Listservs

Southern Miss “listservs” are among the most useful email power tools. Anyone can utilize a list serve in conjunction with a web site to “push” a message to a target audience. List serves have many different uses:

• Inter-departmental communications
• Intra-departmental communications
• Mailing addresses for departments
• Student organization discussions
• Conference discussions and planning
• Research projects
• Community service announcements
• Special projects
• Class discussions
• Special interest discussions

Who can request a listserv?
Any full-time faculty or staff member at Southern Miss may request a listserv. If anyone requests a listserv for a student organization, please contact the faculty/staff advisor.

How do I request a listserv?
To request a listserv, go to the listserv request form, fill out the information and then click the submit button. It normally takes 2-3 days for a request to be filled. Please be sure to read the Listserv Policy for appropriate usage.

The owner will be contacted by e-mail indicating the listservs creation or by phone or email to clarify any questions about the request. Once the listserv is created, the owner must call the Help Desk at 266-4357 to receive the password for the completed listserv.

How would I renew a listserv?
Once the listserv is created, it is subject to annual renewals. All listservs at Southern Miss are subject to renewal. Those listservs not renewed by the end of September each year will be subject to removal and deletion. Click here to renew a listserv.

How would I manage a listserv as an administrator?
Please review the Manager's Quick Reference Guide.

Can I archive my listserv list?
Listserv archives are not allowed on the Mailman software. Listservs that are found to be using archives will have the archives disabled.

How do I find out who owns a listserv?
Each listserv was configured with an owner when it was created. Just access the information page for that listserv from https://mailman.usm.edu/mailman/listinfo/.

Subscribing/Unsubscribing to/from a listserv

To subscribe or unsubscribe to a listserv that allows open subscriptions, simply point a web browser to https://mailman.usm.edu/mailman/listinfo/

To access the information page for the listserv to subscribe, simply select it from the list on the mailman.usm.edu Mailing Lists page. Thus, to subscribe to USMTALK, click on usmtalk from the alphabetical listing.

From that point, merely follow the directions on the page. Some listservs may require administrative approval before subscribing. Nearly all listservs will require confirmation of the email address furnished when requesting a subscription; merely reply to the confirmation email sent.

Sending mail to a listserv

Each listserv has a name, for example, the USM community listserv is called USMtalk. To send mail to this listserv, just address that e-mail to usmtalk@usm.edu. Once the message is sent, all the members of the listserv will receive the message.

Owning a listserv?
Each listserv was configured with an owner when it was created. However, it may require some maintenance, such as approving subscriptions and unsubscriptions.

Depending on the configuration of the listserv, the owner may have to approve messages sent to the listserv for any number of reasons. A message that requires approval will be held by the server, and the owner will be sent a message letting indicating a visit the supplied URL to check on whatever is being held. Simple checkboxes make approving email and subscriptions simple.

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