New SMC Selection Process

**Ixion** · 11-15-2012

Due to feedback from the community about our SMC selection process, we want to give you more of a voice for who is promoted. From now on, the staff (meaning the SMC on up) will nominate two times the amount of members than available spots. These members will then be asked if they are interested. If so, the community will vote for who they wish to become staff. The number of votes each member has is equal to the number of available spots.

For example:

1) If we need three new SMC, the staff will choose six members who are fit to become SMC.

2) The staff will then ask these nominees if they are interested.

3) Then all six nominees will be voted on by the community. Each member will have three votes and the top three members win.

We feel this is a good compromise. We can't allow the community to choose anyone, because regular members cannot see the infraction and PM history of members, among other issues. So the staff will choose nominees that meet the qualifications and the community will take it from there. Tie-breakers will be decided by the higher rep score.

If there are certain tweaks that you guys think will improve the process, let us know. However, an election solely decided by the community is not an option. Please keep that in mind.

**-Kwesnoth-** · 11-15-2012

This is an awesome idea. Giving the members a choice will still having staff knowledge included.

**justintheman87** · 11-15-2012

Can the first wave happen now? If not when might this occur?

**Ixion** · 11-15-2012

Originally Posted by justintheman87

Can the first wave happen now? If not when might this occur?

Nah, we don't need anymore SMC right now. The next time we need to update the staff, this will happen.

**EvilJ0k3r** · 11-15-2012

I think we're good in staff right now! But this is an excellent idea! I feel as if this would be a better idea!

**RaY_210** · 11-15-2012

Great idea. Like you said, it gets community involved, but at the same time the staff still has general control over the situation

**DeviousOne** · 11-15-2012

Great idea!!! I can't wait for it to play out!

**Kuro** · 11-15-2012

Thought there was a new smc process going on now lol.
Well, yeah good idea.

**RaY_210** · 11-15-2012

Also, in honor of the Wii U launch, I say we change SMC to stand for Super Mario Council

**Ixion** · 11-15-2012

By the way, we can only allow you to vote once or vote as many times as you wish. We can't make you vote up to a certain amount.

So what we'll do is count how many times each of you voted and if anyone votes more than three times (in the above example), that member will receive a one-week ban and their votes won't count. Sound good?

We don't have to make the voting public to do this. Admins can see who voted in the Admin control panel.

**Blacksite** · 11-15-2012

Originally Posted by justintheman87

Can the first wave happen now? If not when might this occur?

We should have enough staff on board to move into the next generation, unless something comes up and we need to shuffle staff members.

**justintheman87** · 11-15-2012

Good to know. Was curious on when this might get launched into action since it was brought to our attention. I truly like the aspect of more community involvement, and this is something I have been wanting to see for quite some time now.

**Ixion** · 11-15-2012

Originally Posted by justintheman87

Good to know. Was curious on when this might get launched into action since it was brought to our attention. I truly like the aspect of more community involvement, and this is something I have been wanting to see for quite some time now.

After all the recent feedback, we just wanted you guys to know that we listened and will make some adjustments for the next go 'round.

**Rapture** · 11-15-2012

Not that I'm particularly concerned either way, I do think this is generally a pretty solid way to introduce future staff. It'll certainly eliminate community neglect in the equation, so well done on this change.

**Dave-The-Rave** · 11-15-2012

like this idea a lot, look forward to the next wave of SMCs.

**admartian** · 11-15-2012

I think this bodes well for the community as whole in regards to a more democratic process. Ultimately, the staff more or less has the final say as it is they who pick the candidates, but as members, we at least get to voice some value we might/should have.

**DeviousOne** · 11-15-2012

The staff would be the electoral College... Lol

**Blacksite** · 11-15-2012

Originally Posted by DeviousOne

The staff would be the electoral College... Lol

Yeah, you guys can do your pretend voting.

"Power to the people!"

**Kuro** · 11-15-2012

I was thinking the same exact thing D. Figured it be that type of voting process.

**Sir_Scud** · 11-15-2012

I like this a lot and I believe it's a pretty fair way to go about it. Seems that the community gets to voice its opinion in a worthwhile way, but still have structure to the process.

**Cybertox** · 11-17-2012

Sounds fair.

**squirrelbo1** · 11-17-2012

As much as I admire your desire to involve the community I can see some downfalls with this. First and foremost it makes the selection a popularity contest. This means that once somebody is on the staff they want to stay there. How do they do that ? Make friends. How do you do that. Don't ban people. You could be all over the spam bots and that looks good to the staff so you get the possibility of promotion, but if you have never actively been in a thread as an smc telling people off or getting a mod to unleash the ban hammer that can have a negative effect. I Dno that's just how I feel.

Sorry to put a downer on the whole thing.

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

**Fenix** · 11-17-2012

Originally Posted by squirrelbo1

As much as I admire your desire to involve the community I can see some downfalls with this. First and foremost it makes the selection a popularity contest. This means that once somebody is on the staff they want to stay there. How do they do that ? Make friends. How do you do that. Don't ban people. You could be all over the spam bots and that looks good to the staff so you get the possibility of promotion, but if you have never actively been in a thread as an smc telling people off or getting a mod to unleash the ban hammer that can have a negative effect. I Dno that's just how I feel.

Sorry to put a downer on the whole thing.

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

Was contemplating posting something similar for hours now, the only way to be on staff in the future is if you have lots of friends regardless if your right for the job or not. Not a fan of that idea.

**DarkVincent07** · 11-17-2012

Originally Posted by Fenix

Was contemplating posting something similar for hours now, the only way to be on staff in the future is if you have lots of friends regardless if your right for the job or not. Not a fan of that idea.

But the ones chosen for nomination are done so BY staff, and each of those six candidates would be fit for the job. Its just up to the community to see who they feel would fit the role best. I don't see it as a popularity contest when the nominees are all pre-chosen

**Ixion** · 11-17-2012

Exactly. The nominees we choose will all be fit for the job. The community just decides who they would prefer.

We're not going to find a process that pleases everyone, but it's hard to think of a better compromise than this.