By the end of this semester the current SMC website will be laid to rest, and a new more visually appealing and a more easily navigated site will take its place. Web master Donna Barnes demoed the new website today for the Student Services managers. She said the site is set to go live on December 20th, but there is still a need for content for pages. The deadline for faculty to submit their content has come and gone, with not much response. So if you haven’t updated your bio and photo in a while, now would be the time.
Dr. Lujan wrote:
Our website is a dominant marketing and outreach tool. Research shows that most of our students use the web for information seeking activities. And the general community uses it to learn more about the college and its programs. The information on the site has potential to draw people in or turn them off. They want to see and use current and relevant information about our academic programs and courses. And they want to see and know us (including photos of people and places).
To that end, I’m asking each of you to take a look at your personal, department, division, and/or center content on the current SMCC website. (Some of it is rather dated and/or non-existent). Then, I’d like to ask you to work with Donna Barnes to get your content (text, graphics, and pictures) updated for, or added to, the new website.
This is a great opportunity for us to promote our programs and classes by providing a brief overview of the purpose, benefits and career opportunities available to students via these programs and classes. So let Donna help you get it done now before we go live. Send your materials to her or call her to discuss any updates needed.
One of the premiere features of the new website is the “One Stop Student Services” page. On each page will be a link to the one stop page where students can get information on advisement, assessment and all other student services. This will save students from having to search around to find the needed services.
Another great feature of the new site is the Class Schedule search feature. The new site allows for students to add classes to a tentative schedule that is saved at the top of the page while they search for more classes. Once a student has built a schedule they can print it out or email it to themselves for later registration. It’s really a nice feature.
And let’s not forget…even though we’ll be working hard to get the new site up and flying by holiday break, the job doesn’t end there. The SMCC Web site will be our most important and dynamic information tool, and as such, deserves your continued attention and focus. Unlike our printed materials, the Web site can be updated at a moment’s notice, and as such can reflect changes and additions to the college’s offerings with the immediacy that today’s information environment demands. Plus, it’s always good to freshen up our info regularly with new text, photos, or graphics. Bottom line is: the SMCC Web site will never REALLY be done—it needs to keep growing and expanding with the college. We look forward to working with all of you to keep it fresh, useful and representative of all SMCC has to offer.