Managing and Editing the Homepage

Changing the Class Title, Number, and Term


Instructors can change the class number, title, and term displayed on a class or section Homepage. The Class Name is a descriptive title for the class or section (e.g., Introduction to Linguistics). The Class Number is the course-of-study number followed by the class number (e.g., 24.900). The Class Number also appears in the breadcrumbs at the top of a page, but changing this number does not change the Homepage's URL.

The Class Term determines the range of dates displayed in the Schedule. If you are working on a project website and want the Schedule to show a full calendar year, select that year from the Term dropdown list.

Directions to Change the Class Title, Number, and Term:
  1. Display the Homepage
  2. Click the edit homepage link
  3. Edit the Class Title and Class Number if needed
  4. Select a Class Term from the dropdown list.

    You can only change Class Terms for projects sites. To create an academic class for a new term you must request a new site.

  5. Click the Submit button to return to the Homepage

Adding and Removing the Homepage Image


Instructors have the option of adding an image to a class or section Homepage. However, if the instructor does not own the copyright to the image, its display is restricted to class members only.
It is recommended that the image be:

  • A .GIF or .JPG file
  • No larger than 400 pixels wide x 300 pixels high (about 5.5 inches x 4.25 inches)
    Tip: Large images make it difficult for users to see other information on the Homepage. Use a photo editor such as Photoshop or Illustrator to reduce the image size.
Directions to Add a Homepage Image*
  1. Display the Homepage
  2. Click the Edit Homepage link
  3. Scroll to the Homepage Image section of the Edit Homepage. Do one of the following to specify the image to display:
    • Click the Browse button and select an image to upload from your computer.
    • Link to an image on the web by entering the image file's URL.
    • Make sure to link to the image file itself, not to the page that contains the image.

      *A word of caution:*

      If the link is to an image file that you do not control, you run the risk of broken links and missing images.

  4. Check the checkbox if you own the copyright for the image. (If you do not own the copyright, the image will be displayed only in the restricted access view of the home page.)
  5. (Optional) Enter a caption as plain text or with HTML tags . The caption will appear below the image on the Homepage. Although not required, it is recommended that you add a caption to an image that you do not own.
  6. Click the Submit button.
Directions to Remove the Homepage Image
  1. Display the Homepage
  2. Click the Edit Homepage link.
  3. Scroll to the Homepage Image section of the Edit Homepage.
  4. Click the Delete Current Image link. The Delete Homepage Image page is displayed.
  5. Click the Delete button.
  6. Click the Submit button to return to the Homepage.

Changing the Meeting Types, Times, and Dates


As part of the class website setup, meeting information that is already in the Registrar's database is automatically added to the Homepage. Instructors can edit and add this information on the class website and enter the information on a section subsite.

  • The Meeting Type is a Lecture, Lab, Recitation, etc.
  • The Time specifies when the Meeting Type occurs; e.g., 10-12 MWF or 9-11 TR.
  • The location is the building and room number; e.g., 20-989.
Directions to Change Meeting Types, Times, and Dates:
  1. Display the Homepage.
  2. Click the Edit Homepage link.
  3. Scroll to the Meeting Times section of the Edit Homepage.
  4. Enter the Meeting Type, Time, and Location.
  5. Click the Submit button.

The Meeting Times grid on the Edit Homepage has rows for up to five entries. For more than five entries, you can add a large text box to the Edit Homepage for entering the information.

  1. Click the Website Settings link at the bottom of the navigation bar.
  2. Scroll down the Website Settings page to the Display Options.
  3. Check the option to Show Meeting Times As Single Large HTML Field.
  4. Click the Submit button.

When you return to the Edit Homepage, the text box is displayed below the Meeting Times grid. Enter all Meeting Types, Times, and Locations as plain text or with HTML tags in the text box. For example, the following HTML statement:

<p><b>Recitation:</b> &nbsp; Thursday, 10:30 a.m. &nbsp; (9-250) </p>
produces the following output
Recitation: Thursday, 10:30 a.m. (9-250)

Changing the Class Description and Label


Instructors can use the Info setting on the Homepage to display a class or section description. When adding or editing this description, instructors can choose to display it in the Homepage's public view in the restricted view.

Directions to Change the Class Description and Label:
  1. Display the Homepage
  2. Click the Edit Homepage link.
  3. Scroll to the Class Information section on the Edit Homepage.
  4. To change the label, enter the text of the label you want.
  5. Enter the text of the Class Info in the text box using plain text or HTML tags .
  6. Click the Submit button.

Editing Announcements


Instructors can add short statements about class or section activities and (such as upcoming quizzes or guest speakers) to the Homepage. There is no limit to the number of announcements you can add.

Announcements are visible in the public view of the Homepage. (Use email if you need to make a private announcement to the class or section members).

Instructors can edit announcements posted on a class or section Homepage. An updated announcement remains in its original location in the announcement list; that is, an updated announcement is not moved to the top of the list.

Directions to Edit an Announcement
  1. Display the Homepage.

    Announcements can also be edited from the announcements archive. To display the archive, scroll to the bottom of the Homepage and click the View Archived Announcements link. Then continue with step 2.

  2. Scroll to the announcement you want to edit.
  3. Click the announcement's edit link. Stellar displays the Edit Announcement page.
  4. Edit the announcement Title and Content as needed. The Title is required.
  5. Edit the Content using either plain text or HTML tags .
  6. To also email the edited announcement to class participants, check the Email Announcement to the Class checkbox.
  7. Click the Submit button.
Directions to Add an Announcement:
  1. Display the Homepage.

    Announcements can also be added from the announcements archive. To display the archive, scroll to the bottom of the Homepage and click the View Archived Announcements link. Then continue with step 2.

  2. Click the add announcement link. Stellar displays the Add Announcement page.
  3. Enter a Title. An announcement must have a title. The title is displayed in boldface on the Homepage.
  4. Enter the announcement Content using plain text or HTML tags.
  5. To also email the announcement to class participants, check the Email Announcement to the Class checkbox.
  6. Click the Submit button.

The most recent announcement appears at the top of the Announcements list on the Homepage. Visitors to the site see only the last five announcements on the Homepage. Students and staff can scroll to the bottom of the announcement list and click the View Archived Documents link to display the announcements archive page, which lists all existing announcements for the class.

Directions to Remove an Announcement:

You can delete announcements from a class or section Homepage. Deleted announcements are also removed from the announcement archive.

  1. Display the Homepage

    Announcements can also be deleted from the announcement archive. To display the archive, scroll to the bottom of the Homepage and click the View Archived Announcements link. Then continue with step 2.

  2. Scroll to the announcement you want to delete.
  3. Click the announcement's delete link. Stellar displays the Delete Announcement page.
  4. Confirm that the selected announcement is the one you want to delete and click the Delete button.

Viewing the Announcements Archive


The announcements archive lists all existing announcements for the class or section. The most recent announcements are listed first, with the oldest announcement at the end of the list. Please note that students and the instructors only see the five latest announcements on the class homepage. They can view all announcements for the class by clicking on the link to archived announcements at the bottom of the page.

Directions to View the Announcements Archives:

The archive is available from the public view of a Homepage. Scroll to the bottom of the Homepage and click the View Archived Announcements link to display the archive.

You can add, edit, and delete announcements from the announcements archive.

Emailing Announcements

  1. Under announcements, click "Add Announcement."
  2. Add information, then check the box at the bottom that says "Email announcement to class."
  3. Remember to click submit.

Please note that section announcements will be e-mailed to the entire class. The work-around for this is to copy and paste the announcement into an e-mail for section members.