[Jobs] Purpose of List

[David Andrews]

Hello Folks:

I am writing you as the list owner of this listserv.  I ultimately have responsibility for what happens here, and run the technical side of the list.  I am assisted by Steve Jacobson and Mike Freeman.

The Moderator of the list is Michael Jones.  He is responsible for overseeing content on the list, as the representative of the NFB's Job Exchange Committee, its sponsor.


The primary purpose of the list is for job listings (hence Exchange.)  Below is the officially published purpose.

The purpose of the Jobs listserv is to connect people with jobs and jobs with people. List discussions will be limited to employment issues for the blind.
>From time to time information bulletins about the National Federation of the Blind will be distributed, however, the focus of this list will be to keep
members informed about career patterns, job opportunities, and other issues surrounding blind people and  employment.  This list is sponsored by the Job
Exchange Committee of the National Federation of the Blind. 
 

We have had a lively discussion in the past day about serving on jury duty, and whether or not it is appropriate or on topic for this list.  People have made good points, and some of you point out that public service is part of finding a job.  This is true, but where do we draw the line.

As list owners and moderators we must balance a number of factors including but not limited to list traffic, free speech, frustration from off topic messages, building list community, and much more.  

It is possible to say everything is related to finding a job, recreation, dress, sleep, personal relationships, kids, etc.  Where do we draw the line, because if we don't have some guidelines, chaos will insure.  If we are to lenient, people leave because there is to much noise as compared to the valuable messages.  If we clamp down to much, people complain and cause bigger problems then the original problem.

It seems to me that Mike and the original poster both handled things well, and everybody else started jumping on the wagon.  Please let the Moderator moderate.  Many of you seem to lean towards free and open discussion with responsibility, but said nothing when a poster gratuitously brought in the "iron fist of the NFB."  As they say, what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

Please take the jury duty discussion to a more appropriate list, and leave this one for direct messages about jobs and job hunting.

David Andrews, List Owner