We’re No. 1

CSU Monterey Bay’s website has earned even more recognition in the world of higher education web design.

In mid-January, it topped the list of best redesigned sites for 2011 compiled by Karine Joly on her blog, CollegeWebEditor.com. The list was based on Nick DeNardis’ reviews on his video blog, EduCheckup.

Other top sites, according to EDU Checkup: University of San Diego, Georgetown University, University of Melbourne, Vassar

Every week since 2008, DeNardis has selected a college or university site for comprehensive review. He looks at them from the point of view of a first-time visitor, while critiquing the design, information architecture and code of the sites. He issues each a grade.

In November, DeNardis looked at CSUMB.EDU and was impressed enough to give it an A+. He praised the site for its design, as well as its architecture and general functionality, awarding it a total of 292 points of a possible 300.

“It’s a great feeling to review a site that just works,” DeNardis said on his blog.

Check out his video review DeNardis is the associate director of web communications at Wayne State University and a staff writer at .eduGuru, a higher education marketing and web development blog

The redesigned website debuted on Oct. 25, 2010, after more than a year of work by members of the Strategic Communications and Information Technology departments and an outside contractor, White Whale Web Services of Oakland.

The redesigned site features work contributed by members of the campus community, including student-produced photos and videos. The site has also been geared for ease of use, with a blend of need-to-know information and room to click around and discover unexpected stories about the university, and its students and faculty.

See the CollegeWebEditor page