I. Policy Information
Policy Title: Use of University Digital Assets Policy
Policy Owner: UIS Department of Strategic Communication
Responsible Official: Associate Chancellor for Strategic Communication
Approved by: UIS Chancellor
Date Approved: 3.4.25
Effective Date: 3.4.25
Targeted Review Date: 3.4.28
Contact: kgurs2@uis.edu
Related Policies and Procedures:
- UIS Social Media Guidelines
- UIS Social Media Moderation Guidelines
- UIS Acceptable Use Policy
- Website Procedures and Guidance
II. Scope
This policy applies to all UIS faculty, staff and students and governs the use of the following:
- The websites and webpages that reside on the primary UIS web servers (“University Websites”) and/or are an affiliated website (“University Affiliated Website”) with the University of Illinois Springfield;
- university social media sites, including department and unit sites;
This policy does not apply to personal social media accounts or social media accounts for non-university organizations, such as registered student organizations or employee unions.
III. Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to ensure the UIS digital presence is managed in accordance with state and federal laws as well as university and system policies.
IV. Statement of Policy
All content on university websites or university social media sites must comply with University policy and procedure and can be removed by the university for noncompliance.
All content on university websites or university social media sites must comply with digital accessibility rules and guidelines.
Individuals who violate policies and procedures contained in this document may have their web or social media account privileges suspended or terminated by the Department of Strategic Communication.
Regarding University Websites and University Affiliated Websites:
- UIS websites are university property with a primary purpose of university business, including but not limited to administrative, recruiting and admissions matters. University property and resources, including university websites and webpages, must not be used in violation of university policy, including but not limited for use in prohibited political activities (as set forth and defined by the Illinois State Officials and Employees Ethics Act), to unlawfully harass and/or discriminate, or for unauthorized commercial purposes. Departments or units should not post on their unit website statements regarding external events that are not directly tied to the unit’s core administration function, academic research, or teaching activities.
- The UIS Office of Web and Digital Strategy (WDS) is responsible for managing, maintaining and governing the use of the UIS web presence, in conjunction with the UIS Information Technology Services department and the University Web Team, composed of Web Supervisors from university divisions. WDS is responsible for managing and upholding the guidelines and procedures for the UIS web presence. A full list of guidelines and procedures is on the Office of Web and Digital Strategy website.
- WDS acts as technical developers, constructing websites and the software used to maintain them. WDS does not create content for official unit websites. Content creation and maintenance is the responsibility of the individual unit. Accuracy of website content is the responsibility of the Editors and Publishers of the website.
- All unit website files, such as information and policy pages, databases, applications, photos, media files, etc., must reside in the unit website or in an account designated by the Web Server Administrator. These files may not reside in Personal Web Accounts, eDocs/Box accounts, or on off-campus servers. Course-related content is not permissible on the main uis.edu website.
- All University of Illinois and UIS policies pertaining to appropriate use of information technology apply to university websites, including provisions related to prohibitions on commercial advertising, banner ads, and UI endorsements on University servers.
- Employees or authorized students who wish to create or edit a unit website should contact their unit Web Liaison.
- “Self-hosted” faculty websites using uis.edu (including uisacad.uis.edu) must comply with all University policies and procedures, including but not limited to Acceptable Use Policy, FERPA, and accessibility requirements. Active course content should not be on self-hosted sites, and past course content, if provided, must comply with all university policies, procedures and laws.
Regarding university social media:
- The UIS Office of Media Strategy has oversight authority over all university social media accounts, including department and unit (“unit” accounts. The creation of new or maintenance of unit social media accounts is subject to approval by the UIS Office of Media Strategy.
- All posts (including any content or media contained in posts) made by UIS unit social media accounts belong to UIS.
- Unit-level social media accounts are considered university accounts and must be used only to speak on behalf of UIS and must not be used for personal purposes. Units or individuals should not use university social media accounts to disseminate statements on external events that are not directly tied to the unit’s core administrative, academic research or teaching activities.
- Social media should be used to engage audiences in a manner that protects the brand and good reputation of UIS.
- Social media must only include content that is truthful and best represents UIS.
- UIS Media Strategy retains complete discretion over whether to grant or deny approval for new social media accounts, to allow existing social media accounts to continue, and to create, modify or delete any posts on UIS social media accounts.
- Please refer to the UIS Social Media Guidelines page for additional requirements.
V. Definitions
The following definitions are used for the purposes of this policy only:
University Website:
The main UIS.edu server and/or any domain containing UIS.edu or website hosted on university servers or cloud services through a university contract or agreement. This includes self-hosted faculty websites.
University Affiliated Website:
Any website representing official UIS business that is external to the main uis.edu server and domain through a university contract or agreement.
University Web Team:
The Division Web Supervisors, the UIS Website Developer, the UIS Web Server Administrator, and a representative from the UIS Media Strategy or Marketing departments comprise the University Web Team and govern all matters related to the primary UIS website (uis.edu).
Official UIS Unit Websites and Webpages:
These websites and webpages include any academic program or administrative support unit websites or any other webpage designated by the University Web Team or the Office of Web and Digital Strategy as important to the marketing, service, and informational goals as expressed in the Purpose of this policy. These pages include but are not limited to any website and/or page that resides on UIS servers and/or uses the uis.edu domain.
Authorized User:
A person who has received a designation as a Web Liaison, Website Editor, or Website Publisher.
Web Supervisor:
A person designated by the Vice Chancellor of each UIS division to oversee university websites originating from their division. Each division appoints one or more Web Supervisor – a dean, department head, or other full-time employee—who is responsible for assuring the accuracy of information on that division’s unit websites and for overall management of websites in their division. Web Supervisors will delegate responsibilities related to unit web accounts to Website Editors and Website Publishers.
Web Liaison:
A person designated by each unit head to oversee the unit websites on a daily basis. Web Liaisons act as the point-of-contact for their unit and assist Website Editors and employees within their unit with making updates and approving and publishing content changes. Web Liaisons are responsible for maintaining and updating their unit website content. Web Liaisons also have access to submit requests for new users to become an editor on their site. Web Liaisons can submit a Website Project Request to request permission changes and give new users access.
Website Publisher:
A person who has been given technical “permission” to publish content, schedule content to be published, and approve and publish others’ content within their unit. This person may or may not also be the Website Liaison. Only full-time UIS staff or faculty members may serve as a Publisher or Web Liaison for an official Unit Website.
Website Editor:
A person who has been assigned the task of making updates to a unit’s website. This person does not have technical “permission” to publish content on the website. This person must save the page and submit for “Needs Review” for a staff member within the Office of Web and Digital Strategy to review content for usability, accessibility and to publish or update the changes made to the websites. If there is a Website Publisher within the unit, the Website Editor can save the page for “Unit Review,” and the Publisher can review, work with the editor on any required updates, and publish the content for the editor.
The UIS Office of Web and Digital Strategy maintains a complete and up-to-date list of all official unit Web Editors and Publishers.
Web Server:
A UIS computer that contains necessary software to link the accounts contained therein to the UIS World Wide Web presence, i.e., any website with a URL ending in “uis.edu.” Websites with URLs that do not end in “uis.edu” but that reside on UIS Web Servers are subject to the official UIS Web Policy.
Unit:
A UIS academic or administrative program or campus unit, including any grant-funded or outreach program. UIS Web Servers: See the Information Technology Services Network and Server Services page for specific information about web and other servers operated by the ITS department on the UIS campus. Lists of servers and campus web personnel is maintained by the ITS department.