Best practices in usability and accessibility are constantly evolving. The Web Team reviews and updates our Web Standards to keep them aligned with industry standards and university policies. This spring, the Web Steering Committee approved the following changes to the standards.
Student Names on Websites
We modified section 3.3 Privacy Policy to include guidance on including student names on websites, due to potential FERPA violation. General listings of student names in non-employment capacities are not allowed. Names of graduate, teaching and research assistants may be provided.
Honorifics and Post-nominal Letters
We added the section 4.3 Honorifics and Post-nominal Letters to provide guidance on using honorifics (such as Dr.) and degree abbreviations with names. Our standards generally align with AP Style and the Editorial Style Guide on this, but there are some exceptions.
Opening Links in the Same Window
To align with best practices in usability and accessibility, almost all links should open in the same window. Refer to section 5.7 Links for more information. To learn about the research and thought that helped inform this change, read Opening Links in New Browser Windows and Tabs from the Nielsen Norman Group.
Please contact us at webcommunications@niu.edu if you have any questions. We’ll help you find the best way to share content with your audience.
