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Title: How do I manage the standard UW class Mailman list I set up?
Question:
I'm the instructor of a UW credit class. I have initiated a Mailman list
for my class by submitting a request on the Instructor Class Lists Web
page. I need to know the details of how this works.
Answer:
You will receive notification via email when your class Mailman list has
been set up. That notice will include the name of the list and the
administrative URL for configuring the list. The name of the list will be
the email address used to post messages. The administrative URL can be
accessed by using your (the list owner's) UW NetID and password.
The list will automatically have all the students in your class/section
subscribed, along with any instructors and TAs listed in the Time
Schedule. The subscriber information will be updated daily from the class
registration data. You may modify the subscribers while still maintaining
the automatic updates. This means that if you manually delete a student's
address even though the student is still enrolled in the class, that
address will remain deleted. Additional addresses (e.g. non-UW addresses)
can also be added to the list. Mailman will "remember" which addresses
have been manually added or deleted, and will adjust the automatic updates
accordingly.
To use your class Mailman list
------------------------------
All that is necessary to distribute messages to your class is to send
email addressed to listname@u.washington.edu (where you replace "listname"
with the name of your class list. The Mailman server will mail a copy of
the message to each subscriber address.
Details of your class Mailman list configuration
------------------------------------------------
Mailman is a powerful system with many options. As owner you can make
changes to how your list operates by accessing the admin pages for the list at
https://mailman.u.washington.edu/mailman/admin/listname
where "listname" is replaced with the name of your class list.
Here is a summary of the default options most people want to know about:
Who may post messages to the list? Only list subscribers.
Are postings moderated? No. Postings will be immediately distributed.
Will the person posting a message get a copy themselves? Yes.
Is the list easily found by outsiders? No. Mailman will not advertise
it.
Could outsiders subscribe to the list if they learn of its existence? Not
without approval. Subscriptions must first be approved by the list owner.
Could a class member unsubscribe from the list? Not without approval. All
unsubscribe requests must be approved by the list owner.
Where are the student email addresses obtained? They come from matching
student records with Uniform Access computer account information.
What if a student has an incorrect or missing email address? A missing
address most likely means that they do not have a UW Uniform Access
computer account, so they should create one. If something is incorrect,
or there are other problems, the student should contact UW Technology.
Can I add, delete, or change subscribed addresses? Yes. You can manage
subscribed addresses by accessing the admin pages for the list. Any
changes you make to subscriptions will not be overwritten by the nightly
updates.
Are postings to the list archived? Yes.
Will the list cease to exist at the end of the quarter? No. It will last
one additional quarter.
Learning more about Mailman
---------------------------
There is a UW Mailman Reference site on the Web at
http://www.washington.edu/computing/mailman/
There are starting points there for both subscribers and list owners. If
you are a list owner and use a Web browser, it would be good to bookmark
http://www.washington.edu/computing/mailman/owners/
as a reference that should answer many questions.
When you run into problems and need assistance, send an email message with
a description of the problem, and examples when possible, to
help@u.washington.edu. We'll get the message routed to the best available
consultant. If something needs immediate attention (between 8am and 5pm
Monday - Friday,) call UW Technology Services at 543-5970.
Date: 08/2004 Author: R. Skiver Thompson