Help Desk

Information Technology

Guide to Mailing Lists @ Reed

Who needs a mailing list?

A mailing list is useful for sending information via email to a group of people. Rather than typing out each address, you can just type in the list address. There are several ways that you can set this up, so choose the method below that best suits your needs.

  • Google Groups (replacement to Mailman) are a feature-rich mailing list application.
  • Course Autolists are easy-to-use course mailing lists.
  • A Distribution List is an email address that sends copies of email it receives to a small, pre-determined list of addresses. Contact CUS to set one up.

Google Groups

Google groups may be suitable for most clubs, groups, or other organizations at Reed. This allows email correspondence to a group address (e.g., @groups.reed.edu), plus the sharing of google docs and invitation to google calendar events.  To create your own Google Group, simply fill out the online request form. You'll receive a confirmation email from CUS when your Google Group is set up. Learn more about Google Groups at Reed.

Administrative Options

Owners of Google Groups can manage various settings. These options include, but are not limited to:

  • Adding or removing other group owners and/or managers
  • Choosing to publically advertise your list (if the list is private, it won't appear on the public google group page for other Reedies)
  • Changing archival options for the list

Using Google Groups

To write to the members of your group, address an email to the group address, and send it out. That's it!

Course Autolists

Designed for faculty use, a Course Autolist is an email list of students, using your specific course title and section as the list address (eg, CHEM101-2s@groups.reed.edu).  List members are retrieved from the registrar automatically upon list creation.  Course Autolists are erased after the semester is over, but can be re-created each semester as necessary.

To request your Course Autolist, fill out the online form . If you run into trouble, email CUS or call x7525 with your request.

Course Autolist Administrative Options

As the moderator of the Course Autolist, you can choose:

  1. To manually manage the course list members, or set the list to auto-update nightly from the registrar.
  2. To set your course list to Announcement mode (only the moderator can email to the list) or Discussion mode (anyone can email to the list).
  3. To make the list Public (anyone can read archives and look up the list in LDAP) or Private (only list members can read the archives, and the list cannot be looked up in LDAP).

You cannot change the name of the list--it is determined by the course title.

Using Your Course Autolist

To write to the members of your list, address an email to the list address, and send it out. That's it!

Feel free to contact us at cus@reed.edu with any questions you may have.