Finding Email Distribution Groups (DGs) and List of Auto DGs

St. Thomas has a number of email distribution groups. Some are maintained by end users, while others are updated by ITS when a request is made by the distribution group's owner. There are also groups that are maintained automatically by pulling user information from Banner. 

Definitions:

• Distribution Group (DG): An email distribution group is a collection of email addresses that is managed either by ITS or by an end-user who owns the DG. These DGs are manually maintained by either ITS or the owner, and they do not update automatically. Most of our DGs fall into this category, and they are named in a variety of ways.
• Auto Distribution Group (DG): An auto distribution group is a group that is set up to pull users from data from Banner, and update automatically. These DGs follow specific naming conventions, and are used for large groups of students, faculty, and staff. See the partial list below.

This article contains:

• Instructions on how to find and use relevant email distribution groups
• A list of Auto Distribution Groups
• A link to request a new Auto Distribution Group or request access to an existing one

Please see this article to read how to create your own email distribution groups, or submit a ticket here to update an ITS-managed distribution group.

Search Outlook for Relevant Distribution Groups

You can use the Outlook Address Book to look up and select names, email addresses, and distribution lists when you address email messages. From the Address Book, you can search for key words, phrases, or abbreviation to find your distribution groups and their email addresses.

From within a new email in Outlook, click on the "To" field to open up the St. Thomas address book. You can search there within your contacts or the Default Global Address List. The global address list is where you will find most distribution groups.

Within Outlook Desktop, you should also select "Search: More columns" to make sure you are seeing as many relevant search results as possible.

List of Auto Distribution Groups

Membership in the following email DGs is updated nightly based on Banner data like student or employee status, term, or role.

Permission to send to these groups is restricted based on job classification or role.

To gain permission to send to these DGs, please submit a request through the Tech Desk.

All of the groups are prefixed by "Auto:" in the Outlook Address Book to signify that they are updated automatically. 

As always, the recommendation is to: 

• Publish announcements and content on One.StThomas.edu,
• Coordinate with the Newsroom, 
• Consider digital signage
• Send targeted emails to these lists as needed.

Faculty DGs

Staff DGs

Student DGs

What additional auto groups can be created?

ITS can create Auto:DGs using the following criteria:

• Student program code/major
• Student class (FR, SO, JR, SR, GR)
• Employee job class
• Employee department
• Employee job title
• Employee office location
• Alumni status

ITS will not create Auto:DGs for certain classes or groups based on: age, gender, race, ethnicity, country of origin, veteran status, etc.  Such protected lists can be created in the secured Lyris system for email communications but not in directory systems.

Requesting access to send to a distribution group or requesting a new auto group

Please submit a ticket here to update an existing group, get access to send to a group, or request a new auto group.

Please see this article to read how to create your own email distribution groups.