Hi All - For many years, I've been a loyal member of another intellectually
stimulating and vibrant listserv (Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology,
or SSCP) that was for several years experiencing somewhat similar problems - in
our case, one or two members who kept posting e-mails that were very personally
offensive and insulting (calling other members names, directly impugning their
intelligence, making some factual assertions about other members that were
potentially slanderous).
In response to these developments, which led a number of good people to
drop off of the listserv, the listerv ultimately adopted a policy by a vote of
the membership. I have to confess that I was initially opposed to the policy
and did not support it even as president of the organization, but I eventually
become persuaded that it was necessary given that one member's behavior was so
disruptive that it virtually held the listserv hostage at times. Moreover, as
the policy notes, reasonable people can and will disagree about the boundaries
of civility, but this person's verbal behavior was so far outside of these
boundaries that it was not longer a matter of debate.
You can find a PDF version of this policy at the very bottom of this
link (I don't want to send the PDF attachment to the listserv given that it may
clog up people's inboxes):
http://sites.google.com/site/sscpwebsite/listserv
Numbers 17 and 18 in particular explain how SSCP has handled this issue
(only one member has thus far been expelled as a result of this policy, which
has been in effect for a couple of years; he has expressed a desire to appeal
but to my knowledge has thus far not done so). I should note that this policy
has not impeded free and open discussion and debate on the listserv at all.
There's still plenty of strong and vigorous disagreement (and at times it still
becomes heated), but it is by and large respectful.
In any case, I'm sending this link along in the event that a similar
(although of course somewhat adapted) policy might prove helpful in this case.
....Scott
Scott O. Lilienfeld, Ph.D.
Professor
Editor, Scientific Review of Mental Health Practice
Department of Psychology, Room 473 Psychology and Interdisciplinary Sciences
(PAIS)
Emory University
36 Eagle Row
Atlanta, Georgia 30322
[email protected]
(404) 727-1125
Psychology Today Blog:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-skeptical-psychologist
50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology:
http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-140513111X.html
Scientific American Mind: Facts and Fictions in Mental Health Column:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/sciammind/
The Master in the Art of Living makes little distinction between his work and
his play,
his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his education and his
recreation,
his love and his intellectual passions. He hardly knows which is which.
He simply pursues his vision of excellence in whatever he does,
leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing.
To him - he is always doing both.
- Zen Buddhist text
(slightly modified)
From: Steven Specht [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, October 20, 2009 10:11 PM
To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS)
Subject: Re: [tips] response to Ed Callen
VERY nicely stated Beth. Thank you! And yes, Bill is owed a great debt of
gratitude from all of us and I, too, feel so badly for him to have to deal with
such unprofessional and childish nonsense. I support him and the other
professionals on this list fully (I think I have been on for about 15 years).
Hopeful that someone will "get a life"; amazed that some pathology results in
being so oblivious; supportive of Bill.
Cheers,
-Steven
On Oct 21, 2009, at 10:03 AM, Beth Benoit wrote:
Ed et al.,
(I refuse to post this in response to M.S.'s original subject heading, so I've
changed the subject.) I agree with everything you've said. I begged for
eliminating M.S. last January - and before then as well. Since January's
debacle, I have refused to respond to any of his bizarre, often childish,
sometimes hurtful posts. No one on TIPS backed me up at that time, but I
suspect that many just don't know how to address his posts. Michael's recent
threat to bring a lawsuit against Frostburg U. (which, of course, is the source
of TIPS) when Bill posted that he was dealing with the latest M.S. infringement
was almost the last straw for me, as it must have been for Bill. I suspect
that Bill's hands are tied without legal counsel. Who needs it??? I don't
doubt that Bill feels he doesn't need the grief.
I feel for our Bill. Bill posted that he was dealing with the "chick" name
calling, and that is apparently what brought on the lawsuit threat. I despair.
I suspect Bill does too. We all owe Bill such a debt of gratitude for all he
has done for almost two decades to keep this heretofore wonderful list going.
Thanks, Michael, for ruining it. Bill must be so glad he's near retirement and
can wash his hands of this list.
I, too, am so ready to leave TIPS, after over SIXTEEN years. Michael Sylvester
has ruined it by posting idiotic, insulting, threatening, silly, childish posts
which, sadly, sometimes take over TIPS because of wasted time responding to his
nutty posts. Anyone who challenges him is insulted.
Nancy Melucci's suggestion (to just ignore Michael's posts) has fallen mostly
on deaf ears, as have earlier suggestions with the same theme.
I'm prepared for M.S.'s acidic responses to this post. I can't begin to
imagine what his motivation is to continue his clownishness. I'm just glad I'm
not in Bill's shoes. I would have been heartbroken to have worked so hard to
get a listserve of enthusiastic psychology instructors' ideas and ultimately
been inundated with M.S.'s bizarre posts that challenge, and ruin, the spirit
of TIPS.
Please, Michael, say that you were just kidding, and are ready to enter TIPS
posts in an academic, scholarly manner. We await your sincere response.
Beth Benoit
Granite State College
Plymouth State University
New Hampshire
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========================================================
Steven M. Specht, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology
Chair, Department of Psychology
Utica College
Utica, NY 13502
(315) 792-3171
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and
convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
Martin Luther King Jr.
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