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Campus Communication Empowerment: UT Austin Group Email System

Discover the University of Texas at Austin's decentralized group email system, enabling faculty and staff to manage official university communication effectively. Learn about strengths, limitations, and operating details. Contact Tim Chamberlain or Deanna Bearden for more information.

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Campus Communication Empowerment: UT Austin Group Email System

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  1. Empowering Campus Communication: The University of Texas at Austin Group E-Mail System Tim Chamberlain Deanna Bearden

  2. Introduction • Ability to manage and distribute official university bulk e-mail • Can contact any group on campus • Decentralized system designed for flexibility and growth • Only faculty and staff may send messages

  3. Background Web Interface System Details Strengths & Limitations Q & A Agenda

  4. Background • Late 1990’s UT Austin had need for: • Ability to reach large number of students & employees • Ability to target specific groups • Up-to-date e-mail lists using data from Mainframe • Centralized system with monitoring capabilities • Group E-Mail went live in 1999 • Flexible system design • Keeping up with campus needs

  5. Web Interface Main processes: • User requests authorization • Administrator grants or denies request • User generates unique e-mail list • User sends e-mail through personal e-mail client within UT network

  6. UT Direct Portal

  7. Group E-Mail Home Page

  8. Step 1: Select List

  9. Step 2: Request Authorization

  10. Step 2: Request Authorization, Cont.

  11. Step 3: Await Authorization

  12. E-mail to Administrator

  13. Pending Requests Screen

  14. Grant Authorization Request

  15. Home Page - Authorized

  16. Step 1: Generate E-Mail

  17. Step 2: Generate E-Mail

  18. Send E-Mail

  19. Recipient’s E-Mail

  20. System Details Main processes: • User requests authorization • Administrator grants or denies request • User generates unique e-mail list • User sends e-mail through personal e-mail client within UT network

  21. Authorization Process Requestor Web Interface TXTABLES Main Natural Module TXNPBMOO Secure E-mail Module Secure E-mail Module Gatekeeper APOLLO Yes No Natural Module Authorize? The End

  22. TX-TABLES screenshot

  23. E-Mail List Generation Group E-mail module finds and calls specific list creation module TXTABLES List creation module creates dataset of e-mail addresses Original E-mail Dataset Batch job runs to remove users that have unsubscribed from Informational messages Revised E-mail Dataset FTP step transfers list and policy file to Bulk Mail Server. List name mapped to the unique e-mail address generated for user. Policy File To Bulk Mail Server

  24. E-Mail Delivery BMDS: unique address matched to recipient list, audited, delivered User’s E-Mail Client Unique e-mail address • Must send from UT Network • Plain Text Only • No Attachments • Message Type must be • specified in subject • Only one use per address • generated • Reply all won’t spam list

  25. Strengths • Only University-sanctioned messages • Real-time list generation • Easily targets specific groups • Centralized interface/decentralized system • Can accept custom lists • Ability to unsubscribe

  26. Limitations • Lack of formatting • Possibility of delays • Passive moderation • Must send from University e-mail account • Lack of control over the decentralized generation modules

  27. Q & A • Questions? • Contact us: • Tim Chamberlain tim.chamberlain@austin.utexas.edu • Deanna Bearden dbearden@austin.utexas.edu

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