Adding an Announcement

 

 

Announcements are a simple way to share updates or news-related items about your work or your department, division, office, or group. In a recent survey about WPI Today, announcements were found to be the community’s preferred content type. They can be short and simple or longer, more descriptive and with images or graphics, almost like a short article.

Announcements are displayed on the university’s WPI Today webpage, in the WPI Today daily email to all employees, and on your department or office webpages, allowing you to promote information with the campus community and beyond. Anyone can write an announcement; they are posted by your group administrator or by those who have Drupal permissions in your office (the group administrator may also grant others permissions for Drupal access). Full instructions on posting an announcement and adding it to your webpages are in the videos below.  

A few best-practice guidelines: 

  • Keep the title short (less than 90 characters with spaces if possible), specific, and interesting to make the reader want to learn more. 
  • Content must be original (don’t cut and paste from an existing WPI story or external news article) as that is considered duplicate content (for wpi.edu) or copyright infringement (for external content). 
  • You’re encouraged to add images and links to the announcement. 
  • Do not post an announcement and an event for the same item. If it has a date or a deadline, it is an event, not an announcement. 

Remember: To be considered for the WPI Today email, your announcement must first be entered into Drupal AND you must select Faculty and/or Staff in the “Audience” layout option and include WPI Today under the “Post to the Website” layout option so it will get automatically pulled into WPI Today. All items entered by noon will be included in the following day’s WPI Today email. 

Announcements can be used to highlight: 

  • A call for submissions or applications for an award or competition 
  • An award or grant received by faculty, staff, or students 
  • A book or journal paper publication 
  • An external speaking engagement or conference presentation by faculty, students, or staff 
  • Student news 
  • Department news 
  • Campus operation advisories, such as parking updates, construction notices, or changes in building/office hours 
  • New department processes or procedures 

 

Writing and Posting an Announcement

Check the WPI Announcements page for recent examples that may help you write your announcement.  

The template examples below will help ensure all the necessary information is included. They are intended to be used as guides, not requirements. You may change the wording to fit your situation or create an announcement without the template at all. Once you have the draft, it will be ready for posting by your group’s administrator or anyone in your group with Drupal permissions. 

 

Research Grant Announcement Template and Example
Research Grant Announcement Template:  

Title:  Researcher [Name] Receives Grant to Study [what the research is (in 4-10 words)]  

Other title option:  Professor [Name] Receives [length of grant and type/name of grant] Grant  

Body:   

[Name] [title/department at WPI] has been awarded a [dollar amount] grant from [organization that awarded it] to [determine/study]...   

[Name]’s project will [what this project will do/study]...  

Additional options:    

  • More details on this research  
  • How competitive was this grant?   
  • How long has this research been going on?  
  • Include a quote from the researcher, if possible  

Important Tip

**In addition to choosing “Staff” and “Faculty” in the “Audience” layout option and “WPI Today” in the “Post to Website” layout option, be sure to also choose other relevant WPI.EDU webpages in the “Post to Website” layout option including the associated department and school if applicable, (Engineering, Arts & Sciences, Business, or Global).**  


Research Grant Announcement Example:  

Researcher Jane Smith Receives Grant to Study Rural Housing OR Professor Jane Smith Receives Two-year ABC Grant  

Department(s): SSPS 
June 04, 2023 

Jane Smith, assistant professor of sociology, has been awarded a $259,564 grant from ABC agency to determine the long-term sociological effects of rural housing developments in Massachusetts.   

Smith’s two-year project will develop new models so housing planners can better create strategies for building new housing in the coming years.   

Her project was one of only five awarded grants to assess the impacts of new housing developments. It also builds on her previous research about housing in the Midwest United States.   

“This is an issue that is becoming more and more important as population changes and expands in New England,” Smith said. “Much remains unknown about how this issue can impact other changes that come with increased population in a particular area.”   

 

Awards and Recognition, or Election to Professional Society/Organization Template and Example
Awards and Recognition, or Election to Professional Society/Organization Announcement Template: 

[Name of person and their title] Receives [Award] at [Event – meeting, conference, etc.] 

On [Date] in [Location], the [group hosting event] recognized [Person and their title] with the [award] during its [type/frequency of or name of event/meeting/conference] where [he/she/they] [activity at event – i.e. delivered speech, attended, etc].       

[Give background on the award and why it’s noteworthy – 1-2 sentences]. [Funding related to award if applicable] 

[Say if the award winner is a member of the organization giving the award and possibly include a quote from the person, 1-2 sentences].  

[Organization giving the award] is [info about the organization] that [what the organization does]. 


Important Tip

**In addition to choosing “Staff” and “Faculty” in the “Audience” layout option and “WPI Today” in the “Post to Website” layout option, be sure to also choose other relevant WPI.EDU webpages in the “Post to Website” layout option including the associated department and school if applicable, (Engineering, Arts & Sciences, Business, or Global).**  


Awards and Recognition, or Election to Professional Society/Organization Announcement Example: 

Dana Harmon Named Division III Athletic Director of the Year

Department(s): 

Physical Education, Recreation & Athletics

April 05, 2023

Dana Harmon, WPI’s director of physical education, recreation, and athletics, recently received a 2022-2023 Division III Cushman & Wakefield Athletic Director of the Year Award. The award honors athletics directors at all levels of collegiate competition for their contributions to student-athletes, campuses, and their surrounding communities. Winners will be recognized in June at the 58th Annual National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) & Affiliates Convention at the World Center Marriott Resort in Orlando, Fla. Read more about Harmon, and her thoughts on success, mental health, and Title IX, in the Winter 2023 WPI Journal.

Student or Faculty General Achievement/Scholarship/Award Announcement Template and Example
General Achievement/Scholarship/Award Announcement Template:  

Title options:  

Winner(s) of [Name of Award/Scholarship] Announced OR  

[Name] Selected as Recipient for [Name of Award] [Award/Recognition] OR  

[Title of Person] [Name] Honored with [Award/Recognition/Achievement]  

Body:   

[Name], [title or student], was [awarded the/honored with the] [name of recognition/award/achievement].    

Describe the recipient’s accomplishments   

Describe the background/history/criteria of the recognition    


Important Tip

**In addition to choosing “Staff” and “Faculty” in the “Audience” layout option and “WPI Today” in the “Post to Website” layout option, be sure to also choose other relevant WPI.EDU webpages in the “Post to Website” layout option including the associated department and school if applicable, (Engineering, Arts & Sciences, Business, or Global).**   


General Achievement/Scholarship/Award Announcement Example:  

Student Winner of Roseland Award Announced 
Department(s): Biomedical Engineering  
June 04, 2023 

Sara Louise, a biomedical engineering student in the School of Engineering, was awarded the Roseland Award.   

Louise has led studies within various student research groups and went on to participate in the Jones Medic conference earlier this year. She has been on the Dean’s list all 3 years during her time at WPI.   

This highly competitive award recognizes a student’s excellence not only in their field of study but also in their extracurricular activities. Students who win this award often go on to be leaders in their field. The Roseland award was first awarded by the Center for Lab Arts by a committee of engineering faculty in 2003 to honor students who have made a difference and exemplified excellence during their time at WPI.   

  

Request for Submissions Announcement Template and Example
Request for Submissions Announcement Template:  

Title:  Now Accepting Submissions for the [Scholarship/Prize/Competition/Grant, etc]  

Body:  

Applications for the [prize/competition/scholarship/grant] are now open to [eligible people to submit]. This [competition/prize, etc.] is awarded [how often and to who?].   

Applicants must [what they need to do to enter/how to submit their entry]. The deadline to apply is [date] with the winner(s) announced on [date]. [Describe who selects the winners].  For more information, contact [contact info].   

Other options to add:  

  • Background about the competition/prize/grant, etc  
  • Any other details entrants need to know?  
  • Is there a monetary prize?    

Important Tip

**In addition to choosing “Staff” and “Faculty” in the “Audience” layout option and “WPI Today” in the “Post to Website” layout option, be sure to also choose other relevant WPI.EDU webpages in the “Post to Website” layout option including the associated department and school if applicable, (Engineering, Arts & Sciences, Business, or Global).**   


Request for Submissions Announcement Example: 

Now Accepting Submissions for the Armitage Scholarship Prize  

Department(s): Student Affairs Office
June 04, 2023 

Applications for the Armitage Scholarship are now open to all WPI undergraduate students. This prize is awarded yearly to three undergraduates who demonstrate excellence in community service.   

Applicants must submit a 1000-word essay on why they think they deserve this prize. The deadline to apply is December 8, with the winners announced on January 10. Winners are chosen by a panel of faculty members from 5 different academic departments and will be awarded $500.   

For more information, contact Emily Pacar in the Student Affairs office at 598-987-5476 or email epac78@wpi.edu   

Publications Announcement Template and Example
Publications Announcement Template: 
  •  Publication Announcement template:  
  • [Topic/Name of Research] Research, Led by [Researcher Name and Title], Published in [Name or Type of Publication]  
  • WPI [title of person] [name] is the lead author of a new published report titled [name of article/paper] about [briefly describe the published research].   
  • [Describe the research activity that took place to result in this publication. Highlight all parties involved in the project and their contributions. Use a quote or two from the researcher, if possible]  

Important Tip

**In addition to choosing “Staff” and “Faculty” in the “Audience” layout option and “WPI Today” in the “Post to Website” layout option, be sure to also choose other relevant WPI.EDU webpages in the “Post to Website” layout option including the associated department and school if applicable, (Engineering, Arts & Sciences, Business, or Global).**   


Publications Announcement Example: 

The Invisible Racialized Minority Entrepreneur: Using White Solipsism to Explain the White Space 

Department(s):  The Business School 
January 19, 2023 

In a 3-part study recently published in the Journal of Business Ethics, Professor of Entrepreneurship, Rosanna Garcia, asked the question, “how are racially minoritized entrepreneurs represented in business schools." Findings showed a marginalization of these populations and a ‘white space’ dominating in entrepreneurship research. This lead to the follow up question, “what if we make these under-represented entrepreneurs visible?” Professor Garcia mocked-up four websites with diverse populations. The results show that women, and specifically racially minoritized women, have a greater impact on the entrepreneurial interests of university students compared to men demonstrating a need to put more of a focus on women and racially minoritized entrepreneurs. 

>>Read more 

 

Campus Operations and Processes Announcement Template and Example
Campus Operations Announcement Template: 

[Location] [Work Being Done and Impact (in 6-12 words)] 

[Dates/duration of campus activity/project/work], [location(s) impacted] will be [closed? Diverted? Explain the impact]. [Explain what is happening for the project in 1-3 sentences]. 

[in 1-2 sentences, explain temporary accommodations if available].  

[Explain in 1-2 sentences what won’t be impacted, if applicable].  

[Provide link to further resources, if applicable] 

Please contact [department in charge of project] at [contact info] with any questions regarding this work. Thank you for your flexibility and understanding. 


Important Tip

**In addition to choosing "Staff" and "Faculty" in the "Audience" layout option and "WPI Today" in the “Post to Website” layout option, be sure to also choose other relevant WPI.EDU webpages in the “Post to Website” layout option including the associated office or department.**  


Campus Operations Announcement Example: 

Stratton Hall Renovation and Pedestrian Access 

Department(s):  Facilities Office 
May 25, 2023 

From Tuesday, May 30, 2023 through July 2024, Stratton Hall and adjacent areas will be closed to accommodate a planned major renovation of the building. During this time, a portion of the West Street pedestrian path in front of Stratton Hall, as well as the alleyway between Stratton Hall and the Project Center, will be closed to pedestrian traffic.  

The concrete ramp connecting West Street to Boynton Hall will also be closed; however a temporary accessible ramp will be provided at the Earle Bridge to accommodate access over West Street. 

Primary entrances to building nearby, including those to Higgins Labs, The Project Center, and Power House, will not be impacted. 

Please see the attached Stratton Hall Renovation Logistics Plan which details the perimeter of site fencing in red, as well as available pedestrian paths highlighted in blue. 

Please contact Facilities at facilities@wpi.edu with any questions regarding this work. Thank you for your flexibility. 

 

Conference Attendance/Speaker Announcement (to a non-WPI event) Template and Example
 Conference Attendance/Speaker Announcement Template:  

Title:  [Person’s Title] [Name], to [Participate in/Give Keynote Address at] [Name or Place of Event] [Conference/Symposium/Seminar, etc.] on [Date of Event]  

Body:   

[Person’s Title] [Name] will [participate in/give the keynote address at] a [conference/seminar, etc] this [fall/winter/summer/spring] on [topic of event].   

 The event, [Title of event], organized by [event organizers], will focus on [topics covered]. [Follow with additional information about the event as needed].      


Important Tip

**In addition to choosing “Staff” and “Faculty” in the “Audience” layout option and “WPI Today” in the “Post to Website” layout option, be sure to also choose other relevant WPI.EDU webpages in the “Post to Website” layout option including the associated department and school if applicable, (Engineering, Arts & Sciences, Business, or Global).**   


Conference Attendance/Speaker Announcement Example:  

Dean Mimi Sheller to Give Keynote Address at the University of São Paulo School of Advanced Science in Mobilities: Memories & Futures 

Department(s):  The Global School 
May 31, 2023 

The fourth edition of the “SPMob2023” graduate school on mobilities will be held at the University of São Paulo (13-15 June) and at the Federal University of the State of Rio (19-21 June), in Brazil. Keynote speakers will include WPI’s Dean of The Global School Mimi Sheller, PhD, a leading expert on mobility justice and sustainable mobility transitions; and Dr. Jennie Germann-Molz, professor of sociology from College of the Holy Cross, who is an expert on tourism and a former PhD student of Sheller.   

Sheller will speak on Sustainable Mobility Futures. Sheller’s article ‘Theorising Mobility Justice/Teorizando sobre mobilidades justas’ was published in 2018 in the journal Tempo Social: Revista Sociologica da USP and has been widely discussed in Brazil. The program will explore the history of uneven mobilities and the movements for greater mobility justice and sustainable mobilities.  

Keynote speaker Walter Imilán (Universidad Central de Chile) will speak on indigenous territories and mobilities in Latin America. Sheller and Molz will also participate in a public roundtable discussion on tourism on June 14.  

A recording will be available on YouTube for future viewing.  

 

New Faculty Announcement Template and Example

New Faculty Announcement Template: 

Title suggestions: [Name of School] Welcomes New Faculty for 20XX-XX Academic Year 

OR 

XX New Faculty Join WPI [Name of School] for 20XX-XX Academic Year 

Body: The [Name of School] has welcomed XX new faculty members to WPI for the 20XX-20XX academic year.  

Describe the group of new faculty members in one sentence.  

Add a quote from the dean of the school.  

Bios, arranged alphabetically by last name: 

  • Photo of new faculty member, if available: Sized at 200 x 200 pixels 
  • Name: [Full Name, with hyperlink to the individual’s faculty page on WPI.edu.] 
  • Title and Department: [Refer to titles outlined in Section 2-95 of the Faculty Handbook. Name the primary department that appointed the new faculty member.] 
  • PhD: [Full name of the university where the individual received a PhD. eg University of California, Los Angeles. Not UCLA] 
  • Scholarship Focus: [Briefly list subject areas] 

Important Tips 

**It’s simplest to create one announcement at the start of an academic year to include all new faculty members who are joining a school or department. Embed each headshot next to the text about that faculty member. Link to WPI faculty webpages, when possible. If an individual is joining the faculty later in the academic year, indicate when that will happen.** 

**In addition to choosing “Staff” and “Faculty” in the “Audience” layout option and “WPI Today” in the “Post to Website” layout option, be sure to also choose other relevant WPI.EDU webpages in the “Post to Website” layout option, including the associated departments and schools.**    


New Faculty Announcement Example: 

Title: School of XYZ Welcomes Three New Faculty for 2023-24 Academic Year 

Body: The School of XYZ has welcomed three new faculty members to WPI for the 2023-24 academic year. 

The group includes distinguished scholars and teachers who have expertise in fields ranging from biomanufacturing to space flight. 

“It’s exciting to welcome these talented and distinguished individuals to WPI, where they will provide outstanding educational opportunities for our students and elevate the university’s reputation as a place where researchers address real-world problems,” said Ichabod Washburn, dean of the School of XYZ. 

(Embed each faculty headshot next to relevant name)

Parveen Ahmadi 

Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering (Joining January 2024) 

PhD: University of Berlin 

Scholarship Focus: Catalytic processes, biofuels 

 

 

Huan Ma 

Assistant Teaching Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering 

PhD: Northeastern University 

Scholarship Focus: Regenerative medicine, tissue engineering 

 

 

Avery Dunne 

Professor of Practice, Department of Aerospace Engineering 

PhD: California Institute of Technology 

Scholarship Focus: Autonomous vehicles, sensors 

 

Audiences: Staff, Faculty 

Post to website: WPI Today, School of Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering 

Topics: Faculty, Research, Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Aerospace 

 

 

 

Posting and Tagging in Drupal

Watch the video below to learn how to post your announcement or event in Drupal. Group administrators have access (editing permissions) to work in Drupal and they are also able to give permission to others in their group to use Drupal. 

Choose the WPI websites (such as office/division/department pages) and topics that are appropriate for the posting. Doing so—called tagging—will ensure your announcement/event appears on the correct pages across the wpi.edu website.  

Contact media@wpi.edu with questions about what to include in your announcement or if you’d like us to review it. 

A few reminders after watching the training video: 

  • Title/Headline 
  • Date  
  • Name of the department making the announcement/event 
  • Body block: Announcement or event copy/text goes here. Any photos, graphics, and links belong in this block. 
  • Audiences: Choose the target audience for the announcement or event. Always include faculty and staff in this area to make sure your information appears in WPI Today. 
  • Post to Website: Choose the webpages on wpi.edu where you want your announcement or event to be listed (for example, Division of Talent & Inclusion, School of Arts & Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Parents). Think broadly so your information is shared with the wider community. Don’t forget to include your own office/department/division. Always include “WPI Today” in the “Post to Website” layout option and choose “Faculty” and “Staff” in the “Audience” layout option to make sure your announcement will get automatically pulled into the WPI Today email. These fields will autofill as you type your choices. 
  • For events, be sure to include date, time, place, any registration information, and the organizer’s contact information for questions and accessibility needs. 

 

How to Create an Announcement in Drupal 9

How to add the announcement block to your page

 

If you want to add an Announcement and don't have Drupal access, check to see who your group administrator is. Group administrators contribute to the larger wpi.edu website by maintaining current and accurate content on their pages, including adding annoucements. They also oversee your group’s page content and/or are able to add other people in the group (through the My Admin Groups page) so they can edit the pages.

 

Events

WPI-sponsored events and activities, along with important deadlines, should be published in the University Calendar. Learn more about how to add an event.