UDC INTRODUCES ENHANCED TECHNOLOGY IN THE LAUNCH OF NEW WEBSITE

UDC INTRODUCES ENHANCED TECHNOLOGY IN THE LAUNCH OF NEW WEBSITE

November 16, 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  John Gordon, Jr., Director of Communications

202.274.5998 (office) or 202.701.8805 (cell) or john.gordon@udc.edu

Click here to download press release.

 

UDC INTRODUCES ENHANCED TECHNOLOGY IN THE LAUNCH OF NEW WEBSITE 

 

Washington, DC – The University of the District of Columbia (UDC) has launched a new website introducing new technology and featuring a cutting-edge design to display UDC as an advanced public system of higher learning.

Providing greater accessibility to mobile devices was central in the University’s effort.  The new site provides an improved experience for users of tablets and mobile phones. It also includes a number of other improvements, such as a new content management system, modernized design, faster speed, improved search engine optimization, and the addition of RSS feeds for the news section of the website.

Another important feature of the new website is the updated navigation — including new dropdown menus within a fixed header — which allows users “to get to most places on the site with just one click.” The site also features the University’s new graphic identity and thematically incorporates the recently adopted brand messaging pillars of aspire, accomplish, and take on the world.

website20161full“We’ve had the existing content management tool for more than four years, and wanted to bring the site up to current web standards with technology that supports the needs of current and prospective students,” says UDC Webmaster Jay Morrow.  “Our goal was to develop a site that would be accessible to a broader segment of web users, making content readily available to all users on all devices.  We’re going for a simpler design, which is more aesthetically pleasing and will further help users find what they need quickly,” says Morrow.

ABCD & Company served as the primary developer of the new website. “The site uses caching and follows Google’s stated web standards very closely to improve search engine optimization and site speed,” said Brittanye Calhoun, Managing Partner of ABCD & Company, who oversaw the development team. “Essentially, we’ve made the site faster and more accessible to a broader audience.”

“It was important to our team that the site’s aesthetics accurately represent the University’s brand and future outlook, said Corey Briscoe, Managing Partner at ABCD & Company. “The redesign involved a thorough analysis of the preexisting site, user trends, and best practices among peer institutions.”

The updated website is part of a $3 million investment in the University’s information infrastructure designed to enhance UDC’s academic teaching environment, streamline communications among University stakeholders, and improve overall operations. A more comprehensive content update is planned for next year. .

Visitors to the website should submit any questions or comments to webmaster@udc.edu.

 

 

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The University of the District of Columbia (www.udc.edu) supports a broad mission of education, research and community service across its colleges and schools: the College of Arts and Sciences; the College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences; the School of Business and Public Administration; School of Engineering and Applied Sciences; the Community College; and the David A. Clarke School of Law.  The University has been designated as an 1862 federal land-grant institution and a Historically Black College and University.

The University of the District of Columbia is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action institution. Minorities, women, veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. For a full version of the University’s EO Policy Statement, please visit https://www.udc.edu/equal_opportunity. The University of the District of Columbia is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, 267.284.5000.