April 2021 Web News & Announcements

March 25, 2021

Support for OHIO websites has transitioned to University Communications and Marketing (UCM)

User support and training for the Drupal Web Content Management System (CMS) has transitioned to University Communications and Marketing, while OHIO Information Technology (OIT) will continue managing other web-related services.

Since "web" is wide topic, here's a general guide on where to direct requests:

 

UCM

  • All Drupal Web CMS issues, training and support
  • Creating Drupal Web CMS logins and access
  • Google analytics setup and training
  • Requests for custom ohio.edu web addresses (aka vanity URLs)

Submit request via UCM Request form; select Web category

OIT

  • My OHIO Portal, a customizable webpage for OHIO users to organize frequently accessed links and content.
  • Domain Name registration and Domain Name System (DNS) management for websites outside the Drupal Web CMS.
  • Personal Websites that allows faculty and staff to create a personal website with an ohio.edu domain for the purposes of sharing professional work, research, course materials, publications or related materials pertaining to the activities of Ohio University.
  • Static Websites that allows faculty and staff to create basic websites using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript pertaining to the activities of Ohio University.
  • SSL (Secure Socket Layerr) Certificates  for the purposes of encrypting traffic to and from servers on domain names which are owned by the University and managed by OIT such as ohio.edu. 

Submit request to servicedesk@ohio.edu or call (740) 593-1222

 

Two Drupal Web CMS enhancements coming soon

These system changes are expected to roll out in April:

Node-locking: This function prevents two editors from making changes in the same node at the same time, which in the past has resulted in updates being lost. This safety feature shouldn't have much impact on most sites. See how node-locking works.

Modular page row descriptions: A description field at the top of rows allows users to customize row labels. The custom label replaces the generic "Page Content Row" title and makes it easier to identify row content. Pre-formatted elements, such as Image Tiles and Feature Previews won't be customizable. Here's an example: 

 

Old

Old element list

New

New element list

 

Website Manager Directory identifies primary contact for all OHIO sites

The Website Manager Directory is a searchable list of primary contacts for all major OHIO subsites. As subject matter experts, website managers listed there are able to make the majority of content-related updates in their areas. Also, as gatekeepers for their sites, their approval is also required before a user is granted editing access there.

If you have a question or concern about content, please reach out to the relevant web manager before submitting update requests to University Communications and Marketing.

The list will be updated at regular intervals, and questions or updates can be directed to grenert@ohio.edu.

Web Help Hub centralizes support, training and other resources

You'll find links to these helpful resources:

  • Drupal Web CMS login
     
  • Website Manager Directory (who manages what)
     
  • Training Options offered by University Communications and Marketing
     
  • Schedule a one-on-one consultation with a web specialist
     
  • PDF catalog of web design elements

Help documentation there covers:

  • Creating content (articles, basic pages, FAQs, modular pages, profiles, tables)
     
  • Editing & publishing workflows
     
  • Adding images & videos
     
  • Creating links
     
  • Working with navigation menus