What I did when the relatively new SWIP-L was getting out of hand was to post a
long ruminating message about what I had had in mind when starting the list and
in it I asked subscribers to respond and discuss whether this was what they
wanted.  After a few days of getting responses on the list and privately
with suggestions (and only one of the flamers responded negatively) I then
sent a Here's What I'm Going To Do message that repeated the parameters of
the list.  I said that if the discussion drifted too far afield I would
either send a message to the list or counsel with people privately.  If
anyone persisted in posting stuff that was inappropriate I reserved the
right to remove them from the list.  The response to this was positive from
everyone I heard from.
   To make it work, though, I had to change my header settings so that only
list members could send messages and subscriptions now go through me.  If the
person requesting a subscription is not a SWIP member (Society for Women
in Philosopy) I first send them a letter introducing themto the goals
and purposes of the list and ask them to let me know if they still want to
subscribe. If they say they do, I subscribe them.  If the person is a member
I subscribe them immediately and then send a welcome letter that contains
pretty much the same info as the introductory lettter.  Since we've done this
the list has been going along smoothly (though it's a lot less exciting than
it was during "the great moonie debate"!) Linda
 
***************************************************************
Linda Lopez McAlister/HYPATIA: Journal of Feminist Philosophy,
Women's Studies Dept. Arts and Sciences,_USF, Tampa, FL 33620
813-974-5531.dllafaa@cfrvm or [log in to unmask]