Last modified: Monday, September 30, 2002
IU Bloomington Web site debuts new look
More information for students, parents, faculty, staff and alumni. Community, international and diversity resources. A campus photo tour.
Visitors to the Indiana University Bloomington Web site (https://www.iub.edu) can expect to find these and other user-friendly features when the site debuts its new look the week of Oct. 7.
The new site is designed to provide users with easier access to important information, reinforce ties between the university and local community, and showcase the beauty of the Bloomington campus. The IUB site is one of the most visited Web sites in the IU system, receiving as many as 3 million hits in one month. It plays a critical role in assisting with student and faculty recruitment and image management, as well as communicating with key internal and external audiences.
The redesign, which began last November, resulted from an extensive, research-driven process involving over 100 faculty, staff, students and administrators. The new site will remain in the same family as the primary IU gateway site, or https://www.indiana.edu, and it will offer several enhancements, including seasonal photos and testimonials from faculty and students; a campus photo tour highlighting several landmarks, academic buildings, cultural venues and recreational sites; diversity, international and community resource links; and audience-specific pathways for finding information.
"I'm pleased that the new IUB Web site has been developed and want to thank all of those who worked on it," said IUB Chancellor Sharon Stephens Brehm. "I hope that the site will be useful to both those on campus and those not on campus who want to learn more about us. Indiana University Bloomington is a great and wonderful place, and this new Web site will help us all better appreciate this wonderful academic environment even more."
The redesign, the first major upgrade to the IUB site in over two years, received a strong endorsement from members of the Web Advisory Committee, chaired by Carolyn Calloway-Thomas, associate professor of communication and culture. Together with Associate Vice President Perry Metz, Campus Web Manager Thom Atkinson, and the Office of Communications and Marketing, the committee oversaw personal interviews with administrators, two initial online user surveys, several focus groups and usability testing before approving the new site.
"The new IU Web site is beautiful and at once highlights the academic mission of this splendid institution," Calloway-Thomas said. "I believe that the site will be more accessible and helpful to people who want and need to know what we do at Indiana University."
The new site will allow university community members to quickly locate useful information on academics, majors and programs, research, libraries and computing. Additionally, it will assist members of the Bloomington community not affiliated with the university. A community connections page includes links to available campus resources, upcoming events, job listings, volunteer opportunities, off-campus housing, key community issues, economic development and more.
"We're extremely excited to unveil the new Bloomington site," said Angela Tharp, assistant director of the Office of Communications and Marketing. "I'm confident the improvements we've made will engage our constituents in a way they haven't experienced before and give newcomers a true sense of what our vibrant campus is all about. It will also allow us to better showcase the wealth of academic and artistic resources we offer to both our affiliates and members of the surrounding community."
Soon after the site is launched, the Web design team will be preparing new templates that IUB units can adopt if they choose.
