How do I create and launch a new website in the WebCMS? What is the process?

The process of creating and launching a new website in the Hunter WebCMS involves four groups at Hunter: your department or office, the Web Development Group, the Technology Resource Center (TRC), and the Communications Office.

Below is an outline of the general process used to take a new site from start to finish.

1. A member of your department or office submits the online Subsite Request Form. This form determines your website's name, URL (web address), and staff manager(s). 
2. The request is received by the Communications Office, who will review the request to ensure that it meets the criteria for new websites.
   
3. If approved, the Web Development Group will create your new subsite and activate the NetIDs of all staff managers. The Web Development Group will email the staff manager(s) once this is done.
4. Before beginning to actually work on the subsite, all staff manager(s) and content editors are required to attend a CMS Training Workshop in the TRC. These workshops typically last 1-2 hours and will cover the basics of working in the WebCMS.
5. The staff manager(s) will also be contacted by the Communications Office to schedule a site planning meeting. This meeting is critical to the success of your website, as it helps to develop the site's information architecture, organize its content, and lay the foundation for the rest of the subsite.
6. After going through training and developing a site plan, the department is solely responsible for adding and managing content in their subsite. Of course, CMS experts from the TRC, Web Development Group and Communications Office will be available to provide assistance, but ultimately, the responsibility of building the new website is left up to the controlling unit.
   
7. Once the site is completed, the head of the controlling unit must email their approval of the website to the Communications Office. This will begin the pre-launch review process.
   
8. The Communications Office will review the subsite for things such as spelling, grammar, formatting and writing style. Each new subsite should meet the standards outlined in the Hunter College Style Guide. 
9. If the site is not approved, specific revisions will be requested. The staff manager(s) will work together with the Communications Office to gain final approval.
10. Once the site has been reviewed and given final approval by the Director of Communications, the Web Development Group will officially launch the new site. The website will now be public, and all links to the old site (if one exists) will redirect to the new version.
    
11. After a site has been launched, it is the responsibility of the controlling unit to continuously maintain the site and ensure that all content on the website remains up-to-date. All public-facing WebCMS subsites are reviewed on a regular basis. If out-of-date or incorrect content is found, the Communications Office will email the subsite's staff manager(s) and request that they remove or modify the offending material. If changes are not made in a timely manner, the content may be removed or modified by the Communications Office or Web Development Group.