OPA Email Forums
All OPA forums are restricted to its membership.
Certain rules apply to all forums: Stay within the guidelines of the forum. No selling, or promoting other organizations, forums or lists. No cross posting of messages or information. In addition, lists are moderated to eliminate flaming, bad language and other nuisance posting. In any forums hosted by Yahoo! Groups, members are also bound by the Yahoo Groups Terms of Service.
OPA RULES & GUIDELINES FOR PARTICIPATION IN INTERNET FORUMS
It is agreed that participation in OPA internet discussion forums is a privilege and not a right of membership in the organization.
The list Moderators have the obligation, authority and duty to remove any member whose actions and posts are disruptive to the other list members and whose actions and posts are not conducive to the purposes of OPA and/or to the smooth interchange between all list members.
OPA has specific requirements regarding the conduct of its members on internet forums.
OPA is a professional organization that will at times engage in political lobbying activities. Political lobbying activities require a constant and reliable presentation of a unified public face, and also requires the highest level of trust, confidence, discretion, and professional behavior from and among all of our members.
We must all understand and agree that what we say in our private communications with other members of OPA remains private. This applies to postings to the OPA lists as well as private communications between members regarding postings to the OPA lists.
We must all understand and agree that we can be honest with each other in a professional manner even if we disagree. We must all understand and agree that we are all on the same "team", even though at times we may disagree on particular matters. We must all understand and agree that the agenda of OPA takes priority over the personal agenda of any member. Personal attacks by one member on another will not be tolerated and will be grounds for the offending member to be dismissed from the OPA internet forums.
OPA requires that all members keep all matters discussed within these internet forums (or any private communications regarding matters taken from this these forums) confidential, unless all members whose text appears in the communication, expressly give their written permission for the information to be distributed outside of the OPA internet forums.
OPA requires that all members act in a professional manner towards all other members on these forums at all times.
Essentially the list rules are simple:
- Address an issue to its proper forum;
- No selling or advertising of any kind;
- No fund raising for, or promotion of other groups or organizations without prior permission from the Board of Directors; and
- No cross posting or forwarding of messages without permission of all authors whose comments are included in the text.
In addition to these rules, standard email list guidelines also apply, and may also result in a member's loss of privileges, including loss of the right to participate in email forums. Postings should not include the gratuitous use of foul language, flaming, personal insults, harassment on the lists or in private emails, "spamming" members by personal email, "overposting" by topic or by length, "soap-boxing," haranguing, "single issue posting," or other disruptive behavior.
A member's right of continued participation on an OPA list may also depend on complaints lodged by other members. No member will be removed capriciously, but both the validity and the number of complaints will affect the final decision of the Moderators.
OPA LIST INFRACTION PROCEDURES
Initial infractions will result in a one-time warning message.
Warning messages concerning unapproved selling, advertising, fundraising or promotions will be sent to the list where the post appeared.
Warning messages concerning all other infractions will be sent to the member privately.
The member is required to respond to the warning by stating in a reply email, that they have received and understand it.
A second occurrence will result in the receipt of a private message that he or she has been removed from the OPA internet email lists.
A member will not have the opportunity to flaunt list guidelines, therefore single infractions of several guidelines may also, at the discretion of the BOD, result in removal.
A member may petition the BOD for reinstatement after a period of 90 days.
All inquires or comments concerning the removal of an individual should be sent to that individual.
Comments or inquires concerning removal that are sent to the lists or other OPA forums will not receive a response.
Submitted on behalf of the OPA Board of Directors, December 28, 2004
