Roosevelt University Mailing List Services

Roosevelt University now offers support for user-managed electronic mailing lists. This page provides a brief introduction to this new service and includes instructions on requesting a list for your own university use. For a quick introduction on using this service see the RU Mailing List User Guide.

To request a list for your department, read through the information below, and then download and complete the list setup request form. If you have any questions please contact userservices@roosevelt.edu.

What is an electronic mailing list?

A mailing list manager provides tools for handling the efficient delivery of email messages to groups of recipients with the same amount of effort required to send a single email message to an individual. To this basic functionality the mail list manager adds a variety of additional management and control features, some of which are described below.

What types of lists are supported by this system?

This system is highly configurable and can be used to support a variety of list types. Here are some examples:

• A system for sending messages to a designated set of recipients (for example, a group of coworkers, committee members, or academic colleagues) using a single email address. As usually configured, all members of the list can post to the list using the same standardized address.
• A discussion list including both members of the Roosevelt community as well as subscribers who are not part of the RU (for example colleagues at other institutions).
• A method for sending out announcements to a designated group of recipients (for example, special event information to a list of media contacts).
• An online newsletter service that lets the user initiate the subscription request.
• A temporary list linking staff working together on a particular project.
• Support for moderation, a feature that allows the list owner to review and approve each posting before sending it on to the list subscribers.
• A communications environment for keeping graduates of an RU program connected with each other and with the university.

What are the advantages of mailing lists?

• A single email address is used to send messages to all list members.
• Lists can be "closed," allowing submissions only from list members.
• The list server includes anti-spam protection to keep the list as free as possible from junk.
• Lists can be configured to allow users to subscribe or unsubscribe themselves, either with or without the approval of the list owner.
• The subscribers to a list and the basic list configurations can be managed by the designated list owner without the assistance of DoIT staff.
• Subscribers can manage their own subscriptions and modify the method and frequency of delivery.
• Lists can be moderated. On moderated lists the approval of a designated list manager is required before the message is sent to the subscribers.
• Lists can be set up to permit posts only from one or more authorized users. This type of list functions as an announcement-only list instead of a discussion list.
• Lists can be archived and users given the ability to search the archive to locate older messages by keyword.
  

Setup procedures, policies, and services supporting the RU mailing lists.

• Each list requires at least one "list owner" who will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the list. List owners should be comfortable with working online but do not need specialized technical skills. Training will be provided by DoIT staff.
• To request a list, contact the DoIT User Services Office by email (userservices@roosevelt.edu), briefly describing the type of list you would like to create. A staff member will be in touch to help configure the list, add subscribers, and provide an orientation to the list owner.
• An introductory User's Guide is available online.
• Lists must be used only for university or related professional purposes.
• Users of all lists must conform to the RU Computer and Network Usage Policy.

[Rev. 25 April 2008]

DoIT