Owner’s Guide: Get Started

Last updated: June 13, 2023
Audience: StudentsInstructorsStaffIT Staff / Technical

As the owner of a Mailman list, you can:

  • Disseminate information to a group of subscribers efficiently
  • Create a group discussion email list for your course
  • Create and modify lists easily as well as add and remove subscribers
  • Control who can subscribe and post, and moderate postings
  • Modify list subscriptions and preferences easily
  • Automatically archive email to subscribers

Start a Mailman list

  1. Familiarize yourself with Mailman policies.
  2. Request a Mailman list
    • Standard list: Fill out the Standard Mailman List Request form. Mailman lists can take up to two business days to be created. For more information about requesting a standard list, see Mailman list form help.
    • Class list: Request your list in the Teaching section in MyUW. Class lists are created at the time they are requested and will be ready to use the following day. Consider using Canvas instead of Mailman so all your course content will be in one location.
    • Special class lists: To request class lists for joint secondary sections, complete this brief form.

Access your Mailman list

When your list is created and you are designated the “owner,” you will receive a welcome message that:

  • Informs you that your list is active
  • Gives you the URL for your main Mailman page

To go to your main Mailman page:

  1. In the address window of your web browser, enter lists.uw.edu. Near the top right corner of  the page, click Login and then enter your UW NetID and password.Login icon
  2. Select the owner role.
    owner role button
  3. Click your list’s name.

Review list settings (optional)

Once you have your list set up, you can configure various settings, such as list name, list description, automated responses, and so on.

  1. To review settings, on the menu near the top of the page, click Settings.Settings screenshot in top navigation
  2. The left navigation shows a list of the settings categories (e.g., List Identity, Alter Message, Digest, etc.). To familiarize yourself with the various settings, click the link in the left navigation.
    List settings

Create automatic messages (optional)

You may set up a welcome message, goodbye message, message headers and footers, and more by creating a template.

How to create a template message

  1. Log in to your main Mailman page.

    • In the address window of your web browser, enter lists.uw.edu.
    • Near the top of the page, click Login, and then enter your UW NetID and password.
    • Select the Owner role and click the name of your list.
  2. In the menu at the top of the page click Templates.
    top menu
  3. Push the green New Template button.
  4. In the Name drop-down menu, select your template in the list of templates. Commonly used templates are:
    • List:user:notice:welcome is the notice sent to a member when they are subscribed to the mailing list. 
    • List:user:action:invite is the message sent to subscribers when they are invited to join a list.
    • List:member:digest:footer, List:member:digest:header, List:member:regular:footer, and List:member:regular:header add content to message headers and footers. If your list members receive their messages in both regular and digest format, create headers and footers for both.
  5. In the Data field on the next screen, enter your welcome message text.
  6. When you have finished entering the welcome message text, at the bottom of the screen, click Save.
  7. If you wish to edit the template later, click the Edit button next to the template name on the Templates screen.

How to turn on the welcome message

Note: Do not use a welcome message if you plan to subscribe people manually and don’t want them to know that you did so. The welcome message is off by default.

  1. In the menu at the top of the page, click Settings.
  2. In the left navigation, click Automatic Responses.
  3. Scroll down to Send welcome message and select Yes.

Subscribe yourself (optional)

You are not automatically added as a subscriber to the Mailman lists you create. If you want to receive messages from your list, subscribe yourself. This is particularly important if you configure your list to allow only subscribers to post messages.

To subscribe to your list

  1. Log in to your main Mailman page.

    • In the address window of your web browser, enter lists.uw.edu.
    • Near the top of the page, click Login, and then enter your UW NetID and password.
    • Select the Owner role and click the name of your list.
  2. In the menu at the top of the page click Mass operations and select Mass subscribe from the drop-down menu.
  3. Type your email address.
  4. Click the Subscribe users button at the bottom of the page
    • Optional: Test your welcome message by marking the “Send welcome message” option Yes.
  5. When finished, click the Subscribe users button at the bottom of the page.

Get subscribers

Owners may subscribe members, or people can subscribe themselves. Class lists automatically subscribe and unsubscribe students when they add or drop the class.

Subscribers will generally want to know the following information:

Once you’ve done the above,  your list is all set up. The only times you’ll really need to be active as a list owner are:

  • If your list is a private or moderated list
  • If  you receive error messages
  • If you have a problem subscriber or spammer

These subjects, as well as others, are covered in Maintaining a Mailman List. If you still need help after consulting the documentation, please contact help@uw.edu.