MISSION OF THE TAMIU INTERNET
COMMITTEE
The TAMIU Internet Committee
Members
| Dr. Edward Willman | willman@tamiu.edu | General |
| College of Science & Technology | ||
| Mr. Steve Harmon | harmon@tamiu.edu | Executive offices |
| Dr. Gary Masters | gmasters@tamiu.edu | Library, AEC, Cont. Ed. |
| Ms. Vicky Garcia | vgarcia@tamiu.edu | Student Affairs |
| Dr. Gary Aguiar | gaguiar@tamiu.edu | College of Arts Humanities |
| Dr. Linda C. Medearis | lmedearis@tamiu.edu | College of Education |
| College of Business | ||
| Mr. Jose D. Moctezuma | joe@tamiu.edu | Business Office, Police, Physical Plant and BPGC |
| Ms. Elizabeth Martinez | enmartinez@tamiu.edu | HR and Purchasing |
| Mr. Lakshmana Viswanath | vis@tamiu.edu | CTS and General |
CREATING WEB PAGES ON TAMIU WEB SITE
Home pages may be created by officially constituted academic
departments, programs, centers, or institutes; by administrative
departments; and all TAMIU organizations. TAMIU employees may
also create individual home pages. In the future, pages developed
by individual students will be accommodated within the
university's web site.
In order for materials to be added to the TAMIU web site, the
following steps are necessary:
1. Request and obtain consent from the appropriate department
head or university sponsor for materials to be added to the TAMIU
Web page.
2. Complete and forward an Initial Request Form to the Chair
of the TAMIU Internet Committee.
3. The TAMIU Internet Committee representative will meet with
the requesting unit within 5 to 10 working days and provide
guidelines for development of the home page.
4. Computer and Telecommunications Services (CTS) will
periodically provide training sessions on developing, entering
and maintaining information on the TAMIU Web site.
5. Space on the World Wide Web will be provided to requesting
units in accordance with the Guidelines outlined below.
6. When ready to publish the page, submit your request to the
Chair of the TAMIU Internet Committee who will present the page
to the committee for approval.
CONTENT GUIDELINES
The University home page presents the University to a worldwide community. Therefore, it must be timely and accurate. All pages associated with the TAMIU home page must strengthen the University's identity and mission. As such, any web page not in compliance with the TAMIU Style Guide either through style or content will be withheld or, if already posted, removed until it is brought into compliance.
MINIMUM BASIC STANDARDS
Information to help maintain the quality of the web pages on TAMIU's web is published in the TAMIU Web Page Style Guide. Links to sites that conflict with the mission of the University will not be made. Wherever needed, links to specific sites on the home page should be made rather than duplicating material. This will reduce duplication of effort and help ensure consistency and accuracy of information. Some inappropriate uses of the home page include:
MAINTENANCE OF OFFICIAL PAGES
Each vice-president is responsible for the official
information created or maintained by his or her area of
responsibility. Vice-presidents may delegate the management of
this official information to department heads, deans, or
directors as appropriate. Only the Vice President or the
designated information managers may change the content of the
information they manage. The responsible individuals must
routinely review the official information placed on the Web by
their staff to ensure its timeliness and accuracy. Proper
surveillance will ensure the highest standards and compliance
with all TAMIU policies and procedures as well as state and
federal laws.
UNOFFICIAL "COURTESY" WEB PAGES
Unofficial TAMIU "Courtesy" web pages are pages
developed by employees, student clubs, unions or other employee
groups. In the future, "courtesy" pages by individual
students will be accommodated within the university's web site.
Official student organizations may create web pages. Subject to
review and approval, pages may be linked to an appropriate web
page managed by the university coordinator of student
organizations. The university sponsor of each organization will
routinely review the content of the student organization's web
page. Individuals requesting courtesy home pages must sign a
statement agreeing to follow guidelines set forth by the TAMIU
Internet committee as outlined in this document.
TAMIU is committed to fostering a working and learning environment in which all persons treat others with humanity and respect. Every student is expected to conduct himself/herself in a manner that will not discredit or harm the University or its members. Pages may be removed from the TAMIU Web site at any time if the TAMIU Internet Committee determines that their content is inappropriate, or they hamper official university activities or are found to violate federal or state law or TAMIU policy.
I. Overview:
This Style Guide is intended to provide a standard of identity
for the Texas A&M International University Home Page
(http://www.tamiu.edu) and approved online publications. It is
not intended to restrain individuality in design, but rather to
offer an accessible set of elements, overall style and page grid
that create a standard of identity that is cohesive and
consistent with Texas A&M International's existing graphic
identity.
It is important that our graphic identity (print or
electronic) be linked with existing publications in order to
project a consistent University identity. This consistency in
identity will assist us in communicating more effectively with
both external and internal audiences.
Every effort will be made to assure that the newest
information delivery technologies support our University mission.
As this is a dynamic and changing medium, this Style Guide
provides a preliminary structure and a philosophical foundation
to anchor the development of contributions to the World Wide Web.
This Style Guide will be reviewed, evaluated, and updated on
an ongoing basis to provide a contemporary, user-friendly
presence. Updates and changes will be communicated on-line and in
hard copy.
Initial design templates will be provided by the Office of
Public Affairs and Information Services (OPAIS) and presented
to Texas A&M International's Internet Committee for
approval, and provided to Computer and Telecommunications
Services for implementation. New page designers must
coordinate their template design with OPAIS. Though guided by
OPAIS, the responsibility for ensuring that Texas A&M
International's quality image is protected is shared by all.
All Texas A&M International pages and online publications
will be reviewed periodically for adherence to the Texas
A&M International University Style Guide. These
guidelines are not intended for, though may be used in, personal
or non-institutional pages.
II. Visual Design Theme:
The general design for the Texas A&M International Home
Page and approved online publications is that of "Windows on
Texas A&M International." The dominant design element
features a stylized rendering of the Apse Window of the Sue
and Radcliffe Killam Library. This anchors the Home Page and
subsequent pages and offers a field for customized identity of
areas within the Home Page.
A standard TAMIU electronic page showing approved design
standards is located here. For specific design
information, please see "Page Construction."
III. Organization and Content Guidelines:
In order to provide Texas A&M
International online publications maximum Web exposure, all
University offices and functions will be located no further than
two levels below the main page. Each of the two levels will
feature a standard header (described under Page Construction).
Page creators should follow general home page construction
guidelines: the page should offer a clear and concise
organization of information. Unlike a traditional printed
publication which is read from cover to cover, the on-line
publication is short and is intended to link the viewer/reader
rapidly to the information being sought. Forcing the
reader/viewer to scroll through page after page is strongly
discouraged.
While this Guide does not govern content inclusion, clear consideration should be given to the following common interest areas of all pages and online publications:
Overview of Area
(Please see the "Buttons" section of Page
Construction for additional information.)
Although this medium is new, many existing University
policies, state and federal guidelines apply to its use. All Home
Page and approved on-line publications should be non-commercial
and informational in nature.
All page creators should be aware of the applicability of the following:
In order to assure frequent visits, all page creators should
routinely update information.
IV. Page Construction:
Texas A&M International on-line publications should be
operable under a recommended page length of up to 4 screens of
information with interactive links to guide the viewer/reader
through points of interest within the document, other files at
A&M International or external addresses for related
information.
Pages should be constructed so that the same information can
be accessed without images for those operating with text-only
browsers (e.g., Lynx).
A sample page template can be viewed here.
(A Full Page will be displayed when this is clicked)
A. Headers and Content Area Identifiers
Similar to headlines in print publications, headers are
intended to establish the top of each page and provide a visually
unifying image. A generic Standard Header with Content Area
Identifier is stored here . It can be copied and
customized by other approved page creators. A sample of the
Standard Header and Content Area Identifier utilized by the Texas
A&M International Home Page and all approved on-line
publications is shown below:
SAMPLE OF HEADER WITH CONTENT AREA WILL BE DISPLAYED HERE
B. Footers
A footer is a standard ending to the content area that has been accessed. It generally includes an array of information such as a contact person, email point of contact, physical address, last revision date, navigable buttons back to the main page, and previous page or links within the same page. Moreover, a copyright notification is included on all approved Texas A&M International home pages and online publications. The approved generic Footer is stored here and can be copied and customized by other approved page creators.
SAMPLE FOOTER WILL BE DISPLAYED HERE
IMPORTANT, PLEASE NOTE:
When unofficial or "courtesy" web pages are
permitted, the following standard disclaimer will be displayed on
the initial (opening) screen.
"The information on this page and subsequent pages/links
represents an initiative of (Name, affiliation, organization) and
not that of Texas A&M International University. To return to
Texas A&M International University, click Here."
A student or personal home page that does not properly display
this disclaimer will be removed.
C. Use of Images and Graphics
The use of visuals can do much to engage viewer/reader
interest in Texas A&M International University home pages and
online publications. It is recommended however, that image files
be kept small for faster transmission time and that they not
exceed a standard Netscape default screen (no wider than 472
pixels to fit the width of a 13 to 15-inch screen).
If images/files are to be downloaded, clear indication of
their size should be provided. If a number of images are
available, i.e., a virtual tour or series of related images, they
should be offered in thumbnail sizes that can be expanded by the
viewer/reader.
Once expanded, still images and graphics should default to fit
in the following three-dimensional frame. You will note that the
frame borrows from elements reflected in the overall
"Windows on Texas A&M International" theme and is
intended to offer consistency and an identity standard. If text
is incorporated to identify the image, it is suggested that such
be placed to right of image and allowed to wrap the image. A
sample is shown here.
A frame is stored here and can be copied and customized
by other approved page creators.
Only appropriately formatted images will appear on the Web.
For example, RGB or CYMK images created in Photoshop or similar
programs will need to be converted to indexed color and then
saved in a generally used format. When constructing a page, a
shareware version of the program GIF Converter should be made
available. In general, links to necessary plug-ins or converters
that will heighten accessibility by the reader/viewer should be
provided.
Specific information on those image files best utilized by
Texas A&M International Home Pages can be found here.
D. Use of Buttons, Colors, Logos, Typography
1. Buttons
A series of buttons have been designed for use on all approved Texas A&M International Home Pages and online publications. These buttons, incorporating a University logo to return the viewer/browser to the Main Home Page, arrow prompt to go forward and arrow prompt to return, are to be used on all approved pages. Blank buttons can also be customized for specific uses. The use of these buttons will assist in creating a standard of identity for all institutional pages.
Copies of buttons available for use in page construction are
located here.
In addition to the buttons provided, it is suggested that the following standard selection areas be incorporated into new areas or pages to help new users/browsers navigate their way. Their use is not mandatory, but could prove helpful and increase site access for new viewers/readers:
2. Colors
The University's colors, maroon (PMS 202) and silver (US 728),
are already incorporated in all standard headers, footers and
frames. In addition to furthering the standard of identity, they
have been chosen for their sharp contrast and resolution against
a grey or white screen.
3. Logos, and Related Wordmarks, Symbols, Mascots
The University's logo and related wordmarks, symbols and
mascots are trademarked and their use governed by the Office
of Advancement and External Affairs. Specific guidelines are here.
4. Typography
The recommended standard type default for headers/footers is
Times Bold. Buttons incorporating type use a recommended
Helvetica Inserat Bold. A sample page showing all appropriate
uses is here.
V. Conclusion
All Texas A&M International University Home Pages must
feature an approved header and footer. Standard identity buttons
have been established with recommended typography, as have frames
for all images and graphics.
All pages will be subject to review by the Texas A&M
International Internet Committee. Failure to adhere to these
guidelines leads to removal of non-standard material and possible
revocation of the privilege to use University computing
resources.
Questions regarding the style guide can be directed to the Office of Public Affairs and Information Services.
