Majordomo mailing lists enable faculty, staff, and students to automate distribution of mail to their co-workers, colleagues, and friends. Mailing list management is accomplished by sending specially formatted commands, via email, to the list manager software, called “Majordomo.” Routine tasks such as subscribe and unsubscribe requests, requests for help and information files, reviewing lists and subscribers, archiving, etc. are all accomplished through email to Majordomo.

Web forms automate the list creation process. Please note that you must have a BU login name and Kerberos password to access the list creation forms.

Setting Up a Majordomo Mailing List (This will generate a Help Ticket)

Choose the link below which matches the type of list you wish to create. See Using a Mailing List for an overview of setting up and maintaining a mailing list.

  • General Mailing List
    Choose this link to create a standard Majordomo mailing list. Mailing lists can be created by students, faculty, and staff. Once the list is created, the list owner populates and maintains it with the targeted email addresses.
  • Administrative List (Staff or Faculty Only)
    Administrative lists can be established based on criteria such as college, department, or major. Use of administrative lists is restricted to staff and faculty. The email addresses in this list are auto-populated based on the criteria the list owner provides.

Using a Majordomo Mailing List

Getting Started

Requests to establish Mailing Lists will normally be processed within 2-3 working days. When a list has been set up, the person who requested the list (known as the “List Owner“) should receive a notice, via email, that the list is ready for use. That email message will also contain instructions on how to use and maintain the list.

The list owner handles subscribe/unsubscribe requests to closed lists, authorizes posts to moderated lists, handles bounced mail, etc. The workload can vary from very light for open, unmoderated lists to heavy for busy, moderated lists.The list owner has the password for the list, which is used for approving posts and making configuration changes to the list. All list options (moderated/unmoderated, closed/open) can be modified by request.