Requesting Course Mailing Lists

Owned by Former user (Deleted)
Last updated: Feb 05, 2021
3 min read

THESE INSTRUCTIONS ARE FOR FACULTY ONLY.  If you wish to create an email distribution list in a given course, then you must first request a course mailing list. This process begins in DataVU.  Please review the documentation below to make the request.

Step-by-step guide

1. Begin by logging into DataVU


2. Click on the Faculty bar shown below

 
3. Click the link for My Class Schedule

 
4. Select the correct term from the drop down menu and then click Submit

 
5. Click on the checkbox for Create Mailing List and then click Submit
 


6.  As a recent addition to our G-Suite for Education platform, this exact process also creates a Google Group for your course which can be used as a primary mailing list for all students enrolled in said course.  Google Groups ( found at groups.google.com) populate behind the scenes, but it is incredibly easy to access them through your Google account.


7.  In order to view the Google Groups that you have created via the process explained above, you should navigate to your main Valpo Gmail inbox and find the 3 x 3 dotted "waffle" icon in the top right corner of the window.  Clicking this will reveal your available Google Apps.  From this menu, you want to select the icon for "Groups," as shown below.


8.  Once the subsequent Google Groups window opens, you will see each of your generated groups named after the BlackBoard courses that they relate to, with the Valpo Gmail address that they are tied to listed underneath.  If you wish to send course communications easily via Gmail, then this is the address that you will use in the "To" field of your message.


9. The name of the Google Group mailing list is constructed using the course name and adding @valpo.edu; below is an example of and old course mailing list name compared to the new naming convention:

                                                                                                 2015sp-acc-206-b-l@lists.valpo.edu     ->     2015sp-acc-206-b@valpo.edu

It is a simple change (removing the "-l" and "lists" from the address) and the new Google Group mailing address will always be listed under your "My Groups" tab in the Google Groups window, should you ever need a reminder of the address.  



IMPORTANT NOTE

Course and mailing list requests will run through an automated process every two hours.  Your course could take up to two hours to appear in Blackboard (Monday-Friday).  The automation does not occur as regularly on the weekends.  

For additional assistance, contact the IT Help Desk.