Beloit College has launched a new website at www.beloit.edu, built entirely by the staff at the college.
The redesign, the first in five years, has been much anticipated, according to Megan Fitch, director of Information Services and Resources at Beloit.
“Last winter we identified the redesign as a top priority and set early September as a goal. Of course, at about the same time, we were facing budget restrictions and so, in a typical Beloit College fashion, we decided to put a team together and get the job done ourselves.”
The new site is directed at potential students and to audiences beyond the campus. The public will find a clear calendar of coming events as well as announcements of developments and programs at the College. Featured on the home page are profiles of current students including statements in their own words and, in a number of cases, video clips. There are also links to academics, athletics, campus and community and other important sites.
“Our website is our most important contact with potential students and their families,” says Nancy Benedict, vice president for enrollment. “The vast majority of students are doing their research on colleges on-line and this is our first contact. We need to attract high school students to our site, convey the distinctive and unique qualities of Beloit, and make the information clear and accessible. I think this new site is one of the best I have seen in realizing those goals. And there is a special feeling to it that comes about by our creating the site internally. We know the story we want to tell better than anyone.”
For the on-campus community, internal information relating to personnel, courses and the business of the college will continue to be available through on-campus links. “This will separate the day-to-day needs of the campus community from the broad picture of Beloit College that we wish to communicate to the world at large,” says Fitch.
A presidentially appointed committee including representatives of all divisions of the College met weekly for more than six months with members of the Information Services and Resources staff. Having set the external orientation for the new web site, the team began reorganizing information into new categories and sites and removing bad links and outdated information.
“Over time the old format had become cluttered and people were confused as to where and how to find current information,” Fitch said. “By eliminating hundreds of outdated pages and developing a “content management system” that will help to prompt regular review and keep information up to date, users will more easily reach current and complete listings they are seeking.” Beloit College is one of the first colleges in the country to implement “Reason,” a content management system developed by Carleton College in Minnesota.
The new site was launched in the early morning hours of September 3. In a statement to the campus, President Scott Bierman praised the work of the staff and committee. “There are few institutions that would be willing to take on this huge task without the help of consultants and outside designers. It is a massive undertaking and I am very proud of our community for this great cooperative effort. It is a critical part of our communications program.”