Black Alumni Listerv Community Guidelines

  1. All listservs must abide by the Google Group Guidelines and the College's Terms and Conditions of Use.
  2. While we realize that human nature is what it is, we also want to stress that what is said on the listserv is almost always strictly opinion, and to paraphrase, “opinions are like noses – everybody has one.” “If we can’t be polite, then we shouldn’t say it. We know that discussions can become heated sometimes, and sometimes we will disagree, but we do not need to be disagreeable about it. Some things will require blunt talk,”* but if you feel that you’re becoming overheated, then pull off to the side of the road, and let the engine cool down. Take a timeout.
  3. The College has no interest and no stake in private emails between people who also happen to be listserv users. Private discussions are exempt from moderator oversight, and private arguments have no place on the listserv. Public disagreements can be settled amicably in public. Parties involved may have to agree to disagree and just leave it as is. “Focus on the issue or position and not on the personality. Some people are, shall we say, more colorful than others, but that is not a reason for name calling, personal attacks, libel, defamation, comments about someone’s mother – you get the idea. Also, obscenities should be avoided”* – there are always better words to use, and we all know them. Under no circumstances should we post anything that could be regarded as intimidating, threatening, harassing, bullying, etc. Please refer to the College’s Terms and Conditions of Use.
  4. When you post to the listserv, try to stay with the issue. That is, don’t ramble off on tangents. We have not had any kind of problem with that in the past and there’s no need to anticipate one. We have also run with several different discussions at the same time, and we see no reason to change that format. We would simply ask that you keep your posts under the proper subject heading.
  5. Our intent is to avoid a need to remove any member from the listserv.  Concerns regarding conduct should be shared with the College at alumni@amherst.edu.  Please refer to the Google Group Guidelines for additional information.
  6. Anyone may voluntarily unsubscribe at any time using the link at the bottom of all posts to the listserv.  Anyone who would like to subscribe to the list may contact alumni@amherst.edu.
  7. Anyone at any time may confidentially contact Susan Prattis '80, Jewel Younge '99, or Ellis Moss '79 with questions or objections about treatment, policy or issues of general concern about the listserv. All complaints, questions and objections will be treated as confidential. Complaints lodged with the College will be shared with the moderators. 

*This document includes words and phrases taken directly from NPR's rules for conduct on their electronic media.