diff --git a/apps/dashboard/app/views/dashboard/_motd_markdown.html.erb b/apps/dashboard/app/views/dashboard/_motd_markdown.html.erb
index 1b8ac1fc14..6ce8affad9 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/app/views/dashboard/_motd_markdown.html.erb
+++ b/apps/dashboard/app/views/dashboard/_motd_markdown.html.erb
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
-<h3><%= @motd.title %></h3>
+<h2><%= @motd.title %></h2>
 <hr />
 <div data-motd-md="true"><%= @motd.content %></div>
diff --git a/apps/dashboard/app/views/dashboard/_motd_osc.html.erb b/apps/dashboard/app/views/dashboard/_motd_osc.html.erb
index 7755329ff6..6c50de7b6e 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/app/views/dashboard/_motd_osc.html.erb
+++ b/apps/dashboard/app/views/dashboard/_motd_osc.html.erb
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
-<h3><%= @motd.title %></h3>
+<h2><%= @motd.title %></h2>
 
 <% if @motd.messages.each do |m| %>
 
   <hr>
   <div class="motd">
-    <h4 class="motd_title"><%= m.date %> - <%= m.title %></h4>
+    <h3 class="motd_title"><%= m.date %> - <%= m.title %></h3>
     <div class="motd_body"><p><%=raw markdown( m.body ) %></p></div>
   </div>
 
diff --git a/apps/dashboard/app/views/dashboard/_motd_plaintext.html.erb b/apps/dashboard/app/views/dashboard/_motd_plaintext.html.erb
index 42267c751a..ae041ed45d 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/app/views/dashboard/_motd_plaintext.html.erb
+++ b/apps/dashboard/app/views/dashboard/_motd_plaintext.html.erb
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
-<h3><%= @motd.title %></h3>
+<h2><%= @motd.title %></h2>
 <hr />
 <pre class="motd-monospaced"><%= @motd.content %></pre>
diff --git a/apps/dashboard/app/views/dashboard/_motd_rss.html.erb b/apps/dashboard/app/views/dashboard/_motd_rss.html.erb
index bf2ec3223f..06a02d1017 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/app/views/dashboard/_motd_rss.html.erb
+++ b/apps/dashboard/app/views/dashboard/_motd_rss.html.erb
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
-<h3><%= @motd.title %></h3>
+<h2><%= @motd.title %></h2>
 <hr />
 <% if @motd.content %>
   <% @motd.content.items.each do |item| %>
     <div>
       <%= content_tag(:strong, item.pubDate.strftime("%m-%d-%Y")) if item.pubDate %>
-      <h4><a href="<%= item.link %>"><%= item.title %></a></h4>
+      <h3><a href="<%= item.link %>"><%= item.title %></a></h3>
       <%= render_motd_rss_item(item) %>
       <hr />
     </div>
diff --git a/apps/dashboard/app/views/widgets/_pinned_apps.html.erb b/apps/dashboard/app/views/widgets/_pinned_apps.html.erb
index c59456460c..60f1d387a8 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/app/views/widgets/_pinned_apps.html.erb
+++ b/apps/dashboard/app/views/widgets/_pinned_apps.html.erb
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <%- if pinned_apps? -%>
-<h3><%= t('dashboard.pinned_apps_title') %> <small><%= t('dashboard.pinned_apps_caption_html', all_apps_url: apps_index_path) %></small></h3>
+<h2><%= t('dashboard.pinned_apps_title') %> <small><%= t('dashboard.pinned_apps_caption_html', all_apps_url: apps_index_path) %></small></h2>
 
 <%- if @user_configuration.pinned_apps_group_by.present? -%>
   <%= render(partial: "/widgets/pinned_apps/group", collection: OodAppGroup.groups_for(apps: @pinned_apps, group_by: @user_configuration.pinned_apps_group_by.to_sym))  %>
diff --git a/apps/dashboard/app/views/widgets/pinned_apps/_group.html.erb b/apps/dashboard/app/views/widgets/pinned_apps/_group.html.erb
index 08bffed076..5b6b197911 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/app/views/widgets/pinned_apps/_group.html.erb
+++ b/apps/dashboard/app/views/widgets/pinned_apps/_group.html.erb
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<h4 class="apps-section-header-blue"><%= group.title || I18n.t('dashboard.not_grouped') %></h4>
+<h3 class="apps-section-header-blue"><%= group.title || I18n.t('dashboard.not_grouped') %></h3>
 
 <div class="row">
   <%= render partial: "/widgets/pinned_apps/app", collection: group.apps %>
diff --git a/apps/dashboard/test/integration/dashboard_layout_test.rb b/apps/dashboard/test/integration/dashboard_layout_test.rb
index 223e69efab..5498e6c6cf 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/test/integration/dashboard_layout_test.rb
+++ b/apps/dashboard/test/integration/dashboard_layout_test.rb
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ def test_env
     assert_select 'div.row', 1
     assert_select 'div.row > div.col-md-12', 1
     assert_select 'div.row > div.col-md-12 > div.motd', 3
-    assert_select 'div.row > div.col-md-12 > div.motd > h4', 3
+    assert_select 'div.row > div.col-md-12 > div.motd > h3', 3
     assert_select 'div.row > div.col-md-12 > div.motd > div.motd_body', 3
   end
 
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ def test_env
     assert_select 'div.row', 1
     assert_select 'div.row > div.col-md-8', 1
     assert_select 'div.row > div.col-md-8 > div.motd', 3
-    assert_select 'div.row > div.col-md-8 > div.motd > h4', 3
+    assert_select 'div.row > div.col-md-8 > div.motd > h3', 3
     assert_select 'div.row > div.col-md-8 > div.motd > div.motd_body', 3
 
     assert_select 'div.row > div.col-md-4', 1
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ def test_env
 
     assert_select 'div.row > div.col-md-4', 1
     assert_select 'div.row > div.col-md-4 > div.motd', 3
-    assert_select 'div.row > div.col-md-4 > div.motd > h4', 3
+    assert_select 'div.row > div.col-md-4 > div.motd > h3', 3
     assert_select 'div.row > div.col-md-4 > div.motd > div.motd_body', 3
 
     assert_select pinned_app_row_css_query('8'), 4
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ def test_env
     assert_select 'div.row', 3 # one extra row because pinned_apps makes rows for every 'group'
     assert_select 'div.row > div.col-md-8', 1
     assert_select 'div.row > div.col-md-8 > div.motd', 3
-    assert_select 'div.row > div.col-md-8 > div.motd > h4', 3
+    assert_select 'div.row > div.col-md-8 > div.motd > h3', 3
     assert_select 'div.row > div.col-md-8 > div.motd > div.motd_body', 3
 
     assert_select 'div.row > div.col-md-4', 1
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ def test_env
     assert_select 'div.row > div.col-md-6', 2
 
     assert_select 'div.row > div.col-md-6 > div.motd', 3
-    assert_select 'div.row > div.col-md-6 > div.motd > h4', 3
+    assert_select 'div.row > div.col-md-6 > div.motd > h3', 3
     assert_select 'div.row > div.col-md-6 > div.motd > div.motd_body', 3
 
     assert_select 'div.row > div.col-md-6 > #my-test-partial', 1
diff --git a/apps/dashboard/test/integration/pinned_apps_test.rb b/apps/dashboard/test/integration/pinned_apps_test.rb
index cd6c1317f8..acbb094284 100644
--- a/apps/dashboard/test/integration/pinned_apps_test.rb
+++ b/apps/dashboard/test/integration/pinned_apps_test.rb
@@ -169,11 +169,11 @@ def teardown
     assert_select pinned_app_link('/apps/show/pseudofun'), 1
     assert_select pinned_app_link('/batch_connect/sys/bc_desktop/owens/session_contexts/new'), 1
 
-    assert_select 'h3', 2
-    assert_equal I18n.t('dashboard.motd_title'), css_select('h3')[1].text
+    assert_select 'h2', 2
+    assert_equal I18n.t('dashboard.motd_title'), css_select('h2')[1].text
 
     assert_select "div[class='motd']", 3
-    assert_select "h4[class='motd_title']", 3
+    assert_select "h3[class='motd_title']", 3
   end
 
   test 'shows pinned apps when XDMOD is present' do
@@ -238,11 +238,11 @@ def teardown
     assert_select pinned_app_link('/apps/show/pseudofun'), 1
     assert_select pinned_app_link('/batch_connect/sys/bc_desktop/owens/session_contexts/new'), 1
 
-    assert_select 'h3', 2
-    assert_equal I18n.t('dashboard.motd_title'), css_select('h3')[1].text
+    assert_select 'h2', 2
+    assert_equal I18n.t('dashboard.motd_title'), css_select('h2')[1].text
 
     assert_select "div[class='motd']", 3
-    assert_select "h4[class='motd_title']", 3
+    assert_select "h3[class='motd_title']", 3
 
     assert_select "div[class='xdmod']", 2
     assert_select "div[id='jobsEfficiencyReportPanelDiv']", 1
@@ -262,11 +262,11 @@ def teardown
       get '/'
     end
 
-    assert_select 'h3', 1
-    assert_equal I18n.t('dashboard.motd_title'), css_select('h3').text
+    assert_select 'h2', 1
+    assert_equal I18n.t('dashboard.motd_title'), css_select('h2').text
 
     assert_select "div[class='motd']", 3
-    assert_select "h4[class='motd_title']", 3
+    assert_select "h3[class='motd_title']", 3
   end
 
   test 'still shows XDMOD when no pinned apps' do
@@ -301,11 +301,11 @@ def teardown
       get '/'
     end
 
-    assert_select 'h3', 1
-    assert_equal I18n.t('dashboard.motd_title'), css_select('h3').text
+    assert_select 'h2', 1
+    assert_equal I18n.t('dashboard.motd_title'), css_select('h2').text
 
     assert_select "div[class='motd']", 3
-    assert_select "h4[class='motd_title']", 3
+    assert_select "h3[class='motd_title']", 3
 
     assert_select "div[class='xdmod']", 2
     assert_select "div[id='jobsEfficiencyReportPanelDiv']", 1
@@ -329,10 +329,10 @@ def teardown
       get '/'
     end
 
-    assert_select "h4[class='apps-section-header-blue']", 2
+    assert_select "h3[class='apps-section-header-blue']", 2
     assert_select pinned_app_links, 3
-    assert_equal 'Gateway Apps', css_select("h4[class='apps-section-header-blue']")[0].text
-    assert_equal 'Interactive Apps', css_select("h4[class='apps-section-header-blue']")[1].text
+    assert_equal 'Gateway Apps', css_select("h3[class='apps-section-header-blue']")[0].text
+    assert_equal 'Interactive Apps', css_select("h3[class='apps-section-header-blue']")[1].text
   end
 
   test 'groups the apps by sub-categories' do
@@ -351,10 +351,10 @@ def teardown
       get '/'
     end
 
-    assert_select "h4[class='apps-section-header-blue']", 2
+    assert_select "h3[class='apps-section-header-blue']", 2
     assert_select pinned_app_links, 3
-    assert_equal 'Apps', css_select("h4[class='apps-section-header-blue']")[0].text
-    assert_equal 'Biomedical Informatics', css_select("h4[class='apps-section-header-blue']")[1].text
+    assert_equal 'Apps', css_select("h3[class='apps-section-header-blue']")[0].text
+    assert_equal 'Biomedical Informatics', css_select("h3[class='apps-section-header-blue']")[1].text
   end
 
   test 'still shows ungroupable apps' do
@@ -373,9 +373,9 @@ def teardown
       get '/'
     end
 
-    assert_select "h4[class='apps-section-header-blue']", 1
+    assert_select "h3[class='apps-section-header-blue']", 1
     assert_select pinned_app_links, 3
-    assert_equal I18n.t('dashboard.not_grouped'), css_select("h4[class='apps-section-header-blue']")[0].text
+    assert_equal I18n.t('dashboard.not_grouped'), css_select("h3[class='apps-section-header-blue']")[0].text
   end
 
   test 'group by metadata fields works' do
@@ -394,11 +394,11 @@ def teardown
       get '/'
     end
 
-    assert_select "h4[class='apps-section-header-blue']", 3
+    assert_select "h3[class='apps-section-header-blue']", 3
     assert_select pinned_app_links, 3
-    assert_equal 'go erLANG python', css_select("h4[class='apps-section-header-blue']")[0].text
-    assert_equal 'python julia R Ruby', css_select("h4[class='apps-section-header-blue']")[1].text
-    assert_equal I18n.t('dashboard.not_grouped'), css_select("h4[class='apps-section-header-blue']")[2].text
+    assert_equal 'go erLANG python', css_select("h3[class='apps-section-header-blue']")[0].text
+    assert_equal 'python julia R Ruby', css_select("h3[class='apps-section-header-blue']")[1].text
+    assert_equal I18n.t('dashboard.not_grouped'), css_select("h3[class='apps-section-header-blue']")[2].text
   end
 
   test 'shows only the shared apps that have been configured' do
@@ -418,12 +418,12 @@ def teardown
     assert_select pinned_app_links, 1
     assert_select pinned_app_link('/apps/show/my_shared_app/usr/me'), 1
 
-    assert_select 'h3', 1
-    assert css_select('h3')[0].text.to_s.start_with?(I18n.t('dashboard.pinned_apps_title'))
+    assert_select 'h2', 1
+    assert css_select('h2')[0].text.to_s.start_with?(I18n.t('dashboard.pinned_apps_title'))
 
     # no MOTD or xdmod
     assert_select "div[class='motd']", 0
-    assert_select "h4[class='motd_title']", 0
+    assert_select "h3[class='motd_title']", 0
     assert_select "div[class='xdmod']", 0
   end
 
@@ -458,12 +458,12 @@ def teardown
     assert_select pinned_app_link('/batch_connect/sys/bc_jupyter/session_contexts/new'), 1
     assert_select pinned_app_link('/batch_connect/sys/bc_paraview/session_contexts/new'), 1
 
-    assert_select 'h3', 1
-    assert css_select('h3')[0].text.to_s.start_with?(I18n.t('dashboard.pinned_apps_title'))
+    assert_select 'h2', 1
+    assert css_select('h2')[0].text.to_s.start_with?(I18n.t('dashboard.pinned_apps_title'))
 
     # no MOTD or xdmod
     assert_select "div[class='motd']", 0
-    assert_select "h4[class='motd_title']", 0
+    assert_select "h3[class='motd_title']", 0
     assert_select "div[class='xdmod']", 0
   end