University News: Homepage How To: Western Illinois University

How to Read the Homepage

What happened to Webmail? And STARS?

Web Tools Example While speaking to student focus groups, it became clear they had a set of Web Tools they use on a regular basis. They use these links almost daily, while they visit the rest of the web site less often. To make it easy to access these Web Tools, we collected them into the upper left corner of the screen. A drop down menu reveals Webmail, STARS and links to WebCT Online Courses and Course Schedules from the Registrar's Office.

Any site displaying the new WIU web site will include this useful little Web Tools menu, so it will be handy.

How can I find my professor's office phone number? What if I just want to search the WIU web site?

Search tools for the WIU web site are conveniently located in the upper left corner of the screen. There has been little change here between the old site and our new homepage. You can still access the Site Search, the A-Z Index, and the Online Directory in the upper right corner.

Hey! You've changed the site-wide navigation bar.

We have made a number of changes to the site-wide navigation in response to feedback received from the University community as well as review of models used by other Universities.

Admissions - a quick, convenient link for prospective students and their parents to find out about the admissions process and to apply online.
Academics - informs you of study options available at WIU, as well as links to areas support and service such as advising and billing information.
Student Life - whether you live in a residence hall or off-campus, being a student is a lifestyle choice. This section connects students to information they need.
About WIU - find out about our history, tradition, and values, as well as more recent facts about the University.
Cultural Arts - a new section of the web site pulls together arts information from a variety of areas across campus. Keep up on the latest concert and film series offerings, as well as lectures and art gallery exhibits.
Athletics - the new Western Illinois Athletics web site provides the latest information about Leathernecks and Westerwinds events.
Alumni - even after you graduate, you are an important part of the Western family. The Alumni website will keep you informed of Homecoming and reunion events, trips, services and much more.
Home - an easy link to the Univesity's homepage.

What changes have you made to the main content of the homepage?

For the most part, the main content of the homepage is similar to that of the former website. We are including university Events and News, but in such a way that we can include a little more of each. The Highlights, which are temporary links that tend to last longer than a news story would, are found below the news and events.

We've also include a new Resources section. It is designed to help specific audiences get where the want to go more quickly. The first part is for prospective students and their parents, and it is intended to help them get to their most requested resources quickly.

The remaining links for the campus community – current student, faculty and staff. We encourage you to bookmark these sections to make them even easier to access.

We are also including profiles of current students and recent graduates. We are showcasing students from a variety of backgrounds who are taking advantage of the many opportunities provided by WIU.

What other changes have you made?

Rather than simply including an e-mail address for contacting the University, we have expanded our Contact Us to web page that includes links to frequently requested areas. We hope to help people find the information they are seeking more quickly, rather than waiting on a reply from a staff member.

We are also striving to make the site more accessible by people with disabilities. Some of the changes you see are made to provide better access to people using assistive devices to visit our site.