As you have noticed, www.emerson.edu has undergone many changes. Below are some answers to frequently asked questions. Future project updates will also be posted here.
Why did we redesign Emerson.edu?
Currently the Emerson homepage receives more than 8,000 visitors per day or close to 3 million visitors each year. As our largest communications vehicle, www.emerson.edu must reflect the strategic plan and message of the College.
This redesign aims to capture the spirit of Emerson while also improving the overall quality and usability of the website. Our goals for this project are to:
The redesign committee and other related committees include these members:
Visit Emerson Live, the College's new multimedia platform dedicated to showcasing student work and campus life and events.
You'll also notice several featured videos throughout Emerson.edu. Nearly all of the videos were shot by Emerson Channel student staff as well as two interns in the Communications and Marketing department: Matthew Hashiguchi, MFA '11 and Matt Figler, BFA '11.
Also, visit our Social Media Directory page to connect with Emerson on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr.
Where can I find...?
The navigation has been changed to improve the usability for all users: parents, students, faculty, staff, alumni and the general public. It may take some time to get used to where sites and information are now located.
To best navigate the new site, we suggest using the drop-down navigation menus that appear when you mouse over the main navigation items at the top of the page.
To find links, news, and announcements specific to faculty and staff, visit the Faculty/Staff page listed at the top right-hand corner of the site.
For a complete listing of all Offices/ Departments websites, visit: http://www.emerson.edu/about-emerson/offices-departments.
Why is eCommon/Banner down?
eCommon will be UNAVAILABLE beginning Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 3:00 p.m for a major software upgrade. This is unrelated to the new website launch.
All services should be restored by the end of day Tuesday, June 1, 2010.
Can I edit my site?
Please read these FAQs:
Why did we redesign Emerson.edu?
Currently the Emerson homepage receives more than 8,000 visitors per day or close to 3 million visitors each year. As our largest communications vehicle, www.emerson.edu must reflect the strategic plan and message of the College.
This redesign aims to capture the spirit of Emerson while also improving the overall quality and usability of the website. Our goals for this project are to:
- Deliver a unified message and brand identity
- Improve usability and accessibility
- Integrate multimedia, social media, and interactive elements
- Improve efficiency in the content creation, review, and approval processes
- Provide a lively, dynamic interface, improving the website experience for all users
The redesign committee and other related committees include these members:
- Andy Tiedemann, Vice President for Communications and Marketing
- MJ Knoll-Finn, Vice President for Enrollment
- Bob Ashton, Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations
- Bill Gilligan, Vice President for Information Technology
- Linda Moore, Vice President for Academic Affairs
- Rob Orchard, Executive Director for the Arts
- Mike Petroff, Chair, Social Media Working Group, and Web Manager, Enrollment Management
- Anya Belkina, Chair, Faculty Technology Policy Committee
- Marta Ruohoniemi, Content Developer, Web Services (Project Manager)
- Jason Beals, Director of Web Services
- Matt Bailey, Web Coordinator, Web Services
- Deb Falzoi, Web Designer/Media Developer, Web Services
- Rich Grossman, Director of Networking/Telecommunications
Visit Emerson Live, the College's new multimedia platform dedicated to showcasing student work and campus life and events.
You'll also notice several featured videos throughout Emerson.edu. Nearly all of the videos were shot by Emerson Channel student staff as well as two interns in the Communications and Marketing department: Matthew Hashiguchi, MFA '11 and Matt Figler, BFA '11.
Also, visit our Social Media Directory page to connect with Emerson on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr.
Where can I find...?
The navigation has been changed to improve the usability for all users: parents, students, faculty, staff, alumni and the general public. It may take some time to get used to where sites and information are now located.
To best navigate the new site, we suggest using the drop-down navigation menus that appear when you mouse over the main navigation items at the top of the page.
To find links, news, and announcements specific to faculty and staff, visit the Faculty/Staff page listed at the top right-hand corner of the site.
For a complete listing of all Offices/ Departments websites, visit: http://www.emerson.edu/about-emerson/offices-departments.
Why is eCommon/Banner down?
eCommon will be UNAVAILABLE beginning Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 3:00 p.m for a major software upgrade. This is unrelated to the new website launch.
All services should be restored by the end of day Tuesday, June 1, 2010.
Can I edit my site?
Please read these FAQs:
Why does my departmental site look different?
We redesigned all of emerson.edu so that the new website has a consistent look and feel.
Why has the first part of my department's URL changed to www2.emerson.edu instead of www.emerson.edu ?
At this time we are unable to migrate all of the content over at once, so we are doing this in phases. So, for the time being, we are operating two different content management systems: CommonSpot and a new system called Drupal.
One main address is assigned to www.emerson.edu (Drupal) while the other is assigned to www2.emerson.edu (CommonSpot). If you type in www.emerson.edu/web_services however, you should be redirected to www2.emerson.edu/web_services.
Didn't you say there was a new system and that my site is moving or "migrating" to it? When is that happening?
We are still in the process of completing Phase I of the redesign project. We hope to start Phase II in mid-June. We will be in contact with you to let you know and to work with you in moving your site to the new system, also known as Drupal.
When will I be trained in the new system, aka "Drupal"?
The Drupal training will coincide with the migration process of your new site.
Can I still edit in CommonSpot?
Yes, you can still edit your site in the same way as before. The only difference being that after you login to CommonSpot, you will be taken to the live emerson.edu website. You must then type in your CommonSpot URL to edit it. For example, if you edit the Human Resources site, you should navigate to timothy.emerson.edu/hr
What should I do in the meantime?
You should continue to update, edit, and add new content. Two writing resources are available for your reference:
If you'd like a new navigation layout or you want to add advanced features to your department's site, you may need to wait.
Finally...thank you!
Thank you for your continued interest and involvement in this redesign project. Your time, feedback, and patience have been instrumental in making this new website happen. So again, thank you!
We redesigned all of emerson.edu so that the new website has a consistent look and feel.
Why has the first part of my department's URL changed to www2.emerson.edu instead of www.emerson.edu ?
At this time we are unable to migrate all of the content over at once, so we are doing this in phases. So, for the time being, we are operating two different content management systems: CommonSpot and a new system called Drupal.
One main address is assigned to www.emerson.edu (Drupal) while the other is assigned to www2.emerson.edu (CommonSpot). If you type in www.emerson.edu/web_services however, you should be redirected to www2.emerson.edu/web_services.
Didn't you say there was a new system and that my site is moving or "migrating" to it? When is that happening?
We are still in the process of completing Phase I of the redesign project. We hope to start Phase II in mid-June. We will be in contact with you to let you know and to work with you in moving your site to the new system, also known as Drupal.
When will I be trained in the new system, aka "Drupal"?
The Drupal training will coincide with the migration process of your new site.
Can I still edit in CommonSpot?
Yes, you can still edit your site in the same way as before. The only difference being that after you login to CommonSpot, you will be taken to the live emerson.edu website. You must then type in your CommonSpot URL to edit it. For example, if you edit the Human Resources site, you should navigate to timothy.emerson.edu/hr
What should I do in the meantime?
You should continue to update, edit, and add new content. Two writing resources are available for your reference:
If you'd like a new navigation layout or you want to add advanced features to your department's site, you may need to wait.
Finally...thank you!
Thank you for your continued interest and involvement in this redesign project. Your time, feedback, and patience have been instrumental in making this new website happen. So again, thank you!
Can I log in and make changes now?
No, we're still working on improving the editing and approval process. We'll let you know when you can log in to make changes. In the meantime, please email your edits and requests to matthew_bailey@emerson.edu.
I missed the Drupal training...will there be another training soon?
Yes, we hope to have additional trainings in the next few weeks. We'll let you know when these are scheduled.
Most importantly...thank you!
Thanks to all of you Drupal users for your continued interest and involvement in this redesign project. Your time, feedback, and patience have been instrumental in making this new website happen. So again, thank you from all of us here at Web Services.
No, we're still working on improving the editing and approval process. We'll let you know when you can log in to make changes. In the meantime, please email your edits and requests to matthew_bailey@emerson.edu.
I missed the Drupal training...will there be another training soon?
Yes, we hope to have additional trainings in the next few weeks. We'll let you know when these are scheduled.
Most importantly...thank you!
Thanks to all of you Drupal users for your continued interest and involvement in this redesign project. Your time, feedback, and patience have been instrumental in making this new website happen. So again, thank you from all of us here at Web Services.
On Wednesday, 5/6/09, we will be upgrading our production environment to the latest versions of Commonspot (v.5) and ColdFusion (v.8).
This will affect the following sites:
Commonspot Users
Please submit any changes you have by 4:30pm on Tuesday, 5/5/09. After that point authoring/editing content will be disabled until the upgrade process is complete.
While the core functionality of Commonspot is largely unchanged, the user interface is consderably different. Accordingly, before users will be allowed to add/edit content, they will need to attend a mandatory orientation session conducted by Web Services. These sessions will run from 2pm-4:30 pm each day starting Monday 5/4 and 10am-12pm each day starting Tuesday 5/5. The sessions will last approximately 1/2 hour and are available on a drop-in basis. Please alert Matthew Bailey (matthew_bailey@emerson.edu) when you plan to attend. Drop-In sessions will continue until Friday, 5/8, after which it will be by appointment.
In addition to these sessions, Web Services will offer refresher training sessions in the coming weeks. Please contact Matthew Bailey for more details.
Web Services is working on an improved training site; in the interim you may download updated materials at the existing training site, http://www.emerson.edu/training .
If you have any questions about the upgrade or concerns about how it may affect your site(s), please contact Jason Beals at jason_beals@emerson.edu.
This will affect the following sites:
- www.emerson.edu
- timothy.emerson.edu
- wers.org
- emersonchannel.org
- ecampus.emerson.edu
- tour.emerson.edu
Commonspot Users
Please submit any changes you have by 4:30pm on Tuesday, 5/5/09. After that point authoring/editing content will be disabled until the upgrade process is complete.
While the core functionality of Commonspot is largely unchanged, the user interface is consderably different. Accordingly, before users will be allowed to add/edit content, they will need to attend a mandatory orientation session conducted by Web Services. These sessions will run from 2pm-4:30 pm each day starting Monday 5/4 and 10am-12pm each day starting Tuesday 5/5. The sessions will last approximately 1/2 hour and are available on a drop-in basis. Please alert Matthew Bailey (matthew_bailey@emerson.edu) when you plan to attend. Drop-In sessions will continue until Friday, 5/8, after which it will be by appointment.
In addition to these sessions, Web Services will offer refresher training sessions in the coming weeks. Please contact Matthew Bailey for more details.
Web Services is working on an improved training site; in the interim you may download updated materials at the existing training site, http://www.emerson.edu/training .
If you have any questions about the upgrade or concerns about how it may affect your site(s), please contact Jason Beals at jason_beals@emerson.edu.
Working with OCSS, Web Services has enabled online ordering of Semester MBTA passes. The system is open to all users, but the passes must be purchased either by or on behalf of a registered student. Payment is handled using the Bank of America gateway that powers Family Weekend Registration.
https://www.emerson.edu/offcampus_housing/mbta/
https://www.emerson.edu/offcampus_housing/mbta/
We have revamped the eCampus authentication to allow applicants who are in Banner the ability to sign on like those in WALDO. This means that any applicant after 9/1 will be able to make use of Applicant specific services like the Apartments listing and the Tackboard.
This also sets the stage for the banner conversion of students next year.
This also sets the stage for the banner conversion of students next year.
Web Services has removed the check whether a user is logged in to eCampus that controlled access to workshops listings. Workshops are now freely viewable on the eCampus homepage, the /workshops subsite and via any custom script on departments' web pages.
There are two custom scripts that pull events from the calendar: getEcampusEventsByDepartment and getEcampusWorkshopsByDepartment. While they will continue to be mutually exclusive (for those departments wanting to highight workshops by themselves), the getEcampusEventsByDepartment script has been modified to allow the user to include workshops.
Simply add the following parameter to the custom script: showWorkshops=1 .
The Commonspot Training section will be updated accordingly.
There are two custom scripts that pull events from the calendar: getEcampusEventsByDepartment and getEcampusWorkshopsByDepartment. While they will continue to be mutually exclusive (for those departments wanting to highight workshops by themselves), the getEcampusEventsByDepartment script has been modified to allow the user to include workshops.
Simply add the following parameter to the custom script: showWorkshops=1 .
The Commonspot Training section will be updated accordingly.
We have changed the custom script getEcampusEventsByDepartment to allow you to have a locally managed events listing. You can use this either as a standalone or in conjunction with the third column events listing we'd been offering.
The script will display the full text of all upcoming events (a word of caution if you have hundreds of events...).
There are now 2 additional parameters you can specify:
display: (values sidebar or main). Sidebar gives you the bulleted list display for the third column, main gives you the full event listing grouped by date. If you do not specify a display, it will default to sidebar.
targetURL: if you choose sidebar, you can also set the destination of the link ~ for example if you want BOTH a sidebar and a full event listing. To determine the URL navigate to the events page you have created and and copy everything AFTER ".edu". If you do not specify a URL, the link(s) will go to ecampus as they do now.
A complete step by step will be available in the training materials shortly.
The script will display the full text of all upcoming events (a word of caution if you have hundreds of events...).
There are now 2 additional parameters you can specify:
display: (values sidebar or main). Sidebar gives you the bulleted list display for the third column, main gives you the full event listing grouped by date. If you do not specify a display, it will default to sidebar.
targetURL: if you choose sidebar, you can also set the destination of the link ~ for example if you want BOTH a sidebar and a full event listing. To determine the URL navigate to the events page you have created and and copy everything AFTER ".edu". If you do not specify a URL, the link(s) will go to ecampus as they do now.
A complete step by step will be available in the training materials shortly.
Please be advised that Mozilla's recent Firefox release is not entirely compatible with Commonspot. A conversation with PaperThin support reveals that while they will make Commonspot Firefox 3.0 friendly, they will do so ONLY for their current release (5.02). Emerson uses version 4.6.3.
Accordingly please do not attempt to use Firefox 3.0 with Commonspot.
Two known bugs:
Accordingly please do not attempt to use Firefox 3.0 with Commonspot.
Two known bugs:
- If you have a long page with many elements (like a page with anchor links), clicking on the pencil icon to edit an element brings you to the top of the page and does not allow you to make changes.
- Clicking the pencil icon associated with a textblock immediately opens the editor, regardless of whether you intend that or no.
How many times have you accidentally forgotten to check "Include in Public Gallery"? What this does is restricts selecting the image to you [and administrators] only making future use of your image exceedingly difficult.
Thanks to a handy script from Figleaf software, the Include in Public Gallery checkbox is checked by default.
You may of course uncheck it should your circumstance warrant it.
Thanks to a handy script from Figleaf software, the Include in Public Gallery checkbox is checked by default.
You may of course uncheck it should your circumstance warrant it.
