• Section 1 - Background and Purpose
• Preamble
• General
• Section 2 - Scope
• Section 3 - Policy Statement
• Section 4 - Procedures
• Site Owner/Content Publisher Responsibilities
• Content
• Look and Feel
• Authorisation
• Legislative and Policy Compliance
• Section 5 - Definitions

Section 1 - Background and Purpose

Preamble

(1) La Trobe University’s website and digital channels provide quality, accurate and engaging information to key external and internal audiences including prospective and current students, researchers/collaborators and staff and the community, about all aspects of the University. The reputation of La Trobe University is influenced by the information published on its website and digital channels. Consequently, online content requires clear ownership, careful crafting and strategic management.

General

(2) University websites and digital channels that officially represent the University may only be used for University-related content and activities.

Section 2 - Scope

(3) Applies to:

1. All colleges, schools, departments, divisional units and external partners e.g. Navitas/Chisholm Institute
2. All campuses
3. All materials published on any public-facing University web server that uses the domain name ‘latrobe.edu.au’ or ‘.latrobe’. This includes any third party materials that may be hosted on any University web server. This excludes the staff intranet and learning management system for which separate policies apply.
4. All materials hosted on third party sites / social media channels that officially represent La Trobe University.
5. All sub-site owners and CMS editors must comply with this policy and associated procedures. This includes all staff and students, and contractors who are authorised to publish to the University website and digital channels.

Section 3 - Policy Statement

(4) Refer to the Website and Intranet Policy.

Section 4 - Procedures

Site Owner/Content Publisher Responsibilities

(5) Sub-site owners/CMS editors are responsible for the content and quality of the sub-site and for ensuring:

1. that sites are used only for University-related content and activities
2. that sites are structured in a way that provides users with clear pathways and easy access to core information
3. any significant changes to a sub-site are planned with/reviewed by the Digital Marketing team.

Content

(6) All content must:

1. be presented in a format suitable for online delivery
2. be created using customer centric principles and directly relevant to the intended audience
3. be presented in a user-friendly manner
4. be structured in a way that optimises the user journey and supports achievement of business goals
5. receive an appropriate level of authorisation prior to publication (including text, imagery and video)
6. be regularly reviewed to ensure accuracy, relevance and currency
7. meet the University’s high standards of quality assurance

(7) Websites and digital channels must not publish the personal information of staff, students or others without their prior consent.

(8) Before creating any new social media channels that will officially represent the University, approval must be sought, and the account registered with Digital Marketing and Customer Engagement. Registration details must include the name of the person chiefly responsible for management of the account site and a second contact person.

(9) All of the provisions of this procedure also apply to websites in languages other than English. An employee of the University knowledgeable in the specific language must regularly review content on these sites.

Look and Feel

(10) All page elements (e.g. text, images, videos) must align and be visually consistent with La Trobe University’s branding and online style guidelines.

(11) Externally hosted sites containing content that officially represents La Trobe University (e.g. partner sites, Facebook, Twitter et al) will use styling complementary to the branding and online style guidelines. Content owners will proactively manage content, ensuring that it is accurate, relevant and current.

(12) Before using the La Trobe brand mark (logo) or other brand collateral on externally hosted sites or in non-standard contexts, authorisation requests must be submitted to the University’s Creative and Brand Manager.

Authorisation

(13) Before commencing related activity, staff members will submit requests for permission to:

1. create or host a site that officially represents the University on an external web server
2. create a social media site/account, channel, presence or campaign that officially represents the University
3. register, purchase or delegate domain names on behalf of the University
4. engage an external consultant to design or build a web site that will officially represent the University
5. use the La Trobe brand mark (logo) or other brand collateral on externally hosted sites
6. create mobile or other applications that officially represent La Trobe University

(14) Requests for permission, supported by a business case, must initially be submitted via the ASK Marketing channels or other appropriate authority to the Digital Marketing and Customer Engagement team; depending on the nature of the request applications will be considered by:

1. Chief Marketing Officer; or
2. Chief Information Officer.

Legislative and Policy Compliance

(15) Sites and their content must comply with:

1. relevant La Trobe University Statutes, Regulations, policy and procedures
2. relevant State and Commonwealth legislation (including Discrimination, Copyright Act 1968 and the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014) and should, as far as practicable, comply with:
3. international web publishing standards, including accessibility requirements as defined by WCAG 2.0
4. the guidelines and advice provided in the University Accessibility Statement.

(16) Any material made available on public-facing La Trobe University websites should ideally be created as HTML. It is recommended where downloadable documents are provided without an HTML equivalent, for example as PDF, that they be accompanied by:

1. an additional format such as .RTF or .DOC
2. an email address through which people can request an alternative version of any downloadable content in formats accessible to them

(17) Where web forms will collect any personal or health information, a collection notice must be included advising users about how their information will be used, stored and disposed of.

1. In instances where health information is collected, contact the University Privacy Officer (privacy@latrobe.edu.au / 03 9479 1839) for assistance with creation of an appropriate collection notice.
2. In instances where other personal information is being collected refer to the La Trobe University Guide to compiling privacy statements (collection notices).

Section 5 - Definitions

(18) For the purpose of this Procedure:

1. CMS editor: The person who updates and maintains content on webpages or digital channels.
2. Digital channels: Online communication points through which the creation, sharing, and/or exchange of information and ideas occurs via virtual communities/networks (e.g. Facebook, YouTube, blogs).
3. Domain name: Domain names are hostnames that identify web sites.
4. External web server: A web server that is not located within the La Trobe University network.
5. Mobile applications: Mobile applications (apps) are pieces of software developed for handheld devices such as mobile phones, tablets and personal digital assistants.
6. Public-facing: Content intended for/available to external audiences.
7. Significant change: Change to a site’s menu and overall structure, addition or removal of pages, or change to the site’s content focus.
8. Sub-site owner: The person responsible for the content and quality of a site or sub-site. The site owner (usually the College Provost or head of department or functional head) may delegate web content and development tasks to a nominated representative (the site/content publisher). 
9. Social media: The term 'social media' broadly describes technologies that underpin the creation and exchange of user-generated content. Typified by sites such as Facebook, Twitter LinkedIn et al, social media enables people to share information and resources.
10. Sub-site: A sub-site is a collection of webpages that make up a subsidiary site of the La Trobe University website (e.g. the Research sub-site, college , campus or business unit sub-sites).
11. User journey: The experiences of a person interacting with a web page or digital channel – what they will see, what they will click on and all of the steps they will need to take to complete a specific task.