Sympa Mailing Lists Overview and Quick Start

FAU uses Sympa to manage mailing lists. A mailing list allows people to communicate with a group through a single email address without needing to know every subscriber’s individual email address.
Sympa website: Use https://lists.fau.edu to search for mailing lists, subscribe or unsubscribe from lists, manage your preferences, and manage lists you own or moderate.
Note: List creation is available for Faculty and Staff. Mailing list requests must be approved before the new list becomes active.

What Is a Mailing List? ▾

A mailing list is a distribution list that provides a way to communicate electronically with a group of people through one email address.

When someone sends an email message to a mailing list address, the mailing list server sends that message to the people currently subscribed to the list.

Mailing lists allow people to join, also called subscribe, or leave, also called unsubscribe, at any time depending on the list settings.

Example: If a list address is listname@lists.fau.edu, sending a message to that address can distribute the message to the list’s subscribers.

Sympa Web Interface ▾

The Sympa web interface allows you to search for and view mailing lists, manage lists you are subscribed to, manage lists you own or moderate, and access other mailing list functions.

To access the Sympa web interface:

  1. Go to https://lists.fau.edu.
  2. Select Login in the upper-right corner of the page.
  3. Log in with your FAU account.
  4. After logging in, your email address should display in the upper-left corner of the page.
Alternative: Some Sympa functions can also be completed by sending commands from your FAU email address to sympa@lists.fau.edu.

What Can I Do in Sympa? ▾

Task Where to Start
Search for available mailing lists Go to https://lists.fau.edu and browse the list categories.
Subscribe to a mailing list Open the list’s information page and select Subscribe.
Unsubscribe from a mailing list Open the list’s information page and select Unsubscribe.
Send a message to a list Email LISTNAME@lists.fau.edu or post from the Sympa web interface.
Create a new list Faculty and Staff can select Create list after logging in.
Manage a list you own Select the list under Your Lists, then use the Admin options.
View list archives Open the list and select Archive, if available.

Quick Start ▾

Log in

  1. Go to https://lists.fau.edu.
  2. Select Login.
  3. Log in with your FAU account.

Subscribe to a list

  1. Log in to https://lists.fau.edu.
  2. Select a list category that matches the list you want to join.
  3. Select the list name.
  4. Select Subscribe from the left menu.

Send a message to a list

  1. Open your email client, such as Outlook.
  2. Create a new email message.
  3. Enter the mailing list address in the To field, such as LISTNAME@lists.fau.edu.
  4. Enter a subject and message body.
  5. Select Send.

Get email command help

Send an email to sympa@lists.fau.edu with HELP in either the subject or body of the message. Sympa will send a message describing available email commands.

Troubleshooting ▾

  • If you cannot log in to Sympa, confirm that your FAU username and password work for other FAU services.
  • If you cannot find a list, it may not be visible to all users or may not exist.
  • If you cannot subscribe to a list, the list may require approval or may not allow self-subscription.
  • If you own a list and cannot manage it, confirm that you are logged in with the correct FAU account.
  • If email commands do not work, confirm that you are sending the command from the correct email address.

Still Need Help?

If you need assistance with Sympa mailing lists, please contact the Help Desk or submit a ticket request.

Submit a Help Desk ticket

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