Website Requirements

The following requirements are derived from the complete ACC Web Policy. Please refer to this policy when developing new websites for Austin Community College. View the ACC Web Policy at austincc.edu/webpolicy.

General Requirements

• All ACC webpages must place the standard ACC logo in the top left corner of the page and link it back to the ACC homepage.
• Academic department websites must use Request Information and Apply Now buttons linking to the college’s customer relationship management system (CRM).
• Any representations of Austin Community College programs and activities must be factually accurate.
• Austin Community College webpages are required by law to be in compliance with Section 508 standards for accessibility for assistive technologies.
• Unless otherwise noted, ACC websites will adhere to the ACC Web Privacy Statement.
• Commercial advertising is not permitted on pages published ACC Web servers. This includes banner advertisements as well as graphic images that promote a commercial service or text links. No graphic or text may state ACC endorsement of commercial products or services.
• Information accessible from an ACC website must not infringe copyright. Any material provided must be original, must be in the public domain, or must have obtained written permission from the copyright holder to provide the material on an ACC website. This copyright permission must be stated on the website. 
• Images must have alternative text, or “alt text” with an accessible description to images, charts, graphs, and other non-text web components.
• Video and audio content must be captioned.
• Financial transactions through ACC websites are not permitted unless the transaction is approved and administered by ACC Business Services.

Content

Content that is published on ACC websites share many of the same requirements that are required of the college’s print publications. Unless otherwise specified, refer to ACC’s Writing Style Guide for web content publishing requirements.

Certain types of content must be formatted a particular way to ensure consistency and usability. This includes phone numbers, addresses, personnel listings and other common content. Please refer to the Web Content Style Guide for formatting instructions for these and other types of content found on the ACC website.

Recommendations

Full path URLs must never be linked. Link descriptive words to the intended URL. Use a “vanity URL” if you need to point users to a website via a printed document, email signature, calendar listing or where space is an issue or a user would otherwise not be able to remember, or click the full path to the website. These URLs are composed of lowercase letters and do not contain slashes, numbers, or special characters. Learn more about vanity URLs.

Photography

Any images portraying students must be of authentic ACC students and have a signed release form from that student or group of students in order to be used on an ACC website.

Recommendations

• Limit stock photography to objects and concepts, unless there is no alternative.
• Select photos that focus on individual(s) with a positive emotion reflecting the brand values Empowering, Supportive, and Valuable.
• Photography should reflect a natural, genuine moment and show an accessible and supportive setting.
• There should be a professional look to the photography to show the brand values Empowering and Valuable.

Documents

Links to PDFs and other non-web documents must point off-site to a Google Drive account under the ACC Google apps domain.

Recommendations

Use PDF links only for content that’s formatted for print, such as forms and brochures. Insert all content not formatted for print on a webpage rather than posted to a PDF.