The purpose of the listserv is to provide a vehicle for communication between the section leadership and other section members, and among section members themselves. Electronic mailing lists are one of the most useful means of communication, since they enable their members to instantly transmit or receive information and opinions on matters of common interest. When a message is sent to a mail list the listserv distributes it to all subscribers. Conversely, when replies to that message are "mailed," they too, are broadcast to the entire list of subscribers, making this a highly interactive form of communication.As with any new tool, some directions are necessary and some guidelines are in order. These guidelines are intended to facilitate better communication on this list.

1. Section officers are the only persons authorized to send out communications. If you have something you want to send out to the section membership, please send it to Section administrator or any section officer.

2. The list should be used for matters of interest to the section as a whole. Specific and topical messages are better directed to smaller groups. Tailor your message to the issue being addressed or up for discussion, since that will tend to produce the most focussed and valuable responses from your colleagues.

3. Brevity is important. Please keep your messages as short and to the point as is consistent with conveying the substance of your thoughts.

4. Please sign your message with your full name and other pertinent information. Among other things, this gives your colleagues the opportunity to consult directly with you on questions or issues that may have come up in discussion.

5. Avoid attachments. Attachments can be very useful, but frequently they are incompatible with your audience's software. Therefore, when at all possible, avoid using them.

6. Messages intended for a specific person on the list should be sent to that person through direct Email. Due to differences in Email software, the reply function may not always address a message to the original sender, but sometimes to the whole list. For this reason, always include your name and Email address in the body of your message so that others may reply to you directly.

7. The responsibility of the posting content lies entirely with the poster.