Responsibilities
Responsibilities for mailing lists are shared by three parties: the mailing list manager, the sponsor, and Information Technology (IT).
The mailing list manager is responsible for:
- Managing the mailing list. This includes learning to use the Mailing List Manager (MLM) web interface to review the list and deal with any problems with subscriptions.
- Responding to questions about the list's use, its content and routine functions such as subscribing and unsubscribing.
- Monitoring the list for appropriate use. Any discussion that is not within the scope of the list's declared purpose should be referred to another list. Abuse of others on the list by one or more members should not be tolerated.
- Monitoring the list for correctness of e-mail addresses. Mailing list managers will receive error messages for broken or incorrect e-mail addresses. They should unsubscribe any addresses that can not be fixed expeditiously. Broken or incorrect e-mail addresses cause wasted time for others and wasted resources on the network.
- Sending periodic reminders to subscribers. These reminders, which should be issued at least semi-annually, should include a statement of purpose for the list and information on how to unsubscribe from the list. This requirement is waived for lists that contain less than 100 subscribers.
- Providing for continuance or disbandment of the list before relinquishing the list manager role. The MLM web page contains information about how to perform these functions. Outgoing list managers are expected to train incoming list managers and work with them to effect a smooth transition. Before disbanding an active list, list managers should provide appropriate notice to subscribers.
- Confirming that the mailing list is being used for its declared purpose by responding to periodic e-mail requests issued by IT. If a list manager fails to respond to such a request within a reasonable amount of time, IT may assume that the list is no longer being used for its declared purpose.
List Sponsors are responsible for:
- Authorizing creation of new mailing lists. Class instructors may authorize creation of mailing lists to be used by classes offered for credit toward a University of Denver degree. Any other mailing list must be authorized by a person with signature authority for a University of Denver budget.
- Periodically reviewing the appropriateness of mailing lists that they sponsor and informing IT of any lists they no longer wish to sponsor. This may be done by responding to annual notifications issued by IT or by sending a signed request to the Director of Computer Operations at IT.
- Assuring that a responsible list manager is assigned to each list they sponsor.
Information Technology is responsible for:
- Maintaining mailing list software and the MLM web page.
- Providing documentation and training materials for mailing list managers.
- Assisting mailing list managers in dealing with special problems such as security and mail bombing.
- Setting up new mailing lists.
- Annually notifying sponsors of lists that they sponsor and offering them an opportunity relinquish their sponsorship.
- Periodically (but no more than once each calendar quarter) issuing e-mail requests asking mailing list managers to confirm that each mailing list they manage is being used for its declared purpose.
- Removing any list that is no longer being used for its declared purpose.
- Removing any list that is no longer sponsored.
- Removing or limiting any list that is managed inappropriately.
Fees
No fees are currently charged for maintenance of mailing lists created by through this policy.