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Rutgers Core Component Library

Save time and money with your next website project using the Rutgers Core Component Library (RCCL). 

What Is the RCCL

The Rutgers Core Component Library (RCCL) is a no-code-required platform for building websites at Rutgers University. The RCCL was created to strengthen the Rutgers brand on the web and to create a better user experience so that visitors whose journey takes them across multiple Rutgers websites (usually managed by different units) are met with consistent styling and branding.  

The flagship version of the RCCL is built on the Drupal framework. A WordPress version of the RCCL is also available, though it does not have feature parity with the Drupal version.

Using the RCCL

University Communications and Marketing (UCM) makes the RCCL platform available to the Rutgers community at no cost. The RCCL offers savings on website projects, absorbing a majority of the costs typically spent on design and development work. 

Using the RCCL is required for school units associated with Rutgers–New Brunswick. Otherwise, its use is not mandatory but encouraged. 

  • The RCCL is maintained by UCM and the RCCL Core Working Group, which includes members from the Office of Information Technology-Web Consulting Services (WCS). RCCL updates are released quarterly and include new features, bug fixes, quality of life improvements, component enhancements, etc.  

    The RCCL uses responsive design for a good user experience on mobile devices, and it adheres to current web accessibility standards. 

  • The Drupal RCCL comes with 20 preconfigured Content Types that can be used to create standard website pages, including a homepage, informational pages, news articles, staff directory, events, and more. The WordPress version of the RCCL attempts to mirror the Drupal version, but there may not be feature parity. 

    Color choices, fonts, and point sizes are all preset.

    Content Types are pre-configured with a variety of hero options and Drupal “Paragraphs” -- modular components that can be stacked and arranged to display site content in a variety of ways.  

     

    The flagship RCCL product makes use of Drupal Core and a collection of approved contributed modules.

    • Integrated Vimeo and YouTube video playback 
    • High-impact photo display options 
    • Several hero/header option for pages 
    • Multiple content presentation options – with images 
    • High-impact presentation of proof points/stats 
    • Social media integration with Curator.io 
    • Searchable People/staff directory 
    • Events calendar and display options  
    • Flexible presentation of news/stories 
    • Embedded “mini-site” for program or initiative sites 
    • Additional navigation levels 
    • Content moderation, document management 
    • Optional sharing (syndication) of Article and Event content across connected sites 
    • Predefined user roles 
    • Google Tag Manager module 
    • Editoria11y accessibility checker 
    • Workbench module for content moderation 
    • Document management functionality 
  • As of July 2023, all new RCCL sites are required to be hosted on Pantheon using the custom RCCL upstream managed by WCS. Exceptions to this requirement may be granted on a limited basis.  

    New RCCL website projects must start with a development environment from WCS. This may be spun up and transferred to the vendor for development and content population.  

    Exceptions to this requirement may be granted on a limited basis.

  • The RCCL core code base may not be modified. Customization of the RCCL should be done using a Drupal subtheme or WordPress child theme to avoid conflicts as the RCCL core codebase evolves. 

  • WCS provides RCCL website hosting, setup and maintenance. All RCCL sites must be set up through WCS, even if they will be transferred to a vendor for development or content production.  

    WCS may be contracted for an annual RCCL maintenance agreement, wherein they would apply any RCCL updates, Drupal version updates, security updates, and provide consulting and technical support.  

    WCS charges a one-time RCCL setup fee that includes Pantheon setup and Shibboleth/NetID login integration. WCS also charges annual administrative and maintenance fees for RCCL sites.  

    More about RCCL pricing with WCS: https://wcs.oit.rutgers.edu/pricing/#rccl 

  • Because the RCCL is intended to reduce the investment and effort in website design and development, ACE vendors should familiarize themselves with the RCCL components and determine how existing components can be used or extended to meet the content needs of clients. This perspective is essential to providing a meaningful and effective SOW. 

    Custom components are not necessary in many cases. 

    Wireframes are not necessary when using the RCCL out of the box. A wireframe is acceptable to include on a SOW if it demonstrates a new feature or component.  

    The WCS RCCL setup fee includes Pantheon setup and Shibboleth/NetID login integration – this should not be included in a vendor SOW. 

    Google Analytics can be set up via Google Tag Manager using the included feature on the RCCL. An out-of-the box GA4 set up with no custom configuration takes under 15 minutes and should be scoped accordingly in an SOW.  

    ACE Vendors providing SOWs on RCCL projects should primarily focus their deliverables on: 

    • Discovery 
    • Content audit 
    • Information architecture 
    • Content production 
    • Content population 
    • Custom design and development work that cannot be achieved with the RCCL out of the box 
  • Rutgers units using the RCCL for a website project should expect to invest mostly in content-related items.  

    While some web design and development may be needed to achieve project goals, in most cases an RCCL project does not need to be a web development project or carry the costs associated with one.  

    Should your RCCL project necessitate a custom feature, component or component extension, this must be reported to the RCCL Core Working Group (rccltechteam@rutgers.edu). 

    Customizations to the RCCL are not considered to be a part of the RCCL. Maintaining and supporting customizations is the responsibility of the unit.  

    Units may contribute their customizations back the RCCL core codebase, with approval from the RCCL Core Working Group 

Notable Features

  • Content Moderation/Workflow: Go beyond publishing and unpublishing your content. The RCCL offers an enhanced workflow where you can publish a page and work on an unpublished draft of a page at the same time. Share links to your unpublished draft with authenticated users, i.e., those who have login permissions. This powerful feature lets you prepare a webpage in place prior to publishing it.

    Permissions: The RCCL provides basic roles and permissions including anonymous user, authenticated user, administrator, editor, contributor, and syndication API. Administrators have full rights. While editors can publish, contributors can create content but cannot publish content. Individual site owners can create new roles and permissions working with their website developer. The syndication API role gives users the ability to access the library's content syndication feature.

     

  • Share your content and curate content from other sites within the RCCL ecosystem. 

    • Available for specific content types only: articles, feature articles, and events.
    • Share and reuse content with other ecosystem websites via digital subscription.
    • Publisher chooses the content they want to syndicate, i.e., make available to others, by checking the "Share for Syndication" button at the bottom of their editing page. (See screenshot below.)
    • The subscriber's local copy gets automatic updates to the originally published article.

     

     

     

  • Conveniently, create a staff directory and add as much information or just the basics for each person by creating a "Person" content type  for each staff member.

    • The staff directory view includes several fields with a title label that you can customize as needed.
      • Tag the person to a unit or departments to create filtered views.
    • Categorize events and display them within the site based on category
    • Include images, information, registration button, or links
    • Share and subscribe to events among ecosystem websites
    • Use the events display on various pages

    Using the Event content type, add your events details and publish on the site. No need to worry about removing events, they will automatically no longer be displayed on the site after the time and date have passed.

    Events Listing View Page

    The Events Listing page displays tabs with all events, featured events, and other information. The page also allows events to be filtered by keyword, date, division, and category.

     

    Events News Display Component

    Use this component to add events to various content templates, where available.

Drupal or WordPress?

RCCL users can select a Drupal or WordPress framework for content management. This choice should be informed by the scope and needs of your website project, and by your team's familiarity with these content management systems.

Drupal RCCL

Drupal logo
  • Established user group and legacy RCCL Platform
  • Full RCCL feature set; content syndication, Program Finder functionality, Drupal views and taxonomy
  • Dedicated UCM development team
  • Required Pantheon hosting through OIT-Web Consulting Services (WCS)
  • Customization allowed, but maintenance is the responsibility of the unit
  • Sharing of new features and functionality back to enterprise code base is encouraged
  • Feature development to sync with WordPress

WordPress RCCL

Wordpress logo
  • v1.0.0 Released January 2024
  • Native WordPress features, including dynamic page builder, RSS functionality
  • Developed to leverage the RCCL appearance but preserve the WordPress platform experience 
  • Required Patheon hosting through WCS
  • Plug-in governance
  • No customization allowed except through a WCS development project
  • New features and functionality will be contributed back to the enterprise code base
  • Feature development to sync with Drupal
  • Best suited medium-sized and lower complexity sites
     

Getting Started

  • Required: Please tell us more about your project. Provided by University Communications and Marketing, this demo provides an overview of the RCCL's design and functional benefits. We'll also discuss your own project and next steps.

    Complete the Component Library Interest Form

  • Free, video-based training is available anytime through the Canvas Learning Management System.

    University Website Policy

    Understand the university's website policies and best practices to better serve university audiences. 
    Time: 25 minutes

    University Visual Identity

    Learn about how to use the university's visual identity system to benefit your unit.
    Time: 10-15 minutes

    Go to Canvas to Enroll and Take the Courses

  • Once you've decided to use the Core Library, the website owner/manager and any contracted vendor must complete the Terms of Usage Agreement (available online).

    Please be sure to review the full text of the terms of usage, which touch on these points:

    • Must be submitted by the user and website vendor/consultant. 
    • All web developers using the RCCL, must:
      • Provide administrative and end-user training for the RCCL and any new components and any third-party tools needed to maintain the website. 
      • Prior to planned modifications or extensions of the RCCL, present a technical and/or design modification plan in writing to the Component Library Working Group at rccltechteam@rutgers.edu.  
      • Provide full technical and end-user documentation for modifications and extensions to the RCCL by contacting the working group webdev team at RCCLtechteam@rutgers.edu. 
    • Accept the component library repository for use as-is except for bugs.
    • Use the Rutgers Core Component Library in a manner that is consistent with its intended use.
    • Obtain project review from R-Comm office, if a user is affiliated with Rutgers University-New Brunswick or RBHS.
    • Consult with the Component Library Working Group prior to modifying the RCCL. 
    • Accept full responsibility for modifications or changes.
    • Don't replicate the unique top-most homepage components of others without express written consent from the website owner.
    • Become a member of the RCCL-Drupal User Group (Rutgers Microsoft Teams Group).
    • Contribute best-in-class components or functionality back to the Rutgers Core Component Library.
    • Maintain user accessibility in accordance with university guidelines.

    Fill Out the Terms of Usage Form (Qualtrics)

  • All website owners, editors, and developers, as well as external vendors, must be familiar and adhere to the Rutgers university website policy, which ensures that Rutgers' digital experiences are consistent, professional, accessible to those with disabilities, accurate, easy to find and navigate, and timely.

    The policy:

    • Provides standards for use and content maintenance of websites that provide official university information to its constituents.
    • Provides guidelines for website administration and management.
    • Establishes an annual website certification by members of the Rutgers Administrative Council.
    • Defines the process for the assignment of domain names for Rutgers websites.

    Learn more about the university website policy

     

  • RCCL users will benefit by joining the Rutgers Core Component Library - Drupal User Group Team website, regardless of your use of Drupal. Access user guides and training material, post questions, and receive updates about the RCCL. Access to a private channel will be set up for your RCCL project. Members of the university who are not using the RCCL are also invited to join this community of website owners, managers, and enthusiasts. 

    Join the Drupal User Group Team
    (Rutgers NetID/Connect Account Required, Opens Microsoft Teams.)

     

A Collaborative Initiative

The Rutgers Core Component Library initiative is managed by the department of University Communications and Marketing in partnership with Rutgers Office of Information Technology, Rutgers Communications (R-Comm) and the Office for Research. The component library is governed and maintained by members of the Component Library Working Group.