Moderator Elections

[#1]

Jelv - the structure exists for "Assistant moderators"** to have their own private board for discussion/support (unless its been deleted since I left)
I would see it working with the 'Senior Moderators'** being more of a co-ordinating group who would be responsible for editing rules where necessary, and being the ones with the power to issue sanctions/recordable warnings.
** - The naming of the two roles was something we struggled with during our discussions, since there isn't really a level of seniority implied by either of the two roles, rather its a separation of moderators with different levels of involvement.

[#2]

What an interesting post Be3G both from your personal perspective and the historical one.
I can quite see why you are doubtful about the junior moderator. Personally, I can see it would be good for some who have never moderated (a bit like an apprecticeship).
However, when I read your post I thought what a shame your experience is lost at the moment. My instant response was 'job share' - is this a daft idea? Not knowing much about the process and work of the moderator, I suppose that it might be. However, maybe with a bit of cooperation, could it solve the problem of people who can't give the time that they think the post deserves?

[#3]

Just been explaining to another interested party - your Mods Handbook still exists in more-or-less the same state as you left it Thomas, I altered some of the formatting parts, and clarified a couple of points, but the lions share is as you wrote it originally (more so than the rules, which as you point out, haven't changed much over the years either)
I think there are a few people who could really add something to the team, and I reckon that if we'd got them on-board sooner, a lot of the mods who departed recently wouldn't have done so either.

[#4]

Job share is exactly what I had in mind when suggesting that there should be far more moderators. However I'm very wary of having too large a group of people responsible for decision making as in my experience it means decisions don't get made.
If anyone thinks they'd consider helping out with the moderating but without the full responsibility I've started a poll to see if there are sufficient people interested to make this a possible way forward: http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,73384.0.html

[#5]

Well I must say, the discussion that's taken place after my last post in this thread has certainly changed my opinion on the 'junior moderators' thing, particularly because there now seems to be an actual defined role that they would have compared to the senior moderators. And I must admit that, yes, if there were junior moderators around who saw to some of the more menial things, then I would certainly feel more comfortable running for the position of a senior moderator, as that would mean the time I could spend as a moderator could be spent on the things that I'd feel to be more important. (I'm not saying that I wouldn't want to do the more 'menial' things - as I said in my original post, I often see things I'd like to attend to - just, not having to deal with them because they'd already been seen to would save me some time.)
I'm also inclined to agree with thoughts mooted earlier that the election idea isn't so great. I believe the whole election process came about when Plusnet started going downhill, and basically the moderators were seen as the scourge of the forums who'd just appointed themselves in some kind of dictatorial fashion (I'm sure Hitler was mentioned more than once) and said 'stuff you' to the rest of the members. It was therefore seen that the best thing to do was make the process democratic. However, now that peace has been returned to the forums for a while, perhaps it would be best to go to the 'quiet-tap-on-a-shoulder' method of appointing moderators, as currently serving moderators were generally in a good position to know who was truly best for the job as they best understood the demands of moderating and the sort of person that could do an effective job.
Although of course, if the junior moderator thing comes to fruition, then perhaps a compromise between electing and appointing could be reached. For example, perhaps junior moderators could be elected, then the senior moderators (chosen out of junior moderators) appointed by the other senior moderators. I don't know... food for thought anyway.

[#6]

Based upon the ideas raised, I've instigated a discussion amongst the existing moderators.  It may be that we might halt the current round of elections to allow us to have a better plan for how to proceed.
I like the idea of having Moderators and Administrating Moderators.  My gut reaction is that Moderators could be appointed by the Administrating Moderating  team, but raising someone to the position of Administrating Moderator would be by community election from the current Moderator pool (of those mods interested in the position)
Many more details to hammer out, so please keep the discussion flowing.
B.

[#7]

Quote from: Barry

My gut reaction is that Moderators could be appointed by the Administrating Moderating  team, but raising someone to the position of Administrating Moderator would be by community election from the current Moderator pool (of those mods interested in the position)

I agree with this. It is very difficult to judge how good someone will be as a moderator from their postings on the forums. Often the criteria seems to be how much they put themselves about the forums - Bright Sparks is the more appropriate award from some of those. The best moderators will be those who quietly get the job done and perhaps someone who posts less frequently might be better. I can think of at least one recent moderator (no longer a moderator) who upon appointment the power most definitely went to his head and he was visibly making his presence felt.

[#8]

A good discussion and I'm not wanting to pour cold water on your ideas but if you have difficulty in getting moderators at present do you think you will be able to recruit the numbers suggested in some of the posts in here.

[#9]

I have a feeling that there will be forum members who previously dismissed the idea of becoming a Moderator point blank who are now reconsidering in the light of the current discussion.

[#10]

It looks like we could - 9 yes and 3 maybe in five hours since I started the poll.
http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,73384.0.html

[#11]

I'll be willing to put very large sums of money on not everyone who selected the option will run as modeator.

[#12]

Well I've clicked yes.

[#13]

That's a pretty safe bet James as it reflects human nature

Quote from: Darth

I find your lack of faith disturbing

[#14]

And I shall run when my course is done

[#15]

I put the "maybe" option in in the hope that people would be totally honest in their replies.
Can the moderators see who voted for each option? If so there's a ready list of people to invite!
Incidentally, I set up the poll so that people could change their vote (you remove it and then vote again). If anyone has said yes and they really are a maybe please change your vote. It is important that we get a totally realistic view - I'd hate the current elections to be suspended, the moderators put in all the effort to get a new scheme in place and then find that the supposed support melts away. We'd end up in a worse mess than we are now.