CMS for Universities: A case study
In August 2001, the University of Missouri-Rolla unveiled its newly redesigned Web site consisting of 2000+ pages. Through the use of the CMF, TYPO3, UMR was able to complete this task in 7 months. UMR's Web site needed an overhaul since it had fallen into complete disarray over the years. The site consisted of over half a million pages with each department hosting a different site with a unique design, navigation and purpose. There was no unifying organization to the Web site. The five largest areas that needed to be addressed were: 8800 broken links on the top 5 page levels; outdated content, some of which was as much as 5 years old; widely inconsistent design between department site pages; inconsistent branding and UMR logo use; instability of Web server; and use of outdated Web technologies. In this budget conscious time, especially with the decrease of funding for higher education, UMR needed a solution that was cost effective. By using TYPO3 and other open source solutions, UMR did not have to sacrifice quality for price. Most Web sites in higher education face similar problems that UMR has experienced. Although colleges and universities would greatly benefit from content management systems, they are not used very often due to lack of awareness, education and budget. By utilizing "open source" CMF/CMS solutions, schools could benefit as UMR has by providing an easy way to update their Web site while maintaining control over the overall "look", "feel" and "navigation". Topics To Be Covered
- The Project
- The Team
- The Research
- The CMF: TYPO3
- Project Challenges
- The Benefits for UMR
- How would other universities and colleges benefit from a CMF/CMS, like Typo3?
- Where do other universities and colleges begin in making a move toward a CMF/CMS?
University of Missouri-Rolla
University Advancement
Web Communications
Michelle Heizer, Web Developer
Alex Heizer, Web Developer
Jennifer Lynch, Manager