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⚙️ Purpose

The website, nmsu.edu, is the sole property of New Mexico State University – this includes all sub-domains. While certain faculty and staff will have access to edit certain portions of the site, create new content and remove old content, the site and all its sub-sites remain the property of the university.  

The website provides a platform to highlight the university and project a positive image. It is a strategic asset that carries influence and provides global access to all aspects of the university.  Due to the large number of faculty and staff managing portions of the site, some essential guidelines will encourage clarity, accuracy, and consistency in protecting the university’s online image.  

It’s also essential to comply with applicable web security & accessibility regulatory requirements to ensure that the University websites are secure, reliable, and accessible to all users.

(info) Requirements

Compliance with Visual Standards

The Visual Identity Guide for the Web should be used for all officially branded web pages and HTML-rich e-mails, and wherever possible, other digital channels such as mobile applications and digital signage.

Third party vendors and NMSU teams NOT using the centrally offered CMS solution should follow all required standards for the presentation of the NMSU brand including approved colors, logos, and university identifiers.

Compliance with Privacy Policies

NMSU respects the integrity of individuals by safeguarding information and providing guidance on privacy-related matters and therefore NMSU strives to comply with applicable data privacy laws & regulations. 

Standard Criteria

  •  Some University websites may contain links to external websites not owned by, or officially affiliated with, the University in any way.  NMSU  is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such websites.

  • Public facing websites must reference the NMSU privacy policy notice and provide an opportunity to web visitors to read the privacy policy or accept acknowledgement of the collection of cookies and other web browsing information as disclosed in NMSU’s privacy policy.

  • Privacy violations, unauthorized modification of website content and/or web defacements must be immediately reported upon becoming aware to CIO, CISO and CPO for proper handling.

Compliance with Digital Accessibility

All university web pages shall comply with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. All new or revised web pages and other web resources — published, hosted, or otherwise provided by the university — must comply with the World Wide Web standards defined in the Federal Rehabilitation Act Section 508 Subpart B §1194.22, paragraphs (a) through (p), excluding paragraphs (b) and (k).  Suspected violations must be immediately reported to the NMSU IT Compliance Officer. 

Standard Criteria

  • To ensure access for persons with disabilities, NMSU websites shall meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) established by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). NMSU websites must comply with WCAG 2.1, Conformance Level AA. These internationally recognized guidelines establish standards of accessibility for information in a web page or web application, including information such as text, images and sounds, as well as code or markup that defines architecture and presentation of web and online content.

  • A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided (e.g., via "alt", "longdesc", or in element content).

  • Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation shall be synchronized with the presentation.

  • Web pages shall be designed so that all information conveyed with color is also available without color, for example from context or markup.

  • Documents shall be organized so they are readable without requiring an associated style sheet.

  • Row and column headers shall be identified for data tables. Markup shall be used to associate data cells and header cells for data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers.

  • When electronic forms are designed to be completed on-line, the form shall allow people using assistive technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues.

Compliance with Search Engine Optimization

Basic Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques can help increase the visibility of your website, as well as making it easier for users to find your content as the result of searches. NMSU’s internal search engine uses the same techniques as the Google search engine.

Standard Criteria

  • Every page title should be unique.

  • Use alt attributes for images.

  • Use descriptive anchor text. Avoid “click here”, “read more”, etc. Keep the anchor text under 55 characters.

  • Use header tag properly. Only one <h1>, and properly nested <h2>, <h3> etc.

  • Ensure your first paragraph and meta description are representative of the content of your page.

  • Use search engine friendly URLs. The URL should be descriptive. Avoid using URLs like site.nmsu.edu/1234. Instead consider site.nmsu.edu/topic/help.html

Compliance with Copyright and Protected Trademarks

The content presented on NMSU websites is a copyrighted asset. Web Liaisons, Content Publishers and Contributors bear the responsibility to protect the asset and to ensure it does not damage the trademarks of others.

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