Syntagma Revision and Enforcement

[Manji]

I've been an absent figure for some time but that is about to end. I'm back to TWC in full force and will start using my mod powers suitably. While browsing the Curia section i've noticed how fragmented the power hierarchy has become. As such I propose a full Syntagma revision and enforcement of a new Syntagma. In this new and revised version ranks should be explain and positions/titles of different mods be explicit.
I'll post later some points I believe should be revised and/or changed.


Cheers :getlost

[Necrobrit]

Welcome back, the more active moderators the better!

Bit of Deja-vu from the last few months as to "syntagma revision"

P.S. To the Admins: Forget someone? SBSdude has been excluded from the Urbanis.

[Siblesz]

Originally posted by Necrobrit@Feb 9 2005, 10:59 AM
P.S. To the Admins: Forget someone? SBSdude has been excluded from the Urbanis.

*quickly changes settings so that SBsdude is included*

Really? When did that happen? :cool

[SbSdude]

Dunno, but it was a wise idea as i've been afk due to Technical issues for the past two months.

Anyhow, i'm back now and the problem seems to have been inadvertantly sorted out, without any action on my part. I shall resume my Urbanis duties (if you let me :p)

[wilpuri]

What do you have in mind, manji?

[Honduras]

I'm also still here, though you don't see me often nowadays. But I come visit still every day, and do my mod duties when needed.

[Sulla]

Ack, I have a complaint! The creation of new orums and sub-forums in the RTW section is slowly watering down the Ubanis's moding powers. Upon our creation we had power in every part and corner of the section, now after a few months we are limeted by almost half! I've had at least two instances in which I have closed a spam topic... only to find it restarted in a sub-fora! Aparently, spammers are smarter than we give them credit for.

Although new here I have gone through the Syntagma in some detail and think the Amendment V - Urbanis Legio (passed as Amendment VI) is a little vague, could do with some more specific definitions and have a more top down approach. Here is a purely hypothetical example of how the Urbanis Legio could be structured for more power and efficiency.
Have 4 (or more) Urbanis Legio overseeing a group of forums (and ALL subsequent sub-forums):
Urbanis Legio: Total War & Total War Center
Urbanis Legio: Rome Total War
Urbanis Legio: Other
Pilus Prior Urbanis Legio: Senior Urbanis Legio over all forums.
They have the power to close and edit threads but not to warn members. If a member is out of line they advise Triumvirate B that a warn may need to be issued to a specific member. They are subordinate to the Quaestors, Praetors and Triumvirate who can veto their decisions except where they are acting specifically under direct orders of Triumvirate B (who would generally issue orders to whichever Urbanis Legio is on duty at the time). The Pilus Prior Urbanis Legio can veto the actions of the other Urbanis Legios. For all intents a purposes the Pilus Prior Urbanis Legio would be considered a 'legate' of Triumvirate B since TriumB is in direct control of the forums. The Urbanis Legio do not have the power to interfere in the forums not specifically assigned to them when two or more are on duty at the same time. Ideally the Urbanis Legio should have an interest in the areas that they will control. I have no particular problems with the way the Urbanis Legio are selected. If anything I would prefer to see the staff have the power to choose their own 'legates' without the necessity of continual elections. After all, we elect the staff and they should have the right to choose their own team as this is much more efficient. Any Urbanis Legio can be dismissed by Triumvirate B if they fail in their duty. The point of all this is to create specialty teams who are expert in a specific area of the Forum.

This of course would stand at odds with the present system a little. In essence the hypothetical Pilus Prior Urbanis Legio would have greater power over the forums than the present Quaestors have, even though the Quaestors could veto them. Combined and working with the Urbanis Legio members (who technically answer to Triumvirate B) this would provide a greater pool of reliable people with the powers to control the forums and give a more unified system of command and control (checks and balances).

I agree with Manji that the exact roles and definitions of the TW offices are a little unclear (ie. Quaestors are officials in the Forum who may control certain facets of function in the forum. The may control some, but not all Fora, and are considered staff members). Should each Quaestor's responsibilities be defined with more precision in the Syntagma? Which Quaestor is responsible for which set of forums, how many quaestors are to be elected, etc... Triumvirate powers are described as having administrator powers. A clear definition of exactly what administrator powers are might also be useful.
Like the Romans each of the TWCenter staff offices should contain a specific level of imperium, ie. triumviral imperium is greater than praetorian imperium which is, in turn, greater than Quaestorian Imperium. While this is probably already the case it is not clearly spelled out. Any higher office should be able to arbitarily veto the actions of a lessor office.

As stated in various threads dealing with moderator issues there are a number of 'unconstitutional moderators'. Either these people should lose their unconstitutional powers or an amendment needs to be brought forward giving them some semblance of constitutional form but certainly making them subordinate to ALL official TW offices (trium, praetors, quaestors, urbanis legio).


Just some thoughts.