LISTSERVERS AT THE USC SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

1. Introduction.

A listprocessor, or a listserver, is an automated mailing list system. A mailing list is a list of users and their addresses who have a common interest. Creating a listserver mailing list enables persons to send mail to a single address which then distributes the mail to all the users on that list. The listserver computer and software system enables users to share and easily manage a mailing list.

 
There are several types of listprocessor software. At this time, USC uses the CREN Listprocessor, Version 8.0. on USC's central computing system. Commands may be sent to the software by email: the commands are put into the text of messages sent to listproc@usc.edu. To get help regarding commands to send to listproc, send the command HELP to listproc@usc.edu. Web-based documentation is available at http://www.usc.edu/isd/doc/maillists/ . The vendor has web documentation at http://www.cren.net/listproc/

 
At USC, convention is for all names of lists on the listserver to end with the suffix "-L." Thus, the name USC-MFA-L was chosen for the listserver of the Medical Faculty Assembly of the USC School of Medicine.

 

2. Ownership and posting messages to a list.

USC creates a list only if someone takes responsibility for managing the list. Managing includes helping persons subscribe or unsubscribe from the list, or determining the cause of errors in the sending or receiving of messages. Those persons with the responsibility for managing the list are termed the owners of the list. They have knowledge of a password that must be included in some of the commands sent by email to listproc@usc.edu.

 
The CREN Listprocessor allows for two main methods of posting to a list. One method allows anyone on the list to post messages to the list. This method allows for dialog between all subscribers of the list. The other method allows posting only by the owners of the list. This method allows the owners to control all the messages sent to the list.

 

3. Voluntary versus not voluntary Subscription to Lists.

The CREN Listprocessor allows for two methods of subscribing and unsubscribing from a list. One method allows anyone to subscribe or unsubscribe. The other allows only the owners to add or subtract a person from the list.

 

4. Department-specific Lists at the USC School of Medicine.

For several years, the Medical Faculty Assembly (MFA) used the listserver termed USC-MFA-L to distribute messages to faculty. This positive experience prompted an expansion of this effort: the Office of Faculty Affairs assembled a nearly complete list of School of Medicine faculty of 1,060 names, and identified email addresses for 827 of these faculty.  These addresses were subscribed to a set of department-specific lists which do not allow voluntary subscription, and messages can be posted only by the listowners. At this time, the listowners are the President of the MFA (Harvey Kaslow), the Secretary of the MFA (Robert Stellwagen), and the Assistant Dean for Faculty Affairs (Sandra Mosteller).

 
There are 23 departments at the School of Medicine, each with its own list, as shown below. There are two other associated lists. Persons not members of a department may voluntarily receive messages sent to all faculty. Messages posted by the MFA will also be sent to USC-MFA-L (#24 in the list of lists below). Messages sent by the Office of Faculty Affairs will be sent to USC-MED-L (#25 below).
 
 

 Department-specific lists at the USC School of Medicine:

 

1	USC-ANES-L	USC-Anesthesiology mandatory listserver
2	USC-BIOC-L	USC-Biochemistry and Molecular Biology mandatory listserver
3	USC-CATS-L	USC-Cardio-Thoracic Surgery mandatory listserver
4	USC-CLNB-L	USC-Cell and Neurobiology mandatory listserver
5	USC-EMED-L	USC-Emergency Medicine mandatory listserver
6	USC-FMED-L	USC-Family Medicine mandatory listserver
7	USC-MDCN-L	USC-Medicine mandatory listserver
8	USC-MICB-L	USC-Microbiology and Immunology mandatory listserver
9	USC-NESU-L	USC-Neurological Surgery mandatory listserver
10	USC-NEUR-L	USC-Neurology mandatory listserver
11	USC-OBGY-L	USC-Obstetrics and Gynecology mandatory listserver
12	USC-OPTH-L	USC-Ophthalmology mandatory listserver
13	USC-ORTH-L	USC-Orthopedics mandatory listserver
14	USC-OTOL-L	USC-Otolaryngology mandatory listserver
15	USC-PATH-L	USC-Pathology mandatory listserver
16	USC-PEDS-L	USC-Pediatrics mandatory listserver
17	USC-PHBI-L	USC-Physiology and Biophysics mandatory listserver
18	USC-PMED-L	USC-Preventive Medicine mandatory listserver
19	USC-PSYC-L	USC-Psychiatry mandatory listserver
20	USC-RAON-L	USC-Radiation Oncology mandatory listserver
21	USC-RADI-L	USC-Radiology mandatory listserver
22	USC-SURG-L	USC-Surgery mandatory listserver
23	USC-UROL-L	USC-Urology mandatory listserver
24	USC-MFA-L	USC MFA listserver (voluntary subscription): messages from the MFA.
25	USC-MED-L	USC Med School Faculty listserver (voluntary subscription): messages from the Office of Faculty Affairs.

 

At this time, it is intended to:
 

• Add the MFA representative and a delegate of the Department Chair of a department as owners of that department's list.
• Create a second set of lists that would allow for voluntary subscription and posting by any member of the list.

• To add or delete someone from a list, send as text in an email message to listproc@usc.edu either:
 
ADD NAME-OF-LIST password emailname@place.whatever. Lastname_Firstname.

DELETE NAME-OF-LIST password emailname@place.whatever.

 
• To review the names of those subscribed to a list command = REVIEW NAME-OF LIST.

 

• Those using software that can automatically sends confirmation receipts to received messages (such as Pegasus Mail) should turn off this feature. Confirmation receipts sent to a listserver may be read as unknown commands to the listserver, and generate error mail for the listowner, who may then delete you from the list.

Posted Nov. 30, 1998