UMaine to Launch New, Admissions-Focused Home Page on Tuesday
Contact: Joe Carr at (207) 581-3571
ORONO — The University of Maine will debut a new-look primary Web page on Tuesday, Aug. 17.
A simplified version of the current page at http://www.umaine.edu, it will feature links that direct visitors to the most relevant and timely information sources on the university’s extensive Web site. Based on contemporary design standards and a thorough examination of current best practices, the new home page is particularly focused on helping students and prospective students quickly find the information they need.
The new site takes into account the suggestions of Noel-Levitz, a national consulting firm that sent representatives to UMaine in early 2010 to make recommendations relative to recruiting, financial aid and marketing. UMaine President Robert Kennedy referenced those recommendations and outlined their importance in May when he outlined “UMaine 150,” a series of initiatives he proposed to help assure an economically sustainable future for UMaine.
UMaine launched a complete Web site redesign one year ago, using a WordPress-based content management system. Hundreds of UMaine units, including all of the university’s colleges, have converted to that new format. Those Web sites remain unaffected by tomorrow’s change, which only modifies umaine.edu and certain sites maintained by the Dept. of University Relations, including a new, blog-based news site at http://www.umaine.edu/news.
The Dept. of University Relations provides free conversions to the updated format for any UMaine unit. Those interested in changing from older HTML-based sites to the current template can choose from a number of options, all of which provide advanced functionality, compliance with standards related to users with disabilities and the simplified updating options associated with the WordPress content management system. Contact Chris Smith (chris.smith@umit.maine.edu) for more information.