Cascade migration FAQs

You will not be responsible for directly migrating your website into Cascade. However, your involvement is essential in preparing your site for migration. Before the migration, we ask that you conduct a thorough content audit to identify and remove outdated content that should not be transferred to Cascade. This includes reviewing all web pages, downloadable files (such as PDFs and Word documents), friendly URLs, and xForms.

Two weeks prior to your scheduled migration, a member of our team will contact you with a detailed migration document to be used for the content audit. This document will include a list of all your pages and website analytics to help you make informed decisions about which content should be migrated.

The Messiah University website consists of over 200 “sub-sites.” Starting in January 2025, we will begin migrating 10 websites each week, with the goal of completing the migration by July 2025. In late October, a member of the web services team will contact you with the specific migration timeframe for your website(s).

We understand that the spring semester can be a busy time for many campus offices. If you have an extenuating circumstance regarding your migration timeframe, please reach out to Jen Romanchak at jromanchak@messiah.edu to discuss your request.

No, not at this time. Any web content outside of Jadu will not be migrated and can continue to be used at this time.

Yes, you can take steps ahead of time to help streamline the migration process. Before the migration, the web services team  will conduct a content audit of your site to identify and remove outdated or obsolete content. To assist with this, you can begin deleting old and unnecessary content from Jadu. 

Additionally, it’s important to audit the URLs you are using in publications, QR codes or emails. Following the migration, redirects will need to be set up to ensure these links continue to work. Preparing a list of these elements in advance will help expedite the content audit and ensure a smoother migration process.

To ensure a smooth transition, the university will offer training sessions in Cascade before your site is migrated. These sessions will fully prepare website editors and grant access to Cascade one week before the site goes live.

During the migration to our new content management system, the design and functionality of your website will remain the same. While the design won't change significantly, we are updating the site’s code framework to align with modern standards and best practices. As a result, you may notice minor differences between the design and layout between Jadu and Cascade during the migration process.

We understand that the spring semester can be a busy time for many campus offices. If you have an extenuating circumstance, please reach out to Jen Romanchak at jromanchak@messiah.edu to discuss your request.

We do not anticipate any significant downtime for your website during the migration to Cascade. After your site has been fully migrated, we will implement redirect rules to ensure that popular Jadu links automatically point to the corresponding pages on your Cascade site. Once these redirects are in place, the Jadu content will be removed.

Yes, the URLs of your website will change. Unlike Jadu that uses a unique ID in the URL (example: www.messiah.edu/info/21621/faqs), Cascade uses a directory based URL system (example: www.messiah.edu/web-services/faqs). 

If you are using friendly URLs in Jadu, these can be recreated in Cascade’s vanity URL module. Please begin to list out any friendly URLs used by your department in advance to ensure none are missed during the migration process. 

We will provide you with an invitation for your Cascade training session when you are notified that your site is being migrated. Cascade training sessions will take place on campus, but virtual trainings can be offered if you have extenuating circumstances.

If you have an extenuating circumstance regarding your training timeframe, please contact Jen Romanchak at jromanchak@messiah.edu.

If the FAQs above don't address your questions, please contact Jen Romanchak at jromanchak@messiah.edu.

A subsite is a unique group of pages on our website that functions as its own distinct section. Each subsite has its own dedicated left-hand navigation menu, allowing users to easily browse through the specific content related to that subsite. Additionally, each subsite has a designated "subsite owner," who serves as the primary stakeholder responsible for managing and maintaining the content within the subsite. 

In the screenshot below, you can see that Web Services is set up as a subsite with a unique navigation and subsite title.

A subsite is different from simply having a subgroup of pages within an existing subsite, as a subsite operates independently and is designed to serve a particular purpose or audience. Subsites often cater to specific departments, initiatives, or events and provide a more tailored user experience.

In the example below, you can see that "Transfer Students" is not its own subsite, but rather a subgroup of pages within the Undergraduate Admissions subsite. Since it does not have its own dedicated left-hand navigation, it functions as part of the larger Undergraduate Admissions subsite, rather than as a separate, standalone subsite.

A subsite owner is the person ultimately responsible for all web content within a designated subsite on messiah.edu. While the subsite owner may choose not to directly edit the website content, they have the option to delegate this task to others within their department. The subsite owner is responsible for ensuring that, during times of transition or turnover, new employees are made aware of their responsibilities related to editing the site. 

Typically, a subsite owner is a director-level employee who should be fully aware of their responsibility to oversee and maintain the accuracy of their subsite's content. This includes ensuring that job descriptions within their department reflect website content management roles and duties.