U Record unveils new Web site design
By Katie Gazella
 The
University Record has launched a new Web site that is cleaner, more
modern and easier to navigate than the earlier design.
The new site, http://www.umich.edu/~urecord,
offers synopses of two main stories and moves links to accolades,
news briefs, events, job listings and other information to the first
page of the site to make for easier navigation.
"The new site is designed with the reader in mind,"
says Laurel Thomas Gnagey, executive editor of the Record. "We
have more news up front, above the scroll. It's consistent
with what other news organizations are doing."
The design has its own look but reflects changes recently made
to the sites for the University gateway and News and Information
Services (NIS), including the use of similar colors and streamlined
layouts on the three connected sites.
"Like the gateway redesign, the new Record is intended to
create an improved showcase for University achievements and activities,"
says Nancy Connell, director of NIS.
The site enables the Record to deliver news that happens between
printed issues of the paper via a "breaking news"
button that links to fresh stories about major events or important
University-wide announcements. The site is updated as major events
occur.
The new design represents the work of staff of the Record, NIS
Web resources manager Lenny Zenith, and Marketing Communications
staffers Deborah Gibson, senior designer; Carol Hellman, assistant
director; and Scott Williams, Web project manager.
The Record's print version, distributed to 22,500 staff,
faculty and retirees, will get a facelift later this year.
To comment about the new site, e-mail Gnagey at ltgnagey@umich.edu.
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