Information Technology in Student Affairs
A Task Force of the American College Personnel Association

Student Affairs Web Page Recommendations

Will Barratt, Ph.D.
October 5, 2000

Following are the basic values that should be reflected in a student affairs web site. 

1. The site should reflect all of the departments and divisions in the student affairs organization

2. There should be a clear set of written goals for the web site.

3. The site should be easy to use and convenient.

4. The site should contain evaluation mechanisms such as feed back sections and counters.

5. All information should be current. 

6. Content should reflect:

1. Active information, such as names, dates, times, events.

2. Regulatory information such as codes of student conduct, student government constitution.

7. A poor web site has a negative effect on users which may have a negative effect on student affairs effectiveness on campus.

 I.      Navigation and Design

1. Material should be found within three clicks from the home.

2. There should be an appropriate and consistent tool bar/navigation set on pages.

3. All pages should list a most recent update date, and have been updated within the past 12 months.

4. It should be very easy is it to find the Student Affairs pages from the school home page.

5. Material should be organized or indexed both by function (department) and by population being served - Information for students, faculty and staff.

II.      Technical Details

1. There should be a search function for the pages or site.

2.  There should be a feedback section for pages or site.

3. There should be page counters on all pages.

4. Pages should meet accessibility standards.

5.  Pages should reside on a fast server and material should load quickly at 28.8 baud.

6. All links should be active.

III.      Aesthetic Appropriateness

1. There should be a consistent 'look and feel' within the site.

2. There should be school and division identification throughout the site.

3. The pages should be appropriately attractive.

IV.      Content

1.  Information should be provided for all types of current, prospective and alumni students, faculty and staff.

2. Care should be taken to not over-emphasize any student sub-population.

3. Student affairs functional areas should be covered broadly.

4. Student affairs functional areas should be covered in depth.

5. Academic material should be well integrated into the student affairs pages.

6. Material must be current and accurate.

7.  Department or division home page should list contact names, numbers and E-mail addresses for important people, as well as hours of operation.

8. Department or Division Mission should be listed.

Evaluating Student Affairs Web Sites

Place a check mark in the appropriate box in the right hand columns, and sum the points below.

As an exercise, have a student, who does not know your web site, try to find the following:

            Active Information

                        Intramural Sports Teams and Schedule

Director of the Career Center name and phone number

Photo of the CSAO

                        List of student organizations

Regulatory Information

Student Government Constitution

                        Code of Student Conduct