User:Nubis/Nubis World Order

Nubis World Order

The following reforms are presented in a line item veto format. If you have comments please leave them below just noting the section you are referring to.

Cut the red tape:

Lets face it. Every action on this wiki is recorded under the page's history and the user's contributions. A majority of the Admin pages should be for the regular user to bring things to the attention of sysops. (e.g. page moves, deletion requests, protections)

1. Sysops can delete on sight Crit 1s that meet the following criteria:

   1.No content. Low content and no edits for over 6 months.

   Sysops can leave notes on the author's talk page explaining that the page is in danger of being a Crit 1 deletion. If there is no reply or change the sysop can delete it.

   2.Author blanking with no other contributions can be an instant Crit 1 deletion without notice.

   Not everyone knows that clearing content doesn't make the page go away. A note can be left to inform them that in the future they can just post the page.

   Sysops can edit protected pages as long as that edit would not be considered Vandalism if performed by another user.

Play Nice!

1. Sysops aren't moderators in the sense that they don't have to remain neutral on all matters, but they shouldn't pick on regular users. By this I mean arguing with "trolls" on any admin page, "following" users from talk page to talk page to continue arguments.

Misconduct

The misconduct system is in need of an overhaul that is fair to the sysops subjected to it. This policy creates an expansion of the current rulings and a policy on reviewing sysops. This policy will not override any policy that is specifically for demoting sysops outside of the Review.

Note The point of this policy is to create a set procedure for when the review of a sysop should happen. It does not override the ability to call for a No Confidence vote on the basis of 1 case. It is to evaluate a repeat offender.

Overview

• Added Minor Misconduct. (Misconduct but not counted toward the review)
• Added Unsubstantiated. (3 Unsub votes with no other votes will delete a case)
• Added a Review format. (after 3 Misconduct - Minor not included - the sysop is reviewed.)
• If the review by the other sysops is Satisfactory the Misconduct count starts again (for the purpose of reviews)
• If the review is Unsatisfactory the sysop is demoted in 24 hours.

Dispositions

Cases will have 3 dispositions: "Misconduct","Not Misconduct", and "Minor Misconduct ". Misconduct and Not Misconduct votes are the same as in the current Misconduct system. Minor Misconduct is for cases that are "minor" or procedural in nature where the sysop made a good faith edit that was a technical violation, but not always deserving of punishment. All cases declared minor are inherently without punishment. For the purposes of voting Minor Misconduct votes will count with Misconduct. However, the Not Misconduct votes will count as Minor when determining final outcome in regards to Review.

Example: A case gets a vote of 2 Misconduct, 2 Minor misconduct, and 2 not misconduct. The Minor is added to the Misconduct tally (4) to determine that it is Misconduct of some nature. The 2 Not Misconduct are added to the 2 Minor and determine it is a Minor Misconduct outcome and therefor does not count toward the review.

Cases may also be ruled Unsubstantiated. This vote means the voting sysop does not see a sysop power involved in the case or the links provided do not supply enough evidence to come to a reasonable conclusion. If a case gets 3 Unsubstantiated votes before it gets any other type of vote it is removed entirely and not archived in any way. If the case is validated then the sysops voting Unsubstantiated are required to enter another vote. There will be no ABSTAIN votes unless the sysop is directly related to the case or the case that would cause a conflict of interest.

Ruling on a Case

Unless there is a conflict of interest, any sysop that comments on a case is expected to supply a vote. There are no Abstain and no Undecided votes on A/M. Failing to supply a vote may result in a vandal warning. Any sysop that posts a case is considered an automatic Misconduct vote unless there is a conflict of interest.

Sysop Review

Having just a running tally of cases and dispositions against sysops doesn't help determine the quality of the sysop. Since in the records a case for banning a user has the same "weight" as just deleting an image that was in use. Now, both may be seen as abuses of authority, however, due to the confines of red tape an action taken in good faith may result in a misconduct vote.

After 3 Misconduct cases (declared Misconduct - "Minor Misconduct" does not count in this case) the sysop is then reviewed. His/Her contributions over the time of the 3 cases are looked at. These are some but not all things that should be considered.

• How many sysop functions has the sysop performed?
• Contributions to A/VB, SD, Move, Protect, Suggestion cycling, scheduled deletions, etc. are evaluated.
• Has the sysop been performing the tasks required of a sysop?
• Has the sysop initiated any other projects outside of the basic "janitorial" functions?
• Has the sysop made contributions along the lines of a regular user?

Review Process after the 3rd Case

A protected page is made under the sysops Misconduct Archive named "Review (DATE)". The review only covers the actions the sysop has taken since the 1st Misconduct ruling in the triad. Any actions before that case are not admissible in the review. Sysops are trusted to use their best judgment and not allow any past grudges or personality conflicts to decide their vote. A review will not last longer than (3) three days, however if a unanimous decision is reached it may end sooner.

The page includes the following:

• Recap of the 3 Misconduct cases posted. Also any points made during the misconduct voting(s) that apply.
• A statement or summary of contributions (with links if possible) written by the Sysop under review.
• Sysop/Crat Voting Discussion (Unsatisfactory or Satisfactory - there is no Abstain) Discussion is encouraged to support your vote because of the serious nature of the review.
• Results.

*General users may comment on the talk page during this process if need be.

If the sysop's actions have been satisfactory - the record is marked REVIEWED - SATISFACTORY (dated) and the misconduct cases prior to that review are not "considered" against the sysop in future cases.

Example of a Satisfactory Review (summary)

• Op has 3 Misconduct cases involving things from banning/warning unjustly, deleting/locking pages still in use, and editing protected pages arbitrarily. After the 3rd case is deemed Misconduct the sysop's record is checked. During that time the sysop has cycled suggestions, cleaned uncategorized pages, voted on A/VB, and shown efforts to help new users by "one on one" comments on talk pages regarding wiki standards. The sysop team feels the contributions outweigh the negative actions and deem the sysop Satisfactory the record will show X date REVIEWED SATISFACTORY.

It will not remove a Misconduct case (like vandal de-escalation), however, it will show that the sysop has put in an honest effort for the community.

In the event of an Unsatisfactory vote

Should the review be UNSATISFACTORY, the sysop will not retain sysop status.

• Reviews that can not be deemed Satisfactory by a majority of sysops are grounds for demotion within 24 hours of the unsatisfactory ruling.
• Users demoted by this means are not banned from another promotion through A/PM.

Example of an Unsatisfactory Review (summary)

• Op has 3 Misconduct cases including 2 cases of banning/warning unjustly and bullying a specific user. After the 3rd case is deemed Misconduct the sysop's record is checked. During that time the sysop rarely contributed to Admin pages, trolled users on A/VB, harassed users on their talk page, and showed minimal effort to help new users or make regular edits. The sysop team feels the negative actions outweigh the contributions and deem the sysop Unsatisfactory. The record will show X date REVIEWED UNSATISFACTORY. The sysop is demoted.

Fine Print

Should a Bureaucrat be demoted through this procedure a round of elections will begin immediately. The page is locked and the link added to the UDWiki:Administration/Misconduct/Archive/SYSOP/ noted with the outcome. This policy is not retroactive. All cases before the date passed are not considered in the "review" portion of this policy.

Inactive Sysops

1. Currently the system says that to remain in power you need to make edits every 4 months. These are just edits and not required to be sysop functions. This is a poor way to retain active sysops. Sysops that do not perform sysop actions (not just edits) during a 4 month period should be warned and then returned to normal user status with no penalty. When they return to an active status performing "janitorial" duties (page categorization, suggestion cycling, posting move/SD requests, etc.) for a month will return them to sysop status. Since they did nothing to be demoted there shouldn't be a vote, but since they weren't acting as a sysop they don't need the powers. This way any user that is demoted can easily restore their powers, yet if they wish to remain as a normal user they can.

   NOTE: Keeping inactive sysops off the list gives a better idea of how the sysop team truly feels about a topic. For instance, if you have 5 sysops that are FOR something out of a list of 15 sysops it seems like you only have 1/3 support, BUT, if only 8 are active then you have a majority support. It isn't meant as a "punishment" for inactives, but merely to get a better feel for the overall group.

   NEW CONTENT However, should the sysop receive 5 AGAINST votes from regular users (method to be explained lower) the reinstatement will be reviewed and possibly voted on again by the community as if a new promotion bid was taking place.

   Reinstatement will be a header on the Demotions page. If users post on the Talk page of the Demotions page that they are against the reinstatement and the required 5 votes are posted then it will be given to the Crats to review and decide if a new vote is called for. If the Crats decide a vote is needed then this is the only time that public opinion can determine promotion. If the Crats themselves do not feel they have enough information to make a decision and need to get the opinion of the users it will be the will of the users that is followed. It should be rare that the Crats call for a vote, however, if they do the "popular" opinion should be heeded. A minimum 20 votes are needed with a majority of 12 (or more) to determine outcome. Abstain votes will not count toward the 20 needed votes. Negative outcome of a reinstatement vote does not disqualify a user from putting in for promotion again.

Admin Page Conduct

1. Hopefully there is something on here that everyone feels strongly about and is willing to fight for. Then again there are people that just enjoy stirring up trouble. The issue of "shitting up" admin pages is a serious one. While every user should have the right to voice their opinion and defend a position it does run the risk of making an important case TL;DR. Using the talk page (where applicable) would be extremely helpful in keeping down the clutter. Keeping or continuing off topic conversations on user pages or the talk page would be lovely.

   It should come down to if the sysops Play Nice and the regular users either refrain from responding to any "trolling" comment or do so only on the talk page the main body of the Admin page will stay clear and functional. I seriously think it comes down to whether or not the resident trolls guarding whatever aspect is in use respect the sysops that are attending. If the sysop team makes an honest effort to get along then the trolls will have nothing to argue with.

Vandal Reporting

1. This should truly be a last resort. In the case of an active vandal (blanking, replacing entire pages or sections, spambots, etc.) it should be brought to the attention of the sysops immediately. However, in minor cases, a note should be left on the talk page before reporting it. Links to the vandalism and the efforts to clear this up should be presented. In this way, if the users showed an effort to correct the vandal's actions then the sysop team should be free to deal with them more harshly. If the vandalism is a result of not knowing wiki etiquette or just "newbie" mistakes this normally will clear it up without intervention. Should the vandalism be something like X editing the group page of Y instead of Y leaving the note on the talk page Y could ask a sysop member to do it (to carry more authority). This may seem like an extra step (asking a sysop to leave the note) but consider that posting it on A/VB normally requires at least 2 sysops to rule on the case. This seems like a decent alternative.

Harassment Policy

1. This is not a civility policy. Civility policies state you shouldn't use bad words or be "aggressive" in your comments. I don't think there is a need for that as sometimes a proper amount of aggression is needed to show the gravity of an opinion or situation. This policy deals with users tormenting others.

   While trying to quantify what will make a user feel threatened or harassed would be impossible there are a few acts that can easily be agreed upon. There will be parts of this policy that will be "vague" and open to interpretation, however, since the "punishment" for harassment is not to be part of the normal vandal banning it shouldn't be an issue.

   Acts that are harassment

   Posting any personal information on a user - from real name (if the user does not provide it on this wiki) to IP addresses will be considered harassment and the information instantly deleted by a sysop with a VB warning. This is the only exception in the harassment clause that will garner VB escalations. There is no reason to post any of that information. Users are also encouraged not to post their own information for personal safety issues anyway.

   Making multiple (2 or more) mocking images. Examples are insulting "macros" involving the user's name or image. This will only count as harassment if these images are posted on a main space page. Mocking a user or group on user space (not the subjects space) is judged on a case by case basis as some rivalry is to be expected in this type of game.

   EXAMPLE: Group A led by User X makes images of the leader of Group B led by User Y and posts it on Group B's page (talk page or other). That could be harassment. If these same images are posted only on Group A's page it is not.

   Filing multiple (2 or more) VB cases against a user - The main focus is on "petty" cases that could have been addressed with a note on the talk page this does not mean actual acts of vandalism (blanking a page, deleting other user's comments off a main space page, replacing or editing posts, etc.) If these reports are part of an ongoing edit war both parties will be considered the aggressors and escalated. If the edits in question can reasonably be attributed to the user being new and the filer did not leave a note on the talk page first that would be harassment. The Welcome Newbie does not count as a note on the talk page. The specific issue must be addressed.

   If User X filed a report against User Y and it can be shown that User B did the same action within the time frame yet wasn't reported by User X that could be considered harassment of User Y.

   Low content posts on an Admin page. If the comment does not reasonably add to the discussion in any way it can be considered harassment of the sysops. This is often referred to as "shitting up" the page. All comments on an admin page should directly pertain to the discussion at hand. Uninvolved users have the right to express their opinions, however, sarcastic retorts and insults have no place on Admin pages from either side.

....More to Come....

Sysop Specialization

Author's Note: This is just a rough draft to get feedback on the core idea presented. This isn't indicative of what will be presented for vote if it goes that far. So don't worry so much about the actual wording, but the ideas.

Overview: Assign sysops various areas of the wiki to be responsible for. The idea being that if the sysop has one particular area that they are held accountable to manage that they can focus more of their time on that area. It will also benefit by having consistency in its’ ruling admin. The sysop is expected to be “knowledgeable” about the dealings and goings on in that area and how it relates to the wiki at large. The sysop will be responsible for the maintenance of that area.

By specializing the sysops not only does it make it clear for users who to contact for assistance but it also adds a measure of accountability to the sysops. Before it was whatever sysop was on hand was expected to deal with whatever issue. While the only pressing issues are active vandals expecting the “on duty” sysop to deal with areas that they aren’t familiar with can cause further issues.

The System

Basically, give each sysop an area to maintain (Protections - Move Requests - Deletions - Speedy Deletions - Undeletions) . That sysop is considered the “superior” voice in that area when any concerns are raised. No area gives a sysop more authority over a sysop in another area. If you are the A/MR sysop you have no more authority than the A/VB sysop outside of A/MR. It is a mild form of page ownership without the right of comment removal. All sysops are expected to follow established procedures however, in their area of “expertise” they are given a bit more leeway to use their discretion.

Every area will have at least one primary sysop and a back up sysop. There are exceptions that will be noted below.

Specialized sysops will have all rights and abilities of all sysops (delete, move, protect, ban user) however, it is requested that unless it is an emergency sysops respect the established boundaries and refer any concerns or actions to the appropriate sysop.

The majority of the section assignments will be decided by discussion among the sysops. If a sysop wishes to change their section (with one exception) they can should they be able to find a sysop willing to trade with them. It is suggested that sysops rotate sections every 6 months.

Exceptions

Vandal Banning, Arbitration, and Misconduct are the unique sections.

A/VB The A/VB sysop will be voted on by the community. There may need to be 2 sysops for that page which will work like the Crat system. Both must agree on the outcome of a case or agree to disagree as long as it yields a verdict.

Should an active vandal be dealt with by a sysop other than the A/VB one, the A/VB ops are expected to review the actions and approve or reverse them. The elected VB sysops have final say on the page, however, other sysops are encouraged to express their opinions. It is expected that the elected sysops are not only fair but also open minded and willing to listen to different opinions.

The only time the attending sysops can be over ruled is with 5 other active sysops voting against their ruling.

On the talk page of the sysop list with the assignments, should the community desire it they may request the removal of the A/VB sysops. It will take 5 requests to start the process – minimum 25 votes with a clear majority determining the outcome. (Note: Also considering having them rotate every 6 months like Crats)

Should one of those sysops be demoted, asked to step down from A/VB by the community, or request to be “transferred” a new vote will start immediately and last for 1 week. The candidate with the majority of votes is the winner.

A/M There is no change to A/M. No sysop shall have dominance over any Misconduct proceeding.

A/A The assigned sysop is responsible for maintaining the order on the page. Basically, they archive cases, move "off topic" conversations -within reason- to the talk page, and follow up on posted cases (seeing if a case is withdrawn if no arbitrator is agreed upon, contacting any party that may be delaying a case, and so on to ensure that a case isn't left in limbo.) The sysops are not arbitrators, but may be chosen to arbitrate or may offer solutions prior to a case starting. They will not interfere with the ongoing case they are not involved with directly.

Assignments:

With the exception of A/VB (which will be voted on by the community) the sysops may discuss which areas they will cover and reach an agreement. An updated list will be posted. If a sysop wishes to change areas he may trade with another sysop - except for A/VB.

The role of Crats:

Crats have no more authority over any area that they aren’t assigned than any other sysop.

Benefits

1. Consistency in management. No longer will a page be subject to the whim of the attending sysop that may or may not have all of the information needed to make a proper and fair decision.
2. With specialized sysop areas, more users can be promoted to sysop status with the understanding that that is their primary responsibility. In the past, candidates have been rejected for lack of experience in one field or another. However, if they are requesting promotion with the understanding that they expect to be the Move Request Admin or the Vandal Banning Admin then the community can tailor the Vouch/Against votes more towards that aspect rather than a blanket statement about the user. It also allows the sysop to learn the areas that they aren't experienced in without expecting them to be responsible for it from the start.
3. Users will know exactly who is responsible for what area. Rather than spamming questions or comments users will know where to find help with specific areas.
4. It should lessen burn out among sysops since they will not be dealing with all of the problems and drama all over the wiki. They are expected to handle any issues that arise on their pages fairly and promptly and within the policies.
5. With more active sysops the community will be better served and the wiki maintained.

Examples

Here an example on how some of this should work.

Active Edit War - When it is reported the page is locked by whatever sysop stops the vandals, but it is the responsibility of the Protections sysop to make sure it is locked in the right state. The A/VB sysops deal with the vandalism cases. (This prevents the sysop that is VBing the parties from locking the page to the version they want.)

Trial Period

Since there will be no actual change in status, but just a change in actions giving this a basic trial period should show if it is even viable.

If it is decided that 2 sysops per section are required for other sections then the A/VB sysops should take sections that aren't as busy for their secondary section and avoid Protections. (Undeletions and Arbitration are good secondary sections)