Empowering Campus Communication: The University of Texas at Austin Group System Tim Chamberlain Deanna Bearden

Introduction Ability to manage and distribute official university bulk Can contact any group on campus Decentralized system designed for flexibility and growth Only faculty and staff may send messages

Background Web Interface System Details Strengths & Limitations Q & A Agenda

Background Late 1990’s UT Austin had need for: –Ability to reach large number of students & employees –Ability to target specific groups –Up-to-date lists using data from Mainframe –Centralized system with monitoring capabilities Group went live in 1999 Flexible system design Keeping up with campus needs

Web Interface Main processes: User requests authorization Administrator grants or denies request User generates unique list User sends through personal client within UT network

UT Direct Portal

Group Home Page

Step 1: Select List

Step 2: Request Authorization

Step 2: Request Authorization, Cont.

Step 3: Await Authorization

to Administrator

Pending Requests Screen

Grant Authorization Request

Home Page - Authorized

Step 1: Generate

Step 2: Generate

Send

Recipient’s

System Details Main processes: User requests authorization Administrator grants or denies request User generates unique list User sends through personal client within UT network

Authorization Process Main Natural Module TXNPBMOO TXTABLES Secure Module Gatekeeper Requestor Web Interface Authorize? The End Secure Module APOLLO Natural Module YesNo

TX-TABLES screenshot

List Generation Group module finds and calls specific list creation module TXTABLES Original Dataset List creation module creates dataset of addresses Batch job runs to remove users that have unsubscribed from Informational messages FTP step transfers list and policy file to Bulk Mail Server. List name mapped to the unique address generated for user. Policy File Revised Dataset To Bulk Mail Server

Delivery Must send from UT Network Plain Text Only No Attachments Message Type must be specified in subject Only one use per address generated Reply all won’t spam list Unique address User’s Client BMDS: unique address matched to recipient list, audited, delivered

Strengths –Only University-sanctioned messages –Real-time list generation –Easily targets specific groups –Centralized interface/decentralized system –Can accept custom lists –Ability to unsubscribe

Limitations –Lack of formatting –Possibility of delays –Passive moderation –Must send from University account –Lack of control over the decentralized generation modules

Q & A Questions? Contact us: –Tim Chamberlain –Deanna Bearden