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New home page aims to create 'sense of place'

Faculty, staff and students just returning to campus found the new year brought with it a new KU home page.

At first look, the new home page, www.KU.edu, appears significantly different from the previous page, but many of the same features, tools and links remain in an updated, improved format. KU A-Z and links to popular destinations such as e-mail and Blackboard remain. The home page retains its focus on news and events but makes them more prevalent with a large "billboard" section. The space will allow the use of more photography and multimedia content.

The billboard will be able to rotate up to eight features at a time and allow users to choose one to learn more. Input will be sought from the KU community for feature topics, and daily headlines and events remain a part of the home page as well.

Robin Bedenbaugh, associate director for digital media services at University Relations, said the purpose of the redesign is to maximize the Web's potential while fostering a sense of pride in KU.

"We are expanding the mission of the home page beyond a simple gateway to information lurking underneath. We will strive to report and record the teaching and research going on across the university and highlight the diversity of not only those endeavors, but the people involved in making them happen," Bedenbaugh said. "The goal is to create a sense of place -- a place current students, staff and faculty can be proud of, and a place that prospective students, staff and faculty will want to be."

The redesign applies only to the home page. Schools and departments should continue to follow the Web standards for developing their respective pages. For questions about the home page, contact the KU Web Strategy Team. Comments and feedback on the site can be sent to webcomms@ku.edu. Questions about Web standards can be sent to rbedenbaugh@ku.edu, and questions about implementing the KU Web template can be sent to Matt Garrett, manager of Web development and interface design at mattg@ku.edu.

The page features prominent links inviting users to "explore," "visit" and "apply" to KU. Previous links such as the "Information For" section remain, as do "About KU," academics, admissions, athletics, technology and libraries links.

RESEARCH MATTERS

Cynthia Teel, associate professor at the KU School of Nursing, is conducting a survey to find the best ways for caregivers of stroke sufferers to take care of their own health. She is evaluating a program called "Self-Care Talk" - where family caregivers spend 30 minutes per week discussing issues such as diet and exercise with a nurse. Teel says participants in the program have had positive results, many realizing that taking care of themselves is vital to being able to provide good care. For more, or to listen to the original broadcast, visit www.researchmatters.ku.edu.