Web Standards & Guidelines
  1. Web Standards & Guidelines
  2. Notices
  3. Domain Requirement Changes

Domain Requirement Changes

This notice was updated on Nov. 14, 2022 to ensure all information and linked resources are relevant and accurate.

On May 19, 2022, the Web Advisory Council approved changes to the VCU Web Standards & Guidelines "Domain" requirements. This includes:

  1. Requiring top-level domain exceptions to be approved by Technology Services in addition to Enterprise Marketing and Communications.
  2. Moving the previous Domain, Subdomain (8.2) requirement to a new Domain, University & Mascot Names (8.3) requirement.
  3. Creating a new Domain, Subdomains (8.2) requirement that limits vcu.edu subdomain usage to colleges, schools, academic/administrative departments, or central systems/applications.
  4. Other minor language edits and changes.

Top-level domain exception approval

While Enterprise Marketing and Communications was previously listed as the only unit who could grant non-vcu.edu top-level domain exceptions, this was only from a brand/marketing perspective, and Technology Services has always been involved in this approval process. We've added both units to the Domain, Top-Level Domains (8.1) requirement exceptions to ensure better transparency.

University & mascot names in subdomains

In the new Domain, University & Mascot Names (8.3) requirement, we do not allow vcu.edu subdomains to include the term "VCU", "ram" or "rams" unless by exception approved by Technology Services. This also includes "VCU" portmanteaus (a word blending the sounds and combining the meanings of two others), which has always been enforced, but the language was added to ensure better transparency.

Subdomain limitations

In the newly created Domain, Subdomains (8.2) requirement, vcu.edu subdomains must be for colleges, schools, academic/administrative departments, or central systems/applications. While Technology Services has always sought to enforce these rules, enforcement historically has been hit or miss, weakening our domain standards at the university; This new requirement seeks to fix this moving forward.

Minor language edits & changes

We've changed or removed much of the language throughout new/old requirements. These changes include:

  1. Better requirement, non-compliance, and exception examples.
  2. Consistency between requirements in how they're structured and written.
  3. The removal of antiquated descriptions for requirements, such as the VCU People Accounts reference previously found in the Domain, Personal Names (8.4) requirement.