University of Illinois System

University of Illinois Policy for Publishing on the Internet

Date Amended: 01/16/2019

Publishing is important to the System's initiatives in education, research, service and economic development. Through quality publications, the System builds and maintains a strong reputation and image. Electronic publishing, as with more traditional forms of publishing, must maintain high standards in content and presentation.

The System recognizes the unique value of electronic publishing on the Internet, and so allows and encourages students, staff, and faculty to publish in digital formats. Units are encouraged to create  home pages, personal pages, publications pages, or other pages on the Internet that carry out official System business in support of the System's missions. Contents of all electronic pages must be consistent with System policies and applicable laws, regardless of whether it is hosted on System servers.

This policy addresses issues related to: Advertising, Compliance, Copyright, Links, Logos and Other Trademarks, Nondiscrimination, Personal Business, Security, Violations, Privacy, Social Media, and web Accessibility.

  1. Commercial Advertising

    Commercial advertising is not permitted on System pages, except as expressly permitted by each university's Office of Public Affairs. Commercial advertising includes banner advertisements, graphic images that promote a commercial service, some text links (see Links section for more on this topic), digital signage, and digital publications such as magazines. No graphic or text may imply System endorsement of commercial products or services. A disclaimer should be displayed if non-endorsement is not evident from the context.

  2. Compliance

    All System web pages must comply with System policies and guidelines, as well as with applicable law. 

  3. Copyright

    Copyright laws apply to electronic publishing as well as to print publishing. Publishers must have permission from the copyright owners to copy and display text, graphics, or photographs on their pages. In the alternative, publishers must have a reasonable basis for believing their use of the copyrighted materials of others constitutes fair use or that the materials are in the public domain. Electronic publications are subject to the same System policies and standards as print publications.  While copyright notice is no longer required in the U.S. in order to preserve ownership rights, the Office of University Counsel encourages inclusion of the copyright statement "© YEAR University of Illinois Board of Trustees" on System web pages.

  4. Links

    Links from a System page to any non-System site must not imply System endorsement of the site's products or services. A disclaimer should be displayed if non-endorsement is not evident from the context. Units must deactivate links that violate this policy.

  5. Logos and Other Trademarks

    All unit home pages must use the appropriate university logo as approved and described in System policies. These pages also must clearly communicate the name of the unit publishing the page. All representations of System names, logos, or other trademarks must conform to official guidelines outlined by the System. For more information on appropriate use of the following names and associated graphics, see:

    University of Illinois: https://www.uillinois.edu/our/brand/
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: https://marketing.illinois.edu/
    University of Illinois at Chicago: http://marketing.uic.edu
    University of Illinois at Springfield: https://www.uis.edu/creativeservices/standards/brandgraphics/

  6. Nondiscrimination

    All web pages must comply with the System's policy on nondiscrimination.

  7. Personal Business

    System resources may be used to create web pages about an individual or an individual's interests but may not be used to create web pages for personal business, personal gain, or partisan political purposes, except as permitted by other System policies or by applicable law.

  8. Security

    The System is committed to providing a secure web environment. All those who publish on System pages must comply with applicable law and System policies that protect the integrity of the System web and university networks. 

  9. Violations

    Violations of law or System policies governing the use of System web resources may result in restriction of access to System electronic resources. In addition, disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, may be warranted under other System policies or collective bargaining agreements. Any restrictive action must follow standard System procedures that assure due process. 

  10. Privacy
    The System uses the System web for business purposes and is committed to protecting the privacy of personal information in accordance with applicable law.  Please refer to the Web Privacy Notice, the Supplemental Web Privacy Notice, and the University Policy on Permanent Cookies for more information.

  11. Social Media
    System social media communications are considered part of System electronic information and must comply with System policies.

  12. Web Accessibility
    The System is committed to making all its electronic information accessible in compliance with law and System policies.

    Questions regarding this policy should be directed to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

 

Full version - Policy for Publishing on the Internet