# Working with Roles and Adding Users

Before adding a user, you should have a solid understanding of user roles. Assigning the wrong role to a user can put the entire site in jeopardy. For example, a user with an **Editor** or **Administrator** role could potentially delete all of a site's content in less than five minutes.

## Working with Roles

Always give a user the lowest level role they need. If you're unsure about what role a user should have, stick with **Contributor**. You can always give them a higher level role later.

New writers should be assigned the **Contributor** role. Do not assign an **Author** or **Editor** role to a user until they've proven themselves trustworthy in lower level roles. **Important**: The **Administrator** role should be given to as few users as possible.

| Role          | Rights                                                                                                                                                                      | Who should get this role                                                                                                                                      |
| ------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Subscriber    | This is option is obsolete. It should not be used.                                                                                                                          | This is option is obsolete. It should not be used.                                                                                                            |
| Contributor   | Can create posts, but can't make them public. Editor role can make a Contributor's posts public.                                                                            | New writers hoping to attain an Author role.                                                                                                                  |
| Author        | Can create and publish their own posts.                                                                                                                                     | Writers who have written three posts as a Contributor.                                                                                                        |
| Editor        | Can create and publish posts. Can edit posts written by other users. Can approve posts written by Contributors.                                                             | Editor role is given to actual UWM Post editors.                                                                                                              |
| Administrator | Can create, edit, publish posts written by anyone with access to site. Can create and delete users and change user passwords. Can add and delete plugins and change themes. | Administrator role should only be given to students who have leadership roles in the UWM Post Student Org. This role should be assigned with extreme caution. |

## Adding a User

1. In the Dashboard, go to **Users** and select **Add New**.
2. On the Add New User page, fill in the fields with with new user's appropriate information. Note: Use the student's UWM email address for both the username and email address.
3. Make sure the Send User Notification checkbox is selected.
4. Assign an appropriate user role (see above.)
5. When finished, click **Add New User**. 
6. Instruct the user to perform a [password reset](https://jjloomis.gitbook.io/wordpress-adding-content-to-uwm-post/accessing-uwm-post/resetting-your-password) (to create their own password.) **Note**: Users will need to use a strong password.