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Technology at SCU

Email Distribution Lists

SCU has essential and optional email-distribution lists for Faculty, Staff, Graduate Students, and Undergraduate Students.

The essential email-distribution lists are intended for communications related to University business that impact the recipients' ability to perform their function at the University. Subscription to these email-distribution lists is automatic. List members may not unsubscribe from essential communications. The essential email-distribution lists are:
  SCU-Faculty-Essential
  SCU-Staff-Essential
  SCU-Grad-Essential
  SCU-UGrad-Essential

The optional email-distribution lists are intended for communications related to University business, including University-sponsored activities, and faculty and staff organizational announcements. Subscription to these email-distribution lists is automatic. List members may unsubscribe from optional communications. The optional email-distribution lists are:
  SCU-Faculty 
  SCU-Staff
  SCU-Grad-Events
  SCU-UGrad-Events

For the essential lists:
SCU community members are automatically subscribed to the essential email-distribution lists. If you find that you have not been added to the expected essential email-distribution list, please contact the Technology Help Desk.

For the optional lists:
If you have previously opted-out and would like to resubscribe, or find that you have not been added to the expected optional email-distribution list please see: How to subscribe to the optional lists (including Announcements, Discussion, and Events) 

For the essential lists:
You may not unsubscribe from essential email-distribution lists. These email-distribution lists provide communications related to the recipients' ability to perform their function at the University.

For the optional lists:
You may unsubscribe from optional email-distribution lists.
How to unsubscribe from the optional lists

These campus-wide email-distribution lists have restrictions on who can post
  SCU-Faculty-Essential - authorized posters
  SCU-Faculty - authorized posters
  SCU-Staff-Essential - authorized posters
  SCU-Staff - authorized posters
  SCU-UGrad-Essential - authorized posters
  SCU-Grad-Essential - authorized posters
  SCU-Grad-Events - authorized posters and list members
  SCU-Student-Events - authorized posters

Request authorization to post to restricted email-distribution lists

 
These campus-wide Google discussion groups have broader posting access to facilitate dialogue among group members:

  SCU-Faculty-Discussion - all list members
  SCU-Staff-Discussion - all list members
  SCU-Faculty-Staff-Discussion - all list members

Guide to the SCU Faculty/Staff Discussion Google Groups

There is a maximum message size of 1.5 megabytes for messages sent to the e-mail distribution lists.

To reduce message size:

“Plain Text” vs. “HTML” E-Mail Messages
Switch your email message to Plain Text to reduce the size of your message. To switch to Plain Text in SCU Gmail, click on the three-dot icon at the bottom right corner of the compose window, then select the 'Plain text mode' option.  To switch back to HTML, uncheck the 'Plain text mode' option.

Reduce Picture Size
Use a compressed format - JPEG, PNG, or GIF - and reduce image resolution. Do not attach or include large pictures in your messages.

Reduce Document Size
Link to a file on Google Drive, or point to a web page, then add the URL to your email.

To be able to post a message to an email-distribution list, the sender must be fall into one of the authorized groups from which the list is configured to accept messages.

Post a message

There are different reasons why a message you sent to an email-distribution list was held for moderation, or rejected.

Depending on the configuration of the email-distribution list, you may receive a message indicating the reason, including:
  Message body or message itself is too big
  Too many recipients to the message
  Message has implicit destination
  You are not allowed to post to this mailing list

Posting issues and solutions

Things to think about when sending a message to an email-distribution list:
  • Ensure the subject of the message is relevant to the members of the list.
  • Ensure the content of the message is professional in nature and adheres to University policies, particularly those related to discrimination or harassment.
  • Messages and attachments sent to any lists are limited to 1.5 megabyte in size.  Please consider posting supplemental information in a Google Doc or on a web page, and include a link to that page in your message, rather than sending the materials as attachments.
  • If you are replying to a message sent to an email list, is the content of your reply something that must be seen by all members of the list or would it be more appropriate to reply privately to the sender?

Inappropriate uses of the email-distribution lists include:

  • Sending messages that are discriminatory or harassing
  • Sending messages that are false, derogatory, profane, or sexually explicit in nature
  • Sending messages that are commercial or political in nature
  • Sending messages that contain sensitive information
  • Soliciting support for charities or special causes that are not connected with a Santa Clara University activity
  • Forwarding chain messages or unverified public service announcements (e.g., virus alerts or warnings of disruptive events)
Do the SCU Email-Distribution Lists include JST?
Yes, the SCU Distribution Lists include the students, faculty, and staff from the Jesuit School of Theology.
 
How do I stop receiving updates on a conversation I am not interested in following?
In Gmail, you can mute a conversation that you no longer wish to follow. This keeps future responses to that conversation out of your inbox. Google provides information about how to mute or unmute a conversation, or how to view all muted conversations.