Post by Firefox on Feb 19, 2013 4:13:01 GMT
This is the forum constitution. It is currently in force, but any constructive comments you have are welcome. Post below.
General
Normally we'd have 5 active admins and 5 active forum mods. If anyone takes a break we will elect other admins/mods to replace them. Poll to be placed in mod forum of candidates and people given a week to vote. In the event of a tie number admin vote numbers decide. Former admins/mods of good standing who have taken a break for personal reasons would be allowed back. So at some times, we may have more than 10, but the minimum shall be 10. In the event of a new admin, a poll shall be placed in the admin forum and only the current admins shall vote.
The mod/admin committee decides on major policy by polls or votes in the mod forum for which a poll shall be held. The mod/admin committee may decide to put matters out to a public vote of all forum members prior to a mod/admin vote to gauge forum opinion before voting themselves. Other public all member poll to gauge forum opinion may also be held. These should direct policy, but will be non binding on the mod/admin final vote.
Membership
Membership of the forum will always be free. Members with 50+ posts will have access to the community woodland project forum, and those with 250+ posts, the members special lounge, and also by county wild camping locations (WCL)and the map. Note that people who make genuine contributions to the forum may be considered for upgrade to 250 post level long before they actually physically do 250 posts.
Content
All content submitted by users must conform to the Proboards Community Guidelines:
proboards.com/community-guidelines
No personal attacks or defamatory comments about other board members are allowed.
If content is clearly in violation of the Community Guidelines (eg Porn, Copyright material, Trojans, Phishing, Hacking) It can be removed by any mod/admin to the deleted post forum without further delay (we have to do this as a condition of having the board). If the material is really bad it may have to be removed from the system entirely.
For other less contentious posts which may not clearly be a violation of the community guidelines, a topic shall be made in the mod forum asking if the post(s) should be moved to the deleted posts forum or recycle forum. Three days shall be given for the vote. A majority of 6/10 (or 6/11, 7/12, 7/13 if there are more on the committee at that time) in favour at any time will mean the posts are moved. If after three days those voting in favour of removal are at least 3 and the objectors are 2 or less. The post(s) shall be moved. Further posts of the same nature may be moved under the same resolution.
Active mods/admins are expected to log in and check the mod forum every thee days or so, but in the event of some of them not being able to this for holiday, illness, or personal reasons, them the system should enable a decision to be made one way or the other with a smaller number.
Members should not make derogatory or abusive comments about other forums or their admins, staff or members. Reasoned discussion of the forums and what they have to offer is fine, as well as linking to them in context. But any such abusive comments may be subject to removal.
Problem Users
Posts from users may be moved to the deleted forum but if this happens too frequently or if major transgression occurs eg Posting Porn/Spam/Hacking or repeated disruption/hate/trolling any mod or admin may place a topic in the mod forum requesting a suspension of that user. The same majority rules shall apply as above for the votes.
The topic shall be placed in the mod forum asking if the offending post(s) should be moved to the deleted posts forum. Three days shall be given for the vote. A majority of 6/10 (or 6/11, 7/12, 7/13 if there are more on the committee at that time) in favour at any time will mean the posts are moved. If after three days those voting in favour of removal are at least 3 and the objectors are 2 or less. The post(s) shall be moved.
Aside from such matters as posting Porn/Spam/Hacking, users may also be considered for suspension upon repeated trolling, stirring, disruption, hate speech, or other non genuine participation all as judged in the opinion of committee members. The first suspension shall be a week minimum (but it may be longer). If the user comes back, causes further problems and is voted on again, the second suspension shall be for a month minimum (but it may be longer). The process can be repeated with subsequent suspensions being for years or such time as the committee sees fit. Alt accounts registered by the user to get round the ban (as determined by ip address etc) shall also be suspended.
Emergency Powers
In the event of a known big troublemaker registering who is likely to cause major disruption, or a member who newly registers and starts posting porn,adverts, or flooding, or disruption, that member may suspended temporarily while a vote is held to decide if the suspension should be permanent.
Complaints/Appeal Procedure
If someone feels they have been unfairly treated then they may register that by emailing the board account freemotorhominguk(at)gmail.com using the same email as used to register with the board stating any mitigating circumstances. It is also advisable to PM an admin (or post in the guest forum if account has been suspended) to confirm they have done this. The case will then be reviewed.
Admin/Mod Actions Review
Likewise in the case of admin/mod actions which a member feels have been wrong, they may register that by emailing the board account freemotorhominguk(at)gmail.com using the same email as used to register with the board, stating the circumstances and what they feel is wrong or not in accordance with the constitution. It is also advisable to PM an admin (or post in the guest forum if account has been suspended) to confirm they have done this. The case will then be reviewed.
Meetings and Rallies
Meetings will be held in a responsible fashion with consideration to members of the general public. Meetings held using the exemption certificate will be held generally in accordance with
freemotorhominguk.boards.net/thread/1181/conduct-rallies-using-exemption-certificate
Constitution Review
Yearly in January a topic shall be posted in the members layby lounge asking for suggestions from the members as to comments on, or changes to the constitution. All such suggestions will then be reviewed and voted on by the committee in the first instance, although they may also be put out to poll of the membership if considered appropriate by the committee.
Winding up of the forum
If no one is willing or able to continue the administration of the forum, the remaining committee may decide by a vote to suspend the forum in maintenance mode, or make it read only as an archive, or delete the forum as appropriate to the circumstance. In doing this the forum should be made read only in any case for a period of at least 3 months and the members sent a message by email so they may, if they wish, visit to make back ups of posts and photos in case the forum is later removed.
Edit 1 June 2013: Exemption Certificate Reference added
General
Normally we'd have 5 active admins and 5 active forum mods. If anyone takes a break we will elect other admins/mods to replace them. Poll to be placed in mod forum of candidates and people given a week to vote. In the event of a tie number admin vote numbers decide. Former admins/mods of good standing who have taken a break for personal reasons would be allowed back. So at some times, we may have more than 10, but the minimum shall be 10. In the event of a new admin, a poll shall be placed in the admin forum and only the current admins shall vote.
The mod/admin committee decides on major policy by polls or votes in the mod forum for which a poll shall be held. The mod/admin committee may decide to put matters out to a public vote of all forum members prior to a mod/admin vote to gauge forum opinion before voting themselves. Other public all member poll to gauge forum opinion may also be held. These should direct policy, but will be non binding on the mod/admin final vote.
Membership
Membership of the forum will always be free. Members with 50+ posts will have access to the community woodland project forum, and those with 250+ posts, the members special lounge, and also by county wild camping locations (WCL)and the map. Note that people who make genuine contributions to the forum may be considered for upgrade to 250 post level long before they actually physically do 250 posts.
Content
All content submitted by users must conform to the Proboards Community Guidelines:
proboards.com/community-guidelines
No personal attacks or defamatory comments about other board members are allowed.
If content is clearly in violation of the Community Guidelines (eg Porn, Copyright material, Trojans, Phishing, Hacking) It can be removed by any mod/admin to the deleted post forum without further delay (we have to do this as a condition of having the board). If the material is really bad it may have to be removed from the system entirely.
For other less contentious posts which may not clearly be a violation of the community guidelines, a topic shall be made in the mod forum asking if the post(s) should be moved to the deleted posts forum or recycle forum. Three days shall be given for the vote. A majority of 6/10 (or 6/11, 7/12, 7/13 if there are more on the committee at that time) in favour at any time will mean the posts are moved. If after three days those voting in favour of removal are at least 3 and the objectors are 2 or less. The post(s) shall be moved. Further posts of the same nature may be moved under the same resolution.
Active mods/admins are expected to log in and check the mod forum every thee days or so, but in the event of some of them not being able to this for holiday, illness, or personal reasons, them the system should enable a decision to be made one way or the other with a smaller number.
Members should not make derogatory or abusive comments about other forums or their admins, staff or members. Reasoned discussion of the forums and what they have to offer is fine, as well as linking to them in context. But any such abusive comments may be subject to removal.
Problem Users
Posts from users may be moved to the deleted forum but if this happens too frequently or if major transgression occurs eg Posting Porn/Spam/Hacking or repeated disruption/hate/trolling any mod or admin may place a topic in the mod forum requesting a suspension of that user. The same majority rules shall apply as above for the votes.
The topic shall be placed in the mod forum asking if the offending post(s) should be moved to the deleted posts forum. Three days shall be given for the vote. A majority of 6/10 (or 6/11, 7/12, 7/13 if there are more on the committee at that time) in favour at any time will mean the posts are moved. If after three days those voting in favour of removal are at least 3 and the objectors are 2 or less. The post(s) shall be moved.
Aside from such matters as posting Porn/Spam/Hacking, users may also be considered for suspension upon repeated trolling, stirring, disruption, hate speech, or other non genuine participation all as judged in the opinion of committee members. The first suspension shall be a week minimum (but it may be longer). If the user comes back, causes further problems and is voted on again, the second suspension shall be for a month minimum (but it may be longer). The process can be repeated with subsequent suspensions being for years or such time as the committee sees fit. Alt accounts registered by the user to get round the ban (as determined by ip address etc) shall also be suspended.
Emergency Powers
In the event of a known big troublemaker registering who is likely to cause major disruption, or a member who newly registers and starts posting porn,adverts, or flooding, or disruption, that member may suspended temporarily while a vote is held to decide if the suspension should be permanent.
Complaints/Appeal Procedure
If someone feels they have been unfairly treated then they may register that by emailing the board account freemotorhominguk(at)gmail.com using the same email as used to register with the board stating any mitigating circumstances. It is also advisable to PM an admin (or post in the guest forum if account has been suspended) to confirm they have done this. The case will then be reviewed.
Admin/Mod Actions Review
Likewise in the case of admin/mod actions which a member feels have been wrong, they may register that by emailing the board account freemotorhominguk(at)gmail.com using the same email as used to register with the board, stating the circumstances and what they feel is wrong or not in accordance with the constitution. It is also advisable to PM an admin (or post in the guest forum if account has been suspended) to confirm they have done this. The case will then be reviewed.
Meetings and Rallies
Meetings will be held in a responsible fashion with consideration to members of the general public. Meetings held using the exemption certificate will be held generally in accordance with
freemotorhominguk.boards.net/thread/1181/conduct-rallies-using-exemption-certificate
Constitution Review
Yearly in January a topic shall be posted in the members layby lounge asking for suggestions from the members as to comments on, or changes to the constitution. All such suggestions will then be reviewed and voted on by the committee in the first instance, although they may also be put out to poll of the membership if considered appropriate by the committee.
Winding up of the forum
If no one is willing or able to continue the administration of the forum, the remaining committee may decide by a vote to suspend the forum in maintenance mode, or make it read only as an archive, or delete the forum as appropriate to the circumstance. In doing this the forum should be made read only in any case for a period of at least 3 months and the members sent a message by email so they may, if they wish, visit to make back ups of posts and photos in case the forum is later removed.
Edit 1 June 2013: Exemption Certificate Reference added