Digital Documents Guide

Where to Store Digital Documents

As you work toward cleaning up the documents on your department’s website, refer to this guide on the best places to store documents moving forward:

• Digital Commons

  Digital Commons @ ETSU is a great resource to make your scholarly and creative works publicly available in an institutional repository. 

  The Digital Commons can store a variety of works including: 

  • Publications  

  • Presentations  

  • Newsletters 

  • Meeting agendas and minutes  

  Please contact digilib@etsu.edu to discuss any requests you have to upload content to Digital Commons.

• D2L 

  Any materials related to coursework should be housed in D2L.  

  Examples include: 

  • Syllabi 

  • Class assignments 

  • Class resources 

  More information and resources for faculty

  More information and resources for students
  

  If you need help or have questions about D2L, please contact Information Technology Services at d2lhelp@etsu.edu.  

• Electronic Forms 

  Electronic forms are considered best practice for collecting user information versus PDF forms. Online forms can ensure users enter correct information, are generally easier to use, can be processed faster, and offer improved data security.  

  ETSU uses Dynamic Forms for all electronic forms. 

  Learn the essentials of Dynamic Forms and sign up for an upcoming workshop.

  For more information, contact Information Technology Services at itshelp@etsu.edu. 

• Website PDFs 

  Some digital content warrants the continued use of PDFs on the website.  

  Examples include: 

  • Public-facing documents required by accrediting bodies  
  • Legally required public-facing documents  
  • Handbooks 

  Any PDFs currently on your website must be taken down from the website, checked for accessibility and/or remediated, and then re-uploaded to the site.  

• Web Page Content 

  The information from some documents could easily be converted into web page content. These pages can be updated faster than a PDF when information changes.  

  Examples of web page content include: 

  • Event information/promotion  

  • FAQs 

  • Requirements for scholarships, program applications, etc. 

  • Profiles on students, faculty, or staff 

  • How-to guides 
• Microsoft OneDrive 

  OneDrive is a cloud storage service provided by Microsoft, offering a platform for storing, sharing, and collaborating on documents and files. It is included in your Microsoft 365 account provided by the university. 

  Examples of documents that can be stored in your OneDrive account include: 

  • Copies of outdated documents for record keeping 

  • Early or unfinalized versions of content 

  • Lists and spreadsheets 

  If you need access to your OneDrive or have questions, please contact the ITS Help Desk at itshelp@etsu.edu. 

• University Policies 

  Any university policy mentioned on your site should link directly to the landing page for that particular policy (not the PDF of the policy) on the University Policies and Administrative Rules website to eliminate redundant or outdated information. For example, if you need to link to the policy on Parental Leave, you would link to it in this format: Parental Leave Policy. The landing pages on the Policies site will always be the most up-to-date and include the accessible files. 

  The ETSU Board of Trustees is charged with policy making pursuant to TCA § 49-8-203, et seq. The Board delegated its authority to ETSU’s President to establish certain policies and procedures for educational program and other operations of the University, including this policy. The delegation of authority and required process for revision to this policy can be found on the Policy Development and Rule Making Policy webpage.  
   
  Pursuant to the Policy Development and Rule Making Policy, a University Policy is a guiding principle that addresses the governance or internal management inherent to carrying out the mission of the university that does not affect private rights, privileges, or procedures available to the public. A University Policy is defined by all the following criteria: 

  • The policy has a broad application throughout the university;
  • The policy helps achieve compliance with applicable laws and regulations, promotes operational efficiencies, enhances the university's mission, or reduces institutional risks;
  • The policy mandates actions or constraints; and
  • The subject matter of the policy requires Board of Trustees or Presidential approval for policy issuance and non-technical changes. 

  If a policy fits these criteria, it is a University Policy. If it does not, it is a departmental, office, or unit policy. 

  If you have questions regarding proposing a new policy or revising a current policy or procedure, please contact the Policy team at policies@etsu.edu.  

• Curriculum Vitae

  Faculty and staff CVs can be housed on a variety of platforms, including: 

  • Google Scholar 

  • Academia.edu 

  • ResearchGate 

  • LinkedIn 

  A CV can also be uploaded to your department’s site as a PDF as long as it is made accessible and there are no duplicate copies.