Web Content Retention and Archiving Strategy

Overview

In light of recurring issues with outdated content on NCCU.edu and myEOL, including broken links, outdated contact information, and QA challenges, this document proposes a structured approach to web content retention and archiving. The primary objective is to improve user experience, maintain content relevancy, and comply with applicable records retention policies outlined in the UNC Records Retention and Disposition Schedule.

Current Challenges

Several issues have prompted the need for a comprehensive content management policy:

• Broken Links and Outdated Information: Numerous old pages, especially related to past events or announcements, contain broken registration links, which negatively impact the SiteImprove QA score.
• Resource-Intensive Updates: Maintaining and updating contact information for outdated events or announcements is labor-intensive and inefficient, particularly when staff members depart and the content is no longer relevant.
• Uncontrolled Content Visibility on myEOL: Content from older events or announcements often appears in views based on taxonomy (related content), which results in frequent requests to remove or update outdated materials.

Strategic Approach

Given the large volume of non-evergreen content, primarily outdated announcements and event pages, this recommendation outlines a strategy for archiving and deleting such content in compliance with UNC system guidelines on records retention. It also defines responsibilities for managing all other dated content on the University websites.

UNC Records Retention Compliance

The following sections from the UNC Records Retention and Disposition Schedule guide our retention practices:

1. Student Associations and Organizations Records: Transfer to University Archives after 1 year for appraisal and final disposition.
2. Public Relations Records: Transfer to University Archives after 5 years for appraisal and final disposition.
3. Activities and Events Records: Transfer to University Archives after 5 years for appraisal and final disposition.
4. Governing and Advisory Board Records: Transfer relevant records (e.g., minutes, policies, reports) to University Archives after 5 years, with other materials destroyed after their use or obsolescence.

NCCU REG 01.04.2 University Record Retention and Disposition Schedule Regulation was also a resource in our review process.

Based on the points above and discussion with Communications and Marketing, non-evergreen content (i.e., announcement and event pages) can be transferred to University Archives as a PDF of the web output after five years. Following transfer to Archives, that content can be deleted from the web platforms.

The only exception is for student association records, which could, if desired, be transferred after one year and then deleted from the website. At this time, Web Services will not be actively reviewing and removing content per the timeline for this specific subset of events and announcements, but it remains an option for the future.

Content Review and Removal Process

• Announcements/Events: Annual Review by Web Services
  • Web Services will conduct an annual review of all non-evergreen content in June of each year. During this review, event/announcement content older than five years will be sent to University Archives in PDF format and subsequently removed from the web.
• General Content: Departmental Responsibility
  • Non-event/announcement content will be handled by the relevant departments. These departments will need to manage their own records and data retention compliance and request removal as necessary.  
  • ITS will not set a schedule or manage the general content review and disposal process for departmental content. These updates must be requested directly by a departmental liaison via a General Web Services ticket.
• News and High-Profile Records: Communications and Marketing Responsibility
  • Communications and Marketing will be responsible for reviewing and transferring relevant press releases, news articles, and board-related records older than five years to University Archives. These materials should be removed from the web once archived, with a focus on records related to the Board of Trustees (BOT) and related governing entities.
  • As with the general content, ITS will not manage this review and disposal process. Removal of content may be requested via a General Web Services ticket.

Conclusion

This strategy will enable Web Services and relevant departments to effectively manage outdated web content, ensure compliance with UNC retention schedules, and improve overall content quality and site usability. By implementing these recommendations, the university can streamline its web content management practices and ensure that outdated or irrelevant materials are archived or removed in a timely and efficient manner.