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Visit the Columbia.edu Slide Show to see all of this month's and previous months' home page photographs.
Credits
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
Mechanical Engineering professor Gerard Ateshian. University Publications
Students studying in Avery Library. Richard Cunningham/DKV
RESEARCH
Engineering students in Introduction to Electrical Engineering. University Publications
Files in Butler Library. Sasha Mysakova/DKV
EVENTS CALENDAR
Desk calendar. Sasha Mysakova/DKV
Columbia students cheer at homecoming game. Ben Asen/Office of Public Affairs
PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS
Reading the Columbia Daily Spectator.
Seats in classroom. Arjun Mehra/DKV
STUDENTS
Three Columbia students. University Publications
Fans at Columbia homecoming game. Eileen Barroso/Office of Public Affairs
FACULTY & STAFF
Commencement 1999. Eileen Barroso/Office of Public Affairs
Detail of Low Library exterior. Richard Cunningham/DKV
ALUMNI
Screening of COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY: A CELEBRATION. Eileen Barroso/Office of Public Affairs
Low Library, side angle. Richard Cunningham/DKV
NEIGHBORS
Aerial of Upper Manhattan. Center for Biomedical Communications
Goddard Riverside Community Center. Christine Camilo
ABOUT COLUMBIA
The Columbia "C" on the Harlem River. Eileen Barroso/Office of Public Affairs
Alma Mater and Butler Library. University Publications
A-Z INDEX
Card catalog, Butler Library. Sasha Mysakova/DKV
Media Hunanities Center sign. Richard Cunningham/DKV
E-MAIL & COMPUTING
The Gateway computer lab. University Publications
Computer keyboard. Arjun Mehra/DKV
JOBS
Rooftops of Columbia Campus, winter. Richard Cunningham/DKV
Neighborhood around CU Medical Center and George Washington Bridge. Vivian Ducat/DKV
Low Library lit for Columbia 250 celebration. © Roberto Falck
Woman at computer terminal, Medical Center campus. James Burger/DKV
Staff of Clinical Genetics and Pediatrics, Columbia University. James Burger/DKV
VISITOR INFORMATION, ABOUT THIS SITE
Rooftops of Columbia Campus, winter. Richard Cunningham/DKV
Neighborhood around CU Medical Center and George Washington Bridge. Vivian Ducat/DKV
PUBLICATIONS
An array of Columbia's publications. Sharene Azimi/DKV
Pages from the May/June 2004 issue of Columbia Journalism Review. Sharene Azimi/DKV
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Headlines and announcements are prepared by Columbia's press staff on a daily basis. If you would like to submit a story or announcement for consideration, please contact the Office of Public Affairs for more information.
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The Events Calendar is a compilation of activities organized by many different groups on the Morningside Heights and CUMC campuses. To request a listing on the Calendar, please use the online event submission form.
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Background
In May 2003, the University accelerated a review of the Columbia University home page design, which had been in place for several years. Columbia University Digital Knowledge Ventures (Columbia DKV) was charged with providing recommendations for change and adoption of best practices wherever appropriate. Columbia DKV coordinated its work with the standing Web Advisory Committee chaired by Frank Wolf, dean of the School of Continuing Education. In addition, Columbia DKV and the Web Advisory Committee solicited feedback from a broad group of faculty, students, and administrative units.
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Project Participants
Representatives of the following Columbia units provided comments and assistance during the redesign process:
ADMINISTRATION
Academic Information Systems
Administrative Information Systems
Columbia Center for New Media Teaching and Learning
Columbia University Biomedical and Health Information Systems
Office of Community and Government Affairs
Office of the Provost
Office of Public Affairs
Student Services
University Development and Alumni Relations
University Libraries
FACULTY
Arts and Sciences
Medical Center, Office of Scholarly Resources
School of Dental and Oral Surgery
School of Engineering and Applied Science
School of Law
School of Social Work
Committees
Executive Committee of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Carmela Viricillo Franklin, Chair
University Senate Committee on Online Learning and Digital Media, Sharyn O'Halloran, Chair
Web Advisory Committee, Frank Wolf, Chair
STUDENTS
Columbia College Student Council
Engineering Student Council
General Studies Student Council
Graduate Student Advisory Council
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Process
PHASE 1: ANALYSIS (MAY–JUNE)
In the first phase of the redesign project, Columbia DKV conducted a formal analysis of the sites of five of our peer institutions: Harvard, Yale, Stanford, MIT, and Princeton, and reviewed many other university Web sites. The group found that in order for Columbia's site to reflect the best practices of our peers, the University would have to simplify the home page navigation, expand information for key user groups, and improve the visual and functional presentation of information.
PHASE 2: ARCHITECTURE (JULY–AUGUST)
By applying the principles of simplicity and consistency identified in phase 1, Columbia DKV developed a preliminary information architecture for the home page and proposed establishing a template for the top-level listings pages of Columbia.edu.
PHASE 3: DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION (SEPTEMBER–NOVEMBER)
Once a consensus on the architecture document was reached, Columbia DKV developed a visual design for Columbia.edu. Early on, the University decided to follow guidelines set forth in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (which requires federal agencies to make online information available to people with disabilities), and so the new home page and listings pages are designed to be usable by everyone, regardless of vision or hearing impairments.
PHASE 4: LAUNCH AND MAINTENANCE (DECEMBER– )
Web sites are mutable, yet too much change confuses a site's users. In order to ensure that the principles embodied in the new architecture and design are maintained over time, Columbia DKV recommended that a small, dedicated team of Web professionals be assigned to manage the site. This two-person Web Team maintains the University-wide listings pages (such as Academic Programs) and interfaces with designated "owners" of other top-level pages (such as Students). News updates continue to be supplied by the Office of Public Affairs.
In cases where the Web Team is unable to resolve a request or problem concerning the content or structure of the site, the team will bring the issue to the attention of the Web Advisory Committee, which operates under the guidance of the Provost and the Vice President for Information Services.
NEXT STEPS
If you have specific suggestions for strengthening Columbia.edu, please contact the Webmaster and we will consider your suggestion as we continue to improve the site. Also, please notify us if you encounter any broken links or problems using the site.
Columbia University currently hosts some 400 Web sites. While it is not necessary for the managers of these sites to adopt the new design, we encourage anyone who is interested in doing so to read the Columbia.edu Style Guides.
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