Publishing with the News Web Part on Sycamore Root Sites

Introduction

Using the News Web Part on Sycamore Root

The News web part in SharePoint allows Indiana State University departments and offices to share timely updates, announcements, and stories with the campus community. This article provides step-by-step instructions for using the News web part and outlines university-approved content guidelines for posting.

What Is the News Web Part?

The News web part enables you to publish news stories that appear on your department’s Sycamore Root page and, when appropriate, aggregate to the Employee or Student Hub. This ensures important updates are visible to the broader campus community.

What is the difference between a News Post and a News Link?

Key Differences at a Glance
Feature News Post News Link
Content Source Created in SharePoint Points to external or internal url
Customization Full page editing and layout options Minimal (title, image, description)
Use Case Internal announcements, rich content Curating external or pre-existing info

News Post

  • What it is: A News Post is a full page created within SharePoint. It’s ideal for internal announcements, updates, or stories authored by your team.
  • Creation: Built using SharePoint’s page editor and templates. You can add rich content like text, images, videos, and web parts.
  • Customization: Highly customizable with layouts, sections, and formatting options.
  • Storage: Saved in the Site Pages library as a .aspx page.
  • Purpose: Best for original content that needs branding, formatting, and internal engagement.
  • Engagement: Supports comments, likes, and can be promoted across hubs or Teams

     

News Link

  • What it is: A News Link is a shortcut to an existing article or page (internal or external) that you want to feature in your News web part.
  • Creation: You provide a URL and optional metadata (title, description, thumbnail).
  • Customization: Limited—primarily the title and image; you cannot edit the linked content.
  • Storage: Also appears in the Site Pages library but functions as a link rather than a full page.
  • Purpose: Best for curating external news or referencing existing internal content without duplicating it.
  • Engagement: Like News Posts, it can appear in the News web part and supports comments/likes.

 

How to Add and Use the News Web Part

  1. Enter Edit Mode
    1. Navigate to your department’s Sycamore Root page.
    2. Click Edit in the top-right corner.
  2. Add the News Web Part
    1. Click the blue “+” icon in the section where you want to add the News web part.
    2. Select News from the list of available web parts.
  3. Configure the Web Part
    1. Choose a layout (e.g., Top Story, List, Carousel).
    2. Select the news source (e.g., “This site” or “All sites in the hub”).
    3. Check the box labeled “Hide this web part if there’s nothing to show” to keep your page clean when no news is published.
  4. Create a News Post
    1. Click + Add under the News web part.
    2. Choose a layout or template.
    3. Add a clear, descriptive title, an image (if available), and concise body content.
    4. Click Post to publish.
  5. Edit or Remove Posts
    1. To edit, click the post title and select Edit.
    2. To remove, go to the Site Pages library and delete the post.

Content Guidelines for News Posts

  1. Required Practices
    1. Ensure content is appropriate for the entire campus community.
    2. Use only official university contact information.
    3. Do not include personal contact details or confidential information.
    4. Ensure accuracy and timeliness of all information.
    5. All content is reviewed by University Communications.
  2. Prohibited Content
    1. No content violating FERPA, HIPAA, copyright, or legal regulations.
    2. No personal opinions, political endorsements, or commercial promotions.
    3. No discriminatory, harassing, or offensive material.
    4. No copyrighted media without permission.
  3. Best Practices
    1. Use clear, concise headlines and summaries.
    2. Apply the inverted pyramid style for content structure.
    3. Include accessible, high-quality images when possible.
    4. Link to supporting documents or pages instead of uploading PDFs.
    5. Attribute sources and contributors appropriately.
    6. Proofread for spelling, grammar, and clarity.
    7. Avoid duplicating content from the external website unless necessary.

Additional Information

Need help? Contact the Office of Information Technology at it-help@indstate.edu or reach out to your department’s assigned Root editor.

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