15.81 – Web Governance

PART 1:  PURPOSE

Consistent with direction from the NMSU President and applicable laws and regulations, this rule is adopted:

1. To establish a formal Web Governance program to guide the development, deployment, delivery and maintenance of the NMSU digital image for internal and external audiences;
2. To establish and maintain NMSU’s Web Governance structure and associated rules and processes;
3. To define the roles, responsibilities and accountability required of the Executive Digital and Web Governance Committee members, Web Liaisons and Web Content Publishers and Contributors in order to maintain a consistent and secure NMSU web presence;
4. To authorize the advisory role of the Executive Digital and Web Governance Committee relating to the establishment, publication and implementation of web governance standards for NMSU and associated standards of operation (SOPs) relating to the use and maintenance of NMSU websites, consistent with applicable state and federal laws and regulations, including those related to data privacy, accessibility and security.

PART 2:  DEFINITIONS

Defined terms are capitalized to denote that the term is defined for purposes of this rule.

1. External/Public-Facing Website: An Official NMSU Website built for prospective students, parents, alumni, donors, visitors and the general public, as a primary audience.
2. Internal/Non-Public Facing Website: An Official NMSU Website built for internal business purposes serving current NMSU students, faculty, staff and authorized affiliates, as a primary audience.
3. MARCOMM: Refers to the NMSU Office of Marketing and Communications.
4. Official NMSU Websites: A university sponsored website representing the university, community colleges, colleges, departments or any other individual unit within the NMSU System.
5. Web Content Publisher and Contributors: An NMSU employee responsible for maintaining one or more Official NMSU Websites on behalf of an NMSU Entity, and for coordinating with MARCOMM relating to the application of policies and rules, design and content standards and associated use and maintenance SOPs.
6. Web Governance: Web Governance refers to the people, policies, rules, standards and SOPs that govern the creation and maintenance New Mexico State University official websites and other digital properties. 
7. Web Liaison: An employee, typically a supervisor, designated by the relevant senior administrator with significant responsibility for a major operational area to oversee management of an Official NMSU Website created and maintained by Web Content Publishers and Contributors.

PART 3: ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Web Governance will enhance the university’s image through electronic means, while also providing web security, privacy protections, consistency, integrity, accessibility and quality. Effective Web Governance facilitates NMSU’s ability to align the management of websites with the system-wide data governance program and align with institutional strategies and initiatives.

1. Web Governance Structure: MARCOMM, with the concurrence of the President’s Office, will establish a system-wide Web Governance Structure consisting of an external/public-facing web presence and a controlled internal/non-public web presence for Official NMSU Websites. All unofficial, NMSU hosted websites will be considered non-public facing.
2. Web Design and Content Standards: MARCOMM with the concurrence of the executive leadership, may:
   1. Amend or issue new web design and content standards, which may require amendment of other rules (e.g. ARP 15.80).
   2. Establish SOPs, forms and checklists or other tools to facilitate the implementation, application, and enforcement of the approved design and content standards (e.g. brand, logo), for consistency amongst all Official NMSU Websites, social presence, and other digital displays representing the university.

The design and web content standards and associated SOPs to assist the university community will be maintained at: http://brand.nmsu.edu and http://webcomm.nmsu.edu

3. Executive Digital and Web Governance Committee: The Executive Digital and Web Governance Committee plays an advisory role in the establishment, publication and implementation of Web Governance standards and associated SOPs applicable primarily to the work of Web Liaisons and Web Content Publishers and Contributors throughout the NMSU system.

PART 4: NMSU WEB GOVERNANCE STANDARDS

MARCOMM and university officials, including the Chief Privacy Officer and Chief Information Officer, are responsible for the final approval, adoption and implementation oversight of NMSU’s Web Governance standards.  They will work collaboratively with the Executive Digital and Web Governance Committee to establish, publish and implement Web Governance standards and associated SOPs.  These standards and associated SOPs will be published at the MARCOMM internal website, currently http://webcomm.nmsu.edu., and will include but are not limited to:

1. Domain name and redirects;
2. Collecting personal information from prospective students;
3. Use of copyrighted material;
4. Mobile application development;
5. Web security and infrastructure;
6. Privacy compliance;
7. Advertising and sponsorship;
8. Digital web accessibility compliance;
9. Third party and vendor solutions for web applications and integration with NMSU’s digital image;
10. Review and approve websites produced and hosted by third party vendors; and
11. Online presence for chartered students organization and clubs, supplemental instructional content, and personal webpages considered as “limited public forums” (SeeRPM 3.63 – Freedom of Expression).

PART 5: DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY, PRIVACY AND SECURITY COMPLIANCE

1. All Official NMSU web pages or web applications will comply with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.  All new or revised web pages and other web resources — published, hosted, or otherwise provided by the university – will comport with the World Wide Web standards described in the Federal Rehabilitation of 1973, as amended.
2. Web Content Publishers and Contributors with take action consistent with privacy, security, accessibility and other applicable laws, regulations and this rule, including web design and content standards and associated SOPs.
3. The NMSU IT Compliance Function will regularly monitor and report to the executive administration, using a risk-based approach, about compliance with this rule, including web design and content and other web governance standards and associated SOPs.