A Course mail reflector is an e-mail address that allows an instructor to communicate with all of the students of a course/section through that single address. The instructor is able to create the list from within the UMEG system. There are instructions on how to create a Course mail reflector on the OIT Help Desk web site.

To send e-mail to the reflector list, the instructor need only know the name of the reflector, which is usually in the form <course>-<section number>-<term>. Term abbreviations are as follows: sprXX, sumXX, fallXX, and wntrXX, where XX represents the year. For example, if the fictitious course for Spring semester 2006:

  MATH 999 Section 0101

had a Course mail reflector list, it would be named:

  math999-0101-spr06

and the the instructor would address e-mail to:

  math999-0101-spr06@coursemail.umd.edu

The mail would then be distributed to all of the members of the class.

If an instructor wishes to make a list for all sections of a course, the section portion of the list name will be "01all", "02all", etc. For example, to send to all of the students in sections beginning with "01", the instructor would send mail to:

  math999-01all-spr06@coursemail.umd.edu

Note: creating the "all" list for a course does not create the individual section lists; this must be done separately.

All of the reflector lists are set up as follows:

• Only the instructor and TAs may send e-mail to the list by default. There is a restrict file created when the list is generated, containing the official e-mail address of the instructor and any TAs of record. If the TAs were not in the campus records as TAs of record for the course at the time the list was created, they will initially not be able to send mail to the list.


• The e-mail addresses used to generate the mailing list and restrict file are the official e-mail address of the instructor, TAs and students as advertised in the ARES system (for instructors and TAs) and the Testudo system (for students). If you send mail from any address other than what is in ARES and/or Testudo at list creation time, it will be rejected and bounced to the list owner with the word "CONSULT" in the subject line. Make sure your mail client is sending mail using the same address as what's in ARES, or else the class will not receive the mail in a timely manner. Note: The userid portion of the e-mail address is case sensitive for a Course mail list, so the address:

    jsmith@umd.edu
  

  is considered to be different from

    JSMITH@umd.edu
  

• Each list has a password associated with it, so the instructor can change the characteristics of the list, including adding and removing e-mail addresses of a list. For reflector lists, the default password is the new 9-digit University ID number (NOT the old UMID/SSN!) of the person who established the list in UMEG. See the OIT Help Desk web pages on Course mail for instructions on how to replace this password with one of your own choosing. Your U_ID should be printed on your UM photo ID card; if you don't know what it is, you can get it by looking yourself up in the UM Directory.


• All of the lists keep a copy (or archive) of the all mail sent to the list. This archive is available to the instructor at the end of the semester by sending mail with the course and section to majordomo-owner@coursemail.umd.edu.

Each of the lists should be self maintaining; student's e-mail addresses should be automagically added and removed as they add and drop the course. At times, however, the instructor might wish to make a change to the list subscriptions or configuration items, like who can post to the list. If you would like to learn more about making changes to the list, please see the Course mail help page at:

There are also several helpful Course mail web pages, including a Course mail troubleshooting guide, on the OIT Help Desk web site at:

If you have any specific questions or problems regarding Course mail lists, please contact the OIT Help Desk Monday - Friday 8:00 - 5:00 at 301.405.1500.