendors, dept funding, or students who graduate and leave!)
2. A website that works the same way you maintain Facebook, MySpace or any personal blog (the same technology!)
3. Free training for your people to learn how to maintain it !
4. Free support (that means no worries about security, server-side upgrades!)
5. A website that has so many options, you’ll be surprised what you can put up on the website yourself!
6. Faculty and Staff and Grad Students can just log in and update their own Profile page at will!
C. How is this project being implemented?
The project is headed by Brian Atkinson. The roll-out is happening as follows
1. Website Committee established.
2. Website design selected.
3. Website template for the departments developed.
4. Training team established internally.
5. SBS Tech teams meet with departments to establish webmasters and needs.
6. SBS Tech teams create websites with the cooperation of department liaisons.
7. Department websites are launched upon completion with approval of the Department.
D. Why is this project being implemented?
1. Because of the budget cuts, departments cannot afford to hire full-time web professionals, a necessary requirement for assuring security of the site, UA compliance requirements and server-side maintenance.
2. Because Departments require that their websites be up to real-world technological standards.
3. Because Departments demand that a website act as functional promotional and informational tool.
4. Because Departments need a tool that will help them keep online information up to date on a daily basis.
5. Because the College of SBS needs a consistent look and format to promote a unified academic approach.
For questions or concerns, please contact Brian Atkinson, Director, SBS Technical Services, College of SBS.
The SBS template website is located at sbs.arizona.edu/department