Web Templates

To ensure effective, consistently branded Web sites across the University, follow a few simple conventions. All of the resources you need—HTML templates, instructions for how to use them and Photoshop files with assorted image and color choices—are available on the eCommunication Standards site.

Recommended template elements include:

• The template header incorporating the wordmark and gold block M on a maroon background, links to MyU, One Stop, Directories and Search U of M, and Driven to Discover.
• Primary navigation links in a left-hand column.
• The template footer incorporating copyright, equal opportunity and privacy statements, the date last modified and an e-mail link to the University's central contact office.

For electronic publication standards, guidelines for Web template use, or to download Web templates, go to eCommunication Standards.

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University Logos

The wordmark, wordmark and Driven to Discover, block M, and Goldy are all available on the Images Library as RGB files for use in electronic publications.

Usage standards vary based on the electronic publication. Standards are described in the Graphic Standards section of the Web Standards on the eCommunication Standards site.

Color and Type

Consistent treatment of type and color throughout your electronic publications makes it easy for users to navigate and gives visitors a uniform and consistent experience. These font and color standards are incorporated in the Web templates and Photoshop files available on the eCommunication Standards site.

Web Colors

HTML Typography

Use a font that is widely available on all operating systems and is easily readable. Verdana is font recommended for U of M electronic publications. More about HTML typography can be found on eCommunication Standards in Text Standards.

Graphic Typography

There is no prescribed standard for fonts in graphics, but best practices should be observed. Fonts should be readable at all sizes that they are used and should be consistent throughout your family of electronic publications. For more on fonts for graphics, see Text Standards on the eCommunication Standards site.

The following are suggested Web fonts:

HTML:

Verdana Regular

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
ABCDEFGHIJKLNOPQRSTUVW

Verdana Bold

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvw
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST

Graphics:

Arial

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST

For more on Web typography, check the Text Standards.

Mass E-mail

For consistency, your mass e-mail messages should have the same look and many of the same features as a University Web site—including the required elements set out in the University's Publishing Information on the World Wide Web policy. It must also comply with federal CAN-SPAM regulations, which require:

• Accurate "To" and "From" fields.
• Descriptive subject lines.
• A clear way for recipients to "opt out."
• A valid postal address for the sender.

Other best practices for mass e-mail include:

• Providing for your readers to opt-in rather than opt-out.
• Informing readers how their e-mail addresses will be used once collected.
• Removing e-mail addresses that bounce in five consecutive delivery attempts.
• Directing readers to online addresses rather than attaching images and documents to the e-mail.
• Testing the newsletter in a variety of e-mail client applications.

Unless you state otherwise in the e-mail, any tracking information you collect is governed by the University's Online Privacy Statement.

For more information about mass e-mail standards and to download e-mail templates, see the eCommunication Standards site.

Access to Information Technology

The University's accessibility policy, along with examples for Web, hardware and software accessibility, can be found on the Accessibility of Information Technology Web site.

The University's Web templates have been built and tested to comply with our accessibility policies. Go to the eCommunication Standards for more information on how the Web templates address various accessibility issues.

See also the University's Accessibility of Information Technology policy on the Policy Library Web site and guidelines on implementing the accessibility policy.

Common Web site accessibility barriers include:

• Using audio or video without supporting captions or descriptive text.
• Organizing information exclusively into frames and scripts, which many users can't accommodate.
• Creating pages with poor color contrast.
• Using images, image maps and complex graphics without a text alternative.
• Using small Web page controls or display fonts that cannot be resized.