Web Governance Policy

Issued 4/1/19

Last update: 02/13/25

Why is web governance important?

Our digital presence is the public face of Bentley University. For many, it is their very first interaction with our institution. We want all of our digital visitors to have a productive, unified, easy-to-use digital experience consistent with the Bentley brand and values.

These guidelines and policies will ensure a consistent look and feel for Bentley’s digital presence through standard processes, roles, responsibilities and practices. A unified site with consistent, on-brand messaging and a frictionless user experience strengthens the university and supports our constituents. 

It is important to note all sites that fall within the bentley.edu domain are strategic assets that belong to the university, not individual departments or divisions. Drupal Users serve as caretakers of their websites, experts in their content, and stewards of our brand. 

Guiding Principles

All Bentley digital initiatives are guided by the following three principles:

Our Users Come First

Our digital audience includes prospective and current students, alumni, donors, corporate partners, staff and faculty, and people new to Bentley. All of our work, from content to design to allocation of resources, is created with their needs in mind.

We Are Consistent with Our Brand

The Bentley brand is our reputation. Our website will elevate our commitment to hands-on learning, academic achievements and positive and ethical business … the sum total of which means we deliver more than a business education. It is critical that every aspect of the Bentley experience reflects that positioning — including all of our digital resources and assets.

We Are Aligned with Our Strategic Plan

The Bentley strategic plan is the roadmap for our future. Like all other Bentley initiatives, our digital presence must support these efforts.

Drupal User Responsibilities

The bentley.edu domain includes 80+ individual department, office, center, and program websites. Each of these sites has a Drupal User identified to fulfill each of the roles below.

Drupal Users are responsible for the day-to-day maintenance of certain sections of the website and must stay current on Drupal training. They are responsible for ensuring all content, including text, photos, videos, and PDFs, on their website(s) is:

  1. Aligned with the current brand message, voice/tone, etc., and Bentley brand platform.
  2. In accordance with the governance guidelines and the Bentley Computing and Network Policy and meets WCAG AA standards issued in training.

In addition, Drupal Users must abide by the following policies.

Account Access

Your Drupal account is for your use only. If we become aware that you have provided someone else with your username and password, we reserve the right to revoke your access.

Your Drupal account must only be used to edit pages in the sections for which you were originally trained.

Accessibility

All sites must meet the following success criteria to comply with WCAG 2 level AA standards:

  • Alternative text success criteria
    • Alternative text is required for all images, form image buttons, and image map hot spots.
    • Images that do not convey content, are decorative, or already contain content conveyed in text should have null alt text (alt="").
    • Form buttons must have a descriptive value, and form inputs must have associated text labels.
    • Embedded multimedia must be identified via accessible text.
    • Frames and iFrames must be appropriately titled.
  • Color contrast success criteria. WCAG 2 level AA requires:
    • Contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.
    • Contrast ratio of at least 3:1 for graphics and UI components (such as form input borders).

WAVE is the preferred tool to analyze contrast ratios for all page text elements. If you need help evaluating contrast failures, the WebAIM color contrast checker is a great resource.

Branding

The official Bentley branding is the only visual identity system you may adopt for your website. Altering Bentley logos or branding in any components is not allowed. Unauthorized use may violate the Computing and Networking Policy and Bentley’s Mission and Values.

Content Approval

Requests to create new pages, programs, committees, activities, or events must go through a VP’s office or receive VP authorization.

Copyright

Copyright violation is a serious offense with strict penalties. You are responsible for ensuring that all content complies with copyright laws. The Bentley Library’s copyright guide provides more information.

Editorial Guidelines

All content must adhere to Bentley’s editorial guidelines. The Communications team has the authority to edit or remove non-compliant content.

Course Listings

All course listings must be pulled from CourseLeaf through a feed maintained by the Registrar’s Office. Exceptions apply only for special topics and experimental courses.

Data Capture/Forms

Data capture must comply with Bentley’s Data Classification and Usage Policy.

Event Listings & Promotion

All campus-promoted events should be published in the Bentley event calendar.

Measurement

The university uses Google Analytics and SiteImprove to track website traffic. Drupal Users may request access to their site's data.

Navigation and Search

Requests for changes to site-wide navigation (mega menu, directory) and search functionality will be reviewed by the VP of Marketing and Communications.

Photos, Video, and Web Streaming

Drupal Users may embed approved WebDAM photos or Bentley YouTube-hosted videos. Direct streaming is only supported for select institutional events (e.g., Commencement).

Web Update Requests

Campus stakeholders must request updates via the Wrike Web request form. Requests should be completed within 1-2 business days unless additional approvals or assets are required.

Social Media

Drupal Users must comply with social media guidelines. Contact the Social Media Associate Director for questions on embedding social feeds.

Subdomains

  • Bentley subdomains function as redirects to specific URLs within the Bentley.edu domain.
  • Redirects negatively impact site performance and require additional maintenance.

Third-Party Advertising

No third-party ads or affiliate links are allowed on the Bentley website.

Third-Party Tracking Code

  • Must be part of an actively managed marketing campaign running for at least 3 months.
  • Should not interfere with existing site tracking or negatively impact performance.

Training

Drupal Users must complete training and demonstrate baseline skills before making site changes. Periodic retraining may be required.

Vanity URLs

Vanity URLs are short, descriptive URLs used for promotional purposes (e.g., bentley.edu/mba). They redirect to longer URLs and can be requested here.

Policy Updates

Marketing reserves the right to update the governance policy and will notify Drupal Users of relevant changes.