University of Michigan Dearborn

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Class Mailing Lists

Overview
Activating a Class Mailing List
Using the List
Customizing the List
Class Mailing List FAQ

All UM-Dearborn classes now have mailing lists created for them automatically. Faculty members have the option of using them to facilitate class discussions.

Lists are created at the start of a term and deleted at the beginning of the following term. Membership is based on class enrollment data contained in the Banner Student Information System. The lists use the UM-Dearborn email address assigned to students. Students should be reminded to read their UM-D email, or forward it to the email account they prefer to use. Using their UM-D email account will also allow them to receive official communication for various student services.

Each class list is managed by the instructor who is assigned to the class in Banner. If you are listed as the owner, you can use or modify the list. If you are not listed, your department's Administrative Assistant needs to contact the Registrar's Office to be assigned to the class.

In order to use the class list, the assigned instructor must activate the list in the UM-Dearborn Directory.  If you do not wish to use class lists to communicate with your students, you do not need to do anything. The instructor has the option of using the class list for posting announcements only or enabling class discussions amongst class members. There is also an option of including non-class members on the list as recipients only.

For privacy reasons, personal information about the students' identities is not viewable on the list.

ITS will not activate a class email list unless explicitly requested by the assigned instructor.

ACTIVATING A CLASS MAILING LIST

  1. Open the Mozilla web browser.
  2. In location field type directory.umd.umich.edu
  3. When the "University of Michigan-Dearborn Directory Services" page appears, click on the Authentication button.
  4. In the Authentication screen, enter your uniqname. Click on Continue.

  1. Enter your Dearborn password. Click on Continue.


  1. After you get the "Authentication Successful" message, click on Standard Search.


     
  2. Next to Find, select Groups from the drop-down menu. Next to Search For, enter Course Request Number (CRN) for your class. Click Search. When the list appears, click Edit Group.

Note: If you do not know the CRN, you can find it at the following website: https://web-sis.umd.umich.edu, click on ClassSchedule.


The assigned instructor's uniqname is listed in the Owner field. Only the Owner can modify the list. Click on the Activate this Group button, then the Save Changes button. The class list will be automatically generated and ready for use on the morning following activation. The list will be updated each morning thereafter to reflect changes in class enrollment.

USING THE LIST

The email address for the list is "term initial" + year, an underscore, then the CRN.

ex. ME381 section 1 has a CRN of 20830. Its email address for the Winter 2005 semester is W2005_20830@umd.umich.edu.

The list will only include the registered students and the assigned instructor. As the list owner, the assigned instructor can modify the list so that others can send or receive email sent to this list. For privacy reasons, only the number of currently enrolled students is viewable on the web. Names and other identifying information of class members are viewable in a class roster on the Telstar website for authorized Banner users only.

CUSTOMIZING THE LIST
As the list owner, instructors can add additional addresses to the list as message recipients only.

Additional Addresses
Non-class members can be added to the list in the section that reads: "Addresses Outside of umd.umich.edu:".  Enter one email address per line in the text box, making sure there are no blank lines. When completed, click on the Save Changes button.


Selecting the Type of List

By default, the class mailing list is initially configured as an "Announcement Only List" where the instructor is the only user allowed to send messages to the list. The instructor has the option of changing it to a "Class Discussion List" in which members can send and receive messages sent to the list.

  1. In the Options box, click to select the type of list you wish to use. When completed, click on the Save Changes button at the top of the screen.


     

If you have questions or need assistance, please contact the ITS Help Desk at helpdesk@umd.umich.edu or call 313-593-HELP.