Introduction

Which websites need to comply with the Policy?

Which websites are exempt from the Policy?

Does the Policy apply in the same way to all websites on the UTSWeb?

Do web managers, site administrators and other staff who update information on the web have responsibilities under the Policy?

Who has authority to publish on the UTSWeb?

Who is authorised to approve amendments to Category 1, 2 or 3 information?

What conditions are required for publication of information on the UTSWeb?

Who is responsible for ensuring compliance with copyright legislation?

Who is responsible for ensuring compliance with privacy legislation?

Who is responsible for ensuring compliance with anti-discrimination principles?

Is accessibility an issue for all webpages published on the UTSWeb?

Are disclaimers necessary?

What practice should be used when linking to external websites?

Can all categories of information display the UTS logo and emblem?

Can advertising and sponsorship be included on the UTSWeb?

Is it necessary to archive or keep records of information published on the UTSWeb?

What happens if a website or webpage on the UTSWeb does not comply with the Policy?

In the event of a breach of the Policy, who has authority to remove information from the UTSWeb?

Introduction

The following frequently asked questions address the key points of the Publishing on the UTSWeb Policy relevant to web managers, site administrators, and administrative staff who update information published on the UTSWeb. As these roles have responsibilities under the Policy, it is important to read these FAQs, the Policy and the UTS Web Standards, so as to understand your responsibilities when publishing information on the UTSWeb.

Do web managers, site administrators and other staff who update information on the web have responsibilities under the Policy?

Web managers, site administrators and other staff who have been delegated responsibility to publish pre-approved information on the UTSWeb are 'Authorising Officers' under the Publishing on the UTSWeb Policy, and so are responsible for ensuring that:

• information published does not duplicate information already published elsewhere on the UTSWeb
• their website conforms with relevant legislation and UTS Rules, policies, directives, and the UTS Web Standards
• no information of an offensive or illegal nature is contained within their website or webpage
• appropriate security control mechanisms (passwords, etc.) have been put in place to manage access to confidential or restricted-access information stored on their website or webpage, and
• regular audits are conducted on the information published on their site.

Authorising Officers should refer any inaccuracies or areas of non-compliance they identify in the information they publish to the Owner of Information to resolve.

Which websites need to comply with the Policy?

The Publishing on the UTSWeb Policy applies to all information published or stored on the UTSWeb, including websites that contain the domain name uts.edu.au or other names as registered by UTS from time to time.

Which websites are exempt from the Policy?

Only websites hosted within the UTSWeb are covered by the Policy. External websites that are cited within information published on the UTSWeb are excluded from the Policy.

Does the Policy apply in the same way to all websites on the UTSWeb?

No. In acknowledgement of the need for academic freedom of expression, information on the UTSWeb has been classified into a category system, enabling a clear distinction to be made between the different types of information published on the UTSWeb. There are six categories of information and the conditions for publication vary for the different categories (see Section 5.1 of the Policy for these conditions).

The six categories of information are as follows.

Category 1 – core UTS information

'Core UTS information' refers to the official authoritative source of UTS information. Examples of Category 1 information include:

• UTS Act
• UTS By-law
• UTS Rules
• UTS policies and directives
• information regarding legislative compliance such as copyright, FOI and privacy
• information published by UTS Council and its committees
• UTS course and subject information.

See the Category 1 – Core UTS Information Web Standard for more information.

Category 2 – UTS business information

'UTS business information' refers to all information relating to the official business of UTS. Examples include information regarding the official business of:

• the UTS Executive
• divisions
• units
• faculties
• institutes
• centres

as well as conference, seminar and forum webpages directly associated with the official business of UTS.

Category 3 – UTS teaching and research information

'UTS teaching and research information' refers to all materials that have been recorded on the UTS Digital Resource Register, which UTS staff are authorised to use for teaching purposes. Examples include:

• eReadings
• online lecture notes
• subject material within UTSOnline.

Category 4 – UTS staff and student information

'UTS staff and student information' refers to all information published on the UTSWeb by UTS staff and students that relates to their role and/or area of teaching, research or study at UTS. Examples include:

• staff research groups' webpages
• student-produced webpages related to their study or research
• staff or student online magazines, etc., related to their teaching, study or research at UTS
• conference, seminar and forum webpages hosted by UTS staff or students, related to their teaching, study or research at UTS.

Category 5 – UTS controlled entities information

'UTS controlled entities information' refers to all information associated with the official business activities of UTS controlled entities published on websites of controlled UTS entities or within Category 2 information on the UTSWeb. Examples include:

• accessUTS
• INSEARCH.

Category 6 – Other organisations associated with UTS information

'Other organisations associated with UTS information' refers to all information published by other organisations on websites or webpages that the University has agreed to host on the UTSWeb. Examples of such organisations include:

• UTS Child Care Inc
• UTS Students' Association
• UTS Union
• UTS clubs and societies such as those hosted by the UTS Union
• fIRST.

This category also includes conference, seminar and forum webpages hosted by external organisations who have received permission to publish these webpages on the UTSWeb.

Who has authority to publish on the UTSWeb?

Authority to publish material on the UTSWeb varies depending on the category of information being published.

Authority to publish Category 1, 2 and 3 information

The Vice-Chancellor, VCMG members, deans and directors can be Owners of Information and Authorising Officers for information within their area of responsibility.

Where appropriate, these officers can delegate approval to staff members within their area of responsibility to author, approve the content, or publish, information on the UTSWeb.

All staff who are allocated authority to author, approve the content of, or publish, information on the UTSWeb must be registered with the Web Standards Coordinator. See the Web Publishers Register for more information.

Authority to publish Category 4 information

UTS staff members and students are permitted to publish Category 4 information on the UTSWeb, subject to the provisions of Section 5 of the Policy.

Authority to publish Category 5 information

UTS controlled entities are permitted to publish Category 5 information on the UTSWeb, subject to the provisions of Section 5 of the Policy.

Authority to publish Category 6 information

External organisations may publish Category 6 information on the UTSWeb, subject to the provisions of Section 5 of the Publishing on the UTSWeb Policy, especially Sections 5.1.3 and 5.1.4. External organisations must seek approval for their website or webpages to be hosted on the UTSWeb from the Executive Director, Organisational Support, or nominee (Section 5.1.4).

Who is authorised to approve amendments to Category 1, 2 or 3 information?

The relevant Owner of Information must pre-approve all amendments to the information published the UTSWeb.

What conditions are required for publication of information on the UTS Web?

Different conditions apply to the different categories of information published on the UTSWeb, as outlined below.

Conditions for publication of Category 1, 2 and 3 information

All websites or webpages classified as Category 1, 2 or 3 UTS information must comply with the conditions for publication of information in Section 5.2 of the Policy and UTS Web Standards, and with the UTS web style guidelines established by IML from time to time. (The web style guidelines will be developed into a web standard later this year.)

Category 1 information can only be displayed by means of a link to, or feed from, the authoritative source. For more information, see the Category 1 – Core UTS Information Web Standard.

Conditions for publication of Category 4 information

Category 4 information must comply with the Policy and with relevant UTS Web Standards.

Information published by a staff member or student under Category 4 must be related to their area of teaching, research or study at UTS.

The staff member or student can be both Owner of Information and Authorising Officer, and must comply with the relevant conditions for the publication of information as documented in Section 5.2 of the Policy.

The staff member or student must include an appropriate disclaimer statement on their website or webpages. See the Disclaimer Web Standard for more information about disclaimers on the UTSWeb.

The UTS logo or emblem must not be displayed on Category 4 information, unless special approval has been granted. The UTS Corporate Symbols Web Standard will specify the standard for appropriate display of the UTS logo and emblem on the UTSWeb and will be available on this website later this year.

Conditions for publication of Category 5 information

Information published by UTS controlled entities or within a UTS controlled entity's website is classified as Category 5 information, and must be associated with the official business activities of the UTS controlled entity. Category 5 information must comply with the Policy and with relevant UTS Web Standards.

The published information must not expose the University to the risk of legal liability, or contradict any UTS policies or directives.

The Chief Executive Officer of the UTS controlled entity, or their nominated representative, must approve all information prior to publication on the UTSWeb.

The UTS controlled entity must include a disclaimer statement on all webpages within their website, which includes a statement indicating that the views expressed on their site are the views of their organisation and do not reflect the views of UTS. See the Disclaimer Web Standard for more information about disclaimers on the UTSWeb.

The UTS logo or emblem must not be displayed on Category 5 information, unless special approval has been granted. The UTS Corporate Symbols Web Standard will specify the standard for appropriate display of the UTS logo and emblem on the UTSWeb and will be available on this website later this year.

UTS controlled entities must comply with the relevant conditions for the publication of information on the UTSWeb, as documented in Section 5.2 of the Policy.

Conditions for publication of Category 6 information

External organisations that have been granted approval to publish on the UTSWeb must comply with the same terms and conditions as those that apply to Category 5 information (see above).

Who is responsible for ensuring compliance with copyright legislation?

Owners of Information are accountable for ensuring compliance with copyright legislation. (See the Copyright at UTS website for more information about copyright.)

A link to the UTSWeb Copyright Statement must be included in the footers of all Category 1, 2 and 3 information. A Copyright Web Standard is currently under development.

Who is responsible for ensuring compliance with privacy legislation?

Owners of Information are responsible for ensuring that the principles of the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW) are adhered to during the compilation and publication of any information published on the UTSWeb. (See the Privacy at UTS website for more information about privacy.)

Owners of Information are responsible for including the UTS Privacy Statement as a link in the footer of all webpages that contain Category 1, 2 or 3 information. See the Footer Web Standard for more information.

Who is responsible for ensuring compliance with anti-discrimination principles?

All information published on the UTSWeb must observe the principles of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1999 (NSW). Owners of Information are responsible for ensuring that the material they publish does not breach the anti-discrimination principles contained in this Act.

An Anti-Discrimination Web Standard is currently being developed and will be available later this year.

Is accessibility an issue for all webpages published on the UTSWeb?

Yes. All websites and webpages published and stored on the UTSWeb must comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cwlth) and be designed and structured in accordance with the web content accessibility guidelines specified by IML. The web content accessibility guidelines will be developed into a web standard later this year.

Are disclaimers necessary?

Yes. All webpages on the UTSWeb must include a link to an appropriate disclaimer statement in the footer of the webpage. Owners of Information for all categories of information are responsible for ensuring that a link to an appropriate disclaimer is included.

Different disclaimers are required for different categories of information and under different circumstances. Some information regarding disclaimer requirements for different categories and circumstances follows. For more detailed information, see the Disclaimer Web Standard.

Disclaimers for Category 1, 2 and 3 information

All websites and webpages that contain Category 1, 2 or 3 information must include a link in the footer of each webpage to the UTS Disclaimer that appears at http://www.uts.edu.au/disclaimer.html. Other disclaimers may also be required for particular types of information. See the Disclaimer Web Standard for information about circumstances under which specific disclaimers are required.

Disclaimers for Category 4 information

The staff member or student who is the Owner of Information is responsible for ensuring that an appropriate disclaimer statement is included on or linked to from their webpages and websites. See the Disclaimer Web Standard for more information.

Disclaimers for Category 5 and 6 information

A disclaimer statement must be included on all websites and webpages that contain Category 5 or 6 information. Disclaimers published with Category 5 and 6 information must include a statement which asserts that the views expressed on the organisation's website are the views of that organisation and do not reflect the views of UTS.

See the Disclaimer Web Standard for more information.

What practice should be used when linking to external websites?

Links to an external website can only be included within a website published on the UTSWeb if the information contained within the external websites clearly relates to either:

• the core business activities of the University, or
• a staff member or student's area of teaching, research or study at UTS.

Authorising Officers are responsible for approving the inclusion of any links to external websites on webpages or websites for which they are responsible.

Any Category 1, 2 or 3 webpage that includes a link to an external website must include a link to the UTS Disclaimer (http://www.uts.edu.au/disclaimer.html), which includes a provision regarding links to external websites.

Webpages classified as Categories 4, 5 or 6 information must link to their own disclaimer in the footer of their webpages. The disclaimer must contain a statement regarding links to external websites.

For more information about disclaimers on the UTSWeb, see the Disclaimer Web Standard.

Can all categories of information display the UTS logo and emblem?

No. UTS corporate symbols such as the UTS logo cannot be displayed with Category 4, 5 or 6 information unless special approval has been granted. No approval will be granted for display of the UTS emblem alone on the UTSWeb.

The UTS Corporate Symbols Web Standard will contain more information about the appropriate display of the UTS logo and emblem on the UTSWeb and will be available on this website later this year.

Can advertising and sponsorship be included on the UTSWeb?

The UTSWeb must not include any external organisations advertising material unless the material is clearly related to the core business activities of the University. Special approval must be sought from the Marketing and Communication Unit before any paid or unpaid advertising or sponsorship from an external organisation may be published on the UTSWeb.

UTS sponsorship arrangements cannot be made without the involvement of the Sponsorship Manager in the Marketing and Communication Unit.

An Advertising and Sponsorship Web Standard is currently being developed and will be available on this website later this year.

Is it necessary to archive or keep records of information published on the UTSWeb?

The UTSWeb is considered an official record of the University and as such must be treated in the same way as an official paper-based record. The Authorising Officers of Category 1, 2 or 3 UTS information are responsible for establishing an appropriate version control register to record updates to the information they publish on the UTSWeb.

Authorising Officers for Category 4 information should make their own arrangements for record keeping and archiving the information they publish on the UTSWeb.

A Record Keeping and Archiving Web Standard will become available later this year. Though intended for Categories 1, 2 and 3, it is envisaged that this Web Standard will contain useful advice regarding methods of record keeping and archiving information published on the UTSweb.

What happens if a website or webpage on the UTSWeb does not comply with the Policy?

The Registrar has overall accountability for ensuring that all information published on the UTSWeb is in compliance with legal requirements, and therefore is responsible for enforcing the Publishing on the UTSWeb Policy and for taking corrective action to rectify any breaches. The Registrar must also report any illegal activities to the appropriate authorities.

What happens if a website or webpage on the UTSWeb does not comply with the Policy?

The Registrar has overall accountability for ensuring that all information published on the UTSWeb is in compliance with legal requirements, and therefore is responsible for enforcing the Publishing on the UTSWeb Policy and for taking corrective action to rectify any breaches. The Registrar must also report any illegal activities to the appropriate authorities.

Reporting breaches

Any member of the UTS community may report a breach of the Policy. All suspected breaches of the Policy should, in the first instance, be reported to the UTSWeb Standards Coordinator. Suspected breaches of a serious nature should be reported directly to the Registrar. All reports received will be treated with appropriate concern for the law and privacy.

Penalties for breaches

Penalties for breaches of the Policy will be administered in accordance with Rules of the University that relate to staff and student misconduct, and with any codes of conduct issued from time to time. Staff and students should be aware that they might also be subject to criminal or civil proceedings for the publication of material considered illegal or offensive.

In the event of a breach of the Policy, who has authority to remove information from the UTSWeb?

The Registrar has authority to issue instructions for the removal of any illegal or non-compliant information published on the UTSWeb.

UTS reserves the absolute right to remove any information published on the UTSWeb. If the University considers information on the UTSWeb to be offensive, illegal, outdated or in contravention of any UTS policy or legislative obligation, the information will be removed.