Lyris Lists
Lyris Lists to Close June 15, 2025
The College will retire its Lyris Listservs effective June 15, 2025. This decision comes as part of our broader efforts to streamline communications and enhance the ways alumni stay connected with each other and with the College.
While the listserv has served us well over the years, based on current use and interaction levels, a large percentage of alumni rely on social media platforms and the current alumni directory to maintain connections. Grinnell is in the process of making investments in the alumni website to offer more integrated opportunities for connection and engagement and hopefully allow a home for Grinnell communities that does not rely on participation in a particular social media platform or service.
This was not an easy decision – the Lyris Lists have served our community beautifully for a long time – but we have seen steep decline in the use of the listservs over the last ten years. While at one time we had over 100 active lists, there are currently only a handful of lightly used active lists and the usage by our alumni community is not commensurate with the rising subscription costs.
Later this year, the College will invite all alumni to join us on our new alumni website which will provide direct-to-email communication tools for classes and affinity groups. In the meantime, we encourage you to connect with each other via social media, with special consideration to using Everyday Class Notes. In addition, we encourage you to consider connecting live and in person by attending one of the many summer picnics this year.
Thank you for being part of this community and for the many conversations, updates, and memories you’ve shared over the years via the listserv.
If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Jayn Bailey Chaney ’05, assistant vice president for alumni and donor relations. Your patience during this time of transition is appreciated and we look forward to welcoming you to our new site later this year.