Commons accounts are simple web hosting accounts with a 10 MB storage limit. Accounts can either be just hosting storage, or come with WordPress pre-installed.
A Commons Account Can:
- host HTML, CSS, JavaScript, image, sound, and video files
- allow users to upload files
- provide a simple URL for your site
A Commons Account Can’t:
- provide FrontPage Extensions
- provide server side scripting (ASP or Visual Basic)
- provide database hosting (MS Access, SQL Server or Excel)
- host your Perl scripts
- be used to send e-mail marketing
If you think your organization may benefit from access to PHP and MySQL, we can discuss the possibility of implementing them on your account.
Who is eligible for an account?
Commons accounts are available to BCIT staff, students and organizations which offer non-commercial services and non-administrative functions. Students who wish to have a Commons account must have staff or faculty sponsorship.
Some of the types of sites hosted on the Commons site include:
- academic and instructional support
- research projects
- partnerships
- organizations, associations, and clubs
Examples of non-qualified Commons content include course information, rentals, and sale of materials.
Get an account
All BCIT Commons accounts are subject to BCIT’s Responsible Use of Information Technology Policy [pdf] as well as all other BCIT institute policies. Please review these carefully and ensure that you fully understand them before requesting a BCIT Commons account.
Your Commons account comes with an expectation that you will mange your site contents responsibly. This means keeping your site content up-to-date and fixing any broken links when they come to your attention. In addition, you are required to inform IT Services of any changes in ownership of the site, or if it is no longer needed. Failure to adhere to these requirements may result in your site and its content being deleted without notice.
If you are a BCIT student requesting an account on behalf of a student organization or club, you will need to have a BCIT staff or faculty member sponsor your request. Please include the name of your sponsor in your request.
If you are interested in creating a Commons site and think you qualify please e-mail your request to helpdesk@bcit.ca and include “BCIT Commons” in the subject line.
Style guidelines
The www.bcit.ca design may not be copied. So that users can quickly distinguish Commons sites from recruitment materials authorized by Marketing and Communications or sites maintained by IT Services, Commons site owners may not attempt to copy the bcit.ca design.
The BCIT Planetarium and The Centre for the Advancement of Green Roof Technology are good examples of sites that are clearly BCIT related, but are also unique. Like bcit.ca, the Green Roof design is copyrighted, however, you are free to style your site like the Planetarium.
If you are looking for a solution that will make it easy for you to post content and comes with a pre-approved BCIT design, opting for a WordPress Commons account may be an ideal solution for you.