The Oregon College Savings Plan (OCSP), a program of the Oregon State Treasury, has rolled out a newly redesigned website as part of OCSP’s ongoing efforts to promote financial empowerment and improve accessibility.
“We are delighted to introduce the Oregon College Savings Plan’s newly redesigned website to our current and future savers,” said State Treasurer Tobias Read. “The new website was designed to be accessible and understandable to everyone, regardless of the language they speak or their level of experience with investing. We’re proud to break down barriers and help Oregon families make informed decisions about their futures.”
The website redesign targets a handful of key improvements, all of which are focused on improving the user experience. The Oregon State Treasury said one of the most significant changes is the responsive design, which ensures that the website is accessible and user-friendly on all devices – and particularly on mobile phones – which can serve as the primary computers for people in many communities across the state.
Additionally, the site now offers translation into the seven most commonly spoken languages in Oregon – Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Russian, Korean, Ukrainian, and Arabic – and viewing in fourteen languages total. In its new form, the website maintains high standards of ADA compliance, in service to people experiencing a visual disability.
“By offering a seamless experience across languages and devices with our new website, the Oregon College Savings Plan aims to empower underserved communities and propel them to early action in saving for education and training after high school,” said Ryan Mann, Executive Director of the Oregon Treasury Savings Network. “We believe that accessibility is not just a nicety, but a necessity for creating a truly inclusive online experience for all Oregonians.”
OCSP officials said the user-friendly interface and streamlined navigation of the new website make it easier for Oregon families to learn about the benefits of saving for education after high school with OCSP, and to sign up for an account. The newly redesigned site also includes helpful resources and tools, such as a simple-to-use savings calculator to help families with decision-making.
The Oregon State Treasury explained that the experience of navigating the investment portfolio options has also undergone a refresh. The state added in easy-to-understand snapshots of each offering, and intuitive filtering capabilities based on the beneficiary’s expected enrollment year in higher education, or their investment timeline.
Program leaders also called out a new website feature – the gifting program – which shows how friends and family can contribute to a loved one’s OCSP account with ease. A variety of community gifting opportunities are highlighted on the website, including the ability to recycle plastic and glass bottles and automatically save for education with the state’s BottleDrop program.
