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NU website and CLiC to get major overhaul; plan makes site more user-friendly

By Nate Becker
Norwich Guidon Staff Writer

Norwich University’s website and CLiC services will be undergoing a major redesign over the next year.

Aimed at improving the web services’ usability and look, the project will mean greater benefits and usability for the Norwich community, according to the project manager for the website's overhaul, Joshua Turner, director of brand implementation.

“We want to make it is a major communications tool for the university internally,” said Turner. “It’s going to be more of your personalized homepage, where you can get all your updates on where you’ve got to be, or what you have to do that day,”

Turner refers to the upgrade of CLiC to new, improved software known as “Luminis,” which provides a more personalized and functional interface for both students and faculty.

Luminis is a product of Sungard SCT, a Pennsylvania-based web services company that specializes in software solutions tailored to colleges and universities.

Turner said the website will be much more individualized to the user, as opposed to the current CLiC, which is only marginally customizable.

“When you get to your Luminis homepage, it’s going to be customized for you,” Turner explained.

One of the most central problems to be resolved under the new system is that of content management. As it stands, Lenore Bayne, Norwich’s webmaster, handles all updates to any Norwich page. Under the new system, update responsibilities will be spread out over a large group of “content managers,” Turner explained.

The new content management system will allow individuals to update smaller segments of the site pertinent to their area of activity, while cross-referencing all updates so the content is consistent across the entire site.

“We called out to the whole Norwich community for content managers; people who are responsible for the content for their division or area. We’ve got about 60 to 70 people,” Turner said. “They’re the people who are really going to make this thing work, give it its soul.”

At the same time that CLiC services are being revamped, the university’s main site will be undergoing a facelift, as well.

Norwich has contracted BigBad Inc., a web design firm from Boston, to redesign and refurbish the main site with the ultimate goal of greater visibility and attractiveness to prospective students.

“Norwich is at a place right now where we have money set aside for a new website and a new logo branding and marketing,” Turner said. “We want to try and position this school with the Citadel, or West Point, or all these other schools that we should be included with; it’s just that people don’t know about us.

“Now we have the proper funds that we can go out and position ourselves,” Turner said.

According to BigBad’s website, the company has crafted sites for such distinguished clients as Harvard Law School, MIT, Pratt & Whitney, and a host of other big names in the educational, business, and internet worlds.

Students will not have to worry about bugs during the initial changeover, because the major implementation will be taking place over the summer.

But next year the situation may be different, Turner said. “I’ve heard timelines talking about fall, and in May we’re going to start out keeping it just with the basic CLiC functionalities that it has now, then gradually introduce more.”

The Norwich Guidon is a twice-monthly student newspaper distributed at Norwich University. It provides laboratory experience for students in the Communications program. Claims asserted by letter writers, editorials and other articles do not represent the positions of Norwich University. The Norwich Guidon welcomes signed letters to the editor. They should be no longer than 300 words. Unsigned letters will not be printed, but names may be withheld upon worthy request. All letters are subject to editing for length and good taste. Mailing address: The Norwich Guidon, Communications Center, Norwich University, 158 Harmon Dr, Northfield, VT 05663. www.norwich.edu/guidon.