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Oversight Bodies & Collectives

UTSA has oversight bodies and collectives in place to ensure the university's web presence is reflective of a great public research university that is creating bold futures.

This governance infrastructure is based on a series of defined roles so responsibilities are clearly articulated and accountable staff are identified.

Roles

All official UTSA websites should have individuals designated for oversight and accountability, as outlined by the role descriptions below. In some cases, one individual may fulfill multiple roles for a given website.

Vice Presidential Area Web Leads

Vice Presidential Area Web Leads are designees from each Vice-Presidential division and other key areas who are responsible for strategic direction of the sites that fall under their division. Vice Presidential Area Web Leads ensure that Sites Owners are identified for all sites within their division, and are ultimately accountable for ensuring those sites adhere to UTSA's site criteria and requirements. Vice Presidential Area Web Leads serve on the university's Website Steering Committee.

Site Owners

Site owners provide general oversight of websites within their areas, and manage who has access to those sites. Site Owner responsibilities include:

  • Designating Content Leads and Technical Leads for all websites within their areas. In some cases, the Site Owner may also play these content and technical roles.
  • Ensuring all staff in their areas with web responsibilities receive the support and training they need to properly carry out their duties.
  • Taking necessary actions to ensure websites adhere to institutional policies, including all website criteria and requirements, as well as all hosting and security, visual identity and lifecycle standards.
  • Working with their divisional Information Security Associate to resolve any security-related issues.

Site Content Leads

Content Leads are responsible for day-to-day website updates, ensuring that content is timely and accurate, and that their sites meet visual identity and editorial standards.

Site Technical Leads

Technical Leads are responsible for day-to-day website technical upkeep and troubleshooting, ensuring site functionality works correctly and that security and accessibility elements are in place.

University Marketing's Web Team

The Web Services Team within University Marketing provides centralized resources and support to enable UTSA's web community to fulfill their responsibilities and achieve their goals. Their responsibilities include:

  • Overseeing the management of the university's Content Management System (Cascade) and Google Search Console
  • Managing sub-domain registration for UTSA.EDU web properties as needed
  • Developing, maintaining and assessing UTSA.EDU top-level pages
  • Developing and maintaining university strategic priority microsites
  • Providing training and support for Cascade CMS to the university's Site Owners, Content Leads and Technical Leads
  • Providing pathways, consulting and vendor liaison services for units pursuing new or redesigned sites
  • Enacting website emergency protocols as needed to address security breaches, crisis messaging or situations requiring immediate corrective action
  • Maintaining UTSA.EDU universe directory

OVERSIGHT BODIES

Website Steering Committee

UTSA's Website Steering Committee sets the direction and policies for UTSA's Official, Affiliated and Third-Party websites and applications-as well as the university's web operating environment-based on established policies, standards, procedures and best practices. As an internal committee for UTSA administration with oversight responsibilities regarding UTSA's website governance, the Website Steering Committee:

  • Regularly reviews UTSA's Web Criteria and Requirements, submitting proposed modifications as needed
  • Regularly reviews established website standards and procedures, modifying as needed
  • Reviews requests for new websites, domains and website outsourcing to ensure alignment with established website policies and standards
  • Reviews requests for exceptions to established website policies and standards, and makes recommendations to the Senior Leadership Team for final decision
  • Prioritizes, seeks resources and makes recommendations on major web projects and tool/platform investments (in tandem with Technology Advisory Group where appropriate)
  • Resolves non-compliance issues

Membership

  • Associate Vice President for University Marketing & Special Projects, Chair
  • Vice Presidential Area Web Leads
  • Director of Web Services
  • Web Accessibility & SEO Coordinator
  • Representative from UTS Infrastructure Services

Web Content Team

The Web Content Team drives content strategy for UTSA’s top level pages (including the home page) and website global elements, with the goal of providing a user-oriented site that reinforces the university’s brand and strategic messaging through engaging design, usability best practices and relevant content. Their responsibilities include:

  • Assessing short-term and long-term content and design revisions to top-level pages
  • Determining strategy for overall architecture, navigation and global elements
  • Determining vision/direction for UX, design and holistic evolution of top-level pages and site architecture

Membership

  • Senior Content Strategist, University Marketing & Special Projects, Chair
  • Associate Vice President, University Marketing & Special Projects
  • Senior Executive Director, University Marketing & Special Projects
  • Director of Web Services, University Marketing & Special Projects
  • Senior Web Developer, University Marketing & Special Projects
  • Web Designer, University Marketing & Special Projects
  • Communications Coordinator, Strategic University Communications
  • Director of Academic Strategic Communications, Academic Affairs
  • Assistant Director of Marketing & Communications, Strategic Enrollment
  • Director of Communications, REDKE
  • Director of Development Communications, Advancement & Alumni Engagement

Web Technical Team

The Web Technical Team drives technical strategy for UTSA’s web universe. Their responsibilities include:

  • Evaluating effectiveness of current web technologies and tools, developing proposals for those to be elevated to centralized/enterprise level and establishing integration guidelines
  • Establishing compliance guidelines and resources to help UTSA’s web community ensure their sites meet all legal and regulatory standards regarding accessibility, privacy and security
  • Developing hosting guidelines/strategies

Membership

  • Director of Web Services, Chair
  • Technical Lead(s) appointed by Division Vice Presidential Area Web Leads
  • SEO & Web Accessibility Coordinator
  • Representative from Information Security
  • Representative from Academic Innovation

COLLECTIVE

UTSA’s Web Community Collective serves as a collaborative forum for sharing strategies, resources, policies and standards among UTSA staff and faculty whose positions involve developing, maintaining or creating content for the university websites. The Collective will act as a network for bridging the university’s decentralized web infrastructure, with a specific focus on elevating brand consistency, accessibility, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and overall levels of excellence across UTSA’s website properties. The group will serve as a professional networking resource for its members, to help them develop exceptional websites that are reflective of a great public research university.