Google Groups FAQ
How can I request a new Google Group?
Submit the Google Group Request Form in ServiceNow with the following information:
- The name and IdentiKey username of a group owner (person to accept or decline invitations, if necessary). The owner of the group can add and remove members to the group.
- A descriptive name for the group. The name is based on this format: [CampusDepartmentCode]-gg-[Display Name]. For example: dept-gg-mylist@colorado.edu.
An OIT specialist will create the account and get in touch with you once it's created.
In the Email List Manager system I was an "owner" of all my lists, but in Google Groups I'm listed as a "manager." Should I be an owner in Google Groups too?
For Google Groups, "managers" have the ability to do everything the Email List Manager "owners" could do, so you won't ever need to be an "owner" of a Google Group.
I tried to post to my Google Group and received this error: "Error posting message." What should I do?
As of November 2025, posting messages to a Google Group must be done by emailing the group's email address from Outlook, rather than by posting from the Google Groups website.
Where do I manage my Google Groups?
You can access and manage your google groups by signing in at groups.google.com with your @colorado.edu email address. You will be able to see all groups you are a member of under the My Groups section, or can browse through all groups at CU Boulder that are publicly listed under the All groups section on the left sidebar.
Why are there groups listed under "My groups" that I don't remember joining and cannot view?
CU Boulder often uses Google Groups to manage access to Google services, so you may see groups listed under My groups that you did not join, can't leave, and don't have permission to access. These groups can safely be ignored.
Email List Manager FAQ
Why was Sympa replaced?
The OS and hardware required to host Sympa was nearing end of life. OIT made the decision not to invest in a new on-premises environment to continue hosting Sympa, and instead migrate this service to our existing Google Workspace Groups service.
Why was Google chosen as the replacement for Sympa when CU Boulder moved away from Google for email and storage?
There were two primary reasons for choosing Google Groups to replace Sympa:
- Google Groups offered a near 1:1 feature set to Sympa and provided an interface that was familiar to our user base, while reducing complexity within our IT infrastructure.
- CU Boulder intends to continue offering the Google Workspace for Education to our users and, as part of that product suite, Google Groups does not consume storage or count against our data quota.
When placed against the other options in this space, Google Groups met the technical requirements and allowed OIT resources to be invested in other areas of need.
