Make the NEW VALE Web Site Work For You!

November 16, 2005

Why was a new web site needed?

Now that VALE has grown to encompass 12 committees that foster dozens of collaborations, the need for a more timely and effective communication center became evident. The VALE membership needs a central venue to share activities, post messages, highlight successes and disseminate information. While the original web site served us well for a number of years, it needed a major overhaul in design/structure and functionality.

To whom should I report a broken link or other VALE web site problem?

Whenever you find a broken link or other problem, please report it immediately by sending an email to Judy Avrin (avrinj@wpunj.edu) and Anne Ciliberti (cilibertia@wpunj.edu). They will ensure that the problem is addressed as quickly as possible.

 How can I submit NEW information to be included on the web site?

Please email suggested content and preferred location on the web site to both Judy Avrin (avrinj@wpunj.edu) and Anne Ciliberti (cilibertia@wpunj.edu).

 How will the web site be maintained?

A decentralized approach has been selected to maintain the VALE web site. Several members of the Committee have been given access to the VALE server and its files so that updates and changes can be handled quickly and efficiently by any one of the designated Committee members.

 What are the new features?

Several new features are in place and more are being planned. To date, the following enhancements are available:

Design/Structure

• A new layout and design, with a professionally created logo
• Standardized layout for secondary web pages
• Standardized format for VALE Committee information
• Archives of News, Calendar and User Conference

Functionality

• VALE News: for posting short notices about upcoming committee meetings, events and other time-sensitive information
• VALE Calendar: the place to look for upcoming dates of meetings and events
• Spotlight On: a place to highlight significant developments or events of interest to VALE members
• Addition of “printable version” option
• Enhanced search functionality
• Use of a navigation bar that provides groups of links to navigate through the web site.
• Improved search functionality
• Use of headers on each page to show current location and the hierarchy of previously displayed pages, i.e. breadcrumbs

What are the future plans for the web site?

• Publication of a comprehensive style manual to guide future developments of the web site
• Creation of a repository on the web site of authorized versions of the VALE logo in multiple formats and sizes

Where is the host server?

Rutgers University hosts the VALE server where most of the web site information resides. The Committee continues to work on centralizing the files that formerly were distributed across several institutions.

How can I obtain a copy of the VALE logo?

At the present time, contact Ray Schwartz at schwartzr2@wpunj.edu. A repository on the web site will be created shortly.

 Who serves on the VALE web site committee?

The FY06 web site committee includes:

Mei Ling Chow Alfred Fry Ann Hoang Dave Hoover Mary Marks Jia Mi James Robertson Ray Schwartz, Chair Steven Shapiro Kurt Wagner Yingting Zhang

(Montclair State University) (Camden County College) (Brookdale Community College) (Rutgers University) (Fairleigh Dickinson Unversity) (The College of New Jersey) (New Jersey Institute of Technology) (William Paterson University) (Montclair State University) (William Paterson University) (University of Medicine and Dentistry)