diff --git a/modules/articles/client/config/articles.client.config.js b/modules/articles/client/config/articles.client.config.js
index 5ad71e82dd..c44990dc9e 100644
--- a/modules/articles/client/config/articles.client.config.js
+++ b/modules/articles/client/config/articles.client.config.js
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@ angular.module('articles').run(['Menus',
     Menus.addMenuItem('topbar', {
       title: 'Articles',
       state: 'articles',
-      type: 'dropdown'
+      type: 'dropdown',
+      roles: ['*']
     });
 
     // Add the dropdown list item
@@ -19,7 +20,8 @@ angular.module('articles').run(['Menus',
     // Add the dropdown create item
     Menus.addSubMenuItem('topbar', 'articles', {
       title: 'Create Articles',
-      state: 'articles.create'
+      state: 'articles.create',
+      roles: ['user']
     });
   }
 ]);
diff --git a/modules/core/client/services/menus.client.service.js b/modules/core/client/services/menus.client.service.js
index df9b5eafe2..4273fbe927 100644
--- a/modules/core/client/services/menus.client.service.js
+++ b/modules/core/client/services/menus.client.service.js
@@ -4,27 +4,26 @@
 angular.module('core').service('Menus', [
   function () {
     // Define a set of default roles
-    this.defaultRoles = ['*'];
+    this.defaultRoles = ['user', 'admin'];
 
     // Define the menus object
     this.menus = {};
 
     // A private function for rendering decision
     var shouldRender = function (user) {
-      if (user) {
-        if (!!~this.roles.indexOf('*')) {
-          return true;
-        } else {
-          for (var userRoleIndex in user.roles) {
-            for (var roleIndex in this.roles) {
-              if (this.roles[roleIndex] === user.roles[userRoleIndex]) {
-                return true;
-              }
+      if (!!~this.roles.indexOf('*')) {
+        return true;
+      } else {
+        if(!user) {
+          return false;
+        }
+        for (var userRoleIndex in user.roles) {
+          for (var roleIndex in this.roles) {
+            if (this.roles[roleIndex] === user.roles[userRoleIndex]) {
+              return true;
             }
           }
         }
-      } else {
-        return this.isPublic;
       }
 
       return false;
@@ -60,7 +59,6 @@ angular.module('core').service('Menus', [
 
       // Create the new menu
       this.menus[menuId] = {
-        isPublic: ((options.isPublic === null || typeof options.isPublic === 'undefined') ? true : options.isPublic),
         roles: options.roles || this.defaultRoles,
         items: options.items || [],
         shouldRender: shouldRender
@@ -92,8 +90,7 @@ angular.module('core').service('Menus', [
         state: options.state || '',
         type: options.type || 'item',
         class: options.class,
-        isPublic: ((options.isPublic === null || typeof options.isPublic === 'undefined') ? this.menus[menuId].isPublic : options.isPublic),
-        roles: ((options.roles === null || typeof options.roles === 'undefined') ? this.menus[menuId].roles : options.roles),
+        roles: ((options.roles === null || typeof options.roles === 'undefined') ? this.defaultRoles : options.roles),
         position: options.position || 0,
         items: [],
         shouldRender: shouldRender
@@ -124,7 +121,6 @@ angular.module('core').service('Menus', [
           this.menus[menuId].items[itemIndex].items.push({
             title: options.title || '',
             state: options.state || '',
-            isPublic: ((options.isPublic === null || typeof options.isPublic === 'undefined') ? this.menus[menuId].items[itemIndex].isPublic : options.isPublic),
             roles: ((options.roles === null || typeof options.roles === 'undefined') ? this.menus[menuId].items[itemIndex].roles : options.roles),
             position: options.position || 0,
             shouldRender: shouldRender
@@ -172,7 +168,7 @@ angular.module('core').service('Menus', [
 
     //Adding the topbar menu
     this.addMenu('topbar', {
-      isPublic: false
+      roles: ['*']
     });
   }
 ]);
diff --git a/modules/core/tests/client/menus.client.service.tests.js b/modules/core/tests/client/menus.client.service.tests.js
index e693eae448..adb4c76cd6 100644
--- a/modules/core/tests/client/menus.client.service.tests.js
+++ b/modules/core/tests/client/menus.client.service.tests.js
@@ -17,12 +17,8 @@
       expect(Menus.menus.topbar).toBeDefined();
     });
 
-    it('should have private topbar', function() {
-      expect(Menus.menus.topbar.isPublic).toBeFalsy();
-    });
-
-    it('should have default roles to *', function() {
-      expect(Menus.defaultRoles).toEqual(['*']);
+    it('should have default roles to user and admin', function() {
+      expect(Menus.defaultRoles).toEqual(['user', 'admin']);
     });
 
     describe('addMenu', function() {
@@ -45,12 +41,8 @@
           expect(menu.items).toEqual([]);
         });
 
-        it('should be public by default', function() {
-          expect(menu.isPublic).toBeTruthy();
-        });
-
         it('should set shouldRender to shouldRender function handle', function() {
-          expect(menu.shouldRender()).toBeTruthy();
+          expect(menu.shouldRender()).toBeFalsy();
         });
       });
 
@@ -64,17 +56,6 @@
           menu = Menus.addMenu('menu1', options);
         });
 
-        it('should set isPublic to true if options.isPublic equal to null', function() {
-          var menu = Menus.addMenu('menu1', {
-            isPublic: null
-          });
-          expect(menu.isPublic).toBeTruthy();
-        });
-
-        it('should set isPublic to true if options.isPublic equal to undefined', function() {
-          expect(menu.isPublic).toBeTruthy();
-        });
-
         it('should set items to options.items list', function() {
           expect(menu.items).toBe(options.items);
         });
@@ -98,13 +79,6 @@
         it('should render if menu is public', function() {
           expect(menu.shouldRender()).toBeTruthy();
         });
-
-        it('should not render if menu is private', function() {
-          menu = Menus.addMenu('menu1', {
-            isPublic: false
-          });
-          expect(menu.shouldRender()).toBeFalsy();
-        });
       });
 
       describe('when logged in', function() {
@@ -250,10 +224,6 @@
           expect(menuItem.class).toBe(menuItemOptions.class);
         });
 
-        it('should set menu item isPublic to options isPublic', function() {
-          expect(menuItem.isPublic).toBe(menuItemOptions.isPublic);
-        });
-
         it('should set menu item position to options position', function() {
           expect(menuItem.position).toBe(menuItemOptions.position);
         });
@@ -278,12 +248,12 @@
           expect(menuItem.title).toBe('');
         });
 
-        it('should set menu item isPublic to menu.isPublic', function() {
-          expect(menuItem.isPublic).toBe(menu.isPublic);
+        it('should set menu item isPublic to false', function() {
+          expect(menuItem.isPublic).toBeFalsy();
         });
 
-        it('should set menu item roles to menu roles', function() {
-          expect(menuItem.roles).toEqual(menu.roles);
+        it('should set menu item roles to default roles', function() {
+          expect(menuItem.roles).toEqual(Menus.defaultRoles);
         });
 
         it('should set menu item position to 0', function() {
@@ -393,10 +363,6 @@
           expect(menuItem1.items.length).toBe(1);
         });
 
-        it('should set isPublic to options isPublic', function() {
-          expect(subMenuItem.isPublic).toBe(subItemOptions.isPublic);
-        });
-
         it('should set title to options title', function() {
           expect(subMenuItem.title).toBe(subItemOptions.title);
         });
@@ -424,10 +390,6 @@
           expect(menuItem2.items.length).toBe(1);
         });
 
-        it('should set isPublic to parent isPublic', function() {
-          expect(subMenuItem.isPublic).toBe(menuItem2.isPublic);
-        });
-
         it('should set title to blank', function() {
           expect(subMenuItem.title).toBe('');
         });