Campus Web Services: A Collaborative Approach to Web Development
For years, colleges and departments across campus successfully managed their own web teams, overseeing everything from hosting and security to design and development. As the digital landscape evolved—bringing greater complexity and higher security standards—many teams found themselves navigating an increasingly demanding environment.
That’s where Campus Web Services (CWS) came in. Led by Cameron Green, Interim Director of Campus Web Services (CWS), the team was one of the first to experience the shift toward centralizing services under University Information Technology Services (UITS). It wasn’t an overnight transition, but it was made easier by the foundation built by Arizona Digital—a cross-campus collaborative group of web professionals who had been meeting weekly for years to develop and test new solutions. Their collective vision had already paved the way for cross-team collaboration.
A Growing Team, A New Way of Working
As CWS expands, so does its mission. Some of its new members are coming from departments where they have been the sole web developers—managing every aspect of a site’s life cycle, from updates to troubleshooting. They were accustomed to working independently, often without direct support from technical supervisors.
Now, within CWS, these developers have something they never had before: an experienced team. They can focus on their passions—whether that is front-end design, user experience, or backend development—without the burden of maintaining every piece of infrastructure on their own.
“Exposure to a new way of working with websites has inspired some developers to return to their former departments and share fresh ideas,” Green shared. The transition wasn’t just about efficiency; it was about empowering web professionals to do their best work.
Bridging the Gap: Easing Concerns
Of course, change can be unsettling. Developers who had spent years supporting their departments worried about leaving their colleagues behind. Would their former teams get the same level of care? Would they still have a voice in how their websites evolved?
Dana Hertzberg, Web Development Manager, understood these concerns well. “Leaving familiar colleagues behind can be difficult,” she admitted. “But focusing on what they love about web development has been an overwhelmingly positive experience.”
Conversely, departments accustomed to having a single go-to web person were skeptical. How could a centralized team possibly deliver the same level of personalized service? However, as they start collaborating with the expanded CWS team, those doubts are beginning to fade. Now, instead of relying on one individual, they will have access to a network of experts specialized in various areas of web development.
Scaling Up: Security, Sustainability, and Support
With a larger, more skilled team in place, CWS is gaining the ability to take on challenges that had previously seemed insurmountable to smaller website teams.
Sanjana Nikolich-Singh, Program Manager for Arizona Sites, recalls one department with a very small web team and a substantial portfolio of websites under their management that was using an outdated and less secure web platform requiring migration. Although the smaller team worked to maintain the security of their websites, they lacked the workforce and capacity to manage the migration process. With added resources, CWS assisted in migrating their websites, ensuring both security and sustainability.
Another example is a very complex and high-profile campus website that was still operating on an outdated and less secure version of Drupal. CWS worked with the site’s developer to facilitate the migration. “I’m so excited about this transition,” the developer admitted. “Keeping up with updates was tedious and time-consuming. Moving to Quickstart means I won’t have to worry about security and maintenance as much anymore.”
A Future of Growth and Collaboration
The shift to a centralized system has not only made university websites more secure and scalable but also created new opportunities for professional growth.
Within CWS, developers have the chance to refine their JavaScript skills, explore new web tools, and receive structured training and mentoring tailored to their interests. Green emphasized the importance of investing in his team: “We identify each team member’s passions and ensure they have time to develop them.”
For many, the most unexpected benefit of joining CWS has been the newfound sense of community. Developers who were once isolated now have colleagues they can rely on, making it easier to take time off or step away without worrying about leaving their responsibilities unattended.
As Nikolich-Singh put it, “Departments may have transitioned individual staff members, but in return, they’ve gained a highly skilled and responsive team—one that can complete tasks faster and more efficiently than ever before.”
With a strong foundation in place, Campus Web Services is more than just a support team; it’s a network of professionals dedicated to creating a better, more sustainable web environment for the entire University of Arizona.