File Naming Conventions
All files uploaded to UNA digital platforms must follow these rules:
- Lowercase only: a-z, 0-9, hyphens (-)
- No spaces: Use hyphens to separate words
- No special characters: No underscores, apostrophes, accents (á, ê, ï)
- No punctuation: Except hyphens
- Descriptive names:
admissions-application-2026.pdf(notapp.pdf)
Digital Documents & Downloads
All downloadable documents must meet the same accessibility, clarity, and usability standards required for web content. This ensures all users can read, navigate, and interact with documents regardless of device or ability.
Document Requirements
All documents must be:
- WCAG-compliant: Meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards
- Created with true text: No scanned or image-based PDFs
- Structured with tagged headings: Use proper headings, lists, and landmarks
- Designed with logical reading order: Ensure content flows naturally
- Labeled with descriptive hyperlinks: No "click here" or raw URLs
- Equipped with alt text: Describe all images and graphics
WCAG Compliance Resources: For detailed guidance on creating accessible documents, refer to the WCAG 2.1 PDF Techniques and Adobe's PDF Accessibility Guide.
PDF Standards
Avoid PDFs when possible. HTML pages are more accessible, easier to maintain, better for SEO, and mobile-friendly.
When PDFs Are Necessary
- Must be tagged and accessible (WCAG 2.1 AA)
- Save as PDF/A format for archiving
- Include logical heading structure
- Provide descriptive alt text for images
- Test with screen readers and accessibility checkers
- Provide HTML alternative or summary when possible
Legal Requirement: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act require all public university content, including PDFs, to meet accessibility standards. Non-compliant documents expose the university to legal liability.
Image Standards
- Format: JPEG for photos, PNG for graphics with transparency
- Optimization: Compress for web (aim for <200KB)
- Resolution: Minimum 1200px wide for full-width images
- Alt text: Required for all images (descriptive, not decorative phrases)
- File names:
descriptive-image-name.jpg
Video Production Standards
Video Production Resources
The University has a dedicated in-house Video Producer (digitalcommunications@una.edu) in the Enrollment Marketing & Digital Communication department. The producer's role is to create and support any video production using the University of North Alabama brand.
In addition to the in-house resource, we maintain a pool of approved external video suppliers who work to the University's standards.
Request Video Production
All video created must meet the University's quality, branding and accessibility standards and be signed off by the Video Producer before being published.
To request new video content:
- Submit a video production request form (contact digitalcommunications@una.edu for the form)
- The Video Producer will assess the request and determine the best approach
- Work will be completed either in-house or via an approved external supplier
- For external production, the Video Producer provides feedback at the rough cut stage
Technical Requirements
- Format: MP4 (H.264 codec preferred, H.265 for 4K content)
- Resolution: Minimum 1080p (1920x1080), 4K for flagship content
- Frame rate: 24fps for cinematic, 30fps standard, 60fps for sports/action
- Aspect ratio: 16:9 for standard video, 1:1 or 9:16 for social media
- Bitrate: 5-10 Mbps for 1080p, 35-45 Mbps for 4K
- Audio: 48kHz sample rate, AAC codec, -6dB to -12dB levels
Accessibility Requirements
- Captions: Required for all videos (SRT or WebVTT format)
- Audio descriptions: Required for videos with important visual content
- Transcripts: Full text transcripts must be provided
- Color contrast: Text overlays must meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards
- No flashing content: Avoid content that flashes more than 3 times per second
Brand Standards
- Opening/closing: Use approved University intro and outro templates
- Logo placement: Follow brand guidelines for logo usage
- Color grading: Maintain consistent look aligned with UNA brand
- Typography: Use approved fonts for titles and lower thirds
- Music: Licensed tracks only, aligned with brand tone
Publishing Process
- Pre-publication review: Send final cut to digitalcommunications@una.edu for approval
- Quality check: Verify technical specs, accessibility, and brand compliance
- Metadata preparation: Create SEO-optimized titles, descriptions, and tags
- Platform upload: Use university YouTube channel or approved platforms
- Launch coordination: Work with Digital Communications on promotion strategy
Approved Platforms
- YouTube: Primary platform (university channel)
- Vimeo: For embedded content requiring privacy controls
- Social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (coordinated with Social Media Manager)
- Website embedding: Via approved platforms only, never self-hosted
Important: Never publish video content without approval from the Video Producer. Unapproved videos may be removed and could result in brand guideline violations.
External Supplier Guidelines
External video suppliers working with the University must:
- Be pre-approved by Digital Communications
- Follow all technical and brand standards
- Submit rough cuts for feedback before final production
- Provide all source files and project files upon completion
- Transfer all rights and ownership to the University
Audio Standards
- Format: MP3 (320kbps) or WAV
- Settings: Stereo, 44.1kHz sample rate, 16-bit depth
- File size: MP3 required for files >10 minutes
- Transcripts: Required for all spoken content
- Sign-off: Creative Services approval required
Code & Development Standards
- Follow established coding style guides for the project
- Semantic HTML5 markup required
- Responsive design (mobile-first approach)
- Page load time under 3 seconds
- Cross-browser compatibility (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
- No inline CSS or JavaScript (except when necessary)