New web site debuts Tuesday
At noon Tuesday, Dec. 21, we will launch the first wave of migrations to the new web site content management system (CMS), and you will see a new online face for UND.edu. Over the following several weeks, the remaining departments and organizations will be brought on board until the entire UND Community is serving their web presence from the same centralized CMS. Enterprise level cost savings, quality control, and cross-promotion of content are just a few of the tremendous advantages to a centralized CMS.
Many people have contributed to the current success of this project beginning with President Kelley and his Cabinet in identifying the need and establishing the Web Oversight Council, co-led by Joshua Riedy and Peter Johnson, and comprised of faculty, staff and students. All college deans, heads of UND organizations and many other personnel have contributed to making this a reality.
Head of technology for the new site is Nathan Clough and his team consisting of developers Michael Walls, Jeffrey Barron, and Malvika Pimplé; designer Kelicia Samuelson; and calendar developer Joshua Dale. Head of content is managing editor, Amanda Hvidsten and her team consisting of editors Craig Garass-Johnson and Heather Bushaw, and 75+ content developers from all areas of campus.
We also are excited to welcome the most recent additions to the web team of events reporter, Lacey Erickson (UND ’10), and videographer Jordan Simon (UND ’10). In addition, we will be forming a cadre of part-time student news reporter positions.
Online is a world where “Content is King”. Consequently, along with a new site, there will come a new way of doing business online for UND. Over the next several months, we will evolve our site operations from its current form into a daily electronic newsroom. UND.edu will mirror this great University and be an entity in a constant state of evolution. Future versions of the web site will involve collaborative initiatives among The University of North Dakota and the city and community of Grand Forks. This undertaking is very much a team effort. If you are reading this email, you are part of that team. Thank you for that.
As we strive to make things better, suggestions/feedback are encouraged and should be sent directly to the web team (webteam@mail.und.edu).
For more background on web team/content developers and web project: http://webdevelopment.und.edu/team/.
— Tim DeBolt, director, University eMarketing and Communications, Timothy.debolt@email.und.edu, 777-3461.
