UH Hilo Content Management System

UH Hilo Content Management System

UH Hilo has its own Content Managment System, the UH Hilo CMS. Authorized users can login with their @hawaii.edu address to the CMS Dashboard, and edit pages within their designated areas of responsibility. The live hilo.hawaii.edu is not directly editable, although when a page is saved in the CMS, a copy of the information is also published to this site.

Please Note: The URLs mentioned above are for the general UH Hilo website. Some departments and offices have their own instance of the UH Hilo CMS, with a separate address for the CMS dashboard. If you have questions about which URL to use to login to your site’s CMS, please contact Brennan Low.

Screenshot of the UH Hilo CMS

About the CMS Technology

The UH Hilo CMS (Content Management System) is the tool used to create pages on https://hilo.hawaii.edu/. The CMS uses 'Markdown', a simplified subset of HTML, to format pages. Because of the stripped down, content-first structure of the CMS, it help ensure our content-creators ensure that web content is accessible to all.

The look and feel of a particular site is dictated by an HTML tempating system. Several websites with different visual appearances coexist on the UH Hilo CMS. Whenever you create a new page, that page has the default site template unless otherwise specified in the Meta tab on the page you are editing. If you are using a non-standard template for your site, it is recommended that you make a duplicate of an existing page when starting a new page, to make sure the non-standard design elements are carried over to your new page.

All public-facing content, and most non-public facing content, made available on our websites and social media channels must meet standards and guidelines outlined in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. These standards were refreshed in January, 2017 to adopt the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 levels A and AA.

Custom Templates

Custom templates can be designed as staff time becomes available. Departments are also welcome to submit HTML templates designed though class projects, outside companies, or other means. Designs must be accessible to those using assistive technologies, responsive to visitors using a range of devices, and be in accordance with the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Website Style Guide. Custom designs should follow the institutional branding rules and the UH System Communication Standards. Specifically, units are to refrain from making custom logos for their offices.

Individual unit logos are not allowed. Although the drive to “have our own identity” is pervasive, proliferation of such marks dilutes the university’s integrity and creates confusion on the part of the public. UH System Communication Standards, Exceptions and secondary identity marks.

Please contact Web and Graphics Services to discuss your design ideas.

Markdown Learning Resources

Markdown is widely used on the internet to format content. Selected guides and training materials are included below:

Using the CMS

Please view our expanding tutorial section for step by step guides for a variety of common tasks.

Topics

Getting Access to the CMS

To request CMS access:

  1. You must be an authorized user with an active hawaii.edu email address to access the CMS.
  2. Please send an email indicating your affiliation, and which pages you would like to be able to edit.
  3. Access can be granted to folders, not individual pages (i.e. 'admissions/' or 'financialaid/'). If you don't know in which folder your project should live, or it does not exist, indicate so in your message.

Contact Brennan Low if you have any questions or to schedule training.