WSG Minutes - Hilary Term 2008

1. Introductions
   Introductions were made for Anne-Marie Drummond, Divisional Secretary of the Humanities Division, Susannah Wintersgill, recently appointed Head of Internal Communications in the Public Affairs Directorate and David Walker, Lecturer in Computation at the Computing Laboratory, attending at the request of the Registrar, for whom he is working on a number of projects, including web development.
   
   
2. Web Archiving
   Discussions are taking place with interested parties with a view to producing a paper to seek funding for the project.
   Action: CE to report on progress to next meeting.
   
   
3. Oxweb downtime
   The dangers this would pose to the University’s operations and reputation are being more strongly reflected in the University Risk Register.
   Action: JH to monitor
   
   
4. Web Content
   PAD has appointed a Web Editor on a 6-month contract. It is hoped that the position may become permanent and that the postholder would work inter alia on best-practice guidelines and training programmes for wider use. Some training provision is already offered by OUCS.
   Action: CE to liaise with OUCS about possible future co-operation and OUCS hosting of courses.

1. Web Review
   The meeting was brought up to date on plans for this wide-ranging analysis of the University’s diffuse web presence. GPC has given a general welcome to the proposal for a review. Funding and a full remit are still required. The meeting supported the setting-up of an ad hoc subcommittee of the WSG, to include external members where skills and roles were of specific value, to undertake scoping of the project. It is anticipated that, rather than reporting to the WSG, this wider group will be able to take advantage of the more direct, higher-level reporting being developed for the review.
   Action: RM to canvas WSG members and others to participate in the ad hoc subcommittee. RM to liaise with Registrar about leadership, reporting lines and timeframe for such a group.
   
   
2. WSG Remit
   The group discussed the need for clearer understanding and definition of its purpose, remit and position in the institutional structures. It was suggested pro tem that the links formed recently to GPC and the Registrar might be developed profitably. Longer-term resolution might emerge from the proposed web review. A proposal that, from now on, minutes of group meetings should be placed on the web was approved. It was also agreed that the WSG minutes would be sent (via a notice with the weblink for them) to the PRAC ICT Sub-Committee.
   Action: CE as Secretary to place approved minutes on web and to act, subject to review, as main point of contact for any feedback.
   
   
3. CMS update
   Three vendors recently made presentations to the Central Admin Web CMS Project Team and Evaluators. A decision is pending.
   
   
4. Google Search Appliance update
   The Registrar has funded a doubling of the indexing limit to 1 million pages. Longer-term financing of the service has still to be resolved.
   
   
5. Branding and Oxweb redesign update
   The Group discussed the need to extend and improve communications procedures for planned changes affecting web activity. Updated guidelines for web deployment of the revised University branding are being prepared. Further profiling would be given to the PAD fund for assisting with rebranding of websites. Changes to date to the front page of the revamped website were noted and further evolution, as foreshadowed at the time of the launch, and in response to use and feedback were likely.
   Action: CE to update Group at the next meeting.

The Trinity Term 2008 WSG meeting will be held on Thursday 1 May 2008. Proposed papers/items should be sent to christopher.eddie@admin.ox.ac.uk for consideration no later than Thursday 24 April.