A mailing list uses a single email address to send the same message to a group of people. The mailing list contains the email addresses of all subscribed members. UCT uses Microsoft 365 Groups, which can be accessed via Outlook, to perform administrative functions, such as subscribing and unsubscribing members from a mailing list. Once a mailing list has been created, the list owner can set most of the mailing list options, like membership, content and moderation, directly in Outlook. All mailing lists that you're subscribed to can be viewed under Groups in Outlook. 
Ensure that you have read the UCT policy on email and other communication to members of the university.

Three types of mailing lists available

Owner-managed mailing lists

Owner-managed mailing lists can be created by any permanent UCT staff member using Microsoft 365 Groups. These mailing lists are maintained and populated by the owner/creator of the mailing list. 

Auto-populated mailing lists

Auto-populated lists are mailing lists where most of the administration, in particular membership subscriptions, has been automated.

Auto-populated mailing lists can be divided into:

Official UCT lists
These lists are official UCT lists generated using data from various sources like PeopleSoft, SAP/HR and third party databases. Only certain nominated users, can send mail to these official lists. Each Dean or Executive Director can nominate someone to post to these lists. A call then needs to be logged with the IT Helpdesk to allocate that person the necessary posting rights to the relevant list.  The Dean or Executive Director takes responsibility for all messages posted to the list by the nominee.

 

Official lists:

These are some of the official lists used at UCT.

List name List description
all-staff All active staff as defined in SAP. Does not include 3rd parties.
all-students All active students as defined in the PeopleSoft student management system.
academics-l All active staff classified in SAP as academics.
allpass-l All active staff classified in SAP as PASS across all payclasses.

 

Class lists
Class lists are used to mail all students of a specific course. The lists are generated from sources like PeopleSoft and are updated during an automated process that runs every night. Default members of these lists are students who have registered for a specific class. Tutors and lecturers who wish to subscribe to class lists for which they are not registered, can log a call with the IT Helpdesk and ask to be subscribed either as a reader and sender to the list; or just as a sender to the list. You will receive an email confirming your subscription to the list.

Only subscribers can post to the list.


Group lists
Group lists are used to mail specific groups of staff members. These lists are manually generated and updated during an automated process that runs every night.

Log a call with the IT Helpdesk to create a group list and provide the following:

  • New Group: Group Name, Group Description and Member Names
  • Existing Group: Group Name and Group Description

ICTS will create the mailing list group with the required members and will run a utility to define this group so that it can be viewed on the website. Each evening a script runs which updates the mailing list membership depending on the current membership in the Novell group. On average, it takes 24 hours - from the time of creation or update - for a new mailing list to be populated and available for use.

Designated individuals in each department are responsible for administering these lists by updating the Novell group memberships. 

Once-off lists

A once-off use mailing list can be used where no other mailing list already exists for your specific purpose. A list can only be created if the required data actually exists on a UCT system, e.g. SAP.

You can request a once-off mailing list by logging a call with the IT Helpdesk. Please give as much information as possible about your requirements. This is necessary to assist ICTS in acquiring accurate information. A minimum of three working days must be allowed for the creation of the list.

Once the list is created ICTS will either provide you with a list of email addresses or a mailing list. In the case of a mailing list, you must inform ICTS as soon as the list is no longer required. ICTS will then remove the list from the system.