Web Steering Committee Minutes
August 28, 2001

Attending: Steve Blodgett, Steve Butts, Jim Evans, Pete Gilbert, Steve Hirby, Michael Thorp, Nancy Truesdell

1. RFP update

   Butts reported on his discussions with Berbee. Berbee is "very interested" in submitting a proposal and Butts encouraged them to respond to our RFP. Butts also reported that we have received a proposal from Art & Logic (http://www.artlogic.com) that he would send out to the rest of us "before the end of the day today."

   Gilbert noted that he had sent the RFP to 10 firms and that Blodgett was trying to identify more possible firms.

2. Admissions home page redesign

   Thorp presented a proposed new design for the Admissions home page (currently http://www.lawrence.edu/admissions/ ; proposed: http://www.lawrence.edu/admissions/project/admissions/final/). Much discussion ensued. Some of the topics:

   • Evans questioned the ordering of the links; Thorp replied that the best and brightest Admissions minds had decided on the most important things for our users.
   • Blodgett reported on the Web Working Group discussion of the page
   • Blodgett asked whether the left margin was still "sacred space." Hirby replied that he thought it was, and no one contradicted him.
   • Hirby noted that the rollover gifs should be in the standard Interstate font.
   • Hirby also asked whether the blue bar could be replaced by something more consistent in design and color with the rest of the page.
   • We agreed that "design by committee" was a bad thing.
   • We agreed that, while the template is problematic, we're not ready to toss it out.
   • Blodgett expressed concern that the Lawrence Difference graphic was insufficiently button-like and that people wouldn't know to click on it. Others disagreed.

   It came down to this: Is this design too far from our original design intent or not? We agreed that it was not and that Thorp and Co. should go ahead with tweaking and testing, but that, while the Committee wishes to be kept apprised of developments, they no longer wish to be consulted about this particular page.

3. Web site review

   At its last meeting (9 August 2001), the Committee decided to familiarize itself with departmental pages to see where problems existed and improvements could be made. Evans distributed his report; others had not yet completed their reviews.

4. Next meeting

   The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 13 at 3pm. Butts will talk with the Dean about a new faculty member for the committee and Gilbert will attempt to recruit a student to join our merry band.

Respectfully submitted,
Pete Gilbert, Secretary of the Day

revised: 29-August-2001