Overview

Information and Educational Technology (IET) offers a wide variety of Email services. One of these services facilitates accurate and timely distribution of Bulk/Mass Mailings. The Bulk/Mass Mailing service is designed to send out email to campus populations, including Faculty, Staff, Students, and custom email address lists.  Use of the system is governed by the UC Davis Mass Electronic Messaging Policy (Section 310-18) and the UC Davis Allowable Use Policy (Section 310-23).

The Bulk/Mass Mailing service is coordinated by the Bulk Email team. There are a number of steps involved in each request, and the Bulk Email team verifies all steps of the process are complete and correct. This insures that when messages are sent out, they conform to the guidelines of the Mass Electronic Messaging Policy:

UC Davis Policy and Procedure Manual Chapter 310, Communications and Technology Section 18, Mass Electronic Messaging, Section II.B
Mass electronic messaging—includes any bulk EC that is sent to 250 or more users that
provides a means to reach large populations. The communication may contain automated
personalized elements and still qualify as mass electronic messaging

Review of the Bulk/Mass mailing message by the requestor is required prior to sending.

The Bulk Email team will provide the requestor with a sample message of the final draft, exactly as it will appear to all recipients, to be reviewed and approved.
This sample message must be approved via email before the Bulk/Mass mailing message is sent.
The Bulk Email team also sends the test message to several other reviewers within IET to verify the format of the message. This does require the approver of the draft to be available for any issues prior to requested time and date for the message. 

Once the message is approved for content and formatting by the approver and the list of recipient addresses is verified, the message will be queued on the campus servers for delivery.
The message will then also be added to the Authentic Message Registry as requested.  

If you need something urgent during business hours, follow up your full request with a phone call to IT Express and reference your INC number.
You can reach us at 530-754-4357 from 7 am to 6 pm PST Monday through Friday. We are closed university holidays.

How do I set-up and request a campus bulk electronic mailing?

When requesting help with your mass mailing, the Postmaster's office will require specific information at the time of submission of your request.

Please provide the following items before submitting your request:

• A valid email address to use in the "From:" line (please remember that all delivery error messages will be sent to this address)
• From Text: who is this coming from
• A valid "reply to" email address if different from the "from" email address. If no address is selected, your from email address will be used. You cannot use an email address you do not own or manage without communication with the person receiving the email.
• Provide a clear subject line so recipients know what your message is about.
• The text of the message in a short and concise format. Example:
  
• The recipient email addresses to use for the request (currently there is no restriction on number of recipients).
  
  • If you have a specific audience other than all staff, faculty, or students, provide a list of MailIDs separated by line break; no comma or semi-colon
  • If you have a specific audience to address but need the most current list of those users, include that in your approval form so the AVC is aware and you can have that pulled from most recent data with your request. Examples are: all undergraduate students, all new incoming students for the next quarter, etc.
• Include links to more detailed information.
• Do not include special formatting (every email program handles special formatting differently, and some programs may display formatting incorrectly).
• If using HTML formatting, provide the Full HTML message.
• Date requested for mailing.
  
  • Please note IT Express can take submissions from 7am to 3pm Monday through Friday. We are closed university holidays for same day draft to go out.
  • Drafts must have final draft approval by 3:30pm to be sent out that day.

Authorized Approval

According to the Mass Electronic Messaging policy, all bulk messages must be authorized prior to being processed. The required authorizer differs based on the message audience:

• Messages to the entire community:
  1. The Chancellor or Provost & Executive Vice Chancellor
  2. Messages related to Information Technology infrastructure, services, or information/cyber-security: Chief Information Officer and Vice Provost—Information and Educational Technology.
• Messages to students (including international students): Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs
• Messages to faculty: Provost & Executive Vice Chancellor or Chair - Academic Senate
• Messages to staff: Vice Chancellor of the Finance, Operations and Administration
• Messages to Senate and non-Senate academic personnel: Provost & Executive Vice Chancellor or Chair—Academic Senate.
• Messages to to UC Davis alumni or donors: Vice Chancellor—Development and Alumni Relations.
• Messages to  to scholars, alumni, as well as international students: Vice Provost—Global Affairs.
• Messages to to a college or school: dean of that college or school
• Messages to a campus unit: department head

The Mass Electronic Messaging Policy includes more information about the authorization process.

You can send the authorization documentation by sending the FINAL authorization approval email, clear to read and without threading. If you need a form with details, you can use the one provided on this page.

Once the authorization approval form is filled out and all required information available, fill out the request form. 

For more information please contact bulk@ucdavis.edu.