Mailing Lists at UNR

Requirements for List Creation

Creating a Sympa List

Managing a Sympa List

The University provides faculty, staff and students the ability to create and manage mailing lists used to expedite University educational or business goals.

  • Faculty and Staff at UNR - follow the instructions below.
  • Faculty and Staff of the University of Nevada School of Medicine - submit a Help Desk Request for Service to request a mailing list.
  • Undergraduate and Graduate Students - Visit the ASUN Student Activities Office on the 3rd floor of the Joe Crowley Student Union. They offer a variety of services to University sanctioned clubs.

Requirements for List Creation

  • List owner/list managers must have an email address ending with @unr.edu. Other email addresses will not be accepted.
  • Mailing lists must be associated with University educational or business goals.
  • NOTE: lists created on the mailing list server (Sympa server) are not associated with CAIS class rosters or with WebCampus classes.

Creating a Sympa List

  1. Create a login to the Sympa Server: https://lists.unr.edu/sympa. This is a one-time only task.
    • Click on the link "First Login ?" (left side of the webpage under the login area)
    • Enter your UNR email address. The email address MUST end with @unr.edu. Click on "Send me my password" button.
    • To verify your eligibility, an email containing a password to the mailing list server is sent to your UNR email address. This password may be changed after you login in the first time.
  2. Login to the Sympa Server using your UNR email address and the password supplied.
  3. On first login, change your password to something you can remember.
    • Click on "Your Preferences" text in the top left column.
    • Enter your new password (twice) in the "Changing your password" section.
    • Press the Submit button.
  4. Click on the Create List tab
    The following information is required to create the list: (Note: Incomplete information delays the creation of your list.
    1. List Name:
      Select a short, concise name. Long and/or complicated names are prone to misspelling and other errors.
      List names may contain any combination of letters, numbers, dashes and underscores. No spaces or special characters (i.e: $,%,*,~) are allowed.
      Example: The name must be unique. A mailing list for English 100 Section 33 might be named "eng10033," so the resulting email address would be "eng10033@unr.edu". Check the List of Lists tab to search for existing list names.
    2. Owner:
      This will be the email address of the user creating the list.
    3. List Type (Choose one):
      1. Contact_list - Anyone in the world may subscribe and/or post to the list.  This type of list is not recommended as you open up all the subscribers to spam.
        • also known as an Alias
        • everyone may post
        • private archives
        • closed subscription
      2. Discussion_list - Subscription to this type of list is not limited and only subscribers may post
        • Public discussion mailing list
        • anyone may subscribe
        • subscribers may post
        • public archives
      3. Discussion_private - This list type is appropriate for groups with limited membership (departments, search committees, etc) and for groups wishing to limit the scope of information distribution
        • Private discussion list
        • subscription is moderated
        • subscribers may post
        • private archives
      4. Private_announce - The list owner approves any posts and subscription requests
        • Private Announcement List
        • moderated list
        • moderated subscription
        • subscribers emails are protected
        • private archives
      5. Public_announce - Anyone may subscribe, posts have to be approved by the moderators of the list
        • Public Announcement List
        • moderated list
        • anyone may subscribe
        • subscribers emails are protected
      6. NOTE:  List type settings can be changed once the list is created.   If your list requirements aren't met by the default options, just pick one and adjust the settings later.
    4. Subject:
      Short description of purpose for the mailing list.
    5. Topics:
      Pick a topic that best fits the type of list.
    6. Description:
      Long description of the purpose of the mailing list.
  5. Click the Submit your creation request button. The UNR Listmaster will review the application (usually within hours). The list owner will receive a email notification of the decision. The list owner may then return to the Sympa Server to manage the new list.

Managing a Sympa List

  1. Login into the Sympa Server
  2. Click on the Home tab
  3. The "Your Lists" box displays the names of all lists you interact with, both as owner or participant. The Admin button next to a list name indicates that you have management privileges on that list.
  4. Click on the Admin button to begin the management process.
  5. Detailed instructions for managing lists is available by clicking on the Help tab and selecting the Administrator Guide choice.
  6. Instructions for list participants (subscribing, unsubscribing, etc) is available by clicking on the Help tab and selecting the User Guide choice. Two important commands are listed below.
    • To subscribe to a mailing list:
      Create an email (from a preferred email address) with the following characteristics:
      1. Address the email to sympa@lists.unr.edu
      2. In the subject line of your email, type in: subscribe nameofthelist FirstName LastName where nameofthelist is the list to be subscribed to, and FirstName and LastName identify the subscriber (or correspond to the class roster)
      3. Leave the message body blank
    • To unsubscribe to a mailing list:
      Create an email from the address subscribed to the list with the following characteristics
      1. Address the email to sympa@lists.unr.edu.
      2. In the subject line of your email, type in: unsubscribe nameofthelist (replace 'nameofthelist' by the name of the list you want to unsubscribe from).
      3. Leave the message body blank.