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Faculty and Lab Website Guidelines

Timeline and Transition

  • Existing faculty and lab websites may remain in the current CMS (CleanSlate) through July 1, 2028.
  • After this date, all sites must migrate to an approved solution outlined below.
  • New sites created prior to that date should follow these guidelines to avoid future rework.

University-Supported Option for Faculty Pages (Recommended)

The University provides a branded, centrally supported template within its CMS for faculty profiles. Work with your college’s Prof. Tech. to update your profile on your college or department’s website.

Features include:

  • Biography, CV, publications, and courses
  • Links to third-party platforms (e.g., Google Scholar, ORCID)
  • Consistent branding and accessibility compliance

Faculty may also work with their college or department communications team and/or professional technologists to enhance content within this framework.

Why this is recommended:

  • Fully compliant with institutional branding and accessibility standards
  • No hosting or maintenance burden for faculty

Externally Hosted Websites

Faculty and labs may choose to host websites outside university systems. The following options are recommended with specific requirements:

Option A: Static Websites

Platforms such as:

  • Github Pages
  • Neflity
  • Vercel

The university provides a branded theme built on Hugo. You may also integrate the WVU Design System to build a custom theme for your site. Static sites that meet the following requirements are eligible for a .wvu.edu domain.

Requirements:

Best for:

  • Research labs with technical expertise
  • Projects requiring flexibility and scalability

Option B: Work With a Vendor

Faculty and labs may engage an external vendor to design and develop a site. Vendors can be found under Suppliers in Mountaineer Marketplace. Vendor-created sites that meet the following requirements are eligible for a .wvu.edu domain.

Requirements:

Best for:

  • Large research initiatives
  • Grant-funded projects with dedicated budgets

Option C: Personal Website Platforms

Platforms such as:

  • Google Scholar
  • Wix
  • Squarespace

Personal websites are not eligible for a .wvu.edu domain

Requirements:

  • May not use official university branding
  • Cannot contain course materials or required student content

Best for:

  • Individual faculty websites not representing an official unit
  • Personal academic portfolios

Branding and Domain Use

  • Only approved university-hosted or externally compliant sites may use official branding and a .wvu.edu domain.
  • Personal or non-compliant sites must clearly distinguish themselves from official university properties.

Accessibility Requirements

All faculty and lab websites—regardless of platform—must comply with applicable accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG 2.1 AA). See WVU’s Accessibility Guidelines for more details.

Sites must pass an accessibility review prior to launch and may be subject to ongoing monitoring.

Content Guidance

Faculty and lab websites should prioritize:

  • Research focus and impact
  • Publications and scholarly work
  • Lab members and collaborators
  • Opportunities (graduate students, postdocs, etc.)
  • Contact information

To reduce duplication and maintenance:

  • Link to external systems (e.g., publication databases) instead of recreating content
  • Avoid maintaining redundant versions of CVs, course listings, or datasets

Course Materials and Required Student Content

Faculty should not rely on public-facing websites to deliver required course materials. Instead, use the university’s approved learning management systems (eCampus, SOLE), for syllabi, assignments, required readings, grades and assessments. Public websites may link to general course information, but not host required instructional materials.