How to Use: Categories & Tags

Whether using U.OSU for a class site, personal blog or portfolio, utilizing categories and tags (and knowing the difference between them) is beneficial in more ways than one. Increased organization creates a better user experience and can also drive more traffic to your content.

What are they?

Categories allow you to group posts into broader topics.

They collect and organize content structurally and can be hierarchical. You can set your categories and their order in your WordPress dashboard ahead of time. For example, if you’re setting up a class blog, you might know you want your categories to be homework, class activities, readings and resources. Read More

Terms of Service & Footer Text

We updated the U.OSU Terms of Service to accommodate departmental sites in an official Ohio State capacity. This change stems from university departments recognizing the value of the free, university-supported web platform.

On Thursday, December 18, you’ll notice a new footer option in the Customize menu on your Dashboard. It will allow people managing official sites to replace the default language with a departmental footer.

Default footer text will remain the same; it states that the content is owned by the person who developed the site. The new option only applies to sites that contain content or ideas owned by an entity within Ohio State. For example, a site that officially represents the staff, offerings, and events of a department, is a candidate for the departmental footer.

Next time you log in, please accept the updated terms before continuing to your site. If you are managing a departmental site, visit the Resource Center for instructions on how to change your footer.

U.OSU sites are intended to support and represent professional and educational activities at Ohio State. The possibilities under that umbrella are very wide. Create a simple profile or a class blog, house an academic portfolio, manage a student org, share research findings, or document a study abroad experience. If your site content falls within the personal-professional realm, and complies with Terms of Use, the direction is up to you. If you are building a departmental site, utilize the departmental footer, check for College and Campus branding, and design the site to meet your unit’s official needs.

We Asked, You Answered. [INFOGRAPH]

In our last newsletter we asked users a couple of questions, like “How do you use U.OSU?” and “What do you like about the service?” Your responses were tallied and we’re taking your comments and suggestions into consideration as we move forward to improve the university’s web platform service.

u.osu survey results snapshot

View the entire infographic on ODEE News.

We noticed some common requests have a few existing solutions or workarounds.

Request: I want to include a form.

Solution: Check out all the features Formidable brings to the table.

Request: I would like my U.OSU to look like a website, not a blog.

Solution: While U.OSU inherently lists your Posts in chronological order, a few changes in Settings can help customize the look and feel of your site. Use Pages to achieve a static website aesthetic.

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Web Space for Student Orgs

Leading a student organization is much like running a business. Except most student leaders are doing it while also balancing classes, social lives and part-time jobs. Using U.OSU simplifies the process of managing a website and not to mention it is completely free.

There are a number of features we’ve set up to give student orgs a versatile and all-encompassing web hosting service while simultaneously helping their professional appearance.

screen shot of u.osu.edu/osuphigam

U.OSU sites are multi-functional and can be set up as static websites, blogs, or a group site (or all three!). Most student organizations will see value in a static website or incorporating a static front page to a group blog. Check out this fraternity’s awesome page. The static site option is ideal for groups such as this one because you can just add and hide new content when necessary.

“Our graduate philanthropy golf outing had a registration page but now that’s over so we get rid of that page and replace it with a recruitment tab,” said Jacob Menken, the recording secretary for Phi Gamma Delta and primary manager of their website.

Even if you want to have one page with blog-like updates, you can have multiple static pages, including a static homepage, like this postdoctoral association. U.OSU is a WordPress platform so many students feel a sense of familiarity with the Dashboard and find setting up a site is simple with a little background knowledge or quick glance of the Resource Center, like this tutorial on setting up static sites and pages.

Another valuable feature for student organizations is the ability to add users and assign roles with varied permissions. The roles range from an administrator, who has full access and control of the site, down to subscribers. These permissions make it easier to give members on an executive board the power to edit certain posts while the head of the organization can still filter and review content.

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Reach Google Glory with SEO

hand on computer mouse close upIf you’re looking to increase traffic to your U.OSU site you’re probably wondering what this SEO business is all about.

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the practice of manipulating your website in order to increase the number of visitors you receive from search engines. Sounds great, right? But how does it work?

Search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing are the primary force in driving Internet traffic.

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Increase Font Size and Zoom In

Our U.OSU themes are designed to behave well in all browsers and devices. That responsiveness includes using size 14 font to comply with web and accessibility standards. While you cannot alter the default font size, headings can help signify importance in your posts and also increase readability. If you still find yourself squinting at the screen, try out the options below to increase font size on your own browser or simply zoom in on a page.

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Featured on ODEE.osu.edu

Denise Ellsworth of The Bee Lab

We were happy to see a great example of how to make U.OSU work for you on the Office of Distance Education and eLearning News this week.

“When the College of Arts and Sciences and ODEE teamed up to launch the U.OSU pilot in September 2013, Denise Ellsworth, Program Director for Honey Bee and Native Pollinator Education, the transformative platform could enhance how The Bee Lab functions online.

The Bee Lab, a research and education facility on the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center campus in Wooster, is a great example of how Ohio State branding and U.OSU customization can create a comprehensive yet navigable site.” 

Whether your site serves as a resource, a blog (or both like The Bee Lab!), a forum or a student org homepage, U.OSU is all about what YOU do at the university. Read more from Denise’s interview and browse our Featured Sites to get inspired.

Buzzworthy Articles

U.OSU a web space for everyone at Ohio State.U.OSU continues to gain momentum as the university’s supported web platform. Whether you need a site to house resources for your student group or want to start a class blog, the easy-to-use WordPress platform has features to meet many needs.

We compiled recent articles and posts that highlight site benefits, tips for creating forms, text widget superpowers, and a collection of great examples from across Ohio State.

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Tips & Tricks: Blogging Abroad

There are ample opportunities to spend time abroad while affiliated with Ohio State. The Office of International Affairs offers more than 100 study abroad programs on six continents as well as additional options to work or research in a foreign country. We’ve seen students study architecture in London or work toward a rabies cure in Ethiopia. Regardless of where your journey takes you, one thing is certain – you’ll want to document your experience.

  • Students on a study abroad trip form O-H-I-O for a picture.Share with friends and family
  • Preserve memories
  • Enhance your writing portfolio
  • Represent Ohio State

The thought of creating and maintaining a blog can seem daunting, especially when it’s one of many bullets on your pre-departure to-do list. That’s where U.OSU steps in.

The straightforward format allows you to present your content in a professional manner without fussing around with catalogs of templates (because we know time is of the essence). It may seem like more effort, but in the long run keeping a blog is a better way to update friends and family than bloated status updates, forgotten postcards, and international phone calls that cost more than your rent.

Review this list of writing tips and check out the Resource Center for U.OSU how-tos.

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