When will myGU and the redesigned Gonzaga.edu go live?
An exact go-live date is yet to be announced, but we expect the initial launch of the new websites to take place over winter break in late December or early January.
Our approach to building and maintaining the new websites is one of constant updates, improvements and innovation. As such, phased enhancements to the foundational sites launched in winter 2017-2018 will take place over the next year and beyond.
Why a new Gonzaga.edu?
Gonzaga’s website has not had a major redesign since 2009. As a result, the existing site has several liabilities:
- Content that is out-of-date and inaccurate
- Hundreds of broken links and abandoned pages
- Not mobile-friendly (responsive)
- Not accessible to people with disabilities
What’s the difference between myGU and Zagweb, Office 365, Sharepoint, etc.?
myGU is a portal – your central source for the information and resources you need as a student, faculty or staff member of the Gonzaga Community.
Sharepoint is part of a suite of Office 365 tools the University provides to help students and departments to collaborate together online, using document storage, calendars, and other features to organize and complete tasks and projects.
Sites like Zagweb, Zagtivities, PeopleAdmin, are web-based software applications that perform specialized functions such as registering for classes, registering for clubs, submitting expense reports, and managing employee performance.
myGU does not replace Sharepoint or these other web-based applications. Instead, it is a portal to find them all in one place, with one sign-on. Once you log into myGU, all of these resources and internal sites you use will be available with one click.
How will I get to myGU?
Easy! After the site launches in January, you will just go to my.gonzaga.edu and log in with your Gonzaga network credentials (the same ones you use to sign in to your GU computer and email).
What was the process for the redesign?
The Office of Marketing and Communications, together with Information Technology Services, has led the web redesign project.
The first phase of the project was an extensive discovery effort that involved focus groups, stakeholder interviews, user surveys and testing involving students, prospective students, faculty, staff and alumni. This effort affirmed that the current site is too difficult to navigate, not mobile-friendly and overwhelming to most users – in part due to the large amount of information on the site intended for internal audiences only (faculty, staff, and students). Findings set the plan for a new Gonzaga.edu and first-ever Intranet site.
A Web Redesign Stakeholder team, with student, staff and faculty representatives from throughout the university, has met a few times per year throughout the redesign process to review and provide input on plans, designs, site structure and technology. In addition, President McCulloh, the President’s Cabinet and the Dean’s Council have been provided regular updates and opportunity to provide feedback.
Did you move all the pages to the new site?
While the existing website had around 13,000 pages prior to the redesign process, the new Gonzaga.edu will have approximately 2,500 pages, creating a better user experience.
- The vast majority of the pages removed were hidden, outdated, or deemed unnecessary (by the departments responsible for them) during an extensive site audit
- Roughly 2,500 pages of internal-only content are being migrated to the new myGU intranet, further streamlining the website experience for external users
Where’s my web content/faculty page?
Throughout last summer and this fall, MarCom and ITS have been working on programming and moving content to both sites. As part of this process, we are working with faculty to create profile pages that highlight their expertise. We are also working with staff members in many areas of the university to assist with content migration and review new web pages. If you have questions about your web content or new web pages, please email us.