West Virginia University

Communicating on the Web

4.1 Official Web Pages

Web pages produced in direct support of and sponsored by WVU colleges, schools, offices, departments, and programs are considered official WVU Web pages and are subject to review and approval by WVU Web Services. Please note that the designs for the WVU home page, college pages, recruiting portal, and other Web pages are reserved for those specific groups and may not be reused, copied, or duplicated in part without permission from WVU Web Services. The information in sections 4.3 through 4.6 is provided if you wish to work on Web page ideas before consulting WVU Web Services. Please note that the design of the WVU home page, college pages, Admissions recruiting portal, President’s page, vice presidents’ pages, and several others are reserved for those specific groups and may not be reused or copied. Departments must contact Web Services before linking to dot com sites. Please contact Web Services at Web_Services@mail.wvu.edu or call 293-5305 before starting any designs or publishing any new Web pages that were not designed by Web Services.

4.2 Unofficial Web Pages

Pages developed for personal communication by WVU employees and students are considered unofficial Web pages. If you are working on a personal Web page, you should not imply that you are sponsored by or are speaking on behalf of the University. Also, you should not include the WVU logomark, logotype, seal, Mountaineer, or any other WVU trademark on a personal Web page without receiving approval from WVU Trademark Licensing Services. Do not link your Web page to inappropriate sites. Unofficial Web pages should be hosted at community.wvu.edu.

4.3 Use of WVU Logos on the Web

WVU Web Services provides official graphics for use on official WVU Web pages. You may download these here. If you would like one of the logos in a different color, or on a different color background, e-mail Web_Services@mail.wvu.edu. The official flying WV logos produced by WVU Web Services have a slight drop shadow for Web page creation only. These graphics are not to be used in print; follow the print requirements for printed pieces (see section 1). Use the following guidelines when using the official WVU logos on the Web:

  • The “flying WV” should not be animated.
  • Use the official logos with the ® or registered trademark symbol for the flying WV and the words “West Virginia University.”
  • Do not create your own designs using the text “West Virginia University.” Since nothing can be imposed on top of the “flying WV,” it cannot be used as a watermark in the background with text over it.

4.4 Common Elements

All official WVU Web pages must have the following common elements:

  • Official WVU logo in the top left (see 4.3 for proper use of the WVU logo on the Web).
  • For the WVU home page and related www.wvu.edu back pages: Standard navigation that includes links to the WVU site index, Campus Maps, WVU Jobs, WVU directory, and WVU search, as in the example below:

Standard Navigation for WVU homepage

Standard navigation from the WVU home page

For all other WVU pages: Standard navigation that includes links to the WVU home page, WVU site index, WVU directory, and WVU search. For example:

Standard Navigation Bar-example-Philosophy

Standard navigation from the Dept. of Philosophy home page

  • Contact information, including physical address, e-mail address, phone number, and, if available, fax number, must appear on every page.
  • A footer that includes copyright information, the e-mail address of the person who maintains the site, and the date of the page’s last update.
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Philosophy footer
Footer from the Dept. of Philosophy Web site

  • The official WVU colors, gold (#FFCC00) and blue (#003366) hexadecimal values, should be used in bars, buttons, and lettering. Variations and complementary colors can be used for backgrounds or large tables, but they should coordinate with the official colors. Optional common elements are links to the WVU campus map, the WVU calendar, and the college with which your department or program is affiliated.

4.5 Accessibility

As a state entity, WVU is required to have Web pages that are accessible to the disabled according to Section 508 of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Use the following techniques to help make your Web site accessible:

  • Use alt text for images and graphics.
  • Provide alternative presentations of elements that are Java, Flash, or Java- Script-based.
  • Provide transcripts of all video and audio content.
  • Avoid using frames in your Web design.

For more information on Web accessibility guidelines, see www.w3.org/wai/guid-tech.html or contact WVU Web Services at web_services@mail.wvu.edu.

4.6 Topics to Consider When Building Your Web Page

For more topics, see www.usability.gov/.

  • Emphasize the highest priority tasks
  • Use user-focused language. Label sections and categories according to the value they hold for the user.
  • Avoid clever phrases and marketing language that require users to work too hard to figure out what you’re saying.
  • On first use, spell out abbreviations and acronyms, and immediately follow them by the abbreviation.
  • Begin links with the information-carrying word and keep links as specific and brief as possible. Don’t use “Click Here” as your link text.
  • If linking to anything other than another Web page (e.g., PDF file, e-mail message, or audio or video file), make sure the link indicates what will happen when the user clicks on the link.
  • Locate the primary navigation in a highly noticeable place, preferably directly adjacent to the main body of the page.
  • Edit photos and diagrams appropriately for the display size. Images with picture elements should be saved as .jpg. Images with flat color elements should be saved in .gif format. Both image types should adhere to the RGB color specification. Image resolution for the Web should be 72 dpi. The image editors’ “Save for Web” or similar feature should be used if available.
  • Don’t use animation solely to draw attention to an item. Never animate critical elements of the page, such as the logo, tag line, or main headline.
  • Use high-contrast text and background colors so that type is as legible as possible.
  • Take users to your “real” home page when they type your main URL or click a link to your site; don’t use splash screens.

Adapted from “Homepage Usability: 50 Websites Deconstructed” by Jakob Nielsen and Marie Tahir (New Riders, 2001).

4.7 Additional Resources

If you need help with advanced Web technologies or would like a professional design for your site, contact web_services@mail.wvu.edu.