Templates
UT System Communications and Marketing supports one official WordPress theme, and several custom or customized themes for websites. The WordPress platform was selected for its use of web standards, accessibility and affordability as an open source project with long-term proven investment. If a UT System website or web platform is being developed outside of WordPress, please contact Communications and Marketing for branding and templating guidance.
Design, Consistency
UT System websites should use a primary logo in the header of the website, preferably in the top left corner of the layout. Please refer to the Logos section for guidance on logo usage, specs and spacing.
The UT System uses Gotham and Gotham Narrow as primary typefaces on web properties.
If your site is set up on the UT System web network (powered by WPEngine) using an official UT System theme, these requirements have already been taken care of for you.
URLs
A Uniform Resource Locator (URL) refers to a website address. We use the tennessee.edu domain for all UT System websites. If you can, please use a custom subdomain.tennessee.edu to brand the URL—as a plus, this gets automatically indexed by our systemwide search engine and helps others find your site.
Processes
If you are designing (or redesigning) a website, please contact your division’s communications representative to request a new website or major changes. Communications and Marketing also assists with the following:
- Consultation
- Analytics
- Training
- Ongoing Maintenance
Accessibility
All UT System websites (including UT campus and institute websites) must meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Level AA, per the UT System IT policy on accessibility.
Follow these content guidelines in addition to the UT System policy:
- If you are using a UT System WordPress theme or template, do not change the colors in your running text. The template’s background, text and link colors have been carefully chosen and tested to be compliant with the policy and WCAG guidelines. Instead of using red text to emphasize something, use bold or italicized text instead.
- Avoid using all capitals for emphasis. In addition to being difficult to read, assistive technology will read the content out one letter at time, as if an acronym or abbreviation. Try using a heading, bold or italicized text instead.
- Always use the alt attribute on images. Images in your content should have short, accurate dscriptions written in the alt text. Linked images should describe the destination they are pointing to. Decorative images can use an empty alt. (<img src=”…” alt=”” />)
- Avoid using vague or non-descriptive text links like “Click here” or “Read More”. Instead, try to describe the destination so the link makes more sense: “Visit the Human Resources website”, or “Learn more at energy.gov”