For MassArt community members wanting to create websites, portfolios and blogs, the library supports a local Wordpress instance. You can get started now at blogs.massart.edu or read below for more information. 

FAQ

Why should I build a site on MassArt WordPress?

• You can use your MassArt username and password to sign in. One less login to remember!
• You get support from the College if you want help or if you run into technical problems.
• Your site is free of advertising and you get premium themes and plugins and the ability to add wikis and forums to your site.
• If you’re a faculty member we can add students to a WordPress course site.
• You get to be part of a growing community of MassArt WordPress users.

What if I don’t want a blog? Does MassArt WordPress have anything to offer me?

• In addition to blogs, which show posts in most-recent-first order, you can create static websites, course sites, electronic portfolios, wiki spaces, etc. WordPress is extremely flexible and powerful.
• MassArt WordPress has a number of themes that are great for displaying artwork. The administrators have created a list of their favorites that you can view here.

Who can have a site at blogs.massart.edu?

• Any current student, faculty or staff member.

How do I get an account?

• Log in with your MassArt username and password. When you do this for the first time, you will be given a WordPress username based on your net ID and an initial site.
• When you go under ‘My Sites,’ you will see the site that has your username as well as the general network site, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, of which you are a subscriber.
• Once you have a WordPress account and site set up, log in with your username and password.

How do I remove myself from a site?

• You have to be an administrator to remove a user from a site. You can take yourself off of sites you no longer want to belong to by going to your Dashboard and clicking Manage Blogs. If there is no check box below the site name, that means you do not have sufficient privileges to remove yourself and you will need to ask.
• You can hide the site from the Admin Bar so it doesn’t show up under My Sites.
• You can contact the site administrator to have yourself removed or you can contact wordpress@massart.edu. Make sure to indicate your username and the blog URLs.

How do I get my site listed so people can find it?

• Contact Caitlin at cpereira@massart.edu and we will add your site to the list published on the Sites page.

Who do I contact if I need help with my MassArt WordPress site?

• Send an email to wordpress@massart.edu.
• There are many excellent tutorials on using WordPress. Check out Linkedin Learning (Login required).

How many blogs/sites can I have?

• As many as you want. To get another site, go to your Dashboard and then click on Manage Blogs. Then select Create a New Site.

How much space can I have for my site?

• As much as you need.

Can I add users to my site or blog?

• Yes, you add users from the + New User tab at the top control bar. You can assign them different permission levels.
• If you are a faculty member and setting up a course site, contact us and we can add students for you.

Can I choose or change my username?

• No, your username is based on your net ID. However, you can change your display name anytime you like.

Can I change my password?

• No, your WordPress login is the same as your net ID.

Can I change the privacy settings for my site?

• Yes. Go to the Dashboard of the site and then select Settings, then Reading, and then Site Visibility.

Can I use WordPress themes that I don’t see listed in blogs.massart.edu?

• There are over 170 standard themes.

I’m a techie. Can I edit CSS?

•  Yes, under Appearances you can select Custom CSS.

What file types can I upload?

• Pretty much any. Here’s a list: jpg jpeg png gif doc pdf mp3 ppt wmv mp4 xls ins isf te xbk notebook m4a ist kmz kes mov flp avi swf wxr xml wav fjsw docx pptx xlsx xml m4v max kmz zip.
• The maximum file size is 20 MB.
• Video too big? You can upload to something like  Vimeo and then embed in WordPress.

Can I import to or export a site from MassArt WordPress?

• Yes, you can download an XML file for the site being transferred and easily import into or export out of blogs.massart.edu. This works for other WordPress sites and for Blogger, TypePad, etc.
• After graduation, students will need to export their sites from blogs.massart.edu.
• Make sure to click “Download file attachments” when importing your site into blogs.massart.edu and to perform a similar action when exporting into another site. Otherwise the images and videos won’t migrate and the links to them won’t work if the other site is ever deleted. You should also back up all media files whenever migrating.

Is there an app that I can use to edit my site on a mobile device?

• Yes, if you use an iPhone or an iPad, you can download the free WordPress app from the App Store. Once it’s installed, select “Add self-hosted WordPress blog.” For Android users, you can download the WordPress app from GooglePlay.

Is there a way I can prevent spam on my site?

• Yes, use the Akismet plugin to screen out spam. Signing up with Akismet service is free but you can also make an optional donation. You can also reduce spam by blocking search engines in your privacy settings.

Does the College or Network Administrator monitor my site?

• No, sites are unmonitored and uncensored. You may be asked to remove content, however, if there is a complaint regarding copyright infringement or if there is a complaint that your site violates any law or any of the college’s policies.

How long does my site stay active?

• WordPress accounts stay active as long as your college NetID is valid. Check here for the official policy regarding NetIDs
• While it is best to export data before your account goes inactive, the WordPress support staff in the library can help you export your data for a limited time after the deadline.

What is Edublogs and how does it relate to WordPress?

• Edublogs is the hosting company for our WordPress service. It specializes in offering WordPress services for educational institutions. Based in Melbourne, Australia, it is the second largest WordPress network provider in the world after WordPress.com.

What is the image used as a header for the site?

• It’s from T.M. Cleland, A Practical Description of the Munsell Color System, 1921. It represents the Munsell Color System, created by MassArt alum and faculty member Albert H. Munsell. The diagram shows his model of color as composed of steps of hue, value, and chroma (saturation).