Department Email Groups, Addresses and Listservs

What are department email groups? 

All employees are assigned to groups based on their division, department, or college. The primary usage of these groups is to send email communications. Below is an example of what email groups look like. Group names begin with the prefix "MNSU-org-".

Screenshot of an example of some new department email groups in Outlook, including MNSU-org-Accessibility Resources, MNSU-org-Accessibility Technologies, MNSU-org-Accounting Services, MNSU-org-Accounting and Business Law, MNSU-org-Accounts Payable, and MNSU-org-Accounts Receivable

How do email groups work?

Group membership and permission

Department email group membership is based on the department organizational charts maintained by HR. Group memberships use a top down, hierarchical approach.  Below is an example of a department email group hierarchy and permissions.

Organizational chart diagram showing IT Solutions Division at the top, departments under the Division, and sub-departments under Departments.

How it works

  • MNSU-org-ITSolutions sends email to all employees that report anywhere under the IT Solutions Division.
  • MNSU-org-Department sends email to all employees that report anywhere under that Department.
  • MNSU-org-SubDepartment sends email to employees ONLY in that Sub-Department

Note that permissions to email the group are restricted to the members of the group and the leaders of those departments, divisions, or colleges. In the above example, someone in the Computer Store would only be able to email IT Solutions, IT Solutions Delivery, and Computer Store, unless an exception was granted. 

If you're a supervisor of multiple groups below you, you'll only be included in your top-level group. You will not receive emails sent to groups listed underneath your top-level. However, you will have access to send emails to any of those groups. If you'd like to receive emails sent to those groups, please submit ticket for help.

Exceptions and support

If an exception needs to be granted to your groups, please have a leader from your department, division, or college submit ticket to the IT Solutions Center for help.