Cascade communication archive
Cascade communication archive
Please find here an archive of all campus wide and web user specific communications regarding the transition to Cascade CMS.
Important update on Jadu CMS
The Office of Marketing and Communications is excited to announce that this year Messiah University will be moving its institutional website (messiah.edu) to a new Content Management System (CMS) named Cascade CMS. Specifically designed for higher education, Cascade will enhance the web editing experience for Messiah’s CMS users while significantly simplifying the server infrastructure required for our website. For more information on why changing CMS platforms was necessary and how the new platform was selected, please visit our FAQs page here.
The move to Cascade will be divided into two main phases:
Implementation Phase: Beginning on September 2, 2024, and concluding by mid-December 2024, this phase involves building our web templates and custom modules that will form the foundation of our new CMS. This phase will primarily be completed by the Cascade team, the web services team in Marketing and Communications with support from ITS.
Migration Phase: Starting in early 2025, we will work closely with campus clients to migrate their websites into Cascade. Campus clients will not be responsible for migrating their websites. However, they will need to be trained in Cascade prior to the migration and collaborate with Web Services to review their migrated site in Cascade before it is officially launched.
We understand that the spring semester can be a busy time. If there is a specific time frame that you would like to avoid for your website’s migration due to extenuating circumstances, please let us know by emailing jromanchak@messiah.edu and we will do our best to accommodate you.
During the implementation phase, i.e., through mid-December 2024, all website projects and updates will continue as usual. We will maintain the use of Jadu CMS until the end of the implementation phase in late 2024. New projects and updates should continue to be requested using the web help ticket system here.
As we plan for the migration phase, departments will begin to receive communications in late October specific to the website(s) they manage. These communications will include detailed timelines for site migrations and deadlines for feedback and review.
More information on the move to cascade can be found on our FAQs page here.
In September, the Marketing and Communications Office announced the exciting transition of Messiah University's Content Management System (CMS) from Jadu to a new platform, Cascade.
The first of two phases of the Cascade implementation are complete and are currently being tested by the web team.
Action Required: We kindly request that all Jadu users review the Next Steps for Website Users to learn what to expect over the remainder of the migration process, including what your responsibilities will be throughout the process.
Find the next steps here: https://www.messiah.edu/web-services/cascade-cms
Thank you for your collaboration and commitment to making this transition a success! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to the web and digital marketing team.
As part of Messiah University’s transition from Jadu CMS to Cascade CMS, we are entering the critical content audit phase. Below are the steps to complete this important task:
To provide you with as much guidance as possible, we’ve created a short video with the steps on how to complete your audit. View the How to complete your content audit video here.
You can also find specific guidance and steps below:
Tab 1: Site IA
- This tab shows all of your subsite’s pages as listed within the left navigation and their corresponding total Google Analytics pageviews.
- Please use this information to determine which pages should be migrated from Jadu to Cascade. Consider if pages with low to zero pageviews in the last 6 months are still necessary for your subsite visitors.
- Use the "Include in Migration" column to mark “Yes” or “No” for each page within this tab.
- Use the “Include in Nav” column to mark “Yes” or “No” if a page should be included in the left navigation of your subsite or not
- Use the “Template” column to indicate whether the page should have a banner image or should not have a banner image.
Tab 2: Standalone Pages
- This tab lists pages hosted on your subsite that are not contained in the left navigation, along with pageviews.
- Similarly to Tab 1, use this information to determine which pages should be migrated from Jadu to Cascade.
- Mark “Yes” or “No” in the migrate column.
Tab 3: Events
- This tab lists events categorized in your subsite.
- If an event for your subsite is not listed here - it likely has a different category applied to it than the one that corresponds with your subsite.
- Mark “Yes” or “No” accordingly in the migrate column.
- Here are a few important things to know about events as we transition to Cascade:
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- We currently have over 3,000 Jadu event listings - many of which are events long since passed.
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- Subsite owners are responsible for migrating their own upcoming event listings from Jadu into Cascade
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- The good news is, in Cascade, we can avoid having such a large backlog of events using new built in tools that include setting expiration dates on event pages.
Tab 4: Friendly URLs
- Review the URLs listed in this tab and mark “Yes” or “No” if they will be necessary to migrate
- Note that Cascade’s URL structure will greatly improve URL “friendliness.” Example: https://www.messiah.edu/info/20069/web_services will become https://www.messiah.edu/web-services. We encourage you to consider if with the new URL structure the friendly URL will still be necessary during your audit and mark “Yes” or “No” accordingly.
Tab 5: Forms
- Only Jadu xForms are included on this tab.
- Any forms in Qualtrics, Dynamic Forms, Google Forms, etc. are NOT included on this spreadsheet and will NOT be impacted by the migration.
- Review all forms on this tab and decide if they need to be migrated.
- As a friendly reminder from our most recent email, xForms will no longer be supported and will be replaced by Clive, Cascade’s new form solution. Clive functions similarly to xForms and form migration will be the responsibility of subsite owners and their web editors.
- For guidance on selecting the appropriate form solution, please review the Forms on Campus guide.
- Training sessions for Clive will be available upon request.
Tab 6: Downloads
- Review all downloads listed and mark “Yes” or “No” for migration. Please keep in mind, outdated (Example: Still says “Messiah College”) or unused files should not be migrated. Remember, the website is not a filing cabinet—store newsletters or reports on shared drives instead.
If at any point in time throughout the audit process you have questions, please do not hesitate to reply directly to this email with those questions.
Please return the completed audit within two business weeks of receiving this email.
Thank you for your help in ensuring a smooth migration. Your time and effort are greatly appreciated!
Warmly,
Jen
Good afternoon, Jadu users!
We are so excited to provide you with Cascade CMS Training.
ALL CURRENT WEB USERS must complete a training session prior to logging in and accessing their website in Cascade CMS. The launch process beings April 21st. We are offering multiple training dates, times, and formats to fit your needs.
Find all training dates and times on our Cascade training page and sign up for your preferred date and time here.
If you have questions feel free to reach out directly to jromanchak@messiah.edu.
Thanks so much for your time! I look forward to working with you!
Jen Romanchak | Web Services Manager
Cascade CMS Migration Updates
The web and digital marketing team in the Office of Marketing and Communications has several exciting updates to share regarding our website migration from the university’s current CMS, Jadu, to our new CMS, Cascade.*
*Please note, this update is specifically to keep all messiah.edu stakeholders updated on our website migration progress. If you are not a current Jadu CMS user or site owner this update does not require action on your end.
Important Dates
- Friday, April 18 at 12pm - Migration Begins, Pause All Web Edits: Cascade will run the final migration script that will automatically move content from the Jadu server to the Cascade server. Please note that if any web edits are made during this time frame they will NOT make it over to Cascade. With this in mind, any edits made in Jadu after this date and time will also need to be made in Cascade.
- Tuesday, April 22 - Friday, April 25th - Cascade Content Review: Web users will be notified that they are ready to login to Cascade CMS using their Messiah credentials and will be asked to review their website post-migration.This review is simply to confirm that pages, documents, images, etc., are all accounted for. Any migration issues should be reported via the Cascade Migration Errors form. Please only report issues related to the migration. We will not be accepting change requests during this period.
- Monday, April 28 - Cascade Launch: The messiah.edu domain will be updated to direct visitors to the Cascade server. From this date forward, all web edits will be made in Cascade CMS. At this time the Jadu server will be archived and can only be accessed from campus or from off campus using a VPN.
- Tuesday, May 6 - Web Services Office Hours Begins: Sign up to meet with web services Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 11a.m. in Cafe Diem, located in Murray Library. These office hours are meant to provide hands-on support as we navigate the beginning stages of using Cascade CMS and will last through the summer months or for as long as they are in demand.
Important Reminders
- Training reminders: Only Jadu users who have attended or are signed up to attend an Intro to Cascade training session will be granted immediate access to Cascade. If you are an active Jadu user or site owner and you HAVE NOT signed up for Cascade training you will NOT receive immediate access to login to Cascade. Please reach out directly to Web Services Manager, Jen Romanchak, if you have any questions.
- Jadu xForms reminders: If you currently have forms in Jadu xForms, training sessions will be available through ITS to select and migrate to your new form solution. Jadu xForms will remain live through the end of May to make this transition as seamless as possible.
- Future features: While Cascade offers a wide range of features, not all will be implemented during the initial launch phase. Please know that we are committed to keeping our web users informed as additional functionality becomes available following the migration.
- Potential edits to your site: Prior to the week of migration, the web team will be reviewing each page in Jadu and may need to make updates to your page to make it compatible with the migration process into Cascade.These edits will not affect the content on your page, rather, the presentation of that content. If updates are made you will receive an email notification after the changes are made.
- Some pages may be migrated before April 18: Custom pages in Jadu may take extra time to migrate because of data integration or custom components. These pages will be handled individually, and subsite owners will receive an email when their pages are migrated. Edits made to these pages after they are migrated will need to be added to Cascade after April 22.
Questions regarding this email may be directed to Web Services Manager, Jen Romanchak, at jromanchak@messiah.edu.
Dear Campus Web Editors,
As we prepare to transition from Jadu to Cascade, we want to provide an important update regarding the timeline and content review process.
Migration Begins Friday, April 18 at 12:00 PM
The migration will begin as planned this Friday, April 18, at 12:00 p.m. At that time, we will begin migrating content from Jadu into Cascade. Any changes after this time will not be migrated into Cascade.
Content Migration Overview
The majority of content is being migrated using a script that transfers material from existing Jadu pages into their corresponding pages in Cascade. The script is designed to move content from Jadu “widgets” into matching “components” in Cascade.
However, after more than a decade of using Jadu, our system has accumulated over a hundred unique widgets, many with different variations. These inconsistencies present challenges the script cannot fully account for. As a result, some content may not transfer with 100% accuracy and may require manual review and adjustment in Cascade.
Additionally, we’ve encountered an issue with how the script updates internal links to point to Cascade pages rather than their previous Jadu versions. This is due to the variety of URL formats used across our Jadu environment.
Extension of Content Freeze Period
Because of the two issues outlined above—widget variation and URL inconsistencies—we have made the decision to extend the content freeze period. This extension will provide Cascade users with additional time to thoroughly review their migrated pages and ensure accuracy before the site launches.
New timeline
April 18 at 12:00 - Migration process starts
April 23 - Cascade users receive access to Cascade
May 8 - Last day to make changes and updates in Cascade
May 9 - Cascade content published to the cascade web server
May 12 (morning hours) - Cascade web server goes live on the www.messiah.edu domain
Next Steps for Cascade Users
Users who have attended Cascade training will receive an email on Wednesday, April 23 with instructions on how to access their site in Cascade.
Once you have access, we ask that you take time to review each page and test all links to ensure everything has migrated correctly and is functioning as expected.
If you encounter any issues—such as broken links, missing content, or anything that appears out of place—please first try to resolve them using the tools and techniques covered in your Cascade training. If you get stuck or run into a problem you can’t fix, don’t hesitate to reach out to Web Services for support.
Please keep in mind that during this review period, we will not be accepting requests for design changes or aesthetic enhancements. Our primary focus is ensuring the functionality and structure of your original Jadu pages is retained in Cascade.
We understand that this time of year can be incredibly demanding. If you're unable to review your site due to other commitments, please reach out and let us know. We’re here to help and will work with you to ensure your pages are ready for launch.
With gratitude,
Jen
First Steps
The Review Process
Cascade Knowledge Base
Available Support
A Note on Design & Content Edits
Update on Faculty Profile Display for SEO Improvements
Additional Action Needed: Audit Jadu Links in Emails and Publications
Clearing Your Browser Cache
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Clear cache in Edge
Dear Campus Community,
We’re pleased to share that Messiah University will launch its new website on Monday, May 12. While the design will remain the same, the site will be running on a new, modern codebase powered by Cascade CMS. This change will improve the site’s performance, security, and maintenance going forward.
What to Expect During the Launch
As part of the launch, we will be updating the Domain Name System (DNS) settings so that www.messiah.edu points to our new web cascade server. DNS updates can take some time to fully take effect across the internet, which means that for a short period (typically up to 24 hours), some users might see the old website while others see the new one. This is a normal part of the process, but it can cause some temporary confusion or frustration.
To help make this transition as smooth as possible, here are a few things web users can do:
- Refresh your browser using Ctrl+F5 (Windows) or Command+Shift+R (Mac) to force the latest version to load.
- Clear your browser cache to remove stored data that may be pointing to the old site.
- Try a different browser or device, which may access the updated site more quickly.
- Switch networks (such as using mobile data instead of campus Wi-Fi) if you're not seeing the updated version.
- Wait it out – DNS updates usually complete within a few hours, but can sometimes take up to 24 hours.
A Note on Broken Links and Search Results
As part of the migration to Cascade, every page URL on the website will change. Our site includes thousands of internal and external links, and we’ve worked hard to update as many as possible ahead of the launch.
That said, here are a few things to be aware of:
- Search engines may take weeks or even months to fully adjust to the new site structure. We've followed industry best practices for SEO to help this go smoothly, but ultimately, this part is out of our control.
- We've used Google Analytics to identify high-traffic pages, and we’ve set up redirects to ensure those older links continue to work. However, it’s not feasible to create redirects for every page.
- Please note that old links found in emails, printed materials or bookmarks may no longer work after the transition.
We appreciate your patience during this period of adjustment and apologize in advance for any inconvenience caused.
Reporting Website Issues
We ask that you do not report any website issues until 8 a.m. on Tuesday, May 13. This brief period will allow time for DNS propagation and natural adjustments to take place.
After that:
- If you notice issues on your department or office’s website, please work first with your Cascade editor, who should have already received training and access to the system.
- If additional support is needed, you can submit issues using the online form.
Other Important Details
- Cascade Editors: A separate communication will be sent to all Cascade editors with additional information and instructions.
- Jadu Archive Server: After May 12, the Jadu server will no longer be publicly accessible (with a few exceptions noted below). However, it will still be available on campus using a new internal URL (uat.messiah.edu/jadu). This archive site is only made available to help if any pages or sites are missing from the migration.
- While most of the Jadu server will no longer be publicly accessible, Jadu xForms and Galleries will continue to function for a short period after the Cascade launch.
- Users with xForms should email techsupport@messiah.edu to connect with ITS to plan your new form solution
- Users with Galleries should contact jromanchak@messiah.edu for guidance on how to migrate their content.
- While most of the Jadu server will no longer be publicly accessible, Jadu xForms and Galleries will continue to function for a short period after the Cascade launch.
We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we transition to a more robust platform. If you encounter any issues or have questions, please reach out.
Web Team