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School of Medicine IT

Getting Started

The School of Medicine’s (SOM) website solution, managed by the SOM IT Web Team, provides professional, SOM-branded websites using the WordPress content management system. This solution presents a consistent and professional online presence that aligns with the School’s branding guidelines.

We provide departments, centers, programs, and labs the flexibility to design and build websites with little to no technical skills required. Our centralized approach saves staff time, as we manage software updates, security patches, and routine maintenance, while also offering new features, integrations, theme updates, and bug fixes—all at no cost.

Please note that the SOM web team is not involved with, nor do they have access to, the Health Care web system. Any questions pertaining to a Health Care website or Find A Doc should be sent to webteam@unchealth.unc.edu.

Features

  • Free website and hosting.
  • Easy-to-use editing interface—no HTML knowledge required.
  • SOM-branded theme for consistency.
  • Responsive and accessible theme that functions on all devices.
  • Free training & documentation for site editors.
  • Dedicated support team for technical assistance.
  • Data backups for site security.
  • Routine code updates for performance and security.
  • Analytics for site optimization.

Eligibility

  • Official SOM departments, centers, or programs are eligible. Approval from the parent department or SOM leadership may be required in some cases.
  • The Primary Site Administrator must be a SOM faculty or staff member.
  • Sponsored account holders such as third-party vendors can manage content but cannot serve as the primary site administrator.
  • Personal websites are not supported. For personal projects, we recommend TarHeels Live.
  • Research websites recruiting patients or collecting patient data are not allowed. Use hosting options like NC TraCS and PRO Core for such sites.

Access Requirements

All site editors must have a UNC Onyen to access the website. Health Care employees without an Onyen can obtain an affiliate Onyen.

Unsuitable Content

Certain types of content are not permitted within the SOM web system:

  • Custom JavaScript functions.
  • Copyrighted material, including non-open access journal articles.
  • Forms collecting sensitive information.
  • Course materials related to academic programs.
  • Internal documents or confidential information not for public access.
  • eCommerce services.

Data Security

Sensitive information, including Protected Health Information (PHI), is prohibited on School of Medicine websites. Refer to the Safe Computing at UNC website or UNC’s Information Classification Standard policy for more details.

Accessibility Guidelines

Site administrators and content editors are responsible for ensuring their website content is accessible. UNC is legally and ethically committed to providing accessible websites for a wide range of users, including those with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive disabilities. Review our accessibility guidelines to learn more.

Support

Requesting A Site

The School of Medicine IT Web Team will set up a new site and then hand it off to the Primary Site Administrator. This site will be an empty shell, ready for content to be added. It is the responsibility of the Site Administrator to populate the site with content. Request a site.

Timeline

  1. The web team provisions the site.
  2. The Site Administrator and content creators develop content following guidelines and standards.
  3. The Site Administrator requests a site audit and launch.
  4. The web team reviews the website using the pre-launch checklist to ensure all requirements are met.
  5. The Site Administrator and content creators address any issues.
  6. The web team launches the website.
  7. Post launch – keep your content up-to-date.

Website Development Options

Do It Yourself

The School of Medicine has over 500 websites. Most of our site editors attend our training and build their websites independently, using the tools and support provided.

Do It With Help

For departments or programs lacking the necessary staff, time, or technical expertise, the SOM Web Team offers free consultations for web projects.

  • We strongly discourage customized sites, as they can be difficult to maintain and often require specialized skills and knowledge for updates and troubleshooting.
  • If an external design team is hired, the SOM Web Team must be involved in the site design, review, and launch process. Notify us early, ideally before hiring, to minimize delays.
  • The SOM Web Team is not responsible for supporting or troubleshooting issues related to custom elements. The ongoing support and maintenance of customizations must be managed by the hired team or the site’s administrators.

Who Maintains the Content?

The SOM IT Web Team does not manage site content. Site administrators and editors are responsible for maintaining the content on their websites.

Each website is require to have a primary site administrator, who acts as the business owner for the site’s content. Responsibilities include:

  1. Grant access to personnel who will assist in managing a site’s content. Refer to our Sharing and Permissionsdocumentation to learn what roles can be assigned.
  2. Must ensure that all site editors are properly trained. We strongly encourage everyone to attend one of our Web Training: Introduction classes.
  3. Ensure content is accurate and up-to-date. Outdated sites may be flagged for review or taken offline.
  4. Reporting site issues to the SOM web team so we can address them.
  5. Adhere to SOM policies and best practices for managing site content.

The School of Medicine IT Web Team reserves the right to remove any documents or web content that does not meet accessibility guidelines.