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| Since I work from 2 til 6, I missed the goings on. This post is not intended to rekindle the heated discussion of earlier. If that discussion comes up, the posts should be deleted, the thread locked, the thread deleted, or all of the above. Please don't let that happen. These are a few suggestions that might help forestall some of what has happened lately and threatens to destroy a very promising site. 1. Be willing to lose troublemaking members to keep the true contributors, the non-trouble makers. Be willing to lose the friends of troublemakers if they issue an ultimatum. 2. Except in designated areas, do not allow any profanity. Most of the time, profanity is harmless. It is harmful often enough to be avoided. 3. You have a warning system. Use it. When someone gets to 100%, suspend them. 4. Institute a system of suspensions that allow second chances. Example: 3 days, 10 days, forever. 5. Define clearly how many warnings are for each offense. Example: Minor - 1, Double Minor - 2, Major - 5. 6. Teach the staff how you want it used and make sure they use it that way. 7. Make sure each rule is clear and the number of warnings for each offense is clear. Example: Profanity is a minor and earns 1 warning. Name-calling is a double minor and earns 2 warnings. 8. Require mods to identify the post, the infraction, and the # of warnings when warnings are bumped. Have admins review these judgments. Undo them only if 2 mods warn the same post of if a mod goes way overboard. Require mods to edit posts that are warned. That avoids double warnings and deletes the offending content. 9. Don't discuss consequences, suspensions, or bans. Let the numbers make the decisions for you. The only thing that should be discussed is whether an action is an offense and should get warnings. When the admins have made a decision after any discussion, it needs to be final. Mods should get warned for continuing to discuss a closed topic. 10. Have a system for lowering warnings after a period of time. Example: A month with no warnings cuts warning level in half, rounding down, so 1 cut in half goes to 0. After a suspension, warning levels should return to 0. These are just a few ideas. Fluid discipline sounds thoughtful, but does not work. Clear expectations with clear consequences do. With a clear plan in mind, previous decisions can then be placed within the new plan. Example: user10 should be at 8 warnings after a 1-day suspension or the like. These are a few ideas. I am not married to them. Rip 'em up. Come up with new ones. But, I think the best ideas are the objective ones. Think about the system before you make it and you do not have to think and argue over everys decision based upon the rules. |
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