July 2021 Web News & Announcements
July 6, 2021
Reminder: Name Changes for Voinovich School and OMSAR
While more than a hundred Drupal Web CMS nodes have already been updated to reflect the Voinovich change (effective July 1, 2021), web managers should check this list (OHIO password required) and see if there are remaining nodes in their areas needing attention. Site managers' names appear in the "content owner" column.
OMSAR, within the division of Diversity & Inclusion, has also had a slight name change, which will also result in web updates. The UCM Web Team is auditing the website for instances that need to be edited and will reach out to web editors in the coming weeks for assistance with those.
Going forward, web managers should ensure that the current name is used:
| NEW NAME | FORMER NAME |
|---|---|
| George V. Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service | George V. Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs |
| Office of Multicultural Success and Retention (OMSAR) | Office for Multicultural Student Access and Retention (OMSAR) |
New Chatbot Helps Steer Web Visitors to Services
Visitors to several areas of the OHIO website have likely encountered Rufus the CatBot, a widget that pops up on the right side of the page. This artificially intelligent, self-service chatbot — a creation of the software firm Ivy.ai — is designed to help colleges and universities efficiently connect web visitors to various services and resources.
CatBot presents viewers with links that address common requests, and when staffing is available, it can answer questions or connect the questioner to a human.
Analytics show that web visitors are keeping this bot busy. Since rollout began in March, CatBot has fielded more than 26,000 requests, mostly in Undergraduate Admissions, according to statistics provided by Bill Newton, assistant director for enrollment marketing and customer relationship management operations.
In response to recent campus feedback, some settings controlling chatbot behavior have been tweaked. For instance, when a user closes the chat bubble, it will not appear again during that viewing session. In the event that a browser cache is cleared, however, the chat bubble will pop up again.
While University Communications and Marketing assisted in installing CatBot, questions and feedback about it should be directed to service providers in each content area, who are listed in the table below.
| Site | Most Common Request for CatBot | Service Provider |
|---|---|---|
| Bursar's Office | Reasons for hold | Cory Tinkham, tinkhac1@ohio.edu |
| Financial Aid & Scholarships | When will I receive a refund? | Christina Bratton, brattoc1@ohio.edu |
| OHIO Information Technology (OIT) | Reset your password | Mary Jeffreys, jeffreys@ohio.edu |
| OHIO Online | Class options | Bill Newton, newtonwe@ohio.edu |
| Undergraduate Admissions | How to check application status | Bill Newton, newtonwe@ohio.edu |
| University Registrar | How to check your grades | Jayme Arnett, arnettj@ohio.edu |
Summer is Perfect Time for These Website Housekeeping Tasks
Summer's slower pace offers an opportunity for web managers to review content and make routine updates. Stale content can negatively impact search engine optimization (SEO), so neglecting to make a few simple updates can result in fewer site visitors. Some suggestions:
- Update staff directory information.
- Review linked documents, updating those that need it and deleting from storage any outdated files.
- Ensure pages, especially high-profile ones, have correct heading hierarchy. (Heading 1 is for page's title only and is automatically applied upon page creation based on page title field and should not be used in body text; Heading 2 is for page sections; Heading 3 for subsections.) Heading styles should always be applied in hierarchial order to meet web accessibility guidelines.
- Update dates for recurring events and deadlines.
- Note changes to operations, procedures, processes, and facility accesses — especially those related to COVID-19.
- Verify your site's primary/secondary contacts on the Website Manager Directory and email any updates to grenert@ohio.edu.
New Look is Coming Soon for Web CMS
Changes to the color theme in the administrative areas of the Drupal Web CMS are scheduled to roll out the week of July 12. The change is not expected to affect any system functions, just the appearance. If you have questions or feedback regarding the change, email webcontent@ohio.edu.
New Display
Current Display
Branded Fonts Roll Out Across Ohio.edu
As part of Ohio University's implementation of new typography aligning with its Forever OHIO branding, new fonts will launch across ohio.edu last week. Questions, issues and feedback regarding the change should be reported to the site's primary manager, who in turn is should report issues to University Communication and Marketing via this document (OHIO ID required).
The new typography is also being phased into the University's print, video, digital and broadcast elements.
Read the announcement about the new font download availability
See samples of new fonts and get info on how to download them
Check out the look and feel of the Forever OHIO brand