6/30/09: Remaining $71,000 of the original $200,000 allocated to the purchase and setup of a content management system is returned to university. 
There is now no budget allocated for professional development or additional resources for conversion of the university site to the new CMS. Will proceed under the existing 3 year contract with OmniUpdate.

2/9/09: Phase One of new website roll-out is implemented.

2/2/09: To the LHU campus community

The university will launch a new homepage and “first tier” links  (links from the new homepage) on Monday, February 9, 2009.
   
This begins “Phase One” of a multi-phase site roll-out that will incorporate the new content management system (CMS- OmniUpdate). The university has selected the system and begun to build a new site after lengthy study of higher education “Best Practices.”
   
Prototype templates for department/discipline sites are being created to use on the new CMS.  However, they will not be available until “Phase Two” is implemented sometime in April 2009.  Samples of the homepage and choice of two page templates are attached for your review and to plan how your current site can prepare to transition to the new “look.”
   
These templates will be available in .html format (not the CMS templates) as of Mon., Feb. 9, 2009.  To discuss your personal departmental needs and questions related to the new CMS, I will be scheduling meetings with those departments that contact me on a first-come, first-served basis. The actual CMS training will not take place until “Phase Two” has begun AND an initial meeting with me takes place – so be sure to contact me for an appointment.  
   
Please continue to share your thoughts with me and thank you for your continued support,
Scott

Scott Eldredge: seldredg@lhup.edu  (570) 484-2323


     LHU Web Q&A:

• Q: What is a content management system (CMS)?
  A: A web content management system (CMS) supports the creation, management, distribution, publishing, and discovery of university information. It provides simple tools to create content, publish it, and archive it. CMS software also provides the ability to manage the structure of the site, the appearance of the published pages, and the navigation provided to the users.
   
• Q: Why is LHU migrating its website to a CMS?
  A: In a 2007 report to the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education outlining LHU's plan to use $1.1 million the University is receiving this year from the Adjustment for Small Universities Allocation; improving the university website was identified as a key component to the well-being of the university and its perception to prospective students, their families, and all of those vested in LHU's continued success. To maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of the resources available to the development and maintenance of our website, a university web advisory group provided recommendations to LHU administration to move the site to a content management system that is increasingly database-driven, provides more visual appeal and continuity, and is user-friendly in its navigation and development of content. A CMS is the best way to achieve these goals.
  
  Q: When will this changeover take place/how long?
  A: CMS vendors will prepare responses to the LHU RFP in Feb. 2008. The proposals received by the deadline will be reviewed. One or more of the leading vendors will be brought to campus to demonstrate their CMS product for the University community, and a vendor selected sometime in the spring of 2008 (OmniUpdate). Purchase and training of university personnel will follow and prioritization of key components of the LHU site will be made and developed.
   
• Q: What will happen to current web material on the LHU site that is still relevant?
  A: LHU web visitors will be able to access all sites currently available. Content will not be removed until material has been migrated to the new site.
   
• Q: Who will have access to the new CMS software and the ability to develop LHU websites?
  A: There will be a similar hierarchy as LHU currently uses for departmental access. Department chairs/directors will indicate the individuals who can access the department site.
   
• Q: Will there be any time period when departmental websites will not be available to the general public?
  A: No, there will be no outages or lapses of time when material will not be available to site visitors.
   
• Q: Who will be assisting departments migrate relevant existing web content to the new site?
  A: The university will use existing LHU personnel to assist in this transition along with current departmental web developers.
   
• Q: Where can I direct additional questions related to this topic?
  A: As of February 2008, the university has named Scott Eldredge as the Director of Web Development. He will coordinate this on-going project with the assistance of the LHU Web Advisory Committee and LHU Computing Center. Your suggestions or questions related to this process can be directed to him at seldredg@lhup.edu or to the group through him or any of the Web Advisory Committee members.

         
          as of 2/4/08