AU's Web Steering Committee will debut an updated american.edu March 30 that will make it easier to find and share information about the university.
School of Communication Dean Larry Kirkman convened the Web site redesign project a few years ago to make important and necessary updates to the site, according to Bernie Schulz, special assistant to the Vice President of Campus Life.
Members of the Web Steering Committee have worked closely with outside groups, such as the New York-based HUGE Design Company and the Atlanta-based Worldview TV, Schulz said.
Mary Schellinger, a member of the Web Steering Committee and assistant dean of program development, said AU's new Web site will be a complete transformation from the current one.
"This isn't an update," she said. "It's a complete makeover, down to the bones. The site is being restructured with the user in mind."
Additions to the Web site include a "success stories" section about notable people in the AU community. The section is an easy way to honor remarkable people within the AU community, Schulz said.
"It tells about the great things going on at AU," he said. "Our purpose is to share these stories across the Web."
The new american.edu will include a master calendar, which will integrate the events of 30 separate AU calendars into one, according to Schulz.
Gabrielle Gorder, a junior in SOC, said she thinks it is difficult to find information for student activities and sports on AU's current Web site.
"The new Web site should have more links to club pages," she said. "I couldn't find the Web page for my sports team last year until after I had already come to AU."
Student Government President Seth Cutter helped the Web Steering Committee last summer by testing out some of the new features. The new Web site will include a new feature called the AUpedia, he said. The AUpedia provides detailed information on a number of topics related to AU and also allows current students, faculty and staff to share their experiences.
The new Web site will not only help people within the AU community but also those who wish to be a part of the AU community in the future, Cutter said.
"This Web site is definitely going to be more user-friendly," he said. "I think it will attract a higher caliber of students, staff and faculty to our university. Furthermore, this site will be something alumni will be proud to share with friends interested in knowing more about their alma mater."
One of the most extensive new features of american.edu will be the virtual tour. The tour will use a series of videos to give the user an in-depth look at the entire campus, including Tenley campus and the Washington College of Law, according to Schulz.
The new Web site will also solve the problems of many students at AU who are frustrated with the dense layout of the current Web site.
Stacy Starks, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, said she would like to see a more consistent layout for all pages on AU's new Web site.
"All of the Web sites for AU's schools have different layouts, which makes the Web site hard to navigate," she said. "I'd like AU's new Web site to have similar layouts for all schools so that I can easily find the information I need."
The updated Web site will have a common layout for all pages. The pages will have a common navigation throughout the main site, as well as sub-sites, Schellinger said.
AU President Neil Kerwin mentioned the Web site update in a campus update he e-mailed to AU community Feb. 5. The Web site design project was immense and would be a great asset to the AU community, he said in the e-mail.
"We have invested significant time and resources into the design of a state-of-the-art site that will proudly reflect the quality and character of our institution," Kerwin said. "I know and appreciate that it has been a tremendous community-wide effort that has required diligence, patience and collegiality."
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