Working with Roles and Adding Users

Before adding a user, you should have a solid understanding of user roles. Assigning the wrong role to a user can put the entire site in jeopardy. For example, a user with an Editor or Administrator role could potentially delete all of a site's content in less than five minutes.

Working with Roles

Always give a user the lowest level role they need. If you're unsure about what role a user should have, stick with Subscriber or Contributor. You can always give them a higher level role later.

Important: Students are only assigned the Contributor role. Never give a student any other role.

Role	Rights	Who should get this role
Subscriber	Can change their own profile info (author pic, email address.) Can't create or publish their own posts.	Use this role if you don't know what role to assign.
Contributor	Can create posts, but can't make them public. Editor and Admin roles can make a Contributor's posts public.	All students.
Author	Can create and publish their own posts.	Media Milwaukee does not use this role.
Editor	Can create and publish posts. Can edit posts written by other users. Can approve posts written by Contributors.	Students are not given this role. Only instructors approving content for publication should receive this role.
Administrator	Can create, edit, publish posts written by anyone with access to site. Can create and delete users and change user passwords. Can add and delete plugins and change themes.	Students are not given this role. Only instructors approving content for publication should receive this role. This role should only be assigned to those who need to use it.

Adding a User

1. In the Dashboard, go to Users and select Add New.

2. On the Add New User page, fill in the fields with with new user's appropriate information. Note: Use the student's UWM email address for both the username and email address.

3. Enter the user's first name and last name in the appropriate fields.

4. Leave the default password as is.

5. Make sure the Send User Notification checkbox is deselected.

6. Assign an appropriate user role (see above.) Note: students should receive the Contributor role.

7. When finished, click Add New User.

8. If necessary, instruct the user to perform a password reset (to create their own password.) Note: Users will need to use a strong password.