Frequently Asked Questions about Web site changes

Why the change?

The Morningside College community and administration have recognized that the old site had become confusing and difficult for all users and was not aligned with our priority of recruiting students to Morningside.

To solve these problems, we will segregate our internal content (forms, minutes, and other internal documents which are not relevant to external audiences) from our external content (information which is exclusively relevant to prospective students, and donors) The two different purposes will now have two different Web sites.

What will it look like?

The prototype design of both the new intranet and the new portal are available now by clicking on the 'Portal' logo above.

When will these changes take place?

The project upgrade to the campus Web site will begin in the summer of 2009 and continue until January 2010.

What are the goals of the new site?

The purpose of the Morningside College Web presence is to engage external constituents with the life and activities of the college.  Our first priority is to present compelling and engaging reasons for prospective students to enroll at Morningside.  Secondary priorities include informing alumni, donors, and the general public about opportunities to participate in the life of the college.

What is the "intranet" that has been mentioned?

• The intranet at Morningside is a way of organizing and providing information to our internal audiences (i.e.: faculty, staff, and students).
• Access to the Morningside intranet is to be accomplished through the portal - http://my.morningside.edu
• New content will be added daily, so check back often.
• If there is content you would like to see available inside the portal, please email the Re.Web team at: Re.Web@morningside.edu

Where do we go to find faculty/staff information?

• Faculty, staff, and students can access the intranet from the Web site homepage by clicking on the Faculty, Staff, and Students link on the menu on the left.
• Ultimately, all information for faculty, staff, and students will be delivered through the campus portal, http://my.morningside.edu

My department/organization does not have anyone with the time and/or skills to build, convert, or maintain our site.  What are we supposed to do?

• Contact Randee Small, Webmaster, via email at: small@morningside .edu to discuss the conversion of your content to the new site for you.  Once the site “owner” approves the new site, the site will go live.

If I maintain a page on the Morningside site, will I need to convert it?

• Yes. Web editor training will be scheduled during summer 2009.

Do I have to learn HTML, Dreamweaver, or another authoring tool?

• No.  Using the content management system (CMS) is much like using word processing software. The program "Contribute" is a central part of our CMS, and new versions will be purchased. Training will be provided to all Web editors before the conversion.

What is the Content Management System (CMS) that I keep hearing about?

• The Content Management System is a web-based application that is used to create and publish your website within the design.  Using the CMS will allow all of our external websites to have a similar look and feel and will assure that content is timely and consistent across sites. Our CMS is from Adobe, and consists of Contribute Publishing Server and Dreamweaver templates.

How do I get to  Blackboard?

• You will continue to access Blackboard through the college portal: http://my.morningside.edu