There are many types of email group/lists options available to University of Michigan (U-M) students, faculty, and staff, and each have their own advantages and disadvantages. Listed below are some options for creating public email lists at the College of Engineering:
MCommunity Groups
The MCommunity directory is probably the most widely used service for creating email lists on campus. It is a public listing of all individuals of the U-M community. Anyone who has a profile in MCommunity can create groups in the directory which can be used to send email or for service authorization.
Google Groups
Google Groups allow you to create and participate in online forums and email-based groups with a rich experience for community conversations. At U-M, you can create Google Groups directly using your U-M Google account, or have them synced from groups that you’ve already created in MCommunity, including course groups:
ITS Targeted Data Service
ITS provides a targeted email and mailing list service that allows you to send email to a specific group of students, faculty, or staff at U-M. Certain guidelines are required in order to use the service.
CAEN Departmental Moderated Email Service
CAEN’s moderated email service provides College of Engineering departments with a secure way to administer and maintain email lists to communicate University business with faculty, staff, students, and other affiliates.
Commercial Email Distribution Services
If none of the above options fit their needs, College of Engineering departments may opt to purchase a commercial email distribution/marketing service. With so many available (Constant Contact, MailChimp...), departments are encouraged to contact CAEN for assistance in evaluating the best solution for them.