Computing Topics --> Computer Problems and Questions --> Email Related Problems --> Troubleshooting Course Mail Problems -->

Troubleshooting Course Mail Problems

Initial lag time in list creation process:
  • When a Course mail list is created, it can take up to an hour for the necessary entry to be created in the system mail aliases file. If you try to send mail to the list after creating it, but before the system aliases file has been updated, the mail will bounce with a "user unknown" error message. If this happens, wait an hour and try resending the mail.
Problems establishing list:
  • There is an intermittent bug with the UMEG/coursemail.umd.edu system(s) with respect to the creation of Course mail lists. In a very small percentage of cases (1-2%), when an instructor creates a Course mail list via the steps at the Creating Course Mail Mailing Lists page, UMEG will report the list has been created, when in fact it hasn't. The way to tell if this is the case is to send mail to the list. If you get a bounce back with a "user unknown" error (after the initial hour mentioned above has elapsed), this is the likely scenario. If this happens, contact the Office of Information Technology (OIT) Help Desk and report that your Course mail list appears to have not been successfully created, and provide course number, section and semester as specified by UMEG (like "engl100-0101-spr04"). We will open a problem ticket and have UMEG reset for this class, then notify you to try creating the list again. The subsequent attempt to create the list should be successful.
  • If the instructor generating the Course mail list does not have an official e-mail address entered in the ARES system, the list will not be correctly generated. Make sure you have an e-mail address entered in the ARES system prior to creating any Course mail lists. The OIT Help Desk has a web page on how to update your e-mail address in the ARES system.
Student's address on list:
  • If a student enters an incorrect e-mail address on the Testudo system, that address will be placed in the Course mail list at the time of the list creation, or if the list has already been created, at the time they add the class. If the new e-mail address is invalid, the list administrator will get a bounced e-mail message for that address after any posting to the list. The instructor should then contact the student so that the student can update their e-mail address via the Testudo system. (The OIT Help Desk has a page on updating the student's e-mail address in Testudo.) The instructor should then remove the invalid address from the list.
  • If a student changes their e-mail address on Testudo, the new address will be added to any existing Course mail lists, but the old one will not be removed. Unless the student notifies the instructor(s), both addresses will be on the list(s). There is no way to track that sort of thing at this time. The previous e-mail address will have to be manually removed from the list.
  • If a student changes their e-mail address on Testudo and then drops the class, their entry on a Course mail list will not be removed. There is no way to track that sort of thing at this time; their e-mail address will have to be manually removed from the list.
Mail rejections when sending to the list:
How are we doing? Comments on this page?
Office of Information Technology
Office of Information Technology Help Desk Web Site University of Maryland Web Site Office of Information Technology Web Site