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Web Publishing procedure

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Section 1 - Preamble

(1) This Procedure was approved by the Vice-Chancellor on 29 March 2004 and incorporates all amendments to 5 October 2023.

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Section 2 - Purpose

(2) To outline the processes required to maintain a high quality of web content for the University.

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Section 3 - Scope

(3) This Procedure applies University-wide.

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Section 4 - Policy

(4) This Procedure is pursuant to the Web Publishing Policy.

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Section 5 - Procedure

(5) The University Web Manager is responsible for overseeing the quality of web content and will maintain a register of Service Group Managers and Designated Web Managers for University internet and intranet sites published on the Deakin Domain (deakin.edu.au) and internet sites hosted on the Deakin Domain for third parties, e.g. research groups, conferences.

(6) Social media sites that are intended officially to represent the University must be approved and registered with the Marketing and Recruitment and comply with the Social Media Policy. Registration details must include the name of the Designated Web Manager and a second contact person.

(7) Service Group Managers are responsible for providing expert business understanding for key strategic websites, including:

  1. championing the needs of the relevant audience and advocating the centralisation of information and services to meet audience needs
  2. oversight of the creation, management and maintenance of content relevant to the audience, ensuring the accuracy and currency of information published
  3. working with service group members from across the University to design and deliver information and processes efficiently and effectively
  4. regularly monitoring and reporting on content, systems and services within the sites for which they are responsible.

(8) Designated Web Managers must comply with the guidelines set out on the Digital Centre of Excellence website and ensure:

  1. The appropriate use of the Deakin brand identity and standard, and consistency in style, presentation and site navigational features.
  2. The accuracy, currency and accessibility of information published, and regular monitoring of any user generated content to facilitate timely personalised responses to enquiries and comments.
  3. That websites do not publish the personal information of staff, students or others without prior consent, and that content complies with the Privacy policy.
  4. Contact information for staff, which may include photographs, titles, locations and phone numbers will be published on appropriate Faculty, School and organisational unit websites and the online staff directory.
  5. All web content complies with this Procedure and other relevant University policies and procedures.

(9) Designated Web Managers, with the approval of the head of their organisational unit or nominee, may submit requests to the University Web Manager for exemptions from the standard Deakin 'look and feel' of websites. Exemption may be granted for sites that:

  1. deliver materials, information or services specifically developed to be of interest to the wider community rather than directly related to the University's core business
  2. are hosted under a domain name other than the Deakin Domain.

(10) CloudDeakin administrators in organisational units are responsible for the content of non-unit-based sites; Unit Chairs are responsible for the content of CloudDeakin teaching sites. CloudDeakin content, including materials uploaded to CloudDeakin, such as media files and text documents, must comply with the Digital Accessibility Guidelines and the Copyright Guidelines and Requirements.

(11) The University Web Manager will direct the Web Business Owner, the Service Group Manager or the Designated Web Manager to amend websites that breach the guidelines set out on the Web Information and Management website. The University Web Manager may remove or disable non-compliant sites.

(12) Claims of copyright infringement on a Deakin website will be dealt with in accordance with the process specified in the Copyright procedure.

(13) On receipt of a notice of claimed copyright infringement on a social media site that officially represents the University, the Designated Web Manager will remove, or disable access to, the copyright material, in accordance with the Copyright procedure.

(14) Online academic journals may be hosted on the Deakin Domain only if a Deakin staff member takes responsibility for the website and has editorial control. The staff member must ensure that the journal complies with the common law, legislation, and University policies and procedures and does not place the University at risk of litigation.

(15) Staff members and some students may host webpages (personal webpages) on the University website only if these pages are directly related to the user's work or study at the University. Web space will be made available only to:

  1. Academic staff members for publication of information related to research or teaching
  2. Professional staff members for publication of information directly related to their work at the University, where approval has been granted by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Global Engagement
  3. students undertaking a higher degree by research, where approval has been granted by their Head of School
  4. other students, only where it is determined by the Unit Chair that web space for individuals is required for the unit in which they are enrolled and only for the duration of the unit.

(16) If the University Web Manager or the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Global Engagement, or the Director, National Recruitment considers that a website may breach the common law, legislation and/or University policies or procedures, the staff member or student who is responsible for the site will be contacted and directed to amend it.

(17) If the staff member or student fails to make the appropriate amendments, the University Web Manager or the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Global Engagement, or the Director, National Recruitment may remove non-compliant sites, or contact hosting companies of social media sites and request removal of non-compliant sites.

(18) In addition, disciplinary proceedings may be instituted. The staff member or student who is responsible for the site may appeal against the decision of the University Web Manager or the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Global Engagement, or the Director, National Recruitment to the Vice-Chancellor whose decision will be final.

(19) Staff members will submit requests to the University Web Manager to:

  1. host a University site on an External Web Server
  2. use, purchase or delegate domain names that do not follow the standard convention (deakin.edu.au)
  3. engage an external consultant to design University websites.

(20) The University Web Manager will forward all such requests to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Global Engagement or the Director, National Recruitment for consideration.

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Section 6 - Definitions

(21) For the purpose of this Procedure:

  1. Deakin Domain: 'deakin.edu.au', which is owned by the University and managed by the University Web Manager.
  2. Designated Web Manager: the person responsible for the management of technical aspects of a website. Where sites are social media sites officially representing the University, hosted on external domains (e.g. online communities, Facebook, Twitter) the Designated Web Manager is responsible for providing leadership and oversight.
  3. External Web Server: a web server not located within the Deakin network.
  4. Service Group Manager: the person responsible for providing leadership of websites of strategic importance.
  5. Social Media: the use of web-based technologies to establish social dialogues based on the premise of user-generated content. Social media sites may be hosted on external domains (e.g. Facebook, Twitter) or may be hosted on the Deakin Domain for the University or for third parties, e.g. research groups, conferences (see Social Media Policy).
  6. Web Business Owner: the person responsible for oversight of a website, e.g. Pro Vice-Chancellors are business owners of Faculty websites, Directors are business owners of Division websites and Service Group Managers are business owners of audience-focused websites.