Grantee Resources - MRC Listserv
The MRC listserv, EDmentoring Forum, is a way for your ED Program Officers and the staff of the MRC to quickly pass on information, updates, and announcements. It is also designed to be a peer-networking and learning tool that allows you to talk with other ED grantees so that you may share best practices, discuss innovative ideas, and get answers to questions about program implementation and grant management. This is a closed list; only ED grantees, U.S. Department of Education Program Officers, and MRC staff are part of the discussions. So we hope that you make yourself at home in this virtual community, and really use it as a way of connecting to the other programs in your cohort.
Representative staff from all ED grantees have been automatically signed up for the EDmentoring Forum. If new staff need to be added, please contact us at edmentoring@emt.org and we will sign them up.
How do I receive messages?
The listserv is email-based, meaning that messages will come to your email client (MS Outlook, AOL, etc.) directly. You can read, reply, and post new messages to the list the same ways you do with regular email.
How do I post a message?
The easiest way is to simply send an email to edmentoring@lyris.nwrel.org. Once your message is approved, it will go out to the whole list. Users can also post a message via the web interface discussed below.
Can I change how I receive the emails?
Yes. There are several options available to you, from receiving them as they are posted to several types of "daily digests". This option can be changed via the web interface.
How does the web interface work?
The web interface allows you to change your mail options, search and read archived messages, change your email address, and post a new message. Accessing this section of the list is very easy. Simply click this link to open the interface in your web browser: http://lyris.nwrel.org/scripts/lyris.pl?enter=edmentoring
Simply enter your email address in the first box (leave the password blank) and click the button to enter the list. Once you are "in" you will see a set of fairly self-explanatory buttons that allow you to make the changes and do the activities mentioned above.
What are the rules for posting?
There are few rules governing discussion on the list. We want this to be something that you create and make your own. That being said, there are some simple ground rules that we ask grantees to follow:
- Since the MRC is a federally funded project, we will be unable to post messages that have overt political or partisan themes. Obviously, we want folks to feel open to sharing their opinions and insights related to youth work and education, but please keep in mind that messages that have a strong political slant are likely to not be posted.
- There will likely be a tremendous amount of resource sharing on this list. While we hope you share information widely with the group, we cannot send out documents or text that is under copyright (such as an entire article from a for-fee journal) or is proprietary. You can tell everyone about such resources and provide links if they happen to be online. But please do not forward protected information and resources to the group.
- Obviously, things like advertisements for for-profit services or products, jokes, chain-letters, virus warnings, and petitions are not allowed.
- Also, do not send anything as an attachment (word file, PDF, mp3, etc). The MRC screens all messages for computer viruses, but attachments also bog down the listserv software and present myriad problems for users running different operating systems and versions of software. So, no attachments please.
- And lastly, a bit of listserv etiquette: When you hit "reply" to a message that you have received from the list, please note that you are responding to the entire list, not just the sender. For this reason, responses addressed to a particular individual will be rejected. Chances are that most replies to a given message will have information that all list members may be interested in. Those replies are just fine and encouraged. But personal conversations and messages will be rejected.
We hope that the EDmentoring Forum becomes a valuable resource for you over the life of your grant, one that allows you to share your success while learning from your fellow programs. If you have any questions regarding the list, please contact us at edmentoring@emt.org or 1 (877) 579-4788.