Google Sites
Google Apps Templates and Guidelines
Google Sites
See the Status and Updates page for information about the new web header and footer.
About the templates
There are three approved Google Sites templates available for the University's Twin Cities campus—two for faculty and staff, one for registered student organizations.
Each University campus is able to have its own templates.
Please read the guidelines on this site before constructing your Google Site. Contact University Relations if you have questions.
Developing Unit Templates
Using the U's Google templates to start, units can construct templates that include their unit identification for use by people in their department.
To do this, simply add your unit's identification - either in HTML (recommended) or as a graphic below the U's web header (and beneath the horizontal navigation) - and save the page as a template.
One thing to note: in order for your users to access the template, it will need to be shared publicly. There is no way to create a template that is limited to use by people within a unit unless access to the template is provided on a person-by-person basis.
Guidelines for template use
For University Business
University units making Google Sites to communicate official University business, whether it's an Intranet or Internet, must always use an official Google Sites template.
Google Sites may be used for official University business according to the following guidelines:
Official sites must be set up using the unit's Gmail account, not a personal Gmail account.
An approved header and footer must be used.
Never use a Google Site for private, FERPA, or HIPAA information.
Set permissions for the site according to the permission guidelines.
Professional activities should never be coupled with personal activities; all personal business must be on a separate personal site that does not include University branding.
Faculty or staff using Google Sites to communicate professional activities associated with the U should use an official header and footer and may use their University Gmail account to set up the site.
For Registered Student Organizations
Student organizations may use the template with the block M only. University Brand policy prohibits the use of University marks, including the wordmark and Driven to Discover, by student organizations.
For Personal Use
Google Sites are available to all University students, faculty, and staff as personal web space according to the following guidelines:
Personal sites cannot use the University headers and footer or the trademarks in any way. This includes the University of Minnesota wordmark, block M, Driven to Discover, and Goldy Gopher.
Personal sites created from University accounts cannot be used to sell anything.
Faculty or staff using Google Sites to communicate professional activities associated with the U should use an official header and footer and may use their personal Gmail account to set up the site.
Permission settings
Google Sites has a few options related to who can access a site. The following guidelines are for official University Google Sites.
Public on the web - Anyone on the Internet can find and access. No sign-in required. Choose this option if you want anyone inside or outside the University to be able to access the site. This level of permission allows people to view your site; they cannot edit it.
Anyone with the link - Anyone who has the link can access. No sign-in required.
Choose this option if you're creating a site that has access limited to a small number of people. These people can be within or outside the University.
University of Minnesota - People at the University of Minnesota can find and access.
Choose this option if you're creating a site that only people on your home campus can access. Although Google notes that this is a selection for anyone at the University of Minnesota, in actuality, each campus has their own separate Google apps installation. Choosing this option does not allow people from other campuses to access your site. Only the public option will make the site fully accessible by all campuses (and the world, too). Be sure to change your settings to "view" rather than "edit" or anyone who has access to the site will be able to edit.
People at the University of Minnesota with the link - People at the University of Minnesota who have the link can access.
Choose this option if you have a site that has access limited to a small number of people within the University. In this case, the people can be from any campus. The default setting for this option allows editing. Be sure to change this to "view" rather than "edit" or anyone who has access to the site will be able to edit.
Private - Only people explicitly granted permission can access. Sign-in required.
Choose this option if you want people to sign in using their x.500.
Editing - It's possible to set permissions so that, for example, all UofM people can see the site, but only the people you designate are able to edit the site.
Choosing a template
There are three templates available.
UofM Official Google Sites Template 960
includes the University's block M, wordmark, and Driven to Discover on a maroon background in the header.
uses horizontal navigation, which can be changed to sidebar navigation or a Google gadget navigation if desired.
features a search field that allows users to search all University Google sites, search only the Google site they're on, or search umn.edu websites.
designed as a 960 pixel fixed width template.
features links to One Stop, myU, and the campuses above the footer.
includes the official University footer.
The site you're on is using this template.
UofM Official Google Site Template
has all the features described above, but has a fluid layout.
UofM Student Organization Template 960
includes the maroon banner with a gold block M.
no other University logos may be used with this template.
Use a template
To create a new Google Site for a unit:
Log in to Google with your unit's or student organization's internet address, or x.500.
Go into Google Sites and hit the red "Create" button in the upper left corner.
Click on the "Browse the gallery for more" link in the "Select template to use" section.
Select the UofM Official Google Sites Template (for a fluid site), the UofM Official Google Sites Template 960 (for a 960 pixel fixed width site), or the UofM Student Organization Template 960 (for a student organization website).
Click on "Select."
Name your site.
Hit the red "Create" button to make your new site.
The template header and footer are meant to be used "as is." Do not alter or remove any part of the header or footer.
What's in the templates?
The templates are composed of a header and a footer.
The header includes the block M, wordmark, and Driven to Discover combination that is standard for official University web headers.
Due to the way Google Sites works, links to the campuses and button links to One Stop and MyU are not included in the header. The search in the header is the default Google Sites search which gives users better search options than they would get with the U's standard search.
The footer includes the links that couldn't be contained in the header—the campus links, One Stop, and MyU links. The footer also has all the standard footer information and links that are found in the official web footers.
Templates are meant to be used as is. Do not alter the contents of the template header or footer.