[PMC] Inactive moderators

[CROCKODUCK]

So recently some old ban appeals have come up for certain members of the staff who are still listed as active according to www.nerd.nu/staff so I am inquiring as to who updates the actual staff page and what the requirements are to be listed as inactive. One example is "Darkskynet" who to the best of my memory has not been seen since rev 11 on PvE. Thanks everyone.

Edit 1: I believe this was discussed in the old archives before but it should get a reboot to state if we are still putting staff into inactive after so long if they have only been on IRC in bouncer mode for years.

[Trooprm32]

The last active moderator list cleanup was done by Barlimore almost a year ago, wouldn't be a bad idea to have it done again.

[TornadoHorse]

There was one done more recently than that, about 4-5 months ago if I recall, but it just wasn't spoken about as much. I don't think there's much of a need for discussion, just let the inactive moderators know that they're being demodded/moved to inactive, and if they increase their activity then they can ask for their powers back.

[gdavison]

I've looked at the staff page a few times recently and I agree that it needs an update =)

I'm also not sure how they're divided into inactive and past, there are inactive mods that haven't been seen for far longer than some past mods IIRC.

[schererererer]

Generally, past mods are those who explicitly resign or are demodded, while inactive mods are those who just haven't been online in a long while.

[CROCKODUCK]

I will pitch a new idea of after X amount of time on the inactive page, for example "Human" was last seen if I remember a discussion I had with travismaybe correctly, he claims human was last seen rev 5 of PvE. So clearly, the odds of him returning are not favourable. A time limit to in a way, sort out and shorten the list of "inactive" mods who are truly gone.  If they were to return then just treat it the same as if they were inactive?

[TornadoHorse]

The way that we do it currently, any past or inactive mod can ask for their powers back, after a couple of weeks back in the community they'll get retrained and be modded again. Really, there's not too much difference between the 2 groups. I think past mods should be for just that, past mods. If they want to get their powers back then they have to go through the same process as anyone else. When inactive for 3-4 months, a mod should be moved to the inactive group without warning, but give them a message via the forums/in game letting them know they've been moved.

[MasterCommaThe]

I don't agree with doing the move without warning if they've only been inactive for 3-4 months. Primarily I say this because I don't feel they'll need retraining after that short a period of time. The last thing we really want to do is create an unnecessary barrier to bringing trustworthy and therefore valuable staff back.

I'd suggest we handle it the same way we handle mod's who change servers. A mod trained in C modding does not have the same knowledge set as a mod trained for S modding, so by necessity they need to seek training from an admin (or maybe other mods). The key here is that it is the individual mod's responsibility to mod properly and to seek retraining if needed. I've done this myself.

[MasterCommaThe]

P.S. I have IRL circumstances (newborn baby and work trips) that can take me away for 3-4 months at a time, but thankfully haven't yet.

[CROCKODUCK]

I understand moderators and staff of any type have IRL things to deal with and of course that should obviously come first. Can any *active* head admins or techadmins clarify on what the current requirements are to be considered inactive. I am not entirely sure if Head Admins and tech admins are also immune to the inactive roster but that would be another question. 

[Denevien]

We have never really had any set guidelines. Usually after "a while", something like this comes up, and people who have not been around for a couple months or so, we will shoot them a PM, asking if they want to remain on staff or be removed. If they want to be removed, we take it as an official step down, and move them to past moderators. If we get no answer in a week or two, we move them to inactive moderators. If they wish to remain, we tell them to get their shit together, and come play with us from time to time.

[tompreuss]

We have never really had any set guidelines.

Right on the staff page we say 1-2 months or so:

 

Inactive Moderators: These guys have been absent for around 1-2 months or so. Powers may be temporarily removed, need to be requested back.

Also, the staff expectations post says:

 

If you've been unable to play with us for an extended period of time, we may remove your staff permissions and move your to our inactive staff list.

Also, Barlimore's public modchat thread from back in August 2013 outlined the steps he took to determine inactivity and the procedure he followed afterward to trim the active list.

I think all of these could be used to form set guidelines for us to follow.

[CROCKODUCK]

Bumping this to inquire why we have missing staff members on the staff page and also Malvagio87 is a moderator and inactive? Is the staff page experiencing a glitch or simply inaccurate? We are missing the moderator levykm who is not on there at all.

[CROCKODUCK]

Okay disregard that part then, but the moderators appearing twice is also bizarre.

[Mrloud15]

Hello everyone,

 

This is just to let you guys know what's going on. I put together a list of mods who have not been been active on the forums for over a month. With the ok from the heads, I have contacted those on the list asking if they would like to remain active. If no reply is received after 1 week they will be moved to the inactive list. 

 

• Bestor - Will remain active.

• btree - Will be moved to inactive.

• CaptainViridian - Will remain active.

• cmchappell

• dan1son - Will remain active.

• Darkskynet - Will remain active.

• Eustis - Will be moved to inactive.

• GuyJones

• IDANUB

• Kisa_Gitana

• Kohlse

• LadyRavenOwl - Will remain active.

• luke_gardner - Will be moved to inactive. 

• MaidenGenevive 

• Magnyus - Will be moved to inactive.

• Malvagio87 - Will remain active.

• mattgorecki - Will be moved to inactive.

• meno123 - Will remain active.

• Merc_Rick

• Morkrash

• mschmidt02 - Will be moved to inactive.

• thelethalkind - Will remain active.

• Ooer - Will remain active.

[meno]

Due to a random comment on reddit by sansa, I'm coming back.

 

Love you all <3

[sansapants]

Due to a random comment on reddit by sansa, I'm coming back.

 

Love you all <3

Right in the feels.

[Cyotie911]

Due to a random comment on reddit by sansa, I'm coming back.

 

Love you all <3

Woo Hoo!

[Mrloud15]

Here's the final list of mods who have been moved to inactive:

• btree
• BillThePurpleGuy
• cmchappell
• Eustis
• GuyJones
• IDANUB
• Kisa_Gitana
• Kohlse
• luke_gardner
• MaidenGenevive
• Magnyus
• mattgorecki
• Merc_Rick
• Morkrash
• mschmidt02

Once things start to slow down a little bit I would like to do something similar to what Barlimore, so keep an eye out for that post!

[XkinOEC]

I'd like to make it known that moving magnyus to inactive at the moment may not be the best, considering he is scheduled to be returning incredibly soon.

[TornadoHorse]

I'd like to make it known that moving magnyus to inactive at the moment may not be the best, considering he is scheduled to be returning incredibly soon.

 

I believe that he asked to be moved to inactive when he was contacted by Mrloud, though I may be wrong. He could simply ask for the powers back when he returns, I'm sure he'd be welcomed back.

[schererererer]

One thing I was wondering is if we could move the people who have been gone for ages from the inactive list to the past moderators category.

 

I feel like the distinction between the two groups should be one of 1-2 months time and a corresponding need for retraining. Right now, past moderators are basically only resignations and forcible demoddings.

 

On a related note, do we have a written record of said demoddings for the purposes of forewarning future staff against remodding people who should not return to staff, or at the very least delineating exactly what was done to deserve removal of powers. We've already had this sort of thing come up, where the vast majority of older mods was pitted against a number of newer mods over remodding someone who once abused their moderator powers. There are people on the past moderator list who were forcibly removed whose offenses are only remembered by one or two mods still around - it's unlikely that they'd try to return but it's best to cover our bases.

[Mrloud15]

I'd like to make it known that moving magnyus to inactive at the moment may not be the best, considering he is scheduled to be returning incredibly soon.

Unfortunately everyone on that list has already been moved to inactive. When he comes back he just needs to talk to a head about getting his perms back.

 

I believe that he asked to be moved to inactive when he was contacted by Mrloud, though I may be wrong. He could simply ask for the powers back when he returns, I'm sure he'd be welcomed back.

He was moved to inactive based on his post.

[Mrloud15]

One thing I was wondering is if we could move the people who have been gone for ages from the inactive list to the past moderators category.

 

I feel like the distinction between the two groups should be one of 1-2 months time and a corresponding need for retraining. Right now, past moderators are basically only resignations and forcible demoddings.

 

On a related note, do we have a written record of said demoddings for the purposes of forewarning future staff against remodding people who should not return to staff, or at the very least delineating exactly what was done to deserve removal of powers. We've already had this sort of thing come up, where the vast majority of older mods was pitted against a number of newer mods over remodding someone who once abused their moderator powers. There are people on the past moderator list who were forcibly removed whose offenses are only remembered by one or two mods still around - it's unlikely that they'd try to return but it's best to cover our bases.

I was just thinking about. I personally don't see any issues with it , but if someone does please say so. If no one has any issues with it and if it's ok with the heads, I will go through the inactive list and see who can be moved.

 

As far as I know, not really, but I do think it would be a good idea to write that stuff down somewhere. I think the first step in creating written record is to figure out where something like that should be kept: HAC, AC, PMC, or have it public. I'm leaning towards AC or PMC just because some of the details as to why someone was demodded or evidence supporting the decision to demod someone(private logs and stuff like that) should be kept private.

[sansapants]

One thing I was wondering is if we could move the people who have been gone for ages from the inactive list to the past moderators category.

 

I feel like the distinction between the two groups should be one of 1-2 months time and a corresponding need for retraining. Right now, past moderators are basically only resignations and forcible demoddings.

 

I think a quarterly accounting of inactive mods would be sufficient. If an inactive mod is inactive for at least 3 months, they should be automatically moved into the past moderators category.

 

On a related note, do we have a written record of said demoddings for the purposes of forewarning future staff against remodding people who should not return to staff, or at the very least delineating exactly what was done to deserve removal of powers. We've already had this sort of thing come up, where the vast majority of older mods was pitted against a number of newer mods over remodding someone who once abused their moderator powers. There are people on the past moderator list who were forcibly removed whose offenses are only remembered by one or two mods still around - it's unlikely that they'd try to return but it's best to cover our bases.

 

 

I also think it would be good idea to have formalized and separate processes in switching from inactive to active, and past to active.

 

For example, assuming that quarterly (or other periodic) culling of inactive moderators is implemented, an inactive mod who wishes to be reinstated would simply need to notify the head admins of their desire.

 

But moving from past moderator status to active status should involve a more rigorous process. I would like to see notice given to the entire staff that a past moderator desires to return to active duty. The past moderator should then be required to play for at least a minimum number of hours over a set time period. Putting the staff on notice of a past mod's intentions will allow staff to pay attention to them in-game. While a formal vote of the entire staff should not be necessary (as when making players into moderators for the first time), there could at least be a period of public comment for staff to voice any concerns they have about a past moderator being reinstated. This goes along with the proposal to categorize the past moderators by whether they were passively/voluntarily or forcibly demodded. Should a past moderator who was forcibly demodded somehow slip through the cracks, the period for comment would allow staff members to raise issues concerning the past moderator.

 

In addition, it would be nice if staff is given notice of inactive and past moderators who are reinstated. I recall one instance where I saw what I thought was a player flying on P. It turned out to be recently reinstated mod, who had previously been inactive since before I joined the servers (and thus was unfamiliar to me).