Rutgers Web Toolkit - University Web Policy

The following requirements apply to all web pages that provide official information about Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, to the public. Personal pages and pages that are intended primarily for restricted, internal audiences are excluded from these requirements. *All pages must also conform to the Acceptable Use Policy for Computing and Information Technology Resources.

The web is one of the key ways that Rutgers presents itself to the public. In many cases, our web pages form a reader’s first impression about Rutgers. (Please see the Visual Identity System for information on the importance of brand and identity.)

To present a consistent, professional image, it is crucial that all Rutgers web pages clearly establish their relationship with the university.

All Rutgers websites must include:

1) Rutgers Identity
The Rutgers logo must appear on the main/home page of all sites. Rutgers universitywide logos are available on the Rutgers Visual Identity System web site. In rare cases where the university logo conflicts with the design of the page, it is acceptable to prominently feature the words “Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.” No university trademarks may be altered or manipulated in any way nor merged with or placed directly against any other logo. This applies to ALL Rutgers logos and trademarks, including, for example, the Old Queen's crown logo, the "1766" logo, and all athletics logos. Contact Eve Burris (732/445-3710, ext. 6215) for guidance.

2) Link to One of the Following:

a) Campus-Specific Home Page
	The main page of each site must have an easily identifiable link to a Rutgers campus home page (http://nb.rutgers.edu, http://camden.rutgers.edu, http://newark.rutgers.edu) appropriate to your unit.
		*-OR-*
b) Universitywide Home Page
	The home pages of websites for universitywide units should include a Rutgers logo with the words “Return to RU Main Site” that is linked back to http://www.rutgers.edu.

3) Contact Information
Top-level pages must include complete contact information for the unit (address, phone, fax, and email) or a clearly visible link to that information.

4) Email Link
Each page must have an email address or a link to the person or group responsible for maintaining the page.

5) Copyright
All sites must abide by copyright law and respect the intellectual property of others. For details, see the Copyright Information page on the Rutgers University Libraries website. Web pages should display the following: © 2005, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. All rights reserved. (The HTML character code for the copyright symbol © is: ©).

6) Web Application Login Screens
Passwords and other authentication information should be protected at the same level as the data that they control. Any application dealing with standard university passwords (those associated with the NetID, or with accounts on OIT administrative or general-access campus systems) must protect transmission of the passwords using SSL or an equivalent technology. Applications that capture and transmit “nonpublic” information — such as name, address, social security number (SSN), credit card number, and birth date — should also use SSL.

Please note the NetID/Email policy. This policy mandates transition away from use of the SSN for authentication. No new applications may be written using the SSN for authentication, and existing applications must be transitioned. While the document states that the NetID must be used, this does not apply to internal departmental applications, where the department has its own usernames. However, even departmental applications may not use the SSN for authentication.

Please review other computing policies at Rutgers for more information about security, and the management of computer systems.

All Rutgers websites must also adhere to the following:

7) Information Accuracy and Timeliness
Site information must be accurate and up-to-date. Make sure it is reviewed regularly. Out-of-date names, dates, and other facts do not help users and reflect poorly on you, your department, and the university.

8) High Proofreading Standards
All pages must be free of spelling errors. In addition to using a spell-checker, proofread material carefully and have a “second set of eyes” review it too.

9) Link Integrity
Make sure that all links are accurate and working. Test each link manually or use a link checker (such as Dr. Watson) to test the entire page. Recheck links regularly to make sure they are still operating.

10) Accessibility
At a minimum, essential information and functions must be available in an alternative form. When you use this option, place a pointer to the alternative means on the top-level page.

*Personal pages and pages that are intended primarily for restricted, internal audiences are excluded from these requirements. However, all pages must conform to the Acceptable Use Policy for Computing and Information Technology Resources.