The SBM Listservs are intended to facilitate communication among the membership concerning scientific and administrative issues of professional interest and importance. This medium is an important forum that derives its utility from open access, with minimal restrictions. The following guidelines have been approved by the SBM Executive Committee:

• Messages must be signed with the author's full name, institutional or professional affiliation, and email address at the end of the message.
• Messages should be of sufficient professional interest or importance that they warrant delivery to the several hundred users of the listserv.
• Redistribution, electronically or otherwise, of the material posted by other members is not permitted without the express written permission of that member.
• The following types of submissions are considered inappropriate:
  • Commercial advertisements or solicitations of any sort (including "SPAM"). This also applies to promotion or mention of commercial products that is not in response to a pertinent inquiry.
  • Topics not relevant to the SBM community.
  • Personal communications between individuals.
  • Replies to individuals' requests for information that are not of significant importance to all members. Replies should be limited in distribution, whenever possible.
  • Personal or confidential information about others
  • Messages whose content might present legal problems for the SBM or its members. As a 501c3 organization, SBM is prohibited from lobbying for political candidates or pending legislation.
  • Messages of inconsequential or non-substantive content, such as merely posting "I agree" without contributing substantively to the discussion. (Such replies should be sent directly to the author of the original message.)
  • Messages devoted solely to humor or light conversation.
• Exceptionally long messages (i.e. many pages in length) are discouraged because they cause problems for some subscribers with limited email storage. Our listserv support system automatically rejects messages over 100 KB and returns them to senders for alteration. It is recommended that individuals wishing to share large documents, such as draft manuscripts or position papers, should instead announce that they are available so that individuals can request that they be sent directly to the interested parties' email addresses.
• Replies to online surveys or to requests for information should be sent directly to the inquirer, NOT the entire listserv. When appropriate, the inquirer can later post a single summary of multiple responses to the listserv.
• Messages must be civil and professional in tone. Communication via SBM cannot provide the same freedom of expression as would be possible in a private conversation among confidants. Personal criticism of individuals or even substantive contributions that violate professional comity should not be circulated through the Listservs.
• Please note that the opinions expressed in postings are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the opinions or policy positions of the SBM, its officers, committee members, Special Interest Groups, or Councils. Neither the Society of Behavioral Medicine nor the administrators of the listserv can verify the content of postings for accuracy or be held accountable for message content. Parties submitting messages bear sole responsibility and liability for the content of their postings.
• Violation of Guidelines:
  1. Communications or postings that violate these guidelines will result in an admonition from the Listserv Administrator, together with a reminder of the pertinent Listserv terms and conditions and an explanation of the violation. The Listserv Administrator may consult the Executive Committee in determining whether a violation has occurred.
  2. In the case of a second violation, the Listserv Administrator may, in his or her discretion, preliminarily suspend the user's Listserv privileges by delivering written notice of same to such user together with an explanation of the violation, in which event the Listserv Administrator will refer the matter to the Executive Committee at its next scheduled meeting or conference call. After consultation with the Executive Committee, the Listserv Administrator will communicate to the suspended user the length of such suspension, which may be up to one year after delivering written notice.
  3. In the event a user's Listserv privileges have been suspended for one year, the user may request reinstatement of his or her privileges by making written request to the Listserv Administrator. The Listserv Administrator may grant or deny such request in his or her discretion after consultation with, and with the approval of, the Executive Committee. Once reinstated, any further violations of these terms and conditions may result in additional suspension of Listserv privileges in accordance with the procedure described in Section 2, above. In the event of three or more such violations, the Listserv Administrator may permanently revoke such user's Listserv privileges after consultation with, and with the approval of, the Executive Committee, upon delivering written notice of permanent revocation to the user. The notice shall include an explanation of the violation giving rise to such action.
  4. The Listserv Administrator shall provide a user whose Listserv privileges are to be suspended or revoked as described in Sections 2 or 3, above, a reasonable opportunity to submit a written statement in support of the user's position prior to the Listserv Administrator's consultation with the Executive Committee regarding such suspension or revocation. Additionally, a user may appeal to the SBM Board of Directors any suspension or revocation of such user's Listserv privileges under Sections 2 or 3, above, by delivering written notice of same to the Listserv Administrator and the Board of Directors not later than fifteen (15) days after user's receipt of notice of such suspension or termination. The Board of Directors shall promulgate to such user the procedures for such appeal.

As experience dictates, the Executive Committee will revise these guidelines from time to time. Feedback is welcome through any of the members of the Executive Committee or chairs of Special Interest Groups.

Please do not hesitate to contact the SBM Listserv Administrator with any questions or problems you might have: He is: Steven Molter, Senior Meetings Manager, Society of Behavioral Medicine, smolter@sbm.org.

Approved by the Executive Committee of SBM, December 14, 2007