Dot-edu thrives with DynaPortal - Product news: higher-education and technology products, projects, and services - Drury University

Matrix: The Magazine for Leaders in Education, Nov-Dec, 2001

When Drury University decided to relaunch its Web site, it turned to DynaPortal, portal software developed by BiznizWeb Inc. The result is a cutting edge Web site, featuring constantly updated content and feature stories like a major news and information site. The capabilities of DynaPortal's content management software enabled Drury to focus on three elements essential to the success and growth of any Web site: content, collaboration and community. The portal has more than 250 directories, and more than 2,000 pages. Specific sections serve prospective and current students, alumni and those seeking community information.

"DynaPortal allowed us to construct a site with impressive depth," says Diana Botsford, Drury Web producer, "because the content management system is simple and easy to use." Routine functions like creating new pages or new content, and maintaining pages can be decentralized.

"This is a more efficient tool for a university with various departments needing to add content to the portal. We can empower individuals across the university to communicate in cyberspace. Each part of the Drury campus can be responsible for the area it knows best and therefore broaden the wealth of content in our portal."

Students are involved in designing and maintaining the site, key departments develop content and an interactive experience tailored to the needs of major audiences, and campus departments can create new materials that easily match the entire site's look and feel. Dynaportal also allows Drury to become one of the first universities to offer live chats between current and prospective students. The school is also able to accept tuition payments online and soon alumni will be able to make donations online.

Licenses can be purchased or leased monthly. For more information on Dynaportal, visit www. dynaportal.com.