Q: What is a Listserv?
A: listserv is a flexible email address that allows the owner to add and delete members at will. Email sent to a list mail address is in effect sent to all of the list mail members though the owner can control the emails that are sent to that list including setting up spam filters.
Q: Do I need to be on the VPN to access the lists?
A: Yes, when you are not on the wired network
Q: Where can I see a list of existing lists?
A: You will need to log in with your user name and password in order to see the list of lists. It resides in the Email List Application. There are approximately 750 lists, many to which you can send a request to join.
Q: How can I find out who the list administrator is for a list?
A: Send an email to helpdesk@ChicagoBooth.edu or call 773-702-7414 and they will help you get that information.
Q: How can I request that a listserv be created?
A: Mailing lists are available to any Booth organization for non commercial use. To request creation of a list, please submit a request via our Client Portal here. We'll need to know:
The name and email of the person who will administer the list
The proposed name of the list
The purpose of the list
Approval from the appropriate student program office (If necessary)
Q: Where do I go to manage the Listserv for which I am responsible?
A: When the list is created, the administrator will receive an email containing the administrative password for the list and a URL from which the list can be managed. It's the administrator's job to configure the list and manage its membership.
The URL is http://lists.chicagobooth.edu/mailman/admin/LISTNAME - replace LISTNAME with the actual list name.
You can subscribe and unsubscribe through the web.
You can choose to receive individual messages or daily digests.
Monthly message archives are available on the web.
Administrators have a wide range of options to customize their list.
Q: Who deletes old lists and how can I get rid of an old list?
A: You can request that a listserv be deleted by sending an email to the Help Desk. If the list has multiple owners, please provide approval from all owners in one email.
Q: Are there different types of listservs at Booth?
A: Here at Booth there are two basic types of listservs: ones that are automatically generated and ones that are created for a particular group at the group's request.
Generated lists include the staff, faculty, class lists, Evening MBA, and Weekend MBA students etc. The membership of these lists is database driven and is supported by Information Technology staff.
Lists that are created by request are those for the student organizations, the Golf Club, etc. The membership of these lists is controlled by the list owners.
Q: What is happening to my list? Everybody is sending mail to the list and nothing is getting to its members?
A: The list is probably a moderated list. You will need to log in and go to “tend to pending administrative requests” to review email sent to the list.
Q: How do I add a list moderator to help with reviewing email sent to my listserv?
A: The ability to specify List Moderators is new. List moderators have more limited permissions than the administrator; their role is to help tend to pending administration requests, including approving or rejecting held subscription requests, and disposing of held postings. They are added through General Options by typing the moderator's email address in the field as shown below. Moderators should be assigned to use a different password than the administrator.
Q: How do I set a moderator password?
A: Follow the below instructions:
- Go to the Passwords section
- Enter a password into the Enter new moderator password and Confirm moderator password boxes
- Click Submit Your Changes
Q: How do I add list members?
A: Click on Membership Management.Click on Mass Subscription.
Set the email options under mass subscriptions.
Click in the text field, type (or copy paste) email address of users who should be members; member emails should be one per line in the text field. Alternatively, a file may be uploaded
Login to the Mailman list serve administration using the url provided by the HelpDesk containing this information.
The file uploaded should be plain text with one email address per line.
If you need additional text on your email, enter it in the second field leaving one blank line at the top.
Click on the Submit Your Changes button.
Q: How do I remove list members?
A: Login to the Mailman list serve administration using the url provided by the HelpDesk.
Click on Membership Management.
If you only have one member to remove, locate the member in the list, check the ‘unsub' box, and click Submit Your Changes, otherwise, continue below
Click on Mass Removal.
Q: I'm a list administrator and I lost my password; what do I do?
A: Contact the Help Desk at 773-702-7414 or email the Help Desk.
If there are multiple list owners, please contact all owners prior to requesting the password reset, as they are affected as well.
Q: When a message is flagged as spam, where is it going to go?
A: When a message is marked as spam it will be sent to the moderation queue and held for approval. The subject line of the message will be re-written “*** SPAM ***”. The moderator has the option of discarding, rejecting, or accepting them. Only accepted email goes on to the distribution list.
Q: Can I automatically reject all flagged spam messages?
A: While it is possible to do this, it is not advised due to the fact that there is no way to guarantee absolute accuracy in any spam system. The possibility of false positives always exists.
Q: How do I allow a person to send an email to a list without requiring moderator approval?
A: Follow the below instructions:
- If said person is subscribed to the list (these users get emails that are sent to the list), you can go to membership management and make sure the 'mod' checkbox is unchecked so their emails go through without approval
- If said person is not subscribed (these users do not get emails that are sent to the list), nor are going to be subscribed, follow the below to allow this individual to send to the list without approval.
- Go to Privacy options...
- Click on Sender filters
- In the Non-member filters section, in the first box labeled List of non-member addresses whose postings should be automatically accepted., enter the email address(es) that do not need moderator approval
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Submit Your Changes
Note: The sender must send the email from the address listed as either a subscriber or a non-member! Emails that do not match will be held for moderation by default.
Q: Summary of features in Mailman
A: Web based list administration for nearly all tasks, including list configuration, moderation (post approvals), and management of user accounts.
Web based subscribing and unsubscribing, and user configuration management. Users can temporarily disable their accounts and select digest modes (not enabled on Chicago Booth lists, hide their email addresses from other members, etc.)
A customizable home page for each mailing list.
Per-list privacy features, such as closed subscriptions, private membership rosters and sender-based posting rules.
Configurable (per-list and per-user) delivery mode: Regular (immediate) delivery MIME digest Plain (RFC 1153) digests integrated bounce detection within an extensible framework. Automatic disposition of bouncing addresses (disable, unsubscribe). Digests are not enabled on Chicago Booth List Servers.
Integrated spam filters.
Built-in web-based archiving, with hooks for external archivers such as MHonArc.
Integrated Usenet gatewaying.
Integrated auto-replies.
Majordomo-style email based commands.
Multiple list owners and moderators are possible.
Support for virtual domains.
Runs on GNU/Linux and most Unix-like systems. Compatible with most web servers, browsers, and SMTP servers. Requires Python 2.1.3 or newer.
An extensible mail delivery pipeline.
High-performance mail delivery, with a scalable architecture.
Q: How can emails be blocked?
A: Email addresses that need to be blocked by Administrators by following the below:
- Login to your list administration interface (reminder that being connected to the Booth VPN is required when off-campus or on wireless)
- Click on Privacy Options
- Click on Sender Filters
- Choose the option that best accomplishes your goal:
- Add email to the box labeled List of non-member addresses whose postings will be automatically rejected
- Add email to the box labeled List of non-member addresses whose postings will be automatically discarded (Recommended)