Currently, in order to have a professional looking site for your individual webpage on homepage.usask.ca, you must have strong web development skills. Additionally, access is managed by NSID, and you are not allowed to share your NSID and password (see the Computer Use Policy for more information), which makes it difficult to have someone else build your site or help you manage your content.

In the current web environment, there is an increasing demand for faculty to have websites for their research areas (personal/professional/research projects/grants). Some colleges provide their faculty with sites, but many don’t, and often what can be included is limited. There is also a need to be able to delegate the ability to maintain the site so that graduates students/research assistants can assist with the maintenance of the site.

Using the WCMS to publish to homepage.usask.ca is a natural fit:

• The time invested into web publishing is minimized by technology which is easier to use.
• Faculty could have graduate students help them update their sites.
• Cascade is becoming the WCMS of choice for most units on campus and using Cascade for individual sites would be an easy transition for many.

Scope of Pilot Project

The pilot project will be limited in scope:

• Currently offered to faculty, staff and graduate students.
• Sites will all use a standard layout with horizontal navigation. Features include:

• Text box for description in header
• Optional image in header
• Optional “features” section on right side of page
• Optional links to social media in the footer.

• People can easily choose and change between one of 10 skins (designed by eMAP).
  

The following sites are using the WCMS templates:

• WCMS Homepage Pilot Training Manual
• Dr. Maureen G. Reed
• Scott Bell
• Helen M Baulch
• Dr. Lorne Doig

Depending on the success of the pilot project, additional skins may be developed and support for customized sites may be explored.

To participate in the pilot project, please email for more information.