Comments on: When Policies Become a Maintenance Nightmare http://www.trendingupward.net/2009/05/when-policies-become-a-maintenance-nightmare/?utm_source=subscriber&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss Web analytics for higher education. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:22:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Luke Martin http://www.trendingupward.net/2009/05/when-policies-become-a-maintenance-nightmare/#comment-588 Luke Martin Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:43:05 +0000 http://www.trendingupward.net/?p=1500#comment-588 losing track of 'multiple copies' is a common problem, not just in the education sector. The best way to solve it is with a decent content management system. To be transparent, I work for a WCM vendor, SDL Tridion. The SDL Tridion approach is all about content reuse, so someone writes that policy once, its stored in a central repository (with version history) and all the other sites and sub-domains etc can use that exact same content. The reuse is across pages and channels, so, policy pages, print friendly, FAQ, RSS, Email, whatever. Now, when the University next changes that policy (they can even do it themselves), it’s done once, and all those other pages, rss, sites, channels etc automatically get updated. Problem solved. losing track of ‘multiple copies’ is a common problem, not just in the education sector. The best way to solve it is with a decent content management system. To be transparent, I work for a WCM vendor, SDL Tridion. The SDL Tridion approach is all about content reuse, so someone writes that policy once, its stored in a central repository (with version history) and all the other sites and sub-domains etc can use that exact same content. The reuse is across pages and channels, so, policy pages, print friendly, FAQ, RSS, Email, whatever. Now, when the University next changes that policy (they can even do it themselves), it’s done once, and all those other pages, rss, sites, channels etc automatically get updated. Problem solved.

]]> By: Shelby Thayer http://www.trendingupward.net/2009/05/when-policies-become-a-maintenance-nightmare/#comment-526 Shelby Thayer Tue, 26 May 2009 03:24:53 +0000 http://www.trendingupward.net/?p=1500#comment-526 @Carlos and @ed - Thanks so much for your comments. I guess the next step is to ask ourselves, "what do we do about it?" Ed, I love the fact that your creating a system to house all policies that allows linking to sub-sections. Something I forgot to mention in the post too - what if the policy you want to link to is within a page that is not user-friendly or otherwise not readable, scannable, etc? Then you have to make a decision to link to a non-user-friendly page or duplicate the policy on your own page. Obviously there are advantages and disadvantages to both. I've found myself in this situation many times. At our own institutions, especially at larger ones where this is a more obvious problem, we need to somehow get everyone on the same page and working together on this - with real standards and consequences. Unfortunately I am as pessimistic as you, Ed. Wish us luck on that one, right? :) @Carlos and @ed – Thanks so much for your comments. I guess the next step is to ask ourselves, “what do we do about it?” Ed, I love the fact that your creating a system to house all policies that allows linking to sub-sections.

Something I forgot to mention in the post too – what if the policy you want to link to is within a page that is not user-friendly or otherwise not readable, scannable, etc? Then you have to make a decision to link to a non-user-friendly page or duplicate the policy on your own page. Obviously there are advantages and disadvantages to both. I’ve found myself in this situation many times.

At our own institutions, especially at larger ones where this is a more obvious problem, we need to somehow get everyone on the same page and working together on this – with real standards and consequences. Unfortunately I am as pessimistic as you, Ed. Wish us luck on that one, right? :)

]]> By: ed http://www.trendingupward.net/2009/05/when-policies-become-a-maintenance-nightmare/#comment-523 ed Fri, 22 May 2009 15:55:43 +0000 http://www.trendingupward.net/?p=1500#comment-523 I like to think of our website as a CVS for policies. Need an older version? No problem, just look long enough and you'll find it. And not only with policies but with admissions/enrollment procedures, academic content, you name it. I have been focused on this lately and am evaluating catalog and policy management systems. My goal is to create a managed system to house ALL policies that allows very specific linking to a sub section etc. Once that part is complete, then comes the removing and banning of posting ANY policy to the web except through linking..... Yeah, wish me luck on that one. Not only is it important for students to have the information centrally located and accurate, but there are some Title 34 issues that are worth considering. I like to think of our website as a CVS for policies. Need an older version? No problem, just look long enough and you’ll find it. And not only with policies but with admissions/enrollment procedures, academic content, you name it. I have been focused on this lately and am evaluating catalog and policy management systems. My goal is to create a managed system to house ALL policies that allows very specific linking to a sub section etc. Once that part is complete, then comes the removing and banning of posting ANY policy to the web except through linking….. Yeah, wish me luck on that one.

Not only is it important for students to have the information centrally located and accurate, but there are some Title 34 issues that are worth considering.

]]> By: Carlos http://www.trendingupward.net/2009/05/when-policies-become-a-maintenance-nightmare/#comment-521 Carlos Fri, 22 May 2009 14:06:47 +0000 http://www.trendingupward.net/?p=1500#comment-521 Oh absolutely agree with your point. It becomes a treasure hunt looking for policies at times. Because you start looking in one place and then remembered you saw it on another site of the universities site and before you know it you've start noticing that some of the policies are updated and others are not. Now when that happens you wonder which one to refer to and that is a whole other problem to worry about. Oh absolutely agree with your point. It becomes a treasure hunt looking for policies at times. Because you start looking in one place and then remembered you saw it on another site of the universities site and before you know it you’ve start noticing that some of the policies are updated and others are not. Now when that happens you wonder which one to refer to and that is a whole other problem to worry about.

]]>