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About LISTSERV at WSU

What is it?
Who can use it?
Latest LISTSERV features
How do I get started?
Is there a cost?
Where can I get help?
Related topics

WSU LISTSERV

What is it?

LISTSERV® is E-mail List Management software designed to facilitate e-mail communication among a group of people who share a common interest. Messages sent to a list's address are distributed to all the list's members.

LISTSERV supports the creation, management, and control of e-mail discussion groups, communities, newsletters, and announcement lists for the university community.

Groups (known as "mailing lists," "discussion lists," or simply "lists") can be virtually any size and can include members from around the world.

There are hundreds of LISTSERV lists at Wayne State, and thousands more worldwide. Each list has its own unique e-mail address. WSU operates LISTSERV on the LISTS.WAYNE.EDU host. The e-mail address for WSU lists are in the form of list_name@lists.wayne.edu.

The list creator sets the list to be either public (open for anyone to join) or private (open only to specific group members). The owner also decides who can send a message to the list — all members or only designated persons.

Who can use it?

Any WSU person can join a public list. See the WSU public lists hosted at LISTS.WAYNE.EDU.
Only authorized persons can join private lists.
WSU faculty and staff can establish a list provided that the list is related to academic or administrative activities.
Student organizations can also maintain a list if they have a faculty/staff sponsor included as a list owner.

Latest LISTSERV features

Enhanced Web interface – completely redesigned in version 15.0 for improved usability and navigation.
Watch Flash demo: http://www.lsoft.com/products/listserv_flash_demo.asp
List archives – fully displays HTML and multipart messages and allows easy access to attachments.
RSS Support - list subscribers have the ability to view messages in an RSS Reader.
List Owner dashboard – provides list owners with at-a-glance summary information about their lists, customizable reporting options, and tools to accomplish many common tasks.
User-friendly configuration wizard – guides list owners through editing the list header.
Expanded configuration settings – new list header keywords give owners more list management options.

How do I get started?

To set up a list:

Go to the WSU LISTSERV Website.
Click Request a new list.
Fill out the online form.
When fishished, click the Submit Request button.

To join or leave a list using the Web interface method:

Go to the Archives Index page: http://lists.wayne.edu/archives/index.html
Find the desired list in the index and click its name. [If the list is not in the index, it is confidential. To access it, click "unlisted archive form" at the top of the page and then type the list name in the space provided.]
On the list archive page, click "Join or Leave ..." to open the Join or Leave page. Follow the instructions on that page to join or leave the list. [If there is no "Join or Leave..." option, the list is Closed. Only the list owner may add new subscribers.]

To join a list using the command method, send e-mail to LISTSERV@LISTS.WAYNE.EDU with the command:
subscribe listname your name
where listname is the name of the list you wish to join, and your name is your full name. (LISTSERV takes your e-mail address from your e-mail message.)
To remove yourself from a WSU list using the command method, send e-mail to LISTSERV@LISTS.WAYNE.EDU with the command:
signoff listname
where listname is the name of the list you wish to leave.

Troubleshooting: A common problem when trying to send to a list or leave a list is sending from an e-mail address that is different from the one you used to subscribe.

If you joined a list or were put on a list as xy6789@wayne.edu, for example, you must send from that same e-mail address whenever you send to or try to leave the list.
That means you cannot use your WSU E-mail Name(e.g., john.doe@wayne.edu) if you joined the list using your WSU AccessID (e.g., xy6789@wayne.edu).

Is there a cost?

There is no cost to set up a WSU LISTSERV list or be a member of a WSU list.

Where can I get help?

If you need help with LISTSERV, see the WSU LISTSERV Website for more information and manuals, or contact the C&IT Help Desk at (313) 577-4778 or helpdesk@wayne.edu.