Re: [Micronet] Google Analytics

Susan Hedgpeth wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> At yesterday's Micronet presentation about the redesign of
> www.berkeley.edu <http://www.berkeley.edu/>, Steve McConnell mentioned
> that he has been using Google Analytics to get important information
> about how users are using their site. I've heard others on these lists
> say they find that tool useful as well.

I had heard that UC campuses were either strongly advised against using
Google Analytics or outright prohibited from doing so on some campuses.

I've heard that various campus lawyers have determined that:

* The terms of service that you have to agree to in order to use Google
Analytics violate standing orders of the Regents in terms of liability
and that no campus official can agree to them without approval from the
Regents.

* That the Google privacy policy isn't strict enough to pass muster with
state laws on privacy of information gathered about people browsing our
web sites.

Our department has asked for guidance from campus policy people a couple
of times on a clear answer on whether the appropriate official here says
"yes, it is allowable" to use Google Analytics, or says "no, you are
prohibited" from using Google Analytics. But we've never actually
gotten a clear answer. Has anyone else gotten official approval for
agreeing to the Google terms of service from procurement & business
contracts of the campus counsel's office or some other authority? (Or
been told clearly that they aren't OK?)

Rune

> I wonder if I am the only one who has tried to use Google Analytics
> (it's very appealing because it's free!) but I just can't get
> comfortable with it. I find it confusing and hard to use - I never know
> if what I'm looking at is really what I think I'm looking at (does that
> make sense???).
>
> Could this perhaps be a subject for an upcoming Webnet or Micronet
> meeting - a tutorial on how to use it to get basic information about a
> website. Anyone out there who would be willing to give a presentation?
>
> What do others think of this idea?
>
> -Susan
>
>
>
> Susan Hedgpeth
> Web Coordinator
> Career Center, University of California, Berkeley
> 2111 Bancroft Way #4350, Berkeley, CA 94720-4350
> phone: (510) 642-8093 - fax: (510) 643-6120
> email: hedgpeth@berkeley.edu - website: http://career.berkeley.edu
>
> <http://career.berkeley.edu/>*Career Center
> *career counseling « internships « jobs « graduate school services «
> serving freshmen through PhDs & alumni
>
>
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-- 
Rune Stromsness
Systems Supervisor
Senior Systems Administrator
Network & Infrastructure Services
Residential and Student Service Programs IT
University of California, Berkeley
runes_at_berkeley.edu
510-643-8052
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