The university’s anticipated relaunch of their website, posted in mid-September, featured a total overhaul of the site, including an entirely new look, manners of navigation and a different style of organization.

The website faced some minor technical difficulties immediately after its posting, as students and faculty had trouble using the search bar and received error messages after clicking on links for the website found on Google.

Josh Beppler, integrated marketing coordinator, “stayed involved” in every phase of the process while creating the new website and is assured that the technical issues are “common for this type of project.”

“I think every website remains a work-in-progress for the entirety of its existence,” Beppler said. “We will be constantly updating and evolving our content.”

In order to create the site, Beppler and the office of university relations created a “core team,” which was comprised of faculty members from several departments.

“We tried to ensure every office and department had a voice and was represented on the core team, and that shines through in the organization and presentation of our content,” Beppler said.

Beppler also assisted in the selection of a branding and marketing firm, Ologie, to assist in the endeavor. In order to confront the technical issues some users are facing, Beppler is relying upon faculty input.

“We are still finishing the scope of the project before moving into the support phase, so bugs and glitches are being dealt with as they’re found,” Beppler said. “We have a MachForm that faculty utilize to let us know of any updates they need.”

As the university enters the height of recruiting season, the peak number of prospective students are searching for more information about the university, and are dependent upon a website to retrieve it, Kyle Digiandomenico, admissions counselor, said.

“The website is, now more than ever, the first interaction a student has with the university,” said Digiandomenico. “A pleasant one will lead to the next steps whereas a not so pleasant experience may deter a student altogether.”

Digiandomenico, who believes that the website plays “a tremendous role in recruiting a student,” often pulls the website up while meeting with prospective students to show them where to access certain links and areas that may benefit them.

“I am convinced that the functionality, appearance, and general usefulness of a website will attract or deter a student,” Digiandomenico said.

Beppler, the core team and Ologie worked together to create the website with prospective students focused as their “target audience,” said Beppler.

“We do anticipate the website serving as a recruitment tool, but we kept current students in mind as we worked through where information was being placed,” Beppler said.