CALL FOR DISCUSSION: URODELES/bionet.organisms.urodeles

[BIOSCI Administrator]

We have received a proposal below for a new newsgroup,

URODELES/bionet.organisms.urodeles

This announcement marks the end of the six month "prototype newsgroup"
period for the URODELES group at net.bio.net.  Either the group now
moves on through the voting process to full newsgroup status, i.e., a
USENET newsgroup in addition to a mailing list, or else it will be
shut down.  This message will also be posted to the urodeles list.

Discussion on the following proposal will now be open through 19 June
on BIOFORUM/bionet.general (*not* on BIONEWS/bionet.announce).  For
those who are not on the BIOFORUM/bionet.general newsgroup currently,
either read bionet.general on USENET or contact one of the following
biosci addresses to sign up by e-mail:

Subscription Address                 Location
--------------------                 --------
biosci at daresbury.ac.uk               Europe, Africa, and Central Asia
biosci at net.bio.net                   Americas and the Pacific Rim

One warning, however: BIOFORUM/bionet.general is a "chatty" newsgroup
and many other items will be discussed there besides this newsgroup
proposal.  USENET news access is definitely better than e-mail if you
want to monitor only this discussion.

Discussion Guidelines
---------------------
Please do not post one-line messages saying things like "I am in favor
of such a newsgroup".  We will collect votes later.  The discussion
period is an opportunity for anyone to bring up reservations about the
proposed charter below and to propose modifications prior to the vote.
If the charter is perfect as is, then there is no need for anyone to
say anything!!!

The newsgroup discussion leader may submit a revised proposal in light
of the discussion, and the new charter would be included in the call
for votes which will go out on 20 June (Newsgroup Discussion leaders -
please note this deadline - if no revisions are received before the
deadline, the original charter will be voted on.).

Please be aware that only one vote is counted per e-mail address, so
it is necessary to have your own account in order to vote.  Multiple
votes from the same address are not accepted.  If you are interested
in the following newsgroup, but do not have an e-mail address of your
own, please obtain one from your computer center before the call for
votes is issued.

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Proposal to establish URODELES/bionet.organisms.urodeles

Proposed USENET name:  bionet.organisms.urodeles

Proposed mailing list name:  URODELES

Proposed e-mail addresses:  urodeles at net.bio.net
                            urodeles at daresbury.ac.uk

Discussion leaders:  Susan Duhon
                     duhon at ucs.indiana.edu

                     Anthony Mescher
                     mescher at ucs.indiana.edu

Newsgroup character: Bionet.organisms.urodeles is a forum for
scientific discussions and a source of information for the community
of biologists interested in any aspect of urodele amphibian biology.
The name URODELES was chosen to reflect the common interest among
scientists working with axolotls, salamanders, and newts.

Functions of the newsgroup:

The newsgroup will facilitate rapid communication among research scientists
and educators using urodele amphibians in any biological field, including
but not limited to developmental biology, genetics, physiology, immunology,
ecology, taxonomy, evolutionary biology, neuroscience, etc. and will thereby
allow more rapid progress in research involving urodeles.

The newsgroup will provide a forum for discussions of problems, old and new
ideas, journal publications, and recent developments in amphibian research.

The newsgroup will also provide sources of practical advice, methodologies,
answers to frequently asked questions concerning amphibian husbandry and
techniques used in urodele research, and availability of unique reagents for
research with urodeles (e.g., antibodies, cDNAs, primers and gene sequences,
DNA libraries, mutants, etc.).

Finally, the newsgroup will serve as a bulletin board for announcements of
meetings, conferences, job opportunities, and funding sources of interest to
biologists studying urodeles.

Subscribers are welcome from universities or any academic institutions,
government agencies, hospitals and other medical institutions, and
industrial or commercial organizations. Contributions within the functions
outlined above are encouraged. The newsgroup is expected to run in an
unmoderated fashion and we are willing to act as current coordinators.

Susan Duhon
Associate Director, Indiana University Axolotl Colony

Anthony Mescher
Professor of Anatomy, Indiana University School of Medicine
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