Common Questions >> Groups

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Q) How do I request a group be created in LionsLink?

A) To request a new group

• Click the Groups icon in the upper right corner of the LionsLink page.
• Click the Create Group link. You can request the creation of three types of groups:
  
  • Public groups. Public groups that are open for anyone to join
  • Restricted groups Membership in restricted groups is subject to certain restrictions. For example, to access a group home page for a university club or organization, an individual must first be accepted as a member of that club or organization.
  • Hidden groups. Hidden groups are not displayed in the group category index and do not have a guest view page. Hidden groups are typically used to publish and discuss sensitive information that should not be available even as a restricted group.
    

• In the Group Name field, enter the name of the group as you want it to appear in the Groups Index.
• In the Group Title field, enter a title for the group. This title will appear next to the group name in the Groups Index.
• From the Guest Page Description drop-down box, select whether the group's description will be formatted as plain text or as HTML formatted text.

• From the Group Category drop-down box, select the category under which you would like to put the group.
• Use the Group Type radio buttons to specify if the group will be public, restricted, or hidden. If you are requesting creation of a restricted group, enter the group's access criteria in the text entry field below the radio buttons. Additionally, you can specify that the group's content be blocked from being viewed by the Groups Administrator by checking the Admin Blocked checkbox.
• From the fields in the Browse Control section, specify the user roles that will be allowed to see the group's listing on the Group Index.
• From the Group Applications checkboxes, specify the applications and tools you want provided to the group through the homepage. Click the appropriate checkbox if you want to be able to delegate management of group application and tools to other group members. Unless you plan to maintain the group's homepage entirely yourself, you should check this box.
• In the Request Comment field, enter any optional comments you would like us to know about why your group should be created.
• You will need to read the Groups Policy regarding online groups. Check the box showing you have read and understand the policy. You cannot submit the application until you have checked this box.
• Click Submit Request to submit the application. To exit without requesting group creation, click Cancel.
  

Responsibilities of a group leader
All groups have a group leader. Typically, a group leader is the individual who initially requested that the group be created. Group leaders have the ability to do the following:

1. Create and manage a group homepage
   
2. Create and manage the group guest view page
3. Manage the group message board
4. Manage the group calendar
5. Manage membership
   

Join a Group The Group Guest View screen provides general information about a group and provides a link you can use to join the group.
To subscribe to a group

• Click the Groups icon in the upper right corner of the LionsLink page. *Click the Groups Index link. To find the group that you would like to join use the search feature at the bottom of the Groups Index tab or expand the categories. The system will display the results of your search on the Group Search Results screen. *Click the name of the group you want to join to view the group's guest view page.
  

• Click Join Group on the Guest View screen. You will now see the Join a Group page.
• You must read the membership policy, and click the checkboxes showing you have read and understand the group membership policy. You also must agree to share your username and e-mail address with other group members.
• Click Join to join the group, or click Cancel to exit without joining.
• If you choose to join the group, you will see a message stating you have been made a member of the group. The group will now appear in your My Groups index and you will be able to access its member page.
  

• Click Join Group on the Guest View screen. You see the Join a Group page.
• Read the membership criteria and verify you meet the criteria.
• You must read the membership policy, and click the checkboxes showing you have read and understand the group membership policy. You also must agree to share your username and e-mail address with other group members.
• Enter the reasons you want to join the group in the box.
• Click Join to join the group, or click Cancel to exit without joining.
• You are not automatically a member of a restricted group. Your membership will be submitted to the group leader, the group leader will then accept or deny your membership. If you are denied membership, you will receive an e-mail telling you why your membership was denied.
• If your membership is accepted, the group will appear in your My Groups index and you will be able to access its member page.

Delegate Maintenance

The Edit Member Profile screen lets a group leader or a course leader delegate group or course homepage management tasks to another group or course member. The screen also lets a group leader or course leader deactivate the group member's membership in the group or course.

• To access the Edit Member Profile screen for a group
  • Access the Group Studio application
  • Access the group homepage
  • Select Manage Members from the Configuration Tools menu
  • Click the name of the group or course member whose profile you want to edit
• To access the Edit Member Profile screen for a course
  • Access a channel that contains the My Courses channel information
  • Access the My Courses channel
  • Click the course name for which you want to delegate maintenance responsibilities
  • Select Manage Members from the Configuration Tools menu
  • Click the group or course member whose profile you want to edit

Use the following procedure to delegate maintenance tasks to another group or course member:

• Verify you are viewing the correct Edit Member Profile screen for the group or course member to whom you want to assign maintenance tasks. Refer to Manage Group Members for information on how to select the appropriate member profile.
• Locate the Delegated Permissions section of the screen and specify the appropriate permissions you want to delegate to the group or course member. * The following options are available:
  • • Group Leader. Select Yes from this drop-down box to give the selected member full group leader permissions. Note, this is the only way that you can delegate rights to update member profiles to other group members.
    • Homepage. Check this box to give the selected member the right to edit all aspects of the group's homepage, including the ability to set featured links, articles, and photos, and to edit, post, and delete links, news articles, and photos.
    • Guest Page. Check this box to give the selected member the right to manage content for the group's guest page, including updating the group description, adding group information to the page, and adding or editing links and photos.
    • News Publishing. Check this box to give the selected member the right to manage the group's news articles, including editing existing and submitted articles and posting and deleting articles.
    • Photo Publishing. Check this box to give the selected member the right to manage the group's photo album, including editing existing and submitted photo information, and posting and deleting photos.
    • Link Publishing. Check this box to give the selected member the right to manage the group's homepage links, including editing link information, posting links, and deleting links.
    • File Sharing. Check this box to give the selected member the right to manage file sharing among group or course members.
    • Message Board. Check this box to give the selected member the right to manage the group message board, including the ability to add a message board description and delete topics, messages, and replies.
    • Calendar. Check this box to give the selected member the right to manage the group's calendar.
    • Announcements. Check this box to give the selected member the right to manage announcements sent to group or course members.
• Enter an explanation for why permissions have been granted in the Explanation for Action box.
• To save your changes, click the Update Profile button. To exit without saving, click Cancel.

• Verify you are viewing the correct Edit Member Profile screen for the group or course member you want to deactivate. Refer to Manage Group Members for information on how to select the appropriate member profile.
• Locate the Member Information section of the screen and select Inactive from the Status drop-down box.
• To save your changes, click the Update Profile button. To exit without saving, click Cancel.

Manage membership

The Manage Members screen lets a group leader, course leader, or group or course member with delegated permission manage the status of group or course members. To access the Manage Members screen for a group, access the Group Studio application

• Access the group homepage
• Select Manage Members from the Configuration Tools menu.

• Access the My Courses channel
• Click the course name whose members you want to manage
• Select Manage Members from the Configuration Tools menu.

• Active Members
  • This section lists the group or course members assigned the Active status. Active group or course members can access and use the features available to the group, including chat, calendar, message board, e-mail, and the homepage. The members list provides the following information for each group or course member:
    • The member's name
    • Whether any group or course leader rights have been delegated to the member
    • A link to the member's homepage (if provided by the member)
    • The date of the member's last visit
• To change an active member's status to inactive, click the checkbox next to the member's name and then click Inactivate. You see a prompt asking you to provide an explanation why you are changing the member's status. Enter an explanation that will be e-mailed to the member, and then click OK. The member's name then appears in the Inactive Members list.
• To delete an active member's membership, click the checkbox next to the member's name and then click Delete. You see a prompt asking you to provide an explanation why you are changing the member's status. Enter an explanation that will be e-mailed to the member, and then click OK. The member's name is removed from the Manage Members screen.
• To edit a member's profile, click the member's name. You see the Edit Member Profile screen where you can make changes to the member's profile, including delegating group/course maintenance responsibilities.

• To change an inactive member's status to active, click the checkbox next to the member's name and then click Active. You see a prompt asking you to provide an explanation why you are changing the member's status. Enter an explanation that will be e-mailed to the member, and then click OK. The member's name then appears in the Active Members list.
• To delete an inactive member's membership, click the checkbox next to the member's name and then click Delete. You see a prompt asking you to provide an explanation why you are changing the member's status. Enter an explanation that will be e-mailed to the member, and then click OK. The member's name is removed from the Manage Members screen.