Website

Op12.02-11 Website Policy

Missouri State University is committed to providing current and accurate information to its students, faculty and staff, and to the citizens of the global community. The university recognizes the use of the internet and the World Wide Web as effective avenues for promoting interactive communications with its constituencies.

Taxpayers, students and others providing funding for Missouri State technology resources expect that these assets will be used and offered equitably. Further, they expect use of these resources to support the university's purpose of developing educated persons and mission of public affairs.

To ensure compliance with these expectations, the university requires users of its website to follow the web policies. Additionally, this policy is subject to all other information technology policies.

This policy applies to any website that is hosted through university resources, has a missouristate.edu web address, or that represents the university or the professional persona of its employees. A website is any collection of content offered through the web, including, but not limited to, traditional sites, blogs and applications.

The university owns the content residing on any university web server or within any official website, except as otherwise provided in applicable university policies or state or federal laws.

1. Responsibility

The director of the web strategy and development department is responsible for overseeing and maintaining the university's websites by ensuring compliance with brand guidelines, content, web policies and guidelines, accessibility policy and guidelines.

The department of web strategy and development is responsible for maintaining the university’s website, content management system (CMS), training and providing support for site editors and administrators.

Each website type has a supervisor and site editor. These website supervisors and editors are responsible for all aspects of their websites' pages, including the content, accessibility, maintenance and accuracy of the information. Ultimately, the website editors are responsible for ensuring compliance of their websites with this and all other applicable university policies and license agreements.

2. Official websites

Official websites are those sponsored by Missouri State University. They include websites hosted on the university's web servers and hosting accounts. Official websites utilize the university’s approved content management systems (CMS). Official websites must be approved by the director of web strategy and development.

In unique instances, an exemption for an outsourced site may be provided by the director of web strategy and development. Web strategy and development does not provide support for outsourced websites and outsourced sites will not be hosting on university webservers or hosting accounts.

Official websites may contain only official Missouri State web content.

Official websites are divided into the types below:

Central

Administrator: Director of web strategy and development.
Description: Top-level websites and content, marketing sites that consolidate information from several departments.

University Unit

Administrator: Supervisor of the unit.
Description: Information about the unit, such as academic programs and services offered, contact information and faculty/staff names.

Marketing

Administrator: Supervisor of the unit.
Description: Marketing content to drive enrollment, interest or participation in a college, school, program, conference, or event.

Research and Labs

Administrator: Supervisor of the university unit.
Description: Information such as presentations, publications, research information and resources.

Sponsored Organizations

Administrator: Supervisor of organization.
Description: Information about the organization's role at Missouri State University, such as membership, meeting times and links to external affiliations.

Outsourced Sites

Administrator: Supervisor of the division unit or organization.
Description: Information about the division’s, unit’s or organization’s role, such as athletics, alumni, foundation, school newspaper, sponsored organizations and centers.

3. Unofficial websites

Missouri State does not create, manage or host unofficial websites. Unofficial websites do not constitute official university business or statements, and the university does not endorse, regulate or actively monitor the content of these websites. However, the university will investigate complaints involving unofficial websites and reserves the right to encourage the removal of content or block material that violates federal or state law or university policy.

Examples of unofficial websites include:

Personal

Includes personal information, research, interests or other content from an individual. Personal faculty or staff websites are not to be housed within the university content management system or hosted on Missouri State University web servers or hosting accounts.

External organization

Information about the organization's role at Missouri State University, such as membership, meeting times and links to external affiliations.

Staging

Used for testing programming, code, web pages or applications. May not be used as public production sites, for course delivery or referenced within any official websites or other publications.

Other

Any other website not approved, created or hosted by Missouri State University.

4. Website guidelines

All official university websites must adhere to the following guidelines:

Acceptable Use
University websites must comply with the acceptable use policy and ensure university resources are utilized for university-related purposes.

Accessibility
In accordance with the accessibility policy, Missouri State University strives to ensure all users, regardless of disability, can access official university websites. As such, all official university websites must comply with the web accessibility guidelines.

Commercial activity
It is not acceptable to use any official or unofficial university website for commercial activities without an approved exemption from the Chief Information Officer, in consultation with the Vice President for Marketing and Communication. Review the commercial activity policy for details.

Credit card processing
When collecting online payments, university websites must use either direct links to external storefronts or vendor-supplied integrations approved by financial services and computer services. The Content Management System is not to be used for credit card processing.

Domain names
Official websites must be in the university's official domain: missouristate.edu. Missouri State will not host outside domains, such as those ending in .com or .org, without an approved exemption from the director of web strategy and development.

Sub -domains, www.example.missouristate.edu , are reserved for colleges, schools and academics.

Unofficial websites may not use the official domain or domain structure

Intellectual property
The university reserves the right to identify copyrightable materials on university-owned resources. The university also investigates reported copyright violations.

Intellectual property, including works subject to copyright, require written consent prior to publication on the web. Providing notice and obtaining consent are the responsibilities of the website supervisor requesting publication. A record of the consent must be maintained as long as the content is online. Consent obtained by electronic means will be considered adequate. Review the web guidelines and use of copyrighted materials for educational and research purposes policies for more information.

Privacy
University websites must comply with the Privacy Policy to protect accounts and personal information.

Releases
University websites must comply with the Image, Voice or Likeness Release Policy for photography, video and similar content.

Site storage
The university's computing and networking resources are limited; thus official websites may only contain current web content that supports university functions or programs. Website supervisors and editors may not store personal content, work-related files or non-public facing files in any space designated for official websites.

The content management system may not be used for file storage or file archives.

Social Media
University websites must comply with university social media guidelines.

Style and layout requirements
Official websites must include the standard university masthead and footer on all pages. University websites must use the existing design styles, design components and templates found in the university Content Management system and as defined in the Missouri State Web Design System and brand guidelines.

Fonts, headings, colors, structures, layouts, etc. that do not exist within the Web Design System are not to be created using inline styles, source code modifications or by other means.

Usage of seal and logos
Web editors must follow the guidelines set forth in the university brand.

Line of Authority

Responsible administrator and office: Vice President, Marketing and Communication

Contact person in that office: Director of Web Strategy and Development

Effective date: May 13, 2025