The Objectives of SSCP's Listserv

Dated: 3.19.23 (Click here to download in PDF format)

SSCPNet provides an opportunity for the membership of SSCP to disseminate and share ideas and information concerning the promotion of clinical science. All members of SSCP are eligible to subscribe to the listserv. The listserv members will determine the topics of discussion. All listserv members, including student affiliates and international members are encouraged to be active participants. Committed psychologists willing to share their ideas and interests will contribute to a vital and active listserv.

I. Guidelines for using SSCPNet

Our guidelines are meant to promote useful and respectful interaction among professionals. The guidelines are a combination of rules (items 1-7), aspirations for etiquette (items 8-14), information for list members (items 15-16), and procedures for handling problems (item 17). Enforcement policies are listed in Section II.

1.      Do not post defamatory, abusive, threatening, or illegal materials.

2.     Make clear whether statements are personal opinions or factual, and do not post libelous material (written falsehoods intended to harm another person's reputation).

3.     Use caution when discussing products. Information posted on the list is available for all to see, and comments are subject to libel, slander, and antitrust laws. Because SSCP is a not-for-profit and tax-exempt organization, the listserv is to be used only as a forum for the above mentioned aims and purposes (i.e., sharing of professional/scientific information) and not as a means of electioneering, advancing personal or another's professional gain, advertising professional services, or for any other personal or monetary profit/gain. The following two items pertain to this issue:

4.     Do not electioneer for candidates for public office. However, do discuss candidates for APA or APS office or Divisional office, including personal endorsements.

5.     Job listings, position openings, and discussion of professionally related products or services where the posting member is not involved and has no financial interest in selling the products or services are welcome. Announcements that provide useful professional information to listserv members typically are not considered "commercial" for purposes of this restriction, even if there is some commercial benefit to the sender (e.g., it is acceptable for an author who is a listserv member to announce the publication of his/her professional book or an upcoming workshop). However, other commercial messages (e.g., advertisements for products or services, notices regarding rental of office space, or direct solicitations of listserv members to purchase products or services) should not be posted.

6.     Do not post any information or material protected by copyright without the permission of the copyright owner. In posting material to SSCPNet taken from elsewhere, or posting/forwarding material from SSCPNet to elsewhere, members should follow professional guidelines for accuracy and credit, including, for example, obtaining authors’ permission when quoting extensively from their work.

7.     When discussing clinical issues, maintain client confidentiality.

8.     Be civil, constructive, and professional. SSCP encourages passionate but respectful debate and discussion. Differences of opinion must be expressed in a collegial, professional manner (e.g., without ad hominem personal attacks or other malevolent behavior). Posts should be written to invite discussion and stimulate conversation, not to discourage or squash it through contention.

9.     Stick to substantive issues; avoid messages that are off-point, trivial, obtuse, and so forth.

10.  Keep messages as brief as possible (e.g., only "repost" essential text from previous postings rather than the entire message).

11.   Use "subject" lines that are as informative as possible. If you wish to raise a new topic, then please post with a new subject line.

12.  Direct messages or replies to SSCPNet only when you believe they will be of wide interest; otherwise, direct them “back channel” to individual e-mail addresses.

13.  Be sensitive to cultural, religious, racial, academic training background, and academic developmental level/stage, and other issues related to individual differences so that messages will not be misinterpreted. SSCP members are encouraged to discuss sensitive and even controversial topics; however, discussions must remain respectful and welcoming to listserv members and students. SSCP members do not agree about everything, and arguments deserve to be considered on their merits. SSCP welcomes thoughtful, challenging ideas that may be taken for granted among some of the membership’s rank and file, as SSCP is not immune to problematic group dynamics (e.g., groupthink, silencing dissent, or obedience to authority).

14.  The copyright of any material posted on SSCPNet is retained by the author. However, in posting to the listserv, authors grant other SSCP members permission to reproduce postings freely within the listserv itself and also elsewhere outside the listserv, with appropriate attribution to the author.

15.  Please be aware, when posting to the listserv, of the potential that someone legally could take anything that is posted on SSCPNet and reproduce it elsewhere (e.g., forward or post it on a website; downloaded from listserv archives), as long as it is within the bounds of “fair use.” This possibility underscores that all postings should be professional in tone.

16.  SSCPnet is for SSCP members (including student affiliates and international members), so individuals whose membership has lapsed will be removed from the listserv after appropriate notice of the opportunity to renew membership.

17. In the event that a potentially illegal posting is brought to SSCP's attention, SSCP will take appropriate action as defined below.

II. Enforcement of Policies

Enforcement of the SSCP policies is as follows:

1. The SSCP Executive Board reserves the right to permanently place on “read-only” status or remove from the listserv any member who egregiously violates the guidelines listed above. Examples of egregious violations of SSCP listserv guidelines include posts that could be construed as libelous, blatant personal attacks, or persistent lack of sensitivity to individual and cultural differences. “Egregious violations” are determined by a unanimous vote of the SSCP Executive Board. These violations will result in being places on “read-only” status or removed from the listserv for an indefinite period (a minimum of 2 years).

a. Any member removed because of “Egregious violations” will have the right to appeal for participation in the listserv (appeal process described in II.4.) after a 2 year period. If the appeal is successful, renewed participation in the listserv will be fully restored.

2. The SSCP Executive Board reserves the right to place on “read-only” status or remove from the listserv any member who persistently violates these guidelines. Each of these actions requires a unanimous vote by the Board, and before doing so, the Board will inform the individual of how s/he is flagrantly violating these guidelines and give the person the opportunity to amend the behavior (except under very extreme circumstances where the Board unanimously determines that immediate removal is necessary; e.g., tied to legal concerns).

a. For purposes of enforcement, this policy would be enacted when at least 2 members note that 3 different posts by a member (occurring within a 6-month period) violate a guideline for the listserv. Complaints are to be reported to the listserv manager promptly (ideally within 10 business days of the post in question) and will be reviewed by the Board. Complaints will be handled anonymously by the Board. When the Board confirms a complaint, the violating member will be informed that they have violated a listserv guideline.

       i.         When board-confirmed complaints are made based on 3 different posts in a 6-month period, the violating member will be placed on “read-only” status or removed from the listserv for a period of 4 weeks.

     ii.         When board-confirmed complaints are made based on 6 different posts within a two year period, the violating member will be placed on “read- only” status or removed from the listserv for a period of 6 months.

3. In the event that a Board member is the individual accused of violating the listerv guidelines or cannot remain impartial for some reason (e.g., there is a conflict of interest, such as a Board member being the academic mentor for the accused violator), the Board member will not have a vote for policy enforcement.

4. Any member so removed has the right to appeal the action to an independent committee appointed by the listserv manager. The committee will consist of three SSCP members who are not on the Board and who are familiar with the listserv and the types and range of interactions on it. The committee will review the posts that led to the action, an explanation of the Board’s decision, and the member’s response. The committee can sustain, reverse, or modify the Board’s action based on a majority vote.

III. Student Listserv

1.      SSCP maintains a listserv specifically for student and early career (i.e., post-doctoral scholars and fellows) members. All are encouraged to join and participate.

2.     Guidelines and Enforcement of policies are the same for both the general SSCPNet and student lists.

3.     Student members who are permanently removed from the Student Listserv will be eligible for joining SSCPNet after a 2 year period and vote from the Board.

Thank you for helping us to make the listserv work for all of us!