More advanced content management schemes may include other features such as revision control, 

posting (publication) control, file locking, workflow management, content keywords (optimally from a 

standard controlled vocabulary), and other content metadata. 

Here are three examples of possible content management systems from various points in the 

complexity spectrum: 

A complex (expensive), vendor supplied, dedicated content management system. 

A fileserver where each piece of content has an expires date written in an HTML comment 

in it; ownership is determined implicitly by where in the file hierarchy it is; once a quarter 

a person manually searches through all content to find and fix expired content. 

A simple distributed content management system consisting of several file servers 

(possibly across multiple units); each page has two meta tags, one that specifies the 

expiration date and the other which specifies the content owner.  A program periodically 

crawls the web pages hosted on these servers reading the meta tags and emails the 

content owners notifying them of expired content. 

To understand the differences between content management, electronic document management 

systems, and knowledge management, please refer to Appendix 2. 

Enterprise Content Management Issues at UCSC 

Campus Readiness 

Is UCSC ready to accept Web content management?  It depends.  Campus readiness must be 

evaluated and successful/effective content management will be measured by increased accuracy and 

overall coherence. 

Web content is one component of overall campus communication protocol.  Pre Web historical 

practices permitted relatively simple central institutional control of the overall image and content of 

campus print publications targeted to external audiences.  Prospective undergraduate and graduate 

students, and potential new faculty received consistently accurate information polished by professional 

public information specialists.  Central administration directions of how the campus should be 

presented guided public relations themes.  Web content has developed ad hoc, and its rapid 

technological pace has encouraged enormous shifts to decentralization of key public information.  

Enterprise level content management requires addressing this situation and recommending a plan to 

ensure the Web projected campus image aligns with central administration vision. 

Planning for coherent enterprise wide content management requires the four following elements.  Each 

component must be clearly linked to a designated authority: 

Policy 

Communication policy will establish the institution's message to internal and external audiences.  

Effective policy must be disseminated from one central authority (Public Information? Vice Provost 

Information Technology suggested in Provost's March planning letter?).  Policies should be developed 

for broad groups of Web site categories with supporting guidelines.  EXAMPLE:  Academic 

Departments/Divisions and Registrar sites publish information for prospective and current students.  

Their Web content should reflect external audience communication policy guided by campus 

recruitment efforts.  Service Center and other internal administrative sites should reflect policy on 

internal communications. 

_________________________________________________________________________________

Web Services Committee 

Page 15 

May 28, 2002