A mailing list is one of the most durable ways to stay in touch with your community. We gently encourage folks to join our Slack workspace so they can participate fully in our community and enjoy the benefits of the Network, but we maintain mailing lists for those who don’t want to join us on Slack.
Platform options¶
The Network doesn’t require a particular platform, and practice varies across campuses. Ask whoever handles email or IT for your unit what’s already available before standing up something new. Common options:
A campus listserv service: many UC campuses run a managed listserv (such as Sympa) through central IT—institutionally supported and usually free to you.
Google Groups: quick to stand up if your unit uses Google Workspace, with web archives and self-service subscription.
Other tools: Mailman, a newsletter platform, or whatever your unit already supports and can maintain.
Bootstrapping your first subscribers¶
A new list starts empty. A few ways to seed it:
Start with people you already know: colleagues, collaborators, and anyone who’s expressed interest.
Put a subscribe link on your page: add a clear call to action on your web presence
Announce it at your first meetup: bring a sign-up sheet or QR code—the people who show up are your most engaged audience!
Ask the Network to cross-promote: share the list in the public UC OSPO Network Slack and we’ll help spread the word.