Page Layout

The default layout for School of Medicine pages is a two-column layout with navigation on the left and page content on the right. This layout is called “2 Column Right” and is designed to:

• keep navigation consistent
• help visitors understand where they are in the site
• make it easy to move between related pages

Page Layout Options

Layout is controlled in the Page Options panel.

The first two options may look identical, but they are not. When you hover over them, you’ll see the first option inherits the layout and the second option is the 1 Column layout.

Inherit Layout – the page inherits the layout of the upper-most parent page or the theme default (“2 Column Right”) if there is no parent.

1 Column – only displays the page content (no left navigation).

2 Column Right – displays navigation on the left and content on the right.

When to Use the 1-Column Layout (No Left Navigation)

Some pages do not need left navigation, such as:

• A single, standalone page
• Pages that will never have child pages

On these pages, you’ll want to switch the layout to 1 Column to remove the white space reserved for the left nav. If you later add child pages, you must switch the layout back to 2-Column.

Important:
Never use the 1-Column layout on pages that have (or will have) child pages. If you remove the left navigation, users lose the ability to navigate the section, which creates usability and accessibility problems.

How to Change a Page to a 1 Column Layout

1. Edit the page.
2. In the Page Options panel, locate the Layout options.
3. Select 1 Column.
4. Save or Update the page.

The white space reserved for the left navigation will disappear, and the content will span the full width.

How to Return to the Default Layout

If you later add child pages, or the page becomes part of a section, switch back:

1. Edit the page.
2. In the Page Options panel, locate the Layout options.
3. Select Inherit Layout.
4. Save the change.

This restores the left navigation and ensures consistent site structure.

Layout Inheritance

Pages inherit their layout from the upper-most parent page (the section landing page).

Avoid changing layouts in the middle of a section as it creates inconsistent page structures and can confuse visitors.

Key Behavior

The top-level parent page controls the layout for its entire section.

• Child and grandchild pages automatically inherit that layout.
• If you manually change the layout on a child page, its own children do NOT inherit that change. They continue to follow the layout of the upper-most parent page.

For example:

• Parent Page (Controls layout)
  • Child Page (inherits from Parent)
    • Grandchild Page (inherits from Parent — NOT Child)
  • Another Child Page (inherits from Parent)