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EnglishWhat is UChicago Voices?
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UChicago Voices is a free, self-service web platform provided by IT Services for University of Chicago students, faculty, and staff to build blogs and websites. It runs on WordPress and is hosted by Edublogs, so you get a familiar publishing interface without running your own server. It fits portfolios, course blogs, research group sites, and club pages — and it is not a general-purpose replacement for departmental or official University web properties.
Who can use it and what it's for
The platform is open to students, faculty, and staff. Typical uses named by the service include:
- ePortfolios — a personal site to collect and present work
- Course blogs — a shared space for a class
- Research groups — a site for a lab or project team
- Clubs and other groups — a lightweight web presence
If you are an instructor building a site for a course you teach, there is a dedicated path: submit the Class Blog Request form. Those class blogs come with full support from Academic Technology Solutions staff, who help set up the site, enroll students, provide technical support, and offer in-class training. For other academic uses such as an ePortfolio, the guidance is to contact Academic Technology Solutions directly.
What you get
| Feature | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Collaboration | Write alone or publish with multiple authors |
| UChicago Theme | Start from the official template and customize it |
| Mobile ready | Create and edit from a computer, tablet, or phone |
| Voices in the Cloud | Backups and security are handled for you |
| Insight | A dashboard tracks your statistics and visitors |
| Secure | Identity is managed through your CNet ID and password |
| Diversity of content | Upload and embed video, photos, files, podcasts, and more |
| Plugins | Dozens of pre-installed plugins extend what your site can do |
The CNet ID login is the practical detail worth noting: access is tied to your University identity, so you don't create a separate account, and the site's security posture follows that identity.
Deciding whether it's the right fit
Choose UChicago Voices when you want a WordPress site you can stand up yourself, you're affiliated with the University, and your needs are academic or community-oriented — a portfolio, a class, a research group, a club. The self-service model means you control the content and layout, while hosting, backups, and security sit with the platform.
Look elsewhere when you need an official University web presence, a custom application, or infrastructure the platform doesn't cover. The service describes itself as a blogging and website platform, not a general hosting environment, and the feature list is the honest boundary of what it offers.
Getting started
- Confirm your use case. Course blog? Use the Class Blog Request form. ePortfolio or other academic site? Contact Academic Technology Solutions.
- Request a website. The site provides a "Request a Website" entry point for general requests.
- Build with the tools provided. Pick the UChicago Theme, add authors if you're collaborating, and embed media as needed.
- Check your dashboard. Use Insight to see who is visiting and how the site is performing.
The main friction point to expect is the request step — this isn't an instant sign-up, so plan for a short lead time before your site is live, especially if you need student enrollment for a class blog.