UCLA Policy 411:

Registration and Use of UCLA Domain Names

Issuing Officer:

Vice Chancellor, External Affairs
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Responsible Dept:

Marketing & Communication Services

Effective Date:

September 14, 2005

Supersedes:

UCLA Policy 411 dated March 29, 2004

References   |   Definitions   |   Background & Purpose   |   Statement  |  Attachments

I. REFERENCES

  1. UCLA Policy 110, Use of the University's Names, Seals, and Trademarks;

  2. UC Delegation of Authority 0864, Policy to Permit Use of the University's Name, May 3, 1985;

  3. UC Electronic Communications Policy, November 17, 2000 (Revised August 18, 2005);

  4. UC Administrative Guidelines for Support Groups;

  5. UCLA Communications Technology Services (CTS) Web site, Domain Name Registration.

II. DEFINITIONS

Campus Entity: for purposes of this policy only, an officially recognized UCLA school, department, center, laboratory, division or institute.

Campus Name: UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles, or other abbreviations or any other name of which these designations or abbreviations are a part (see UCLA Policy 110).

Domain Name: all or part of an electronic address used to identify and locate an Internet site or service, such as a Web site. A Domain Name is hierarchical and often conveys information about the type of entity using the Domain Name. For example, college.ucla.edu identifies the College of Letters & Science at UCLA. The address of the College's Web site in the College's domain is www.college.ucla.edu.

External UCLA Domain Name: a Domain Name registered by a Campus Entity or Recognized Campus Organization under any Top-Level Domain other than "edu", whether or not the Domain Name contains a Campus Name. For example, uclaplasticsurgery.com or methamphetamine.org.

Internal UCLA Domain Name: for purposes of this policy only, a Domain Name registered by a Campus Entity or Recognized Campus Organization directly under the ucla.edu domain. For example, library.ucla.edu or law.ucla.edu, but not csg.oit.ucla.edu.

Non Campus Entity: any organization or group with an affiliation to, or contractual relationship with, UCLA. Examples include a nonprofit, educationally related entity, a professional organization or a commercial services provider.

Recognized Campus Organization: the Associated Students UCLA, the UCLA Foundation, UCLA Faculty Center Association, and any other organization whose affiliation with UCLA is governed by the UC Administrative Guidelines for Support Groups, or by contractual documents. Student and campus activity organizations registered through the Center for Student Programming are also considered Recognized Campus Organizations.

Top-Level Domain: in a Domain Name, that portion of the Domain Name that appears to the right of the right-most "dot." For example, "com" in ucla.com or "edu" in ucla.edu.

UCLA Domain Name: an authorized External UCLA Domain Name or Internal UCLA Domain Name.

III. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

UCLA Domain Names are the electronic addresses used to find specific Web site destinations and other UCLA electronic services. Like the names of publications and programs, Domain Names can be an important part of a unit’s identity and public outreach efforts and, therefore, have an impact on how UCLA as a whole is perceived.

This policy specifies how existing University policies governing the use of the UCLA names, seals and trademarks (see UCLA Policy 110) apply to Domain Names. This policy also addresses the process for registering Domain Names at UCLA. This policy does not address issues of ownership of intellectual property.

IV. STATEMENT

All UCLA Domain Names are the exclusive property of The Regents of the University of California (The Regents). UCLA Domain Names are subject to this Policy and other University policies even if the Web sites or other electronic services associated with them are contractually delegated to, or operated by, Non Campus Entities. Similarly, this Policy and other University policies apply whether sites or services associated with UCLA Domain Names are hosted on UCLA servers or elsewhere. All contracts involving delegations to, or operation of, UCLA Domain Names by Non Campus Entities must be reviewed by the Campus Counsel for adherence to campus policies prior to being signed.

A. Registration of Campus Names Under Top-Level Domains

UCLA External Affairs, University Communications and the Campus Counsel share oversight responsibility for External UCLA Domain Names. They serve as guardians to prevent inappropriate use of Campus Names.

  1. University Communications:

    • will register Campus Names under all available Top-Level Domains for which UCLA is qualified and deems appropriate (e.g., ucla.edu, ucla.com, ucla.org, ucla.net);

    • will use an appropriate Internet Domain Name registrar and register in the name of The Regents;

    • may pursue registering Campus Names under new Top-Level Domains as they become available (e.g., ucla.biz, ucla.info, ucla.museum).

  2. The Campus Counsel, on an ongoing basis, will audit all registered Domain Names that contain Campus Names for violations of UC and UCLA policy on the use of University names. If an individual or Non Campus Entity has registered a Domain Name that misrepresents UCLA’s involvement, implies UCLA endorsement or otherwise threatens to tarnish UCLA’s name or reputation, the Campus Counsel, in consultation with other campus officials as appropriate, will take action to question the registration and, as appropriate, request that improper Domain Names be rescinded and no longer used.

B. Requests for Domain Names by Campus Entities

Authorized administrators of Campus Entities may request to register Internal UCLA Domain Names through Communications Technology Services (CTS) and on their own can apply for External UCLA Domain Names, as described below in IV.B.2. Campus administrators should carefully consider when it is most appropriate to use an External UCLA Domain Name (e.g., timesheet.com), an Internal UCLA Domain Name (e.g., timesheet.ucla.edu) or a Domain Name under its existing domain (e.g., timesheet.ais.ucla.edu or ais.ucla.edu/timesheet).

  1. Internal UCLA Domain Names for a Campus Entity must be requested through Communications Technology Services (CTS) using the UCLA Domain Name Request Form (Attachment A) and online Telecommunications Service Request (TSR). All requests for Internal UCLA Domain Names require sign-off approval from the appropriate Vice Chancellor, Dean, Department Chair, Director or designee.

    1. If the requested name is the name of a Campus Entity, CTS will assign it to the named entity if it is not already in use.

    2. All other requests will generally be assigned to the requesting Campus Entity if the name is not already in use. In exceptional cases, University Communications reserves the right to deny a request if there is a clear institutional reason why the requested name would not be in the best interest of the University.

    Appeals regarding requests for Internal UCLA Domain Names that have been denied or about disputes over UCLA Domain Names between Campus Entities may be made to the Vice Chancellor, External Affairs, who, in consultation with other campus officials, as appropriate, will make the final determination.

  2. External UCLA Domain Names for a Campus Entity may be registered by an authorized administrator through a Domain Registration Service. External UCLA Domain Names may be aliases for Web sites or other electronic services hosted on campus, or they may be the addresses of such UCLA sites hosted off campus.

    1. External UCLA Domain Names must be registered in the name of The Regents as follows:

      The Registrant: The Regents of the University of California, followed by the name of the registering Campus Entity, and complete UCLA address. Administrative, technical and billing contact information should be directed to the Campus Entity.

      The University retains the right to Domain Names that promote or identify a UCLA program or service, or that are closely identified with UCLA, whether or not they are properly registered in the name of The Regents.

    2. Campus Entities are solely responsible for all registration fees and ongoing costs.

    3. Campus Entities must establish the UCLA identity of their Web sites or services that use an External UCLA Domain Name, as recommended by the Implementation Guidelines (PDF) of the UC Electronic Communications Policy (see Use of Specific Services, Web Pages).

Registration of approved UCLA Domain Names shall typically be on a first come, first served basis.

C. Requesting External UCLA Domain Names for Recognized Campus Organizations

Recognized Campus Organizations, such as the UCLA Alumni Association, UCLA Faculty Center Association and the UCLA Foundation, are permitted to use the UCLA name in registering an appropriate External UCLA Domain Name (e.g., www.uclalumni.net). For qualifying information about UCLA Support Groups et al., see the UC Administrative Guidelines for Support Groups. For qualifying information about registered student groups, contact the Center for Student Programming.

D. Requesting Internal UCLA Domain Names for Non Campus Entities

Campus Entities may sponsor the Web presence of a Non Campus Entity such as a community group or professional organization. In such cases, the sponsorship must be approved by the appropriate Dean, Vice Chancellor, Director or designee, according to the entity’s usual practice. With such approval, the sponsor may request to register the Internal UCLA Domain Name and assumes the responsibility for the Web site or service. To make the sponsorship clear, Domain Names for Non Campus Entities might reside under the sponsor’s domain (e.g., “noncampusentity.anderson.ucla.edu”, rather than “noncampusentity.ucla.edu”).

V. ATTACHMENTS

A. UCLA Internal Domain Name Request Form and How to Choose a Good Domain Name

B. See the Communications Technology Services (CTS) online Telecommunications Service Request TSR 

Issuing Officer
/s/ Michael C. Eicher
____________________________________________
Vice Chancellor - External Affairs



Questions concerning this policy or procedure should be referred to
the Responsible Department listed at the top of this document.

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