[Serious] Make the mod process more visible

1. Make mod applications visible (if there is any personal info it can be hidden, post will be approved by a mod with info hidden so people can view).

2. Make staff votes with REASONS be able to be shown. As they have to do it on reports I see no reason they shouldnt do it on mod applications. Any personal info can be talked about in the SL just as it is via a report.

3. Within the mod application section. There will be a verified [Mod App] that only staff can post to. There will also be a [Community Feedback] thread where people can post (not spam) their feedback of the candidate and if they think it will be a good fit. We do it for OMM applications, why not do it for this one?

No offense to any mods, and this is maybe a little shout out to @Im Solo but it does seem that the way its set up currently that mods and the mod process is akin to an "Old Boys Club" where currently high up staff are able to promote people they are more friendly with regardless of their ability to do the job well (yes communication is a factor, but everyone knows what I mean). Opening the process up to the publics input and review will attempt to make this bias less pronounced.

I understand that mods don't want their friends to know if they voted against them. Too bad, youre a mod.

Please respond in 1,2,3 format showing a support / no support for each point as some are not directly related (1,2 and 3)

 

I see where you're coming from with this suggestion. I understand that If this is implemented then you'll feel like promotions will be less biased, the community will have more of a say on who does/doesn't get promoted.

However, I feel that the discussion of promotions should be kept hidden. It keeps the topic on a professional level. I'm confident that the current moderators/admins are mature and professional enough to not make biased decisions and come to a respectable conclusion on whether a user should be promoted or not. Also, opening it to the community of Sythe won't really do much in terms of preventing biased decisions in my opinion due to jealousy and friendships like you mentioned.

For example, if @Wortel 's Mod application was public then I feel like people would of downvoted him/slated him due to his join date, however the staff obviously saw potential in him and he contributes quite a bit to the site.

No support.

 

1. This wont be happening, regardless most users applications are very similar in regards to how they answer questions, its only their accomplishments that are different and vary from person to person.

2. Not going to happen, we discuss things that are not public yet due to safety concerns and the member that applies will know why they were denied as it shows this in their denial PM.

3. This seems like a good idea, especially when its a member whom is applying that ive never seen before or dont know much about.

 

I agree with what youre saying, but I dont see the community having their oppinions heard to have any negative effect. "I feel like people would of downvoted him/slated him due to his join date", if thats their oppinion than so be it. But mods should be able to at least get that and understand that from the community that they moderate over if thats a genuine concern from them.

 

What makes you think this?

Also,

If it's open to publics input, there will be more bias. Friends will vote for friends. It will be a popularity contest where little focus would be put towards who could actually be a good moderator.

Also something like this suggestion was created here -https://www.sythe.org/threads/let-normal-users-vote-on-moderator-applications-prior-to-staff-voting/

 

1. I think the main thing that needs to be addressed is that certain people meet lots of criteria that isn't obvious to the public. They may have a lot of experience in something, but since their app is hidden nobody will know. I'd like to see that addressed specifically rather than apps being public.

Perhaps give the promotion threads a little flavour? 'X has been promoted to Y. X has lots of experience in ___ which made them stand out as the best candidate for the position.'

#2 isn't too important IMO. We're already given the reasons why people are declined so knowing who posted it isn't really going to make a difference.

#3 I would like to see put in place, lots of positives and few if any negatives could come from it. Only issue is that you're giving feedback on people without seeing their app, so you don't have much direct input but rather outside views.

 

So kind of like the OMM app is right now? I mean lets be real you didnt ask anyone you had a BAD trade with to vouch on your OMM thread lol. This just allows for people to give their oppinion if they think the person in question has what it takes to be a mod. This has nothing to do with actual voting. Basically if the mods want Gun to be a mod, he will be, regardless of whatever is said on that thread. But they should read it and at least know what the rest of the site thinks outside the moderator bubble (refering to #3)

 

OMM apps aren't open to the public. Only OMM's and upper staff decide this.

I don't really understand your point here.. What are you saying? lol


When anyone makes an application for a mod position. Everything about them is thoroughly checked and a large part of whether they get a yes/no is judged on their behaviour on Sythe and the good/bad they have done on Sythe. It's very objective..

 

I'm saying that every part of this site allows people to either post their opinion, or see what is going on and give their oppinion to relevant mods if they feel to chose so.

1. The OMM application section (not voting)
2. The pardon section
3. The report a scammer section
4. The report a ban evader section
5. The suggestion section

Why should mod applications not have this transparentness?

 

But if he would become a mod regardless of whatever is said on the thread what's the point having the thread?


You haven't really answered this question I asked you..

What makes you think this?

 

I think that if my moderator application were to be visible that I would have been accepted. The community loves me, it are just the grumpy moderators that dont like me and thus deny me.

Support

 

The point of having the thread is the exact point of making the Report a Scammer section public and to allow other people to now post on those threads. If someone has relevant information or an oppinion they should have the ability to read the facts of the case and either let their oppinion know to a mod, or if they have facts relevant to the case in specific that are either being left out or not considered, they should be able to point that out.

What makes me think "that its akin to an old-boys club" is thats the definition of having a promotion process in which there is no transparency. You can say all the great things you want about the process of mods applying, and them being reviewed and vetted. But if there is no transparency to even tell us who is applying then how on earth are you supposed to properly make sure mods have clean backgrounds?

Plenty of stuff has been posted on report a scammer threads that mods havent been aware of. Why should mod applicants not be known? Why should there not be a public discourse about how fit that person is for a mod position? You guys talk about getting the community actively involved but are leaving the community out of the discussion of one of the most important processes of this site.

 

In fact even this thread is an example of the public discourse process! What if suggestions was a hidden forum in which only moderators got approval of suggestions and members couldnt vote or talk about them! The reason this isnt the case is that members of this site other than mods may care, may have more information about, or even may want to support the suggestions being submitted. This is why I believe that there should be some more transparency about mod-applicants in whatever methods the mod see fit. I dont really care what they are, as long as they are.

 

I think this is for all the people that feel staff are biased towards them AKA may be salty they got denied.

Personally I'm normally up for community visibility but with our current community I cant imagine letting them have any influence of moderator apps, trainwreck.

No from me.

 

I just think the applications should be at least public. Everything else I'm fine the way it is: private staff vote, discussion, and pm to applicants. But I think that we, as a community, should at least be able to read the applications (no input, no bias, read only).

Cheers

 

No support, back in my day mod applications didn't even exist, you were chosen out of the crowd. That being said input from the community is not useful when selecting potential staff members

 

Really ?

You apply for mod status & I'm able to cite specific cases through dealing with a person user to user where you either used poor judgement.. no judgement.. were all out rabid during a deal or any other indicator you may not have thick enough skin & a cool enough head to be judge jury & executioner..

You don't consider that valuable ?

 

The facts are as follows: The members of the community have biased opinions based on certain situations that may have occurred within either the spam forum or another forum alike. They should not have any sort of say on who gets a staff position, because if that were the case they would only elect their friends and not the people who they actually think deserve the position

 

And I'm pretty much the polar opposite to you.. I invite any & all feedback & opinions whatever their source may be..

I'd feel more confident about someone voted into a position by 100 people than 1..

 

Then you don't actually understand this community if you feel that way