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Branding

Every page on the UHD website represents the University. When our site looks and behaves consistently, it builds trust and makes it easier for users to find what they need. These guidelines protect that consistency and make it easier for content authors to produce pages that look and work well.

UHD Graphic Standards

The UHD Graphic Standards are the authoritative source for all brand-related decisions including colors, typography, logo usage, and visual identity. These website guidelines operate alongside the Graphic Standards, not independently of them.

All web content must conform to our UHD Graphic Standards. University Relations reserves the right to request removal or revision of any visual elements that do not meet quality or brand standards.

Page Design Constraints

Templates and components in the Modern Campus CMS are built to reflect UHD’s brand and accessibility requirements. These design decisions, including colors, fonts, spacing, and layout are intentional and must not be overridden.

Content authors may not:

  • Change font families or font sizes within page content.
  • Add custom color values to text, backgrounds, or borders.
  • Modify the column or layout structure of a page template.
  • Add inline styles or custom CSS to page content.
  • Use heading styles for decorative purposes rather than structure.
  • Add design elements that are not part of an approved component.
  • Use or reference any CSS frameworks or libraries other than the currently approved ones.

The global header and footer are managed exclusively by University Relations and IT. No unit may alter the header, footer, or main navigation without University Relations approval.

If your content has a genuine design need that cannot be met with approved components, contact University Relations. We will evaluate the need and develop a solution that works site wide.

Photography

Authentic, high-quality photography is one of the most effective tools we have to communicate who we are. UHD photo library: UHD maintains a library of approved photography. This should be your first source for imagery. Contact digitalmedia@uhd.edu for access.

  • Stock photography: Stock images may be used when UHD photography is not available or appropriate. You must have a valid license for any stock image used on the site, and the license must permit web use. Document the license. Stock photography that feels generic or inconsistent with our brand should be avoided.
  • File format and size: Target 100 KB or smaller for most images. Uploading large, unoptimized images slows page load times for all users. Use JPEG or WebP for photographs. WebP produces smaller file sizes at comparable quality and is supported by all modern browsers. Use PNG for images that require transparency, such as logos or graphics with transparent backgrounds. Optimize all images for web before uploading.
  • Text in images: Do not embed important text in images, especially in hero or banner images. Text in images cannot be picked up by screen readers, cannot be translated, does not scale correctly on mobile devices, and is not indexed by search engines. If an image must include text, ensure that text is also present in the page copy or alt text.
  • Image dimensions: Upload images at the correct dimensions for the template region where they will appear. Do not rely on the CMS to resize images. Uploading an oversized image and letting it scale down adds unnecessary file weight. Photo releases: Photos of identifiable individuals used on the UHD website require a signed photo release. Review the UHD Photo Release Guidelines before publishing any photo that includes students, faculty, or staff. Contact University Relations if you have questions about whether a release is needed.
  • Video: Video is an effective medium when used appropriately. Keep the following standards in mind when planning and publishing video content.
    • Hosting: Video should be hosted on UHD’s YouTube channel or another approved platform and embedded on the page rather than uploaded directly to the CMS. Direct video uploads create large file sizes and performance issues.
    • Quality: Only professional-quality video should be used for public-facing UHD web pages. Casually recorded or low-quality video reflects poorly on the institution.
    • Length: Keep video concise. Most web video should be between 30 seconds and 5 minutes. Videos longer than 5 minutes should be considered for editing into shorter segments to maintain viewer engagement.
    • Captions: All video must be captioned. See the Accessibility section for captioning requirements.

Icons and Graphic

Elements Use only icons and graphic elements that are part of the approved CMS web asset library. Do not introduce third-party icon sets, custom illustrations, or decorative graphic elements that have not been approved by University Relations.

Decorative elements that add visual noise without conveying information or improving usability are not appropriate for the UHD website. Every visual element should serve a purpose.