COE Information Technology provisions 3 types of mailing lists for its community based on their needs and in accordance with the policies outlined below. If you would like to request a list, please review the provided information, and then submit the form below.
MailMan is a full-featured mailing list with a web interface that provides for administration, moderation, and public or private HTML archives. Members can be added manually or self-subscribed, with the list owner responsible for maintenance. It's recommended for general discussions, but if intended for a class or department-wide use, consider automatic list types.
OSU prefers Exchange Distribution Lists (DLs) over MailMan where possible. They integrate well with Exchange, requiring all members to have OSU accounts. Exchange DLs allow emails from non-members and offer moderation options. They are simpler to manage than MailMan.
Automatic MailMan lists are created within the TEACH website, and membership is updated periodically based on Banner data. Additional members can be added either during creation or by emailing support.
Note that we no longer offer Auto Alias lists (automatically maintained standard mailing lists) due to spam abuse.
Feature | Exchange Distribution List | Mailman |
---|---|---|
Members | OSU only | OSU and non-OSU |
Self manage membership list | Yes | Yes |
Allow members to add themselves | Yes | Yes |
Mass subscription | No, added individually | Yes |
Can moderate messages | Yes | Yes |
Web archiving | No |
Yes |
Complexity | simpler, easier to manage | harder, more complicated |
Exchange integration and compatibility with campus email | Great | Could be problematic at times |
High traffic list | Not recommended | OK |
Engineering will support mailing lists that meet the following guidelines: