Using a Mailing List
Browse lists at Texas A&M University-Commerce
All public lists are listed on the web at http://mailman.tamuc.edu/mailman/listinfo/
Once at the list of lists, you may select and learn about any mailing list at A&M-Commerce via the web interface. If allowed by the list owner, you may use the web interface to:
• Subscribe to the list (receive mailing to the list)
• Unsubscribe from the list
• Post to the list
• View sent messages in the list archive
• Change subscription options
• Stop getting mail while on vacation
• Restore list mail when back from vacation
Passwords
To access mailing list option and archives you need a list user password. By default, you have a separate password for each list to which you subscribe. If you forget you password, you can request a password reminder at https://mailman.tamuc.edu/mailman/options/XXXXXX, where XXXXX is the list name.
You can set all your list members passwords to be the same. On the subscriptions options page, check Change Globally.
Composing Messages
Messages to be distributed to the members in these lists should be addressed to the email address of the list. xxxxxxx@tamuc.edu
Managing a Mailing List
Considerations for list configuration
Prefix for subject line of list postings: Default is [Listname]. Removing a prefix may be useful if you are using the list as a marketing tool and what to disguise the fact that a list is being used.
Explicit Reply-To: By default, the poster is the reply-to address, but the reply-to address can be set to the list or an explicit address that is not even a member of the list.
Monthly password reminders: If the list is used for marketing or the membership is managed externally, you may want to set this to No
Send welcome message to newly subscribed members: If the list is used for marketing or the membership is managed externally, you may want to set this to No
Send goodbye message to members when they are unsubscribed? If the list is used for marketing or the membership is managed externally, you may want to set this to No
Emergency moderation of all list traffic: If the list is used for marketing or the membership is managed externally, you may want to set this to Yes if not using the moderation bit.
Set everyone's moderation bit, including those members not currently visible: If the list is used for marketing or the membership is managed externally, you may want to set this to On
Is archive file source for public or private archival? If the list content is sensitive or private, consider setting to private
Membership Management
Managing the membership requires the administrator password for the list. To access the administrator’s control panel, open your browser to http://mailman.tamuc.edu/mailman/admin/<listname>
• Once at the list administration page, you will be required to login using your list administrator password.
Adding New Members to a List
To subscribe new members, go to the "General Options" page for your list and find the "Configuration Categories" section:
1. Click the "Membership Management" link
2. Click the "Mass Subscription" link
3. Add new members by entering their addresses, one per line, in the text window. You can use a bare-address form, such as Jane.Doe@tamuc.edu, or either of three more complete forms that will also populate the list member's "Name" field automatically:
- "Jane Doe" <Jane.Doe@tamuc.edu>
- (Jane Doe) Jane.Doe@tamuc.edu
- Jane.Doe@tamuc.edu (Jane Doe)
4. Alternately, you can upload a text file of addresses:
A. Click on the "Browse" button below the text-entry window
B. Specify your source file
C. Click "OK"
5. The Subscription tool does not verify email addresses, so review your new entries carefully before proceeding
6. Finally, click on "Submit Your Changes"
Removing members from a list To unsubscribe list members:
1. Go to the "General Options" page for your list and find the "Configuration Categories" section
2. Click the "Membership Management" link
3. Either: Scroll down to the "Membership List" section and click the "unsub" box for the relevant members
4. Or, if you prefer the "Mass Removal" tool instead, click on its link:
- Enter one or more email addresses in the text window
- Alternately, you can upload a text file of addresses: Click on the "Browse" button below the text-entry window. Find the file, and then click "OK."
5. Click on "Submit Your Changes"
About Moderated Lists and Moderators
Most lists at A&M-Commerce are moderated. Generally, the administrator serves as the moderator and approves posts. If a list has moderators, list moderators work with the list administrator to maintain the list; they primarily moderate postings to the list but cannot change list settings, add moderators, or subscribe list recipients.
When a message is sent to a moderated list address, the message is held by the list. An email is then sent to all list moderators and administrators notifying them of the held message. The message will not be sent to list subscribers until approved by a list moderator or administrator.
How to Moderate a Message Sent to a Moderated List
Moderators and administrators receive a email notice from the list with the subject line like “listname post from Jane.Doe@tamuc.edu requires approval.” This email notice includes a link to the list’s message moderation page. Click on the link in the email for the list moderation page. If you don’t get an email notice, use the following URL adding the name of the list at the end: http://mailman.tamuc.edu/mailman/admindb/<listname>.
• Once at the list moderation page, you will be required to login using your list moderator password.
• Once authenticated, moderators will be able to view all message that are being held for moderation.
• Action options are located in the left column of each sender table. Select an action button next to the message you wish to moderate. If there is more than one message from the same sender, select the message you wish to moderate within the sender table by selecting the message number.
• Defer — the list holds the message indefinitely. This is the default message action.
• Accept — sends the message to all list subscribers.
• Reject — Discards message. Sends a notice to the message sender indicating that the message will not be sent to the list subscribers.
• Discard — discards the message without notifying the sender.
• To perform the selected action, click on the “submit all data” button.
Forgot Your List Moderator Password?
List moderator passwords are set by the list administrator. These passwords cannot be synchronized with other list passwords or changed by the list moderator. If you forgot your moderator password, please contact helpdesk@tamuc.edu or your list administrator. To identify your list administrator, find your mailing list on the list information page at http://mailman.tamuc.edu/mailman/listinfo/. The list administrator’s email address appears at the bottom of the list info page and looks like “listname is run by Jane.Doe@tamuc.edu.”
Forgot Your List Administrator Password?
If you forgot your administrator password, please contact helpdesk@tamuc.edu