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Web Standards

Overview

  • The University is committed to communicating a clear and consistent identity to external as well as internal audiences. Standardizing our web presence will help us achieve a consistent image for the University and provide a structure to all users that is easy to navigate.
  • To further unify its visual identity and to enhance its overall communications strategy, the University has implemented a standard web design, applicable to all constituent websites.
  • The standard web design provides a consistent look and feel as well as a system of navigation that makes it easy for users to make their way through the thousands of content pages in websites in the UConn domain.
  • The standard web design includes a required link to the University’s disclaimer, copyright, and electronic privacy policies, and to the LIFT Text Transcoder software which converts University web pages with images, style, color and text into accessible, text-only sites. This is available for all sites hosted on the UConn Central Web Server.

 

Benefits of UConn's Web Standards

  • Make it easy for users to move through hundreds of University websites without having to relearn navigation from site to site.
  • Extend the University brand.
  • Provide a consistent look and feel to all University websites.

 

Web Standards

There are four design elements that make up the University standard design – a header, a navigation system, a main content region, and a footer. The header and footer each contain required content elements.

The header consists of a banner which includes the University logo and the name of the website.

  • University Logo. If there is a second identifier in the header, such as a department or center name, the logo to be used should be the two-line left University of Connecticut signature at the size of 186 pixels high x 55 pixels wide, with a final logo size including padding of 250 pixels wide x 78 pixels high. If there is not a second identifier in the header, then the one-line University of Connecticut signature may be used at a size of 535 pixels wide x 60 pixels high, with a final logo size including padding of 545 pixels wide x 78 pixels high.
  • Color Scheme. The header may only include the blue, gray and white color schemes as illustrated in the template system.
  • Header Placement. The logo should be on the left-hand side of the header and the secondary identifier should be immediately to the right of the logo.

The downloadable design templates offered on this site provide three alternate banner color schemes and the optional, horizontal navigation bar. Using the special generator on this website, a customized banner with the name of your site can be easily created. The generator can also create two-line banners that incorporate the site name with the addition of a school or college name.

The navigation system should appear below the header. An optional left-hand navigation system may also be used in the main content area.

The main content region is fully customizable to your site-specific information and images.

The footer is divided into three regions, which contain required content and links. In the left side region is the University search tool. The center region of the footer has links to the UConn homepage, a text-only alternative and a site-specific link. The region to the right includes site-specific contact information, postal address and a clickable webmaster email address. The downloadable templates offer blue and gray color schemes for the footer. The footer may also be created with a white background.

Graphic standards note:
This Web Tools site is the source for the University’s graphic standards for web design as well as the downloadable template files for several design and layout options.The University’s Graphic Standards Manual outlines correct usage of the University seal and logo signatures in printed material, however it must not be used as a guide for website design. The University seal is reserved for official communications only and must not be used on the web without written permission from the Office of University Communications.


Policies

The University has established a number of policies relating to websites and other electronic communications.

These include:
Disclaimers & Copyright Statements
Electronic Privacy [Pending final approval]