Introduction

WordPress is an easy to learn content management system that reduces website development time while producing a professional look and feel. Faculty, students, and staff use WordPress to develop websites for labs, student organizations, projects, and classes.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to:

  • Provide standards for WPI's WordPress systems.
  • Prevent any misuse of, or damage to, WPI's WordPress systems and/or breach of security.

Scope

The policy covers websites developed and managed by faculty, students and staff that are hosted on WPI's WordPress systems.

Standards

Sensitive Data

WPI's WordPress systems host many faculty, staff and student sites. While WPI ITS applies best in class security, site sponsors and users should not process, enter or store sensitive data. Data storage in WPI's WordPress systems is also governed by WPI's Data Security Policy.

Site Creation

Requests for WordPress sites should be sent to the WPI ITS Help Desk. All requests for sites that will be primarily managed by students require:

  • Approval by a faculty or staff member.
  • A non-student site sponsor as defined in the Site Sponsor section of this policy.
  • Compliance with existing accessibility standards.

Site Sponsor

It is required that each WordPress site have a WPI faculty or staff member registered as the site sponsor. Sponsorship may be transferred to another qualified person by sending a request to ITS.

WordPress Plugins and Themes

The plugins and themes installed on WPI's WordPress systems have been chosen to provide a wide variety of common features and capabilities. Requests for additional plugins or themes ar only considered after a thorough security and stability review. ITS reserves the right to deny requests for a plugin or theme if they believe it may introduce any issues, which include but are not limited to, security, stability, or licensing violations.

WordPress Site Removal

ITS may disable, remove, or archive a WordPress site for the following reasons:

  • At the site sponsor's request for removal.
  • At the graduation of a student for whom a site was originally created or requested.
  • At the resignation of the sponsor.
  • After 2 years of abandonment.
  • If the site violates other WPI policies, which include but are not limited to, the Authorized Use Policy(AUP)and Data Security Policy.
  • At the request of WPI Information Security.

Prior to any action being taken against a WordPress site by ITS, the registered site sponsor will be contacted. ITS reserves the right to disable a site immediately in extraordinary circumstances, which include but are not limited to, acts of vandalism, intrusion, or security issues.

Revisions

Approved by CITP - January 24, 2018

Approved by Jon Bartelson - February 2, 2018