Sympa Roles, Terms, and List Owner Responsibilities

This article explains common Sympa mailing list roles, terms, and responsibilities for list owners and moderators.
Sympa website: Go to https://lists.fau.edu to access the Sympa web interface.

Sympa Roles ▾

A mailing list service includes several types of roles.

Role Description
Listmaster FAU administrators who manage and maintain the Sympa system. The listmaster also validates and activates mailing list requests.
List Owner The individual who creates and controls the list. The list owner handles subscription and unsubscription requests, list settings, and list permissions.
Moderator A person appointed by the list owner to review messages sent to a moderated list and approve or reject messages based on the list’s purpose.
Subscriber A member of the FAU community who has joined a mailing list.
Note: A list can have one or more moderators. In a non-moderated list, there may be no moderator.

Glossary of Terms ▾

Moderated List

A moderated list requires messages to be reviewed before they are sent to subscribers. When a user sends a message to a moderated list, the message enters a holding queue and a moderator is notified. The moderator can then approve or reject the message.

Archive

Messages sent to a mailing list are saved to a list archive. The archive allows list members to revisit postings and discussions. Archives can be accessed by logging in to the Sympa web interface, opening the list information page, and selecting Archive from the left menu.

Digest

A digest combines multiple mailing list messages into a single message sent over a period of time, usually one day. This can reduce the number of separate messages subscribers receive from a high-volume list.

Instructions for configuring digest preferences can be found in the Sympa web interface by selecting the Help tab and opening the User Guide.

Shared Document Webspace

Some lists may use shared document webspace where subscribers can download and upload documents instead of sending documents as attachments or links. Not all lists use this feature.

Information about setting up shared document webspace can be found by selecting the Help tab in the Sympa web interface and opening the Administrator Guide.

Responsibilities of the List Owner ▾

The list owner is responsible for the list. Each list must have an owner. Owners are typically someone from the community of users served by the list.

The list owner is expected to become familiar with Sympa and complete responsibilities such as:

  • Define how the list will be used.
  • Appoint one or more moderators, if the list is moderated.
  • Respond to subscriber requests for information.
  • Maintain the integrity and accuracy of the mailing list.
  • Subscribe, unsubscribe, and change options for users as required.
  • Handle email errors that result from delivery failures, inaccurate mailing list information, or other sources of mail interruption.
  • Approve postings and make sure posts are appropriate and on-topic, if the list is moderated.
Important: List owners should periodically review list membership and settings to make sure the list remains accurate and appropriate for its purpose.

Who Should I Contact? ▾

  • Subscribers: Contact the list owner for questions about a specific mailing list.
  • List owners: Contact the listmaster when you face a problem not covered by the Sympa documentation.
  • Moderators: Contact the list owner or listmaster depending on the issue.
  • General Sympa access issues: Contact the Help Desk.
Note: Subscribers should contact list owners for list-specific questions instead of contacting the listmaster directly.

Troubleshooting ▾

  • If you are a subscriber and need help with a list, contact the list owner.
  • If you are a list owner and need help with settings, review the Administrator Guide from the Sympa Help tab.
  • If moderation notices are not received, verify that the moderator information is correct.
  • If a list archive is not visible, the archive may not be available to your account or may be restricted by list settings.
  • If you cannot determine who owns a list, contact the Help Desk for assistance.

Still Need Help?

If you need help understanding Sympa roles, permissions, or list ownership, please contact the Help Desk or submit a ticket request.

Submit a Help Desk ticket

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