Newsroom

CORVALLIS, Ore. - Oregon State University's home page, http://oregonstate.edu receives an average of 1.5 million visitors a month, and starting today, those visitors have a whole new way to access all that Oregon State has to offer.
 
After months of work by OSU Web Communications and Central Web Services, a recreated web presence featuring major changes to the home page and related areas is providing constantly updated sources of information on the university, featuring the latest news and information critical to students, future students, parents and family, alumni, faculty and staff.
 
Many of the changes are aimed at helping prospective students interested in attending Oregon State experience the educational opportunities, community service and social activities the university has to offer. In the past month, the OSU homepage has logged visits from 206 different countries and territories, and as the university expands its international reach, such online visitors now will have even more ways to explore the kinds of classes, faculty and community life available on campus.
 
The newly designed site uses the open-source content management system Drupal.  The new web presence mobilizes expertise and information across the university to keep content fresh and relevant. From the Office of Admissions to Student Affairs, new information is channeled directly to the top-tier web presence to keep visitors current on the latest events, features and opportunities relevant to each audience.
 
"Key players now have the ability to update the site with the latest information, because they know what's most important to our current and prospective students," said David Barner, assistant director of Web Communications at Oregon State University. "The new web presence serves as an extension of the collaborative work already going on between departments and colleges around campus."
 
Oregon State's scenic campus is highlighted with a slideshow featuring Corvallis' seasonal beauty, and a redesigned events calendar lets visitors know what they can expect to enjoy while visiting campus. An improved Google-supported search makes it easier to navigate the site, and prominent social media links will allow visitors to share content they find relevant with friends and family.
 
Departments across campus also have begun embracing streaming video and audio, photo slideshows and more to highlight cutting-edge research and scholarship being undertaken by faculty and students. Many of those multimedia highlights are being featured on the home page.
 
Additionally, content is being tailored for distinct audiences that visit the site each day, from prospective faculty members who want to learn more about their potential new work environment to friends and family members of students.
 
"Oregon State's impact on our state and the world is a lot greater than many people realize," Barner said, "and we want to use the home page to communicate that in a dynamic and exciting way that's easy to use, and keeps people coming back."