THIS PAGE IS ARCHIVED
The information here is not up-to-date and may be inaccurate.
It is preserved for historical purposes. Please avoid editing this page.
After a discussion with other administrators and much contemplation, it was decided that the role of Senior Staff was so painfully nebulous that we needed to find a way to counteract people's inability to understand what they were supposed to be doing. We did so by making a list of things that senior staff need to be doing.1
Senior Staff Duties are as follows:
- Respond to Introduction Posts: You can find the forum here. This does not mean you need to be rude or dismissive or clever. You just need to say "Hi!" and answer any questions that they might have. You might also consider linking them to pertinent guides or even tales and SCPs if they show and interest or mention their favorite. The important thing here is interacting with the user base.
- Respond to Threads Asking for Writing Help: The major two forums to patrol are Drafts and Critiques and Ideas and Brainstorming. Again, there is no need to be overly clever or dismissive, and if I ever see someone write a post which consists of linking to the "List of things that should not be done" and nothing else, I will come down on you like unholy fire. These people are here because they need help. Explain their problems. If a user is dismissive of your advice, that's fine. They'll post and face oblivion like everyone else. Ideally, I would like two senior staffers posting on each draft, and at least one posting on ideas.
- Tagging Pages: Aelanna has been doing this alone for too damn long. Please read the Tagging Guide that I annoyed her into writing, then follow along. If this is exceptionally difficult for some reason, please let me know the problem, and I will talk with her about excepting you from the duty. Let me make one thing clear here, though. I am personally investing final authority over tags in Aelanna. If she tells you something is silly, then please listen to her. Please consult the big guide for more information.
- Responding to Posted SCPs and Tales: This is both positive and negative. If someone did a good job, tell them so. If someone sucked it up, tell them that too. The method is up to you. If you're a line-by-line, deconstructionist critic, go right on doing that. If you like to type up a paragraph or a couple of sentences giving a brief overview, do that as well. The goal is to have knowledgeable writers, which all Senior Staff should be, responding to things and helping out the user base.
These are the four, primary jobs of Senior Staff members. The rewards of doing these jobs well give you permission to do the following things:
- Post in 'Staff Post' Threads: This may not sound like much, but you should observe it as what it is: a show of respect for your opinion. Please let your feelings be known.
- Bringing Up Articles for Review: This is a… tentative responsibility. It's a strong trust that you will be positive in your reasons for doing so. If you're looking to improve an older article, then your review post needs to be written in such a way. If you're wanting to bring attention to an older article, you should do so in a similar manner. If you are doing this specifically to seek the deletion of an article, you will face demotion. I cannot stress this enough. Organizing a group downvote is incredibly unethical, and using your ability to call reviews to do it will not be tolerated.
- Access to Staff Chat: If you don't have it, you're not Senior Staff. Moving on.
- Participation in the Deletion Process: You may call for the deletion of an article or vote in deletion threads, following the guidelines in the deletion guide.
- Call a 'Stop' to Conversation: You may enact a stop order on a conversation "if it is determined to no longer have any merit as a constructive argument." Your stop order can be overridden by a mod or admin, but obviously we'd prefer not to have to do that. So please make sure you're doing the right thing when you stop a conversation — don't do it just because you don't like it anymore or find it annoying or whatever, do it when it's an out of control mess from which no good will come any longer.
Moderators and Administrators may override a Stop order issued by a nonmoderative Staff member, if they feel that the discussion still has merit.
As a note, you should attempt to familiarize yourself with several pages. I'm not saying memorize them, but maybe go and read them every so often, specifically so you can answer questions that users might have. Those pages include:
Additionally, be prepared to answer questions about the following:
- Technical Writing and Technical Words - Newbs will have a lot of questions and errors. Ask Drewbear for clarification on anyting confusing.
- The Licensing Guide - You need to know this backwards and forwards. As Sorts for clarification on anything confusing.
- Cliche List - Yes. I'm sorry, but you should know about it and what it's there for. Why it exists. And you should even make suggestions for additions (in chat). Check out Eric_H's version if this one grates on you: Education Film
- Early Deletion Countdown Timer - Know how to use this. If you start an early deletion vote and do not use it, I will track you down and murder you.
- Rewrite Rules - Know the circumstances under which a rewrite can happen. Mods and admins will approve rewrites. Just bring them to their attention.
Afterword: So, you read this page, non-senior staffer. Yep. You. I'm talking to you. Precisely and exactly to you. You want to be Senior Staff? Well, this is how to get our attention. In the list of duties, do numbers 2 and 4. Do it plenty. We want to see people who are active. In addition, write. Get a few nice, well received pages under your belt. Finally, be active in chat. Nothing warms our heart like seeing someone help out a new kid. If you've got any questions about how to do these things, then you're not ready to be Senior Staff yet.
Regards,
Troy