DenisonBlogs
DenisonBlogs is a new blog service hosted by Denison and powered by WordPress. WordPress, an open-source system, is one of the most popular web publishing platforms in the world. According to Mashable, as of July 2011, WordPress is powering more than 50 million websites. Best of all, it's incredibly user-friendly and takes very little time to learn.
Offices, departments, and other official campus entities should not create blogs on WordPress, Blogspot, or other commercial web platforms. Campus blogs should be set up on Denison's blogging platform.
What kinds of blogs can be requested?
- Faculty Blogs (e.g. Professor Smith's Musings on Geology)
- Staff Blogs (e.g. From the Director's Desk)
- Academic Class Blogs (e.g. Biology 101 Class Blog) *
* The DenisonBlogs service complements, but does not replace, the existing Blackboard blog service. For academic classes seeking higher visibility with external audiences or advanced blogging capabilities, DenisonBlogs may be preferable, but, for current users of Blackboard, there is no requirement to move to this new platform.
Frequently Asked Questions
What would my blog's address be?
The addresses of blogs take the following form: http://blogs.denison.edu/yourblogname
Can offices and departments have blogs?
Yes and no. If your office or department would like to share news, updates, and event information, you should post this content within your section of Denison.edu. If one of your representatives would like to share personal insights and perspective (e.g. Director's Blog), a DenisonBlog would be great to complement your Denison.edu content. Along the same lines, an office or department might also want to use a DenisonBlog as a spot where students & faculty/staff can collectively post entries about their work. In these cases, it's no problem if these blogs mention news or events listed in Denison.edu sections or provide additional coverage or perspective on news and events. Blogs should complement and amplify Denison.edu section content, not replace it.
Can students have blogs?
It is currently under consideration. Check back in a few months for updates on student blogs.
What about student organizations?
Student organizations should use OrgSync for their websites. OrgSync includes blogging capabilities.
As a blog owner, will I have control over settings related to comments and other blog features, etc.?
Yes. Through WordPress, you can change default settings for comments, email notifications, and more. You can customize your blog's settings to your liking.
Can I limit who can see my blog?
Yes. You will have the option of restricting blog visitors to Denison audiences. At the time you request a blog, please note this fact. When the blog is made available, visitors will be asked to login with their e-mail credentials in order to view your blog's content.
Does Denison own my blog content?
No. The college will not modify or edit blog content, but does reserve the right to remove a blog that includes objectionable content or uses copyrighted material without permission.
Will anyone from Denison be editing my blog's content?
No. The college will not modify or edit blog content, but does reserve the right to remove a blog that includes objectionable content or uses copyrighted material without permission.
Does this system replace my current Blackboard class blog?
No. For users who currently have blogs on Blackboard and are comfortable using that service, there is no need to move to this new system. On the academic front, DenisonBlogs should be used by classes that are seeking public visibility and/or advanced blogging capabilities available through WordPress.
What themes do you provide?
DenisonBlogs makes available a non-editable Denison theme by default—a screenshot is provided at the top of this page. Blog owners can upload their own customized header images through WordPress.
What plugins do you make available?
Through WordPress, you can upload video, audio, and photos as well as embed widgets for Flickr and Twitter. Beyond the default WordPress installation, Denison provides additional plugins for spam protection, photo galleries, Google Analytics, and event listings.
Can I add a plugin myself or edit the theme's HTML/CSS?
If you have need for additional plugin functionality, let us know, and we'll look into providing such a plugin for all users. The HTML/CSS for the default Denison theme cannot be edited.
What happens to my blog if I leave Denison?
Within WordPress, you always have the option to export blog content. You can easily import this content into a WordPress blog hosted at another location. If you would like to delete your blog hosted at Denison, please let us know.
Can I track my web traffic?
Yes. Through your Theme Options, you can link your blog to a Google Analytics account.
What if I already have a blog? Can I move my content over to DenisonBlogs?
Yes. If you have a WordPress or Blogspot blog, it's super-easy to export content and import into a new WordPress blog. For other blog services, it's certainly possible—we'd just need to take a closer look. When you request a blog, just let us know the current address for your blog and note your interest in migrating content.