Information and Technology

Moderating a Mailman Mailing List

As a moderator for a list you will have the role of deferring, approving, rejecting, or discarding postings following the guidelines set for that list.

Email notification that a message is waiting for moderator approval.

When a message is posted to a moderated list the list moderator will receive an e-mail that says,
"As list administrator, your authorization is request for the following mailing list posting:

List: Ocs-test@list.bowdoin.edu
From: bsmith3@bowdoin.edu
Subject: test mail
Reason: post to moderated list

At your convenience, visit: http://list.bowdoin.edu/mailman/admindb/ocs-test"

You may choose to click on the link included in the e-mail, which will take you directly to the posting, or you can follow the steps below.

Logging into Mailman

To access the web management page for your list go to: http://list.bowdoin.edu/mailman/admin/listname (your list name).  
This will take you directly to the login screen for your list.

Type in the password to enter the mailing list administration page for your list.

Click the "Let me in..." button. You will arrive at the "General Options" screen for your list.

**When using the list management web page from off campus you will be asked for your Bowdoin username and password in addition to your list password.

Moderating postings sent to your list.

When a message is posted to a moderated list, the administrator of the list will have the choice of four actions: defer, accept, reject, or discard. The sender of a message will automatically be notified that the message will be held for approval. If a message is rejected the sender will also be notified of the action.

• Login to the mailing list administration page for your list.
• Click on the "Tend to pending moderator requests link located under the "Other Administrative Activities" category. If there are postings being held they will be listed.
• Select the radio button located under the action to select ther action you wish to set for each posted message. (defer, accept, reject, discard)
• When you have chosen an action for each message in the holding area, click on the "Submit All Data" button located at the bottom of the screen. The messages will be sent out immediately upon submission.

Adding people to the list for their emails to go out without moderator intervention.

You can add a list of e-mail addresses that are permitted to bypass the moderator's approval and their messages will automatically be sent out to the list.

• Login to the mailing list administration page for your list.
• Click on the "Privacy Options" link located under "Configuration Categories."
• Click on "Sender Filters" field.
• Scroll down to "List of non-member addresses whose postings should be automatically accepted."
• Type in the "email address" of the person being added to the list.
• Click on the "Submit Changes" button.