[Using Sakai] Use of Branding and Skins Across Institutions

[Reeves, Hannah H.]

Dear Sakai Colleagues,

As some of you know, Tufts University has recently decided to adopt Sakai and is looking to implement in fall 2011.
Our implementation team is currently in the midst of making some preliminary decisions about our instance of Sakai, which will be the first common LMS platform in Tufts history. Since the university comprises eight different schools & colleges spread across three geographical campuses, we are wrestling with how to preserve consistency in our instance while allowing some schools to maintain their brand identity for courses and programs. I know some schools use a single skin for the Sakai gateway page and users’ My Workspaces but allow skins to be associated with courses in different schools. I’m wondering how common this is and whether your institution has adopted this approach or decided against it for one reason or another. Are there any best practice tips that you’d be willing to share or that have become part of the community knowledge base?

Thanks,

Hannah