• Amendments - Constitution Wording and Magistrate Requirements

    Two amendments have recently been made to the TWC Constitution.

    The first one is a major change to the wording of the constitution. It was motivated by a previous discussion on the role of Citizenship and the usage of the words "rank" and "right" in the Constitution. It was decided to replace these two notions entirely by more appropriate terms and to clarify the status of Citizenship as an award, abolishing the last remnants of the notion that Citizens might be hierarchically superior to other members of TWC.

    The amendment was discussed here and finally passed with 13 Yes-votes to one abstention.

    Amendment details
    Section I - Members Ranks, Citizenship and Curial OfficersAll members of the forum can be divided into the following ranks. Each rank confers on the holders a specific set of rights and privileges. An individual may hold only one account of the rank of Citizen or higher. In addition to the ranks outlined below a member may also hold other positions or honours entitled to badges. In this case they may choose which rank to display. Regardless of the rank displayed they retain all the rights and privileges associated with all of their ranks.

    Article I. Ranks Members and Citizenship
    PeregrinusPeregrinity (Non-Citizen)Any member of the forum is automatically a Peregrinus (Non-Citizen). This rank status confers posting rightsthe privilege to post in the public forums as well as the rightprivilege to ask questions and suggest changes in the "Questions and Suggestions" forum and participate in the "Forum Magnum" section of The Capitol, as set out in Section 5, Article 2.

    CitizenshipCitizenship is the fundamental award conferred by the Curia for contributions benefitting the site and community of TWC. Contributing members of TWC have the opportunity to become a Citizen of the Forumbe awarded with this as per Article 2 below. Once a member becomes a Citizenis awarded with Citizenship they can then choose between three different badges.: Artifex, designed for those who have contributed through modding, Civitate, designed for those who have contributed through debating and writing, and Citizen, designed for those who have contributed in other ways, or wish to identify with neither or both. If a member is entitled to other badges due to positions or honours held by them they may choose which badge to display while regardlessly retaining all rights and privileges conferred by their positions and honours.

    To qualify for Citizenship, a member must have at least fifty posts, been a registered member for two months, and have not received a Moderation Warning or Curial Warning within the past six months.

    All Citizens have the rights associated with Peregrinus, but in addition mayCitizenship confers the additional privileges to post within the Curia, subject to the procedures in Section 3; mayto post within the Symposium and mayto patronise other members as per Article II.

    An individual may hold only one account awarded with Citizenship.
    Article II. PatronisationAny Citizen who has held their rankCitizenship for three months can patronise a Peregrinus for Citizenship subject to the requirements in Article I above. The process of patronisation is as follows:

    [...]

    7. If the applicant achieves sixty per cent of non-abstaining votes they are entitled to the rankaward of Citizenship.
    8. The Curator informs the candidate and patron of the result. If the candidate does not pass, the Curator includes the date at which they may re-apply. If the candidate passes they may apply to Citizen rank usergroups which the Curator accepts.

    [...]
    Article III. Rank and Award Resignation of AwardsThe rankaward of Citizenship and all Awards listed in Section V, Article 3 are honours given to members by the Curia. While members may refuse or resign their honours that does not reduce their right to them once they have been granted by the Curia. As such they may request them back at will if they have not been revoked or removed in the meantime. Procedures to revoke or remove a member's honours operate normally even if the member is not currently displaying them.

    [...]


    Section IV - The Judiciary
    Article I. Citizen's BehaviourThe suspension and removal of a RankCitizenship is handled by the Citizen's Triumvirate via the following disciplinary process. No Citizen may be subject to more than one referral for a single post.

    Procedure

    [...]

    Curial Warning:

    • Suspension of rankCitizenship for 2 weeks
    • Suspension of rankCitizenship for 1 month
    • Suspension of rankCitizenship for 2 months
    • Suspension of rankCitizenship for 3 months
    • Suspension of rankCitizenship for 4 months
    • Removal of RankCitizenship


    [...]

    A rankCitizenship may not be removed except by the procedure outlined in this Article. Large Curial Awards may only be removedrevoked by a Decision of the Curia or by the request of the rankaward holder.

    [...]

    Article II. The Citizen's TriumvirateThe Citizens Triumvirate manages the removal of all Curia RanksCitizenship by voting.

    [...]

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    Section V - Additional Provisions
    [...]

    Article III. Community Awards
    [...]

    Large Awards
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    NovusTo qualify for the Novus award the nominee must have made exceptional contributions to the site in the capacity of a staff member. A current or former member of any branch of Staff is eligible to receive the award, but must also meet the criteria to become a Citizen.

    Qualifying nominees shall have their nomination posted in the Prothalamos and then moved to vote as per the procedure in Section 3 Article 3. The vote shall last one week and the nominee shall require a two-thirds majority of non-abstaining votes to receive Novus. If the nominee was not already a Citizen, the RankCitizenship shall be conferred upon them if they pass. A nominee who fails the vote is not eligible to be nominated again for a three month period.
    OpifexTo qualify for the Opifex award, the nominee must have made exceptional contributions to modding or TW sections of the boards, either by modding or other contributions related to the those sections. Any member of any Rank is eligible to receive the Opifex award, but must also meet the criteria to become a Citizen.

    Qualifying nominees shall have their nomination posted in the Prothalamos and then moved to vote as per the procedure in Section 3 Article 3. The vote shall last one week and the nominee shall require a two-thirds majority of non-abstaining votes to receive Opifex. If the nominee was not already a Citizen, the RankCitizenship shall be conferred upon them if they pass. A nominee who fails the vote is not eligible to be nominated again for a three month period.
    PhaleraTo qualify for the Phalera award, the nominee must have made exceptional contributions to any section of the boards not covered by Opifex. Any member of any Rank is eligible to receive the Phalera award, but must also meet the criteria to become a Citizen.

    Qualifying nominees shall have their nomination posted in the Prothalamos and then moved to vote as per the procedure in Section 3 Article 3. The vote shall last one week and the nominee shall require a two-thirds majority of non-abstaining votes to receive Phalera. If the nominee was not already a Citizen, the RankCitizenship shall be conferred upon them if they pass. A nominee who fails the vote is not eligible to be nominated again for a three month period.
    Asterix LoinclothTo qualify for the Asterix Loincloth award, the nominee must have demonstrated purity of mind and spirit on TWC, in the pursuit of humour and good times for all members. Any member of any Rank is eligible to receive the Asterix Loincloth award, but must also meet the criteria to become a Citizen.

    Qualifying nominees shall have their nomination posted in the Prothalamos and then moved to vote as per the procedure in Section 3 Article 3. The vote shall last one week and the nominee shall require a two-thirds majority of non-abstaining votes to receive Asterix Loincloth. If the nominee was not already a Citizen, the RankCitizenship shall be conferred upon them if they pass. A nominee who fails the vote is not eligible to be nominated again for a three month period.

    [...]


    The second one is a minor change to the requirements for candidacy to the Magistrate position. Magistrates are elected members of the Tribunal that defend the rights of members and judge appeals regarding moderational practice. Following the argument that time passed as a Citizen bears no significance for knowledge of the Terms of Service the Curia decided to remove the three months waiting period for applications of new Citizens.

    The amendment was discussed here and finally passed with 14 Yes-votes to one No-vote.

    Amendment details
    Section IV - The Judiciary
    [...]

    Article V. JudgesTo serve on the Tribunal, a panel of Tribunes is appointed by the Hexagon Council.

    In addition, two Magistrates shall be elected for 3 month terms by the procedure in Section 3, Article 2. Applicants cannot have received a Moderation Warning, or a Curial Warning, in at least one year and must have been Citizens for at least 3 months. Magistrates cannot serve consecutive terms.

    Magistrates rotate as acting Tribunes, each voting on one of every two cases. Should a Tribune recuse themselves or there is a tie between Tribunes, the other Magistrate respectively votes in their stead or is called to break the tie. Magistrates are terminated by a unanimous vote of the Tribunes.


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