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Q1. Are messages posted to the CALI listserv moderated, and if so, why?

Yes. Every message posted to the listserv has been reviewed and approved by volunteers on the CALI listserv committee. The CALI Board of Directors has determined that a moderated listserv is optimal for the association for several reasons. The two most significant among these are investigative assignments (either subcontract or direct referral) and informational assistance requests.

Investigative Assignments: One of the best services provided by this list is professional networking. There are always jobs that require colleagues who have different skill sets, or work in different geographical locations.

Informational Assistance: Most private investigators, from time to time, have questions outside of their area of expertise and find that someone on the list has those answers.

The list is optimized to support these functions. Think of the list as a broadcast channel. The Association has nearly 1,100 members. If all members were permitted to have unrestricted access to broadcast on this channel, those most important messages would be difficult to see.

Q2. Why does it sometimes take so long for my submitted message to post to the list?

The members of the listserv committee are volunteers. They check the queue in their spare time in between their daily activities. Generally this works well, and it makes it easy for them to contribute when they can, and when they're at their computers. Sometimes committee members are at their computers all day. Sometimes they are away from their computers all day. The queue may not be checked for long periods during weekends and holidays, if at all.

There are two other factors that will affect response time. The first is if there are many pending messages in the queue. The second is if there are pending messages in the queue that are in violation of the rules. Each such message requires personal attention by a listserv committee volunteer and can slow down everything else in the queue. Members will help themselves and each other by doing their best to know the rules and comply with them to prevent this from occurring.

Therefore, because the circumstances vary so widely, sometimes messages sent to the list queue will get posted within a few minutes and sometimes it may take many hours. Previous members of the listserv committee attempted to do moderation from their mobile phones while they were out in the field — or driving – but this led to numerous mistakes.

Q3. How much time should I allow for my message to get reviewed and posted to the list?

Although every effort is made by the volunteers to review messages promptly, during normal business hours (Monday–Friday, 8am–5pm), please allow 4 hours for your message to be reviewed and posted. If you have an urgent need to have your message posted sooner, or if it is outside of normal business hours, you may attempt to contact any of the volunteer listserv committee moderators for assistance. The list of moderators is provided at this link. If a volunteer is available, they will be pleased to assist.

Q4. What is the review process for moderating a listserv posting?

All messages submitted to the listserv are reviewed by volunteer moderators before being forwarded to the membership. If a submitted message violates a rule, the moderator will block the message, inform the member, and advise them how to resubmit the message so that it conforms with the rules.

Q5. How do I access the listserv?

You must be a member of CALI to gain access to the CALI listserv.
You may subscribe to the listserv by going to your profile and adjusting your settings in "Forum Memberships". Your profile can be found by putting your cursor over the drop-down menu (down arrow) at the top-right of the screen next to your name.

Send your post from the primary email address you have provided to CALI or from the alternate email address listed in "Forum General Preferences".

Should you have any difficulties subscribing, please send an email to info@cali-pi.org.

NOTE – Pre-Licensed Members do not have access to the CALI listserv. Employees and family members of a Qualified Manager are not permitted to post messages to the CALI listserv unless they become an Affiliate CALI member.

Q6. What is the correct e-mail address to use when making a post to the listserv?

To post to the CALI listserv, send your post to calimembers@cali-pi.org.

Regarding DISTRICT LISTSERVS: Please note that each of the CALI Districts have their own email lists but these are announce-only lists, to be used only by District leaders, CALI Officers, and the CALI Executive Director to send information directly to a District. All replies to DISTRICT LISTSERVS will be blocked.

Q7. How do I check if I am subscribed to a CALI listserv?

1. Log into the CALI website at www.cali-pi.org

2. In the upper right-hand corner of any page on our Website, click on YOUR NAME, then click the "Profile" link.

3. From your Profile page under the "Forums" section, click on "Forum Memberships.”

This page lists all the listservs you belong to, along with an 'Edit' icon to modify your listserv settings and a 'Quit' icon to resign from optional listservs. There is also a list of optional listservs you may join if you wish.

The Stop All Listserv Emails button allows you to temporarily stop emails for all Listservs if, for example, you go on vacation. Individual forum settings are not lost. Click 'Resume Forum Emails' to start them coming again.

Automatic Listservs are those you are a member of because of your involvement in CALI. For example, it might include Listservs that you belong to because of your membership in a committee or District. These Listservs have an Edit (pencil) icon, allowing you to modify preferences for each forum.

Optional Listservs are those Listservs where you have explicitly opted in to membership or where a moderator joined you. Click the Edit (pencil) icon to modify preferences. Click the red Quit icon to resign from this forum. You can also click the Quit All icon to resign from all Listservs in this list. Any Listservs you quit will be moved down to the Available Listservs list.

Available Listservs are those Listservs available to you where you are not yet a member. Click the green Join icon to join this forum. It will be moved up to the Optional Listservs list.

If your membership has expired you will not have access to the CALI Listserv(s). Pre-Licensed members do not have access to the listserv (calimembers@cali-pi.org).

Q8. How do I unsubscribe from the listserv?

1. Log into the CALI website at www.cali-pi.org.

2. In the upper right-hand corner of any page on our Website, click on YOUR NAME, then click the "Profile" link.

3. From your Profile page under the "Forums" section, click on "Forum Memberships."

This page lists all the listservs you belong to, along with an 'Edit' pencil icon to modify your listserv settings and a 'Quit All' icon to resign from optional listservs. There is also a list of optional listservs you may join if you wish.

4. To unsubscribe from the listserv click on the 'Edit' pencil icon.

5. Find “Message Delivery” section and uncheck “Send Email” checkbox.

6. Click the “Save” button.

If your membership has expired you will not have access to the CALI Listserv(s). Pre-Licensed members do not have access to the listserv (calimembers@cali-pi.org).

Q9. How do I temporarily stop all listserv emails?

1. Log into the CALI website at www.cali-pi.org.

2. In the upper right-hand corner of any page on our Website, click on YOUR NAME, then click the "Profile" link.

3. From your Profile page under the "Forums" section, click on "Forum Memberships.”

This page lists all the listservs you belong to, along with an 'Edit' icon to modify your listserv settings and a 'Quit' icon to resign from optional listservs. There is also a list of optional listservs you may join if you wish.

To temporarily stop all listserv emails that you belong to click on “Stop All Forum Emails” button.

Click on the "Resume Forum Emails” button to start receiving the listserv messages again.

If your membership has expired you will not have access to the CALI Listserv(s). Pre-Licensed members do not have access to the listserv (calimembers@cali-pi.org).

Q10. How do I resume getting the listserv emails?

1. Log into the CALI website at www.cali-pi.org

2. In the upper right-hand corner of any page on our Website, click on YOUR NAME, then click the "Profile" link.

3. From your Profile page under the "Forums" section, click on "Forum Memberships.”

This page lists all the listservs you belong to, along with an 'Edit' pencil icon to modify your listserv settings and a 'Quit All' icon to resign from optional listservs. There is also a list of optional listservs you may join if you wish.

To temporarily stop all listserv emails that you belong to click on “Stop All Forum Emails” button.

Click on the "Resume Forum Emails” button to start receiving the listserv messages again.

Don't see the "Resume Forum Emails” button? Follow the steps below.

A. In the “Automatic Forums” section find “Listserv > CALI Listserv.”

B. Click on the "Edit" pencil icon.

C. Under “Message Delivery” section check “Send Email – Send Forum Messages To Me Via Email” checkbox.

D. Click the “Save” button.

If your membership has expired you will not have access to the CALI Listserv(s). Pre-Licensed members do not have access to the listserv (calimembers@cali-pi.org).

Q11. If I have stopped receiving listserv e-mails to my Inbox; how can I check the listserv?

If you have not received listserv messages for a few hours or even most of the day, there is a good chance members have not posted to the listserv during that time. This is especially true on weekends and holidays. If you have not received any listserv posts for a day or more, you should log into the CALI website and access the listserv directly to see if there have been any posts made to the listserv since the last time you received a listserv email. If there does appear to have been posts made to the listserv which you did not receive via email, go to your profile and review your Forum General Preference and Forum Memberships settings.

HOW TO ACCESS THE CALI LISTSERV ONLINE:

1. Log into the CALI website at www.cali-pi.org

2. Go to "LISTSERV" on the top menu.

3. Click on "ListServ" in the dropdown menu to review the CALI ListServ Forums page.

4. Click on "CALI Listserv" to view the individual threads made by each member.

HOW TO ACCESS YOUR PROFILE:

1. While on any CALI webpage, scroll all the way up and move your mouse cursor over your name and the down arrow in the top right corner of your screen.

2. Click on "Profile".

3. Under Forums you will see Forum General Preferences and Forum Memberships. Click on "Forum General Preferences".

4. Make sure your "Primary Contact Email" is correct. If you do not wish to receive CALI listserv messages at your primary email address, you may add a secondary email address. First click the round bubble to the left of "This Address" and then type in the New Secondary Email Address in the box to the right. If you would like emails from all CALI listservs to be sent to this same email address, be sure to check the appropriate box.

NOTE - This secondary email address, must belong to the member of this account. Sending or forwarding listserv messages to non-members, or suspended members, is a violation of listserv rules which may result in your listserv privilege's being permanently suspended.

5. Make sure "Send Forum Messages To Me Via Email" has a check mark in the box.

6. If you have made any changes scroll down and click "Save" at the bottom of the page. Should you continue to experience difficulties, please send an email to the CALI office at info@cali-pi.org.

Q12. What is the required information for posts to the CALI list serve?

At a minimum, your e-mail signature must clearly display the following:

Investigators Name
Company Name
License Number

Failure to clearly display the required information could mean your message is not forwarded to the membership. You will be notified by phone or email if this is the case and asked to resend your message with the required information.

Q13. Can I submit a post to the listserv using the CALI website and not my personal e-mail?

Yes...

1. From your primary email address, send your post directly to the listserv by sending an email to calimembers@cali-pi.org or log into the CALI website at www.cali-pi.org.

2. Go to "LISTSERV" on the top menu.

3. Click on "ListServ" in the dropdown menu to review the CALI ListServ Forums page.

4. Click on "CALI Listserv" to view the individual threads made by each member.

5. Click "Start New Thread," or you may "reply" to an existing thread.

6. Be sure to add your full signature line.

Q14. How do I reply to a previously posted message?

When responding to a listserv posting, you can either reply directly to the original sender or the entire membership.

If your reply is a personal reply with private information or an offer to accept work you should reply only to the original sender as these type of replies will not be forwarded to the membership.

To reply directly to the sender only, simply click on "Reply" using your specific email application. If you want your reply to be visible to the entire membership click "Reply All" using your specific email application.

Once you have submitted your posting to the listserv it will be reviewed for compliance with the listserv rules.

If your reply even appears to be directed to the sender only, it will be blocked and you will not be notified. There are so many people who mistakenly send their reply via "reply-all" that it is not possible for LISTSERV committee volunteers to send explanatory notices to every member who mistakenly sends such replies to the list.

Q15. What should I do if I have a question about the appropriateness of a posting on the CALI listserv?

Please first review the CALI ListServ Rules. If you still have a question or are uncertain as to whether a post is appropriate for the listserv, please send an e-mail to any one of the Listserv committee members explaining your concern.

Q16. I have a concern with CALI or a member. What do I do if I can’t post my concern to the CALI listserv?

Please submit any concern about the association to your district director or to the CALI president. Please click here for their contact information.

Q17. Can I appeal the decision of the listserv moderator(s)?

Yes. The first appeal is to the Chair of the Listserv Committee for reconsideration. The second level of appeal is to the Board of Directors. Appeals to the Board of Directors are for the resolution of serious violations.

Please review the Listserv Rules for further details.

Q18. Who are the CALI ListServ Moderators?

The list of moderators is provided at this link.

Q19. Can I post a question, comment, opinion, or reference to a social media posting or a news media publication about a California legislative matter?

Postings related to Legislative Issues or hot button political issues which may or may not affect the Private Investigator industry, or are of a matter being reviewed by the CALI Governmental Affairs Committee, are prohibited.

We instead ask that you send the article or your topic of discussion to the Governmental Affairs Committee Chair Person, Francie Koehler at specialcircumstancespi@gmail.com for review and possible posting to the listserv. Its important that we speak as one voice and all Legislative issues must be reviewed for accuracy before being forwarded to the membership.

NOTE – CALI does not allow listserv postings of a political nature.

Q20. Can members post excerpts about, or links to social media postings or news publications to the CALI listserv?

Yes, but the moderators reserve the right to determine whether the posting is likely to be of interest to the general membership. If so, members should only post brief excerpts to the CALI listserv, along with a Web link to the full article as to not violate copyright rules. Replies that, in the judgment of the moderator(s), are likely to lead to debate will not be posted to the listserv.