List Owner FAQ

HKUST offers email lists for groups, project teams or student societies. The service is powered by Sympa Lists Manager. List owners add and update the members of their lists. List owners can change some list settings at the web-based list management site. Below are the FAQs for List Owner:

1. How can I add and update list members for a list I manage?
2. Can a list have more than one owner?
3. How to add authorized senders for an Information and Announcements list?
4. What is a hidden list? How can I manage who can know about my list?
5. Can I have Archives of postings?
6. What is the list category and how do I change it?
7. What is the list subject? How do I update it?
8. What is a subject tag? How do I change it?
9. What is a list description? How do I update it?
10. Can I change the name of a list I own?
11. How to manage bounces?
12. My list was on the previous Mailing Lists (Legacy System), can I request migrates it to the new Mailing Lists Manager?
13. What should I do when archive quota exceeded?
14. Expiration of inactive mailing lists.
15. How to extend a mailing lists upon receive of inactive notification?
16. How to config a list for moderation?
17. How to let HKUST users to subscribe to the mailing list?

Q1: How can I add and update list members for a list I manage?

1. Visit http://lists.ust.hk/sympa/ and log in with your username and password.
2. Choose the list you wish to update and click  from the left menu. 
3. Select Manage Subscribers and your can add new members easily. For both adds and removals, there is a check-box Quiet. If you check this box, the subscriber does not get a notice.

Note: you must be the owner of a list to manage it. If you are not the owner but you will need to administer a list, write to the list owner at an address following this pattern (append -request to the name of the list):

To: volyball-2013-request@lists.ust.hk

 

Q2: Can a list have more than one owner?

Yes. The system supports co-owners. Lists owners can manage the lists definitions as well as manage subscribers. By default, the original list owner will have a Privileged profile which allows him/her to rename and remove the list. You may just let other owners to have the Normal profile if they do not required these privileges.

For adding and managing list owners, for the given list, select  and then Edit List Config, then List definition. Under the Owner box you should see your email and name with an extra section to add an additional owner. Fill in the new owner's email address and name and click Update at the bottom. The list can have several co-owners, just add them one at a time.

To delete co-owners from the list just remove the owner email address and click Update at the bottom of the change form.

Q3: How to add authorized senders for an Information and Announcements list?

Authorized  sender (known as Moderator) is someone who can directly post to an announcement list. The list owner can add Moderators. For the given list, select and then Edit List Config, then List definition. In the box labeled "Moderators" add the email and name of the additional list editors and click Update at the bottom. You can add as many authorized senders as you need, one at a time.

Q4: What is a hidden list? How can I manage who can know about my list?

For most lists, only members of the list will know the list exists. You can change the visibility settings of your list so anyone can see the list or no one can see the list. For the given list, select and then Edit List Config, then List definition. In the box labeled "Visibility of the list" there is a drop down list of choices.

Q5: Can I have Archives of postings?

Yes. List owner can enable Archives of postings and decide who can access the online list archive (messages readable on the mailing list web interface). For the given list, select and then Edit List Config, then Archives. The following options are available:

• Owner and moderator only (adminonly);
• All members (all_member);
• closed (closed);
• public (public).
  
  

Q6: What is the list category and how do I change it?

The list category, also known as list topic, organizes HKUST lists. If your list is in the wrong category, select and Edit List Config Then select List definition. Down the page, find Topics and choose Academics, Administration or whatever category seems best suited. At the bottom of the page, pick Update.

Q7: What is the list subject? How do I update it?

The list subject is a short phrase describing a list, such as Volleyball Club. A list owner can modify the subject by picking and then Edit List Config. The first box shown is the list subject, just type the preferred subject into the white box, go the bottom of the web page and click Update.

Q8: What is a subject tag? How do I change it?

A subject tag is an identifying prefix inserted in the Subject line of a message posted to a list. For new lists, this is no subject tag. The list owner can modify the tab such adding the name of the list as the subject tag. For the given list, select and then Edit List Config, then Sending/reception. In the box labeled Subject tagging, simply change or remove the text.

Q9: What is a list description? How do I update it?

The list description (private information) is optional but if you would like to have a longer description of how your list is to be used in more detail, you may make or modify the list's long description. From the left hand column select your list and select . Then select Customizing. Click the Edit button next to List description. Once done click Save at the bottom. To verify click on Info in the left hand column and it will show the description.

Q10: Can I change the name of a list I own?

If depends if you are a privileged list owner or not. From the left hand column select your list and select . Then select Rename List under Drastic Operations.

Please wait for the list administrator to approve your rename operation. A email confirmation will be sent to you once the rename operation is approved.

Q11: How to manage bounces?

When there is a problem with subscribers' email addresses (obsolete email addresses, addresses temporarily unavailable when messages were sent, inbox quota exceeded, etc.), the percentage of bouncing addresses displays in the left menu under the text 'Error rate'. To check the bouncing addresses, go to the 'Bounces' page.

To remove bouncing addresses, select them by ticking their boxes and click on the 'Delete selected email addresses' button.

Q12: My list was on the previous Mailing Lists (Legacy System), can I request migrates it to the new Mailing Lists Manager?

Yes. If you are the list owner, please fill in the Mailing Lists Migration Request.

In general, it will take 1-2 working days to process the lists migration. After migrated to the Mailing Lists Manager, you can administer your lists there (e.g. volleyball-list@lists.ust.hk) . We will also add an email alias same as your existing list name e.g. volleyball-list@ust.hk, so that you may keep send message to this email alias.

Q17: How to let HKUST users to subscribe to the mailing list?

For the given list, select and then

1. Select Edit List Config
2. Select Privileges
3. Under Who can subscribe to the list (subscribe), select for HKUST user (HUST_only)
   
4. Click Update