Frequently Asked Questions
There’s a good chance that other people have encountered issues similar to yours while learning the system and using the tools. Consult the following list to get answers and solutions as you manage your site, plus links to helpful resources.
How does Web Publishing differ from regular WordPress?
NYU’s WordPress environment lets you focus on your site content within predetermined designs. It helps you publish information more than concern yourself with coding. While you can control basic customizations, you’re limited to the features that the service team vets and supports. We manage your site’s hosting, security, and maintenance so that you don’t have to worry about major webmaster responsibilities. Please see the “Environment” section of our Terms of Use for more details. Also see Web Publishing vs WordPress
How is Web Publishing different from NYU Classes or Google Sites?
NYU Classes sites are only available to viewers logged in to NYU environments, while Web Publishing sites can be made public, available to viewers outside of NYU. Google Sites offers a standardized environment with features controlled by Google, while Web Publishing’s features are controlled by NYU IT. See NYU’s Website Publishing Services Comparison table for more details.
Why should I build my site with Web Publishing?
People commonly set up Web Publishing sites to run courses and support teaching and learning. However, other ways to take advantage of WP’s features include building personal portfolios and CVs; publishing academic research or team projects; organizing the documents of departments and administrative offices; housing the information of campus clubs, programs, and institutes; promoting recurring festivals and conferences or opportunities for internships or scholarships.
Does NYU own my content or do I?
You own all of your original content. Everything that you write is your intellectual property and there are mechanisms in place for you to take your content with you if you should leave NYU. That there are important policies to consider, including the fact that NYU is not responsible for your content and also that NYU can remove inappropriate content. Please see the “NYU Disclaimer” section of our Terms of Use for more details. Also see NYU’s guide to publication copyright law.
How is a theme different from a template?
Themes give your site a given look based on a design. This is the recommended option when creating a site because you can choose which theme and plugins to use and how you wish to organize your information. Templates give your site pre-configured options in terms of organization, yet are moistly recommended if you’ve been instructed to create an e-portfolio for a particular course or program. With templates, the theme and the plugins are already chosen for you and your task is to enter your own content over the placeholder content. See Choosing a theme and Creating a site from a template.
Why doesn’t my site look like the example?
The thumbnails for each theme represent its maximum potential, so a best practice is to add content before worrying about the look. By adding a variety of content types and media, and by configuring the theme’s many options, you’ll begin to see similarities between the thumbnail’s suggestion and your actual site. See Using the visual Customizer.
Can I add my own themes and plugins?
Web Publishing is not a custom WordPress development environment so the Service Management Team does not permit users to upload their own WordPress themes or plugins, or manually edit any functionality files. Please see the “Feature Request” and “Environment” section of our Terms of Use for more details.
Can I access hosting features?
For security purposes, users do not have access to the hosting environment so they can’t use databases, FTP, DNS, CName, etc. Likewise, users are not permitted to assign their site a vanity URL or redirect their site to an outside address, as those controls would also occur at the hosting level, independent of WordPress.
What kinds of customizations can I make?
Web Publishing allows you to configure options in admin Settings. You can also use the Customizer to adjust Theme Options and override default styles using Custom CSS. For security purposes, Web Publishing restricts access to PHP page templates and it strips away any JavaScript code detected. Please see Customizing your menu and Using Custom CSS.
What are some best practices regarding accessibility?
You are responsible for making your content accessible to everyone. Always consider making your information usable by people in all circumstances, who are using a variety of devices. This means you must aim for simple and clear layouts, searchable text, readable order, captioned video, and semantic metadata. Describe links and their destination, as well as images and their purpose. Ensure that all page elements can be accessed without a mouse and that they use sufficient color contrast. Please see the Digital Accessibility reference guide for more details. Also see Making your site accessible and Checking your content for compliance.
What content do I have the right to use?
NYU’s Fair Use policies for Online Course Sites apply to Web Publishing sites. The policy states that scanned articles, book chapters, and media clips can be posted for students to access. Some restrictions regarding copyright and licensing may still apply. Please see the Guide to Copyright Law for more details. Also see Adding iframes.
How do I make my site show up in search results?
While public sites usually show up automatically, if you aren’t seeing it in search results, you can manually submit your site’s URL to Google’s indexing service. See Optimizing your site for search engines and follow steps for submitting your sitemap and/or asking Google to recrawl your URL.