NCTA Electronic Resources THE Mailing List (Listserv)

Subscribing to the Mailing List The Mailing List was one of the first major ideas that came out of the Professional Development Committee when the organization was still regional. It was hosted by Tim Hoyt at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh for about 5 years until Tim retired. Then it was hosted at Wichita State University for about 5 years; my husband, Tom Veltman, and I served as Listserv Administrators. For several years, the list was open to anyone in testing – it was a major recruitment tool for MPACT and NCTA. It encouraged membership, but did not require it. Eventually the Board voted to make it a membership benefit. Membership has its privileges! You are automatically subscribed when you join NCTA Non-members cannot subscribe to the Mailing List

Unsubscribing from the List Oh, those “unsubscribe me” or “please remove me” messages give us the vapors, don’t they? The webmaster has put a filter on the list so the word “unsubscribe” triggers a bounce-back message to the sender, with info about how they can unsubscribe themselves. There are 3-4 of us who watch the list for these messages and individually respond to people who ask to be unsubscribed. Remember – not everyone who is a member of NCTA is a front- line testing person who wants or needs all the valuable information shared on the list, so please be patient when these messages pop up occasionally. They seem to come in waves!

List Etiquette We want to know who you are! Include your signature block, if you use one, or at least list: Your name Your institution This is one way we get to know each other, and also it helps to know how to answer inquiries if the responder knows you are from a community college, tech school, 4-year college/university, etc. Do NOT “ditto”! Please, no “Me, too’s.” No jokes or non-testing related message content. However, job postings are welcome!

Posting Messages We want you to participate – please post questions whenever information from the list could help you. Review your message before you post it: Clearly identify the topic in the subject line. Explain what you are inquiring about clearly – you know your situation and what you’re talking about, but others need a clear, but concise, summary If you can collect info and share it with the list or put it on the Wiki, please state that in your message If you change the topic while exchanging messages, please change or update the subject line

Replying to inquiries on the List Please Reply to All as often as possible, unless the person has said they will collect info and then post it. The default option is to reply only to the person; to give the info to everyone, which should be the usual situation, please send your reply to the list. Spread the word about NCTA and its member benefits – often people say, “I wish I’d heard about NCTA a long time ago – the Mailing List has such good info and I learn so much at the Conference!”