A shared framework that defines roles, processes and workflows for web support across the College of Engineering.
The College of Engineering Dean's Office hosts a shared website system so departments and units can manage their online presence without building or maintaining their own infrastructure. In return, they get a modern, accessible web ecosystem backed by our team's training, best practices, and ongoing support.
College and department websites
Microsites
A microsite is a stand‑alone website created for a large, complex, and ongoing center, initiative, or program, either within the College of Engineering or spanning multiple engineering departments. Microsites are hosted on the CoE web servers and use our standard content management system, Drupal.
Microsites are built and supported by the College of Engineering web team. Because they function much like a small department website, they require:
- Dedicated staff support from the program or center
- Ongoing collaboration with the web team
- Funding to cover creation and long‑term maintenance
Because some emerging initiatives don’t fit cleanly within existing department websites, we developed microsites to meet that need. Microsites offer a sustainable, well‑supported solution for projects that benefit from dedicated web presence while remaining aligned with the broader College web ecosystem.
A project is eligible for microsite support if it meets all of the criteria below:
1. Large and complex
The project requires multiple pages of content organized through a navigation menu.
2. Permanent
The center, initiative, or program is ongoing and not time‑limited (for example, not a two‑year or short‑term initiative).
3. College‑wide or cross‑departmental
The project:
- Sits within the College of Engineering, or
- Spans multiple departments, and
- Does not have a clear or natural home within a single department website
4. Dedicated communications support
Microsites require a staff member (not faculty or project leadership) who can:
- Develop and update content
- Serve as a primary point of contact
- Respond to questions from partners, stakeholders, and leadership
This role is often filled by a communications manager, program operations manager, or a shared administrative resource.
5. Funding
Programs must have a continuous, identified funding source to support microsite costs, which include:
- Initial site setup
- Annual funds dedicated to ongoing updates and maintenance
Microsite requests for research centers and institutes must be approved or routed through the Dean or Vice Dean of the College of Engineering.
If a project meets the eligibility requirements and aligns with the microsite coverage agreement below, it may be submitted for approval by the Vice Dean. Once approved, please contact Claudia Aguirre, Director of Digital Strategy, to begin the process.
If you’re unsure whether your project qualifies, feel free to reach out—we’re glad to help you think through the best option.
Joining the web support service model
In addition to hosting their websites on the Dean’s Office servers, several departments have also opted into our shared web support services, enabling them to access enhanced support from professional web staff who partner closely with their communications staff to manage their sites. These departments have access to dedicated support queues.
Departments and units are invited to join our web support service model. This shared approach offers several advantages:
- Access to specialized expertise without the challenges of recruiting and managing a web professional
- Cost efficiency by sharing professional staff and infrastructure rather than funding a full-time position independently
- Access to tools and systems already supported by the Dean’s Office
- A mature web ecosystem with proven governance, processes, and support structures that ensure websites remain current, accessible, and effective
By participating in the web support service model, departments can focus on their core work while benefiting from a reliable, professionally supported web presence.
To learn more about our web support service model, please reach out to Claudia Aguirre, Director of Digital Strategy, to begin the process.