Bulk e-mail:
Using a group AccessID set up for your unit
Need to send a message to a large university group or to everyone in the university?
Computing & Information
Technology (C&IT) has procedures set up to do just that.
- Use a specially designated group
AccessID —
The procedure below is for bulk e-mail messages
sent from a school college, or division using a group AccessID specially
set up for that purpose
(application
form
for group AccessID).
- Have C&IT Customer Services send the message — See
the procedure for working with C&IT Customer Services and having them send
your message.
Procedure
- Get proper authorization — All messages must be
approved by the vice president or dean of the sending unit.
- Choose your audience— Review the
mailing lists C&IT maintains and find the one
that best suits your needs. Ask the administrator of the Group AccessID set
up for your unit if that account has access to the list. If necessary, the
administrator can request access from C&IT.
- Compose your message giving careful attention to size — See
Formatting the message below.
- Sign your message — In the signature area at the
bottom of the message:
- Include a line stating which office has approved the message along with
the following contact information: sender's name, title, e-mail address,
and phone number.
- Also, if you want
recipients to reply to your message (such as an RSVP to an invitation),
be sure to make it clear where to send the reply.
- Set your e-mail return address —
Before you send your message make sure your e-mail program's "Return" or "From" address
is set to the Group AccessID. Otherwise your message will be rejected.
- If you use WSU's WebMail system (https://webmail.wayne.edu)
the address is set correctly automatically.
- If you use another e-mail
program you may need to set it manually.
- Send your message from your Group AccessID e-mail account
- Address
the message to the desired list (e.g., faculty@lists.wayne.edu).
- Minimize the impact on WSU's e-mail system by sending your message
before 8 a.m. or after 5 p.m.
- Confirm your message — After you send your message,
the Group AccessID is sent a confirmation e-mail. This is a security
measure to prevent unauthorized users from forging your address.
- You must
reply "OK" to
the confirmation e-mail before your original message is distributed
to the list.
- When your message has been distributed, a notification
is sent to the Group AccessID. The notification is simply informational
and requires no response.
Formatting the message
The university
community uses a variety of e-mail programs that have different restrictions.
In order for your message to be read by the
widest possible audience, keep the text simple. Also, the mailing
lists C&IT maintains limit the size of messages;
so keep your messages relatively brief, and do
not include any attachments or graphics.
Follow the guidelines below so your message can be read by the
widest possible audience:
- Text — plain text, no
formatting such as italics, bold, fancy fonts, or Web page codes.
- Size — keep your messages
relatively brief (a few paragraphs of plain text; no attachments, images
or audio files). If you have a larger amount of information to deliver, put
it on a Web page your department maintains and include a link to it in your
message.
General tips for e-mail messages
See Tips for e-mail messages for more
suggestions for preparing e-mail messages.
