Forum:Inactive administrators and bureaucrats

Forums: Index > The Wizengamot > Inactive administrators and bureaucrats

While recently promoting Grunny and Hcoknhoj to bureaucrat and administrator, respectively, I noted that there are a lot of administrators and bureaucrats on the inactive list.

Administrators and bureaucrats are expected to be available to the community and deal with other users on a regular basis in a fair, restrained, and constructive manner. They are expected to be site leaders, and help to guide and mold the site as it grows. An administrator or bureaucrat who is absent for long periods of time no longer fits this requirement.

The community has changed completely in the amount of time since the original administrators and bureaucrats were elected, and will likely do so again. I do not view the removal of SysOp rights as a punishment or a horrible act; if and when the time comes for me to leave this Wiki either by choice or because of means beyond my control, then I will take a demotion in good grace, content in the knowledge that the Wiki is in good hands and that I helped to build it into something grand.

Administrators hold a position of trust within the community, and the community should always be able to trust that administrators are aware of the latest site policies, and are working together for a common goal. It is the view of some, that a long period of inactivity on the Wiki is a sign that something is lacking when it comes to an admin's feeling of responsibility for the site.

I am proposing a policy to remove inactive admins and crats who have not contributed to the Wiki for a substantial period of time, and to set up a system to demote admins and crats who leave the Wiki in the future.

In the event that an administrator enters into a protracted absence from the wiki, some form of explanation, be it even a simple "I'm taking a break", is desired. In the absence of any explanation, if an administrator does not edit, use admin tools, or visit #wikia-harrypotter for six months or more, the steps that are underlined below will be taken.

This is a two fold proposal.

1. To remove SysOp rights from those administrators and bureaucrats that have not edited the wiki or used their rights (deletion/block/etc) in a positive manner at all in 2010.
2. To set up a procedure to remove the rights of administrators and bureaucrats who do not edit for 1 year, but are not at that stage yet. This will include notifications of the new policy, and that the user is close to the one year mark of inactivity. It will culminate in the removal of said rights if they continue to absent themselves from the Wiki by choice.

Please be clear; this is in no way a punishment towards those users. Each administrator and bureaucrat on the inactive list has helped to build this Wiki into what it is today.

Proposal 1

To remove SysOp rights from those administrators and bureaucrats that have not edited the wiki or used their rights (deletion/block/etc) in a positive manner at all in 2010.

In many cases, several of these administrators and bureaucrats have not edited for more than two years, and the chance of them returning are slim. Removal of the rights would occur immediately once the vote is closed.

Proposal 2

To set up a procedure to remove the rights of administrators and bureaucrats who do not edit for 1 year, but are not at that stage yet. This will include notifications of the new policy, and that the user is close to the one year mark of inactivity. Those users will also have to demonstrate a desire to retain their rights, such as returning to editing, and performing a minimum number of constructive edits per year—ideally, 100 edits. It will culminate in the removal of said rights if they continue to absent themselves from the Wiki by choice.

The proposal will:

1. Inform those inactive administrators and bureaucrats of the new policy. In addition, all newly promoted administrators and bureaucrats will be made aware of the policy.
2. At the 6 month stage of inactivity, a reminder will be sent informing the user of the policy.
3. At the 9 month stage of inactivity, a further reminder will be sent if no communication has been received from the user, and no edits have been made.
4. At the 12 month stage of inactivity, a final reminder will be sent if no communication has been received from the user, and no edits have been made. If no communication is received one week after this notification, SysOp rights will be removed.

Voting

Voting will comply with HPW voting policies: Only autoconfirmed registered users with greater than 20 mainspace article edits, whose first edit was more than one month prior to the date of this proposal (14th September, 2010) are allowed to vote. The vote will remain open for two weeks, unless a snowball vote occurs, in which case it can be closed early by an administrator.

Proposal 1

For

1. Cavalier One^{(Wizarding Wireless Network)} 09:32, September 14, 2010 (UTC)
2. Cubs Fan ^{(Talk to me)} 17:15, September 14, 2010 (UTC)
3. Grunny (talk) 13:51, September 15, 2010 (UTC)

Proposal 2

For

1. Cavalier One^{(Wizarding Wireless Network)} 09:32, September 14, 2010 (UTC)
2. --  Seth Cooper  owl post! 11:31, September 14, 2010 (UTC)
3. Grunny (talk) 13:51, September 15, 2010 (UTC)
4. Margiechocoholic ^{Owl me!} 12:05, November 5, 2010 (UTC)
5. Smonocco 16:46, November 6, 2010 (UTC)
6. Jayden Matthews 16:53, November 6, 2010 (UTC)

Comments and discussion

I think there also needs to be a contingency for gracefully resigning one's responsibilities. Especially, if one knows that they will be leaving the wiki. --JKoch^{(Owl Me!)} 14:32, September 14, 2010 (UTC)

Definitely. --  Seth Cooper  owl post! 16:45, September 14, 2010 (UTC)

Of course, if any admin wishes to resign for any reason, then they will be wished well and have their decision respected and honoured. A request of this sort should be made to one of the site's bureaucrats so that they can remove the users SysOp rights. Also, an inactive admin who, when contacted, wishes to resign will have the decision respected and acted upon immediately. - Cavalier One^{(Wizarding Wireless Network)} 12:40, October 19, 2010 (UTC)

As I cannot yet vote, I'll put my input here: Other Wiki's that I edit on use a system similiar to this - Administrators that do not edit, take part in, or help the community of the Wiki for 6 months have their administrator powers removed. However, only Wikia Staff can remove Crat rights, so you might want to talk with them about setting something up with them. Also, I think that there should be a way for Administrators to notify Crats that they will be going inactive, for instance, when someone goes on an extended holiday etc. Will!^Talk 15:24, November 6, 2010 (UTC)