Content Management: Customization Requests

1. Approval Requirements for Structural Changes and Template Customizations

Requests for structural changes or customizations beyond approved, standardized templates for division, college, or department pages must receive prior approval from the appropriate dean or division-level authority (or higher) before being entered into the web content workflow.

Important: Requests submitted without proper authorization will be redirected to the appropriate leadership. Once approved, requests will be addressed in accordance with established digital standards, governance procedures, and available institutional resource capacity.

Requesting Unit Responsibilities

Ownership for reviewing, maintaining, and ensuring the continued accuracy, accessibility, and relevance of custom content rests with the requesting unit.

Examples Requiring Approval

Custom page layouts outside standard templates
Unique navigation structures for department sites
Non-standard content components or modules
Alternative design treatments or visual styles
Specialized functionality not available in standard templates

2. Software, Tools, and Third-Party Integrations

Requests for software, tools, or third-party integrations on UNA.edu must receive prior approval from the appropriate dean or division-level authority (or higher) before being submitted for review or consideration.

Common Integration Requests

The following tools frequently requested require approval and evaluation:

Tableau: Data visualization and analytics dashboards
Google Calendar: Event management and scheduling
Calendly: Appointment booking systems
Mazévo: Room and event scheduling software

No Direct Embeds Policy: Third-party tools cannot be directly embedded into UNA.edu pages. Instead, link to external tools with clear descriptions of functionality and purpose. This maintains site performance, security, accessibility, and visual consistency.

Evaluation Criteria

Approved requests will be evaluated in accordance with established digital standards and institutional requirements, including:

Data security: Protection of sensitive information and FERPA compliance
Accessibility compliance: WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards
Sustainability: Long-term maintenance and support considerations
Technical feasibility: Compatibility with existing systems and infrastructure
Overall institutional impact: Effect on performance, user experience, and brand consistency

Implementation Note: Approval of a request does not guarantee implementation. All requests are subject to resource availability, system compatibility, risk assessment, and alignment with university priorities.

3. Submission Process

Internal approval: Obtain written approval from dean or division-level authority
Documentation: Prepare business case including purpose, audience, and expected outcomes
Submit request: Send to Web Services with authorization documentation
Initial review: Web Services evaluates technical feasibility and standards compliance
Decision communication: Requester notified of decision and any conditions
Implementation planning: If approved, timeline and requirements established

4. Ongoing Responsibilities

Units with approved customizations or integrations must:

Maintain accuracy of all custom content
Ensure continued accessibility compliance
Respond promptly to maintenance requests
Fund any additional costs associated with custom solutions
Participate in regular content audits
Provide updated documentation as systems change

Governance Note: Custom solutions that fall out of compliance or create technical issues may be removed or reverted to standard templates at the discretion of Web Services and EMDC leadership.