UTRGV Messenger: Guidelines & Tips for Creating Bulletins

UTRGV Messenger logo

UTRGV Messenger is an internal communications platform used to share university-related news, information, and events with active UTRGV students, faculty, and staff. It serves as an alternative to email for campus-wide communications. Although UTRGV Messenger bulletin submissions are limited to authorized UTRGV employees (including student employees), approved bulletins are publicly viewable from any mobile or desktop browser.

If you are authorized to post content, use the guidelines and best practices below when creating bulletins on behalf of your team, college, or department.

 

Access and Authorization

  • Anyone can view approved bulletins on the UTRGV Messenger website.
  • Only authorized UTRGV employees may sign in and submit bulletins for approval.

 

Posting Guidelines

All submitted bulletins must be reviewed and approved by your designated Approver Group (for example, your department, division, or college) before they can appear on the Messenger website or in the daily email.

 

Content You Should Not Post

Do not submit bulletins that include:

  • Personal messages or announcements
  • Non-university-related content
  • Lost-and-found notices
  • Political views or commentary
  • Requests to sell products or solicit bids for personal or external profit

 

Content You Should Post

When creating a bulletin:

  • Put thought and effort into the content
  • Share information relevant to the UTRGV community
  • Select the most appropriate category
  • Use text and images appropriately
  • Review content for accuracy and policy compliance
  • Check spelling and grammar before submitting

Note: All university departments and personnel are responsible for the accuracy, accessibility, and compliance of their submitted content.

 

Deadlines and Publishing Timeline

UTRGV Messenger content is user-generated. To support thoughtful and well-planned communication, bulletins must be submitted at least two days before the desired publish date.

Example:

  • A bulletin submitted on Monday may be published as early as Wednesday.
  • A bulletin submitted on Friday may appear as early as the following Monday.

 

Next-Day Publishing (Policies and Procedures Only)
  • Only bulletins categorized under Policies and Procedures are eligible for next-day publishing.
  • These bulletins must contain high-level or urgent information relevant to the category.
  • Content that does not meet this criteria will be disabled, and repeated misuse may result in loss of posting privileges.

Best Practice: Submit bulletins before 4:00 PM, at least two days prior to publishing, to allow approvers sufficient review time.

 

Subjects and Summaries

  • Subject line: Maximum of 80 characters
  • Summary: Maximum of 100 characters

 

Unique Subject Line Requirement
  • Bulletins appearing in the daily email must have unique subject lines.
  • You cannot use the same subject line on consecutive publishing days.

You may duplicate a bulletin, update the subject line, and resubmit it for the following day.

 

Images and Graphics

Images can enhance a bulletin by providing visual context. Images should support the text, not replace it.

 

Accessibility Guidance
  • Images must include meaningful alternative text so screen readers can convey information to users who are visually impaired.
  • Avoid placing important information only within an image.

 

Thumbnail Requirements
  • Every bulletin must include a thumbnail image.
  • You may choose a provided generic thumbnail or upload your own.
  • Required thumbnail size: 165 pixels high by 200 pixels wide.

File manager showing the folder named Thumbnails selected.

Note: Each daily email displays a randomized selection of three new bulletins with thumbnails per category. All bulletins may display thumbnails on the Messenger website, where content is re-randomized with each page refresh.

 

Categories

Each bulletin must be assigned one category to help users find relevant information more easily.

Available categories include:

  • Events: University-related events such as performances, athletics, or exhibitions
  • Around Campus: Research opportunities, surveys, volunteering, and participation opportunities
  • Policies and Procedures: New or updated university policies, processes, or procedures
  • Training and Workshops: Trainings, workshops, and conferences
  • Safety and Health: Health updates, safety initiatives, and medical information
  • Newsletters: Department, college, or division newsletters

 

Tips and How-To Instructions

Copy an Approved Bulletin You Created
  1. Sign in to UTRGV Messenger.
  2. Select My Bulletins.
  3. Locate the bulletin you want to copy.
  4. Select Copy.
  5. Update the bulletin details as needed, such as title, summary, dates, and location.
  6. Select a category, approver group, start date, end date, and audience.
  7. Select Submit.

 

Copy an Approved Bulletin Created by Another User
  1. Go to the UTRGV Messenger sign-in page.
  2. Select My Bulletins.
  3. Use the Archives Calendar to locate the approved bulletin.
  4. Open the bulletin and note the bulletin number at the end of the page URL.
  5. Sign in to UTRGV Messenger.
  6. Select My Bulletins.
  7. Select Copy on any approved or in-review bulletin.
  8. In the browser address bar, replace the existing bulletin number with the number noted earlier.
  9. Update the bulletin content as needed.
  10. Select the appropriate category, approver group, dates, and audience.
  11. Select Submit.

 

Creating and Formatting Tables

Add a Table
  1. Sign in to UTRGV Messenger.
  2. Select Create a Bulletin.
  3. From the Content menu, select Table.
  4. Insert the desired number of rows and columns.
  5. Resize the table using the bottom-right corner handle.

 

Change Table Border Size
  1. Select the table.
  2. Open Table from the Content menu.
  3. Select Table Properties.
  4. On the General tab, enter a numeric value in the Border field.
 
Change Table Border or Background Color
  1. Select the table.
  2. Open Table from the Content menu.
  3. Select Table Properties.

On the Advanced tab, enter a hex color value beginning with a number sign (#).

 

Adding Images to a Bulletin

  1. Select Launch File Manager.
  2. Choose Add New File, then select Choose File.
  3. Upload a PNG or JPG image.
  4. Double-click the image to add it to your bulletin.
  5. Adjust image size and placement as needed.

Ensure all images include appropriate alternative text.

 

Approving Bulletins (Approver Role Only)

  1. From the top menu, select Manage Bulletins.
  2. Choose a bulletin pending review.
  3. Select Review.
  4. Check the bulletin preview for accuracy, accessibility, and compliance.
  5. Choose one of the following actions:
    • Edit: Make changes directly or return the bulletin to the creator
    • Approve: Publish the bulletin as submitted
    • Reject: Reject the bulletin and provide a reason
    • Go Back: Return to the Manage Bulletins list

 

Additional Questions or Support

For any additional questions or support related to UTRGV Messenger, email pr@utrgv.edu.

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