Management of Email Distribution Lists Procedure

Purpose

This procedure establishes consistent requirements for the creation, approval, administration, use, review, and retirement of email distribution lists used by Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA).

This procedure ensures that distribution lists:

• Support legitimate college business needs.

• Maintain accurate membership.

• Provide clear accountability through delegated ownership.

• Comply with security, privacy, records management, and operational requirements.

• Reduce the proliferation of unnecessary or duplicative lists.

• Support effective communication throughout the College.

Scope

This procedure applies to all electronic distribution lists, Microsoft 365 distribution groups, mail-enabled groups, and similar group communication mechanisms administered within NOVA information technology systems.

This procedure applies to:

• College-wide communication groups

• Campus groups

• Division and department groups

• Committee and governance groups

• Project-specific groups

• Operational groups

• Voluntary subscription groups approved by the College

This procedure does not apply to:

• Course rosters managed through instructional systems

• Automated application-generated notifications

• Emergency notification systems governed by separate procedures

Definitions

• Appropriate Access – Authorized users have timely access to the digital data needed to perform assigned responsibilities.

• Backup Owner – A designated individual who assumes ownership responsibilities when the delegated owner is unavailable.

• Business Owner – The NOVA employee responsible for the business purpose, membership accuracy, and appropriate use of a distribution list.

• Designated Owner – The approved business owner assigned responsibility for managing a distribution list rather than relying on centralized management by College Computing.

• Distribution List – A system-managed electronic mailing group used to distribute messages to multiple recipients through a single email address.

• Distribution List Registry – The official College inventory of approved distribution lists maintained by College Computing.

• Opt-In Group – A distribution list that permits eligible users to voluntarily subscribe or unsubscribe.

Distribution List Categories

All distribution lists shall be assigned to one of the following categories:

Institutional/Authoritative Lists

Used for official NOVA communications with broad institutional impact. Membership is restricted to NOVA employees only. Updates are made through automated data feeds.

Examples include:

• All employees (no contractors)

• All faculty (no contractors)

• All staff (no contractors)

Organizational Lists

Used by offices, departments, divisions, campuses, provosts, vice presidents and/or standing committees. These lists communicate information to the broader College community or select constituent groups of the College community. Designated owners may not automatically be included in distribution lists they are responsible for; designated owners may add themselves as a member to such lists. Membership is restricted to NOVA employees only.

Examples include:

• Campus-wide communications

• Division-wide communications

• Major governance bodies

Internal Operations Lists

Used to communicate operational updates, changes, or other relevant information to a select subset of a division or department. These lists may also be used to request non-emergency services from select units. Membership is not restricted to NOVA employees. Updates are completed by the list owner.

Examples include:

• Campus-based facilities

• Campus-based IT

• NOVA Online

• Human Resources

Temporary Lists

Used to support projects, initiatives, ad hoc committees, temporary work groups, and temporary business activities. Membership is not restricted to NOVA employees. Updates are completed by the list owner.

Opt-In Groups

Used for voluntary participation groups approved by the College. An approved owner may create the group and invite eligible participants under approved operating rules. Membership is not restricted to NOVA employees.

Roles and Responsibilities

Distribution List Creation

A request for a new distribution list shall include:

• Business purpose

• Sponsoring office

• Proposed name

• Proposed email address

• Classification category

• Designated owner

• Backup owner

• Intended recipients

• Authorized senders

• Projected duration if temporary

College Computing shall review requests for:

• Duplication

• Naming compliance

• Technical feasibility

• Security considerations

No distribution list may be created without an identified owner.

Naming Standards

Distribution lists shall be consistent with standards followed in the College’s Microsoft ecosystem.

Names shall:

• Clearly identify the purpose of the list.

• Reflect organizational structure where appropriate.

• Avoid confusing abbreviations.

• Avoid personal names except where organizationally required.

College Computing maintains the technical naming standard supporting this procedure.

Membership Management

Membership shall be managed using one of the following methods:

Automated Membership

Where practical, membership shall be derived from authoritative College data sources.

Owner-Managed Membership

The designated owner shall maintain membership accuracy and control who is included in the list. Designated owners may not be automatically included in distribution lists they are responsible for; they may add themselves as a member to such lists.

Designated owners shall promptly remove:

• Inactive members (manual removal may be required in the case of resignation/retirement/termination)

• Individuals who no longer require membership

• Memberships created in error

Opt-In Membership

Membership is voluntarily established by eligible users through self-service enrollment or owner invitation under approved operating rules.

Authorized Use

Distribution lists shall only be used for purposes consistent with their approved business purpose.

Distribution lists shall not be used for:

• Personal business

• Commercial solicitation

• Political campaigning

• Unauthorized mass communications

• Activities prohibited by College policy

Designated-ownership lists shall be centrally restricted by default so that only the designated owner may send until the designated owner authorizes other approved senders.

External Access

Distribution lists that:

• accept email from external senders;

• contain external members; or

• distribute sensitive institutional information,

must receive additional review and approval as determined by College Computing and IT Security.

External access shall be disabled unless there is a documented business requirement.

Ownership Changes

When a designated owner:

• separates from employment;

• transfers to another area; or

• can no longer perform ownership responsibilities,

the sponsoring office shall designate a replacement owner.

If no replacement owner is identified, College Computing may place the list into restricted status pending resolution.

Annual Certification and Periodic Audits

All distribution lists shall undergo annual review and periodic audits.

Owners shall certify:

• Continuing business need

• Membership accuracy

• Authorized senders

• Ownership information

• Classification accuracy

Failure to complete certification or resolve audit findings may result in:

• suspension;

• restriction of permissions; or

• retirement of the distribution list.

Temporary and Project Lists

Project and temporary lists shall include an anticipated expiration date.

Upon project completion, the owner shall:

• request retirement; or

• request conversion to another approved classification.

Project and temporary lists that are past their expiration dates may be retired by College Computing following notification to the designated owner.

Retirement of Distribution Lists

A distribution list may be retired when:

• Its business purpose no longer exists.

• It remains unowned.

• It fails certification requirements.

• It duplicates another approved list.

• Leadership directs consolidation.

Prior to retirement, College Computing shall:

• Verify retirement approval.

• Preserve records and configuration information needed for historical, compliance, operational, troubleshooting, and audit purposes.

• Document retirement in the Distribution List Registry.

• Notify affected stakeholders when appropriate.

Distribution List Registry

College Computing shall maintain a Distribution List Registry containing:

• List name

• Description

• Category

• Owner

• Backup owner

• Sponsoring office

• Creation date

• Certification status

• Retirement date when applicable

The Distribution List Registry serves as the authoritative inventory of approved distribution lists.

Exceptions

Exceptions to this procedure require documented business justification and approval by the VP of Finance and Administration.

Exceptions shall be reviewed annually and may be revoked when no longer justified.

Compliance

Failure to comply with this procedure may result in the modification, suspension, or retirement of distribution lists and may be addressed through applicable College policies and procedures.