Website Governance for Higher Education: Who Owns What?

The Governance Problem

Universities have a unique web challenge: decentralized structure meets centralized brand. Hundreds of departments, thousands of content contributors, and no clear chain of command for the website.

The result is usually chaos. Inconsistent design across departments. Outdated content no one owns. Security vulnerabilities from forgotten sites. Brand dilution. Accessibility failures. And constant tension between central control and departmental autonomy.

We had 200+ people with admin access to our website. No one knew who most of them were or what they were supposed to be doing. When we audited, we found active accounts for people who'd left the university years ago.

CIO, Regional University

Governance solves this by establishing clear ownership, responsibilities, and processes. It's not about control for control's sake—it's about enabling effective web management at scale.

What Governance Covers

Comprehensive web governance addresses five domains:

Policy Governance

Overarching policies that apply across all domains:

• Accessibility requirements and compliance
• Privacy and data handling
• Legal review requirements
• Social media integration
• Third-party content and links
• Dispute resolution process

Governance Models

Three basic approaches, each with tradeoffs:

The Federated Model in Detail

For most universities, a federated model works best. The center provides:

• Platform and infrastructure (WordPress Multisite, etc.)
• Templates and design components
• Training and support
• Standards and policies
• Security and updates
• Analytics and reporting

Departments provide:

• Content creation and maintenance
• Local expertise and context
• Day-to-day publishing decisions
• Stakeholder relationships

The Governance Committee

Effective governance requires a cross-functional committee with real authority.

Committee Composition

Typical members include:

• Marketing/Communications: Brand consistency, messaging, user experience
• IT: Infrastructure, security, technical standards
• Academic Affairs: Academic content, faculty perspective
• Enrollment/Admissions: Prospective student experience
• Student Services: Current student needs
• Accessibility Office: Compliance and inclusion
• Legal/Compliance: Risk management

Keep the committee small enough to function (7-10 members) while representing key stakeholders.

Committee Responsibilities

• Establish and update web policies
• Approve exceptions to standards
• Resolve disputes and competing priorities
• Allocate resources for web initiatives
• Review and respond to compliance issues
• Set strategic direction for web presence

Meeting Cadence

Monthly meetings work for most institutions. More frequent for major initiatives or crises. Less frequent risks losing momentum and accumulating backlog.

Defining Roles and Responsibilities

Clear role definition prevents conflicts and gaps. The RACI model helps.

RACI Framework

• Responsible: Does the work
• Accountable: Makes final decisions, owns outcomes
• Consulted: Provides input before decisions
• Informed: Notified after decisions

Example RACI for Common Decisions

Common Role Definitions

Central Web Team

Day-to-day management of the web platform:

• Platform administration and maintenance
• Template and component development
• Training and support for content editors
• Quality assurance and standards enforcement
• Analytics and performance reporting

Departmental Web Coordinator

Each department's web point person:

• Content creation and maintenance for their area
• Liaison between department and central team
• First-line support for department users
• Ensures content accuracy and timeliness

Content Contributors

Staff who create and edit content:

• Write and update assigned content
• Follow content standards and style guide
• Submit content through proper workflows
• Complete required training

Content Ownership and Maintenance

Content governance is often the hardest part—and the most important.

Assigning Content Ownership

Every page needs an identified owner responsible for:

• Accuracy of information
• Timeliness of updates
• Responding to feedback
• Regular review and refresh

Document ownership in a content inventory. When owners leave, reassign immediately.

Content Review Schedules

Different content types need different review frequencies:

Handling Outdated Content

Establish a clear process:

1. Automated alerts when content hasn't been reviewed
2. Warning to content owner
3. Escalation to department head
4. Central team intervention if unresolved
5. Potential takedown or archiving

Standards and Style Guides

Document standards so everyone knows the rules—and so decisions are consistent.

What to Document

Visual Standards

• Logo usage (sizes, placement, clear space)
• Color palette (primary, secondary, when to use each)
• Typography (fonts, sizes, hierarchy)
• Photography style (what's acceptable, what's not)
• Component usage (which templates for what purposes)

Content Standards

• Voice and tone guidelines
• Writing style (AP style with exceptions)
• Naming conventions
• Link text standards
• Image alt text requirements
• Metadata requirements

Technical Standards

• Approved platforms and tools
• Browser and device support
• Performance requirements
• Security requirements
• Integration standards

Making Standards Accessible

Standards no one can find are standards no one follows. Create a central, searchable resource—a web style guide—that's easy to reference. Include examples, not just rules.

Handling Exceptions and Disputes

Not everything fits neatly into standards. Plan for exceptions.

Exception Request Process

1. Request: Department submits written request explaining need
2. Review: Central team evaluates impact and alternatives
3. Decision: Approve, deny, or propose alternative
4. Document: Record decision and rationale for future reference
5. Review: Periodically audit exceptions for patterns

If the same exception is requested repeatedly, the standard may need updating.

Dispute Resolution

When departments disagree with central decisions:

1. First attempt resolution between parties
2. Escalate to governance committee if unresolved
3. Committee decision is final
4. Document for consistency in future similar cases

Implementation Strategy

Implementing governance is change management. Go slow to go fast.

Phase 1: Foundation

• Establish governance committee with executive sponsorship
• Conduct current state assessment
• Draft initial policies and standards
• Build stakeholder awareness

Phase 2: Pilot

• Select 3-5 willing departments as pilots
• Implement governance with these partners
• Gather feedback and refine
• Document lessons learned
• Create case studies of success

Phase 3: Expansion

• Roll out to additional departments in waves
• Use pilot departments as champions
• Provide training and support
• Adjust based on feedback

Phase 4: Maturation

• Full implementation across institution
• Regular review and refinement of policies
• Continuous improvement based on metrics
• Governance becomes "how we work"

Measuring Governance Success

How do you know if governance is working?

Leading Indicators

• Training completion rates
• Exception request volume (should stabilize or decrease)
• Support ticket volume (should decrease over time)
• Policy compliance in audits

Lagging Indicators

• Brand consistency scores (visual audits)
• Accessibility compliance rates
• Content freshness (age of last update)
• User satisfaction (surveys, feedback)
• Security incidents

Qualitative Measures

• Stakeholder satisfaction with processes
• Time to publish new content
• Ease of getting help and answers
• Clarity of decision-making