OpenHSU helps you create well-designed websites that are simpler to update. And OpenHSU sites contribute to an overall University web presence that is more consistent and usable. Plus, OpenHSU sites are hosted on reliable and fast off-campus servers, which saves Humboldt money.
Specific features of OpenHSU:
- Standard Humboldt brand design is built in. By using the content types and styles included in OpenHSU, your site will complement the University's homepage with consistency of fonts, colors, and various design elements
- Responsive design means sites automatically work on screens ranging from desktop monitors to smartphones. This is really important, as most students and many faculty and staff are "mobile firstusers, who use smartphones as their primary access to web resources.
- Updates happen automatically. Our team stays on top of bug fixes, security patches, and improvements so you can focus on building your site and communicating with your audience.
- Flexible Content Layouts. There are a wide range of tools for creating unique page layouts and content arrangements.
- Simple starting points for the most common needs. You can easily insert prebuilt content types - like news, events, people listings, slideshows, and galleries.
- Website accessibility is part of the package. It's not only required by law and CSU policy, it's the best way to make sure you reach your audiences effectively.
- New functionality is being added all the time. As new options and services are finalized, they automatically become available for you to use.
As OpenHSU becomes used more broadly on campus, the University's overall web presence will become more unified, consistent, and easier to use. There will be less guesswork for users about functionality, and it will be more clear that they are on an Humboldt site.
At the same time, Cal Poly Humboldt staff and faculty will develop expertise on OpenHSU over time. Those who have used the tool to manage sites will be able to help colleagues who are new to it. And if they move to a different office on campus, they will take that expertise with them, rather than having to learn a whole new content management tool.
About
OpenHSU is a multi-year project of Marketing & Communications, with significant planning and technical support from Information Technology Services. Both units provide ongoing support and assistance to those responsible for maintaining campus websites.
OpenHSU is a custom distribution within Drupal, which is an open source web management tool widely used within higher education. The custom distribution provides instant consistency with design styles like color, lines, graphics, header, etc. It marks Humboldt sites as part of the same family, while still offering the ability to look individual. OpenHSU also utilizes a platform and off-campus server space from a company called Pantheon. This provides valuable tools, updates to software and hardware, redundancy and back-up, and more. And it significantly reduces the need for campus staffing and hardware purchases.
OpenHSU replaces the University's previous system for managing Humboldt websites, which involved use of numerous content management software, a variety of simple templates, and ad hoc creation of highly customized sites. It has been implemented over multiple years through significant trial-and-error, as well as testing with campus units. It is being used by several areas of campus, and the goal is to convert nearly all the remaining public-facing websites by the end of 2018.