Personal and Group Websites Policy

Application

This policy applies to all staff members who want to create a University-provided website for their professional use, including University-provided personal websites and sponsorship of an affiliated third party website, or any other sites not managed within the main University web presence.

Note - This policy does not apply to the University’s own websites or those of its faculties, Large-Scale Research Institutes and research centres, or to National Research Collaborations (NRCs), where other specific policies and guidelines apply.

Purpose

To provide a policy framework for the use of websites provided by the University for individual staff members and/or affiliated individuals or groups.

Policy

1. Any academic or professional staff member of the University is eligible to request a website where its purpose is aligned with the activities of the University.

2. Personal or group websites are not to be used for activities which are managed through University systems of record.

3. All websites must use a University approved and provided platform and comply with NZ Government Web Standards.

4. All website requests must nominate a website owner, who is a staff member at the University.

Note - Website owners must consult faculty or service division Communications and Marketing Managers on all new websites.

5. Staff members can request a website through the Staff Service Centre online portal.

6. The Registrar or delegate will consider all website requests under this policy.

7. Website owners are responsible for managing administrative access to their website(s), and ensuring appropriate web specialist support is in place.

8. Website owners are responsible for maintaining the content on approved websites to ensure content is accurate, relevant, and accessible to the audience.

Note - The content of websites is provided and maintained by the website owners and is not necessarily endorsed by the University.

9. Confidential, professionally privileged, private personal information or legally protected information (e.g. personal health records) must not be hosted on these websites.

10. Website owners are responsible for ensuring that all content that appears on the website, including any third party content, does not breach any law or University policy.

11. The University reserves the right to remove content on websites that may expose the University to legal action, bring the University into disrepute, or which is otherwise inappropriate. In such cases the website owner will be informed.

12. Site names and domain names must not conflict with those that are currently in use by the University and should align with the University’s guidelines.

Note - Requests can be made for a custom domain name as provided under the University’s Marketing Advertising and Publishing Policy.

13. All websites must display either the University’s standard Accessibility, Copyright, Privacy and Disclaimer links in the footer of the website or, where the website is for an affiliate or other third party, the relevant Accessibility, Copyright, Privacy and Disclaimer links as approved by the Registrar.

14. Any variation to these links must be approved by the Registrar.

15. Websites established under this policy may display University branding, at the discretion of and approved by the faculty or service division Communications and Marketing Manager, as provided by the standard University theme options.

16. In instances where the website is being established for an affiliate or other third party then the University’s branding may not be used except with the permission of the Registrar.

17. The Registrar (or delegate) may direct a website owner to use or not use University branding on their website.

Note - Website owner should ensure that editors and publishers are trained to ensure content is optimised and the user experience is excellent. Website owners are encouraged to seek advice from the faculty or service division Communications and Marketing Manager.

18. A website that has not been updated in one year may be deactivated in accordance with current University retention practices or legal requirements following consultation with the website owner.

19. If the website owner leaves the University, or group has been disbanded, the website may be removed and deactivated in accordance with current University retention practices or legal requirements unless a new website owner is established.

Definitions

The following definitions apply to this document:

Group website refers to a website about a group of staff members at the University, in their capacity as staff members, and may include third parties.

Personal website refers to a website about an individual staff member at the University, in their capacity as a staff member.

Staff member refers to an individual employed by the University on a full or part time basis.

Third party website means those websites hosted on behalf of agreed affiliated third parties by the University and using University domain names.

University means the University of Auckland and includes all subsidiaries.

University system of record is the system that defines, maintains and stores the authoritative version of a specific subset of University data, which may be relied on by other University systems. When questions arise over the accuracy, meaning or interpretation of data elements or their values, the system of record is used to resolve discrepancies.

Website owner(s) means a staff member who has a personal website or who manages a website and its content on behalf of an individual or group affiliated with the University.

Key relevant documents

Include the following:

Document management and control

Content manager: Web Manager, Communications and Marketing
Owned by: DVC (Operations) and Registrar
Approved by: Vice-Chancellor
Date approved: 11 March 2024
Review date: 11 March 2029