SharePoint Site Owner Guide - Governance, Permissions, and Administrative Guidance

Overview

This guide is intended for individuals who have been designated as SharePoint site owners at RPI. Site owners are responsible for managing their sites, including membership, permissions, content, and compliance with Institute policies.

For general information about using SharePoint, refer to the SharePoint at RPI User Guide.

Site Ownership and Governance Responsibilities

Each SharePoint site must have designated site owners responsible for managing the site.

Site Owners Are Responsible For:

• Managing site membership and access permissions
• Reviewing access periodically to ensure it remains appropriate
• Maintaining the accuracy and relevance of site content
• Coordinating site cleanup or decommissioning when the site is no longer needed

It is strongly recommended that each SharePoint site have at least two site owners to ensure continuity in the event of staffing changes.

DotCIO (Information Technology) supports the SharePoint platform but does not own or manage content within individual sites.

Appropriate Use and Data Considerations

SharePoint is intended for institutional collaboration and documentation. All content stored in SharePoint must comply with existing RPI policies, including but not limited to:

• Data classification and information security requirements
• FERPA and student data protections
• Research data handling and sponsor requirements

Site owners are responsible for ensuring that sensitive or regulated data is stored and shared appropriately based on existing Institute guidance.

External Sharing

Sharing SharePoint content with individuals outside of RPI requires additional consideration. External sharing:

• Must be approved by the site owner
• Should be limited to specific files or folders rather than entire sites
• Must comply with any applicable data handling requirements
• Should be reviewed periodically and revoked when no longer needed

For research collaborations or contracts involving external data sharing, consult with your department and, if necessary, the Office of Research or Legal Affairs.

Permissions and Access Management

SharePoint permissions can be set at the site, library, or folder level. While this flexibility is powerful, it should be used carefully.

Best practices include:

• Using site-level or library-level permissions whenever possible
• Avoiding unnecessary breaks in permission inheritance
• Limiting access to only those who require it for their role
• Avoiding broad sharing or external access unless explicitly approved

Permissions in SharePoint are auditable and subject to review.

Permission Levels

SharePoint provides several standard permission levels:

• Full Control: Complete administrative access (site owners)
• Edit: Can add, edit, and delete files and list items
• Contribute: Can view, add, and update files
• Read: Can view files and pages but cannot make changes

Assign the minimum permission level necessary for each user or group to perform their work.

Platform Limits and Technical Considerations

SharePoint has technical limits that site owners should be aware of:

• Site storage: Default quotas apply; contact IT if additional storage is needed
• File size: Maximum 250 GB per file
• File path length: Keep file names and folder structures concise; total path should not exceed 400 characters
• Version history: SharePoint retains version history by default; this can be configured by site owners
• Sync limitations: Very large libraries or deeply nested folders may not sync reliably with OneDrive Sync

If you encounter storage or performance issues, submit a request through ITSSC for consultation.

Support Scope

Information Technology supports the availability and functionality of the SharePoint platform.

Site owners are responsible for:

• Site organization and structure
• Content management
• Permission maintenance
• Workflow design beyond basic guidance

For advanced use cases or complex workflows, consultation with IT may be required.

Key Resources

SharePoint is most effective when used intentionally as a shared, team-owned workspace. Proper ownership, access management, and alignment with Institute policies ensure that SharePoint remains a secure, reliable, and sustainable collaboration platform for the RPI community.