RFD: Ostracism
Clive D.W. Feather
REQUEST FOR DISCUSSION (RFD)
This is a formal Request For Discussion (RFD) for the following changes
in the uk.* Usenet hierarchy:
create a new Guidelines document
"Ostracism Prodedures within the UK Hierarchy"
*** ALL DISCUSSION MUST TAKE PLACE IN UK.NET.NEWS.MANAGEMENT ***
This is not a Call for Votes (CFV); you cannot vote at this time.
Further procedural details are given below.
RATIONALE
Ostracism is a last-ditch measure intended to deal with people who
continually and consistently obstruct the management of the uk.*
hierarchy.
PROPOSAL
Create a new UK Hierarchy document entitled
"Ostracism Prodedures within the UK Hierarchy"
----------------------------------------------
The Ostracism Ballot
- --------------------
As soon as possible after 1st June each year, the UK Voting Organisation
shall publish a Request for Nominations for Ostracism. A person is
validly nominated if four separate people nominate him or her, except
that a person currently Ostracised may not be nominated. Provided the
same person is clearly identified, these nominations do not have to use
the same name or email address in identifying the nominee. Nominations
shall be open for no less than 21 and no more than 28 days.
As soon as possible after the close of nominations, and if there are any
nominations, the UK Voting Organisation shall hold a ballot. The ballot
shall list all the nominees, in a random order, plus the entry "Nobody".
It shall not have "abstain", "status quo", or "re-open discussion"
options. Votes shall be for a single choice only; they shall *not* use
STV or Concordet or any similar system.
A candidate who is voted for on more than half of those ballots validly
cast is Ostracised. If no candidate meets this, there shall be no
Ostracism that year.
All other procedures for this ballot shall be the same as for a vote on
the change to the guidelines.
Duration of Ostracism
- ---------------------
As soon as possible after the close of the period for objections to the
ballot and the resolution of any such objections, the Committee shall
cause to be published in uk.net.news.announce a formal notice starting
the Ostracism.
The Ostracism lasts for two years from the date of that notice, unless
rescinded earlier.
Any person not Ostracised may bring an RFD to rescind an Ostracism.
However, this may not be done within 3 months of the start of the
Ostracism, or within 3 months of a previous vote on the same matter. The
vote shall be a simple choice between "rescind" and "status quo", held
using the normal procedures.
Effects of Ostracism
- --------------------
While a person is Ostracised, the following points shall apply to them.
1. The person shall not count for any purpose for which the Guidelines
documents require a specific person or number of people. For example,
they shall not count towards the 6 people required to object to a fast
track or the 4 people required to nominate a Committee candidate.
2. Any ballot cast by the person in a vote held under these guidelines
is automatically deemed invalid.
3. The person may not propose an RFD, and any RFD in progress that they
are the proposer for when their Ostracism starts is automatically
withdrawn.
4. The person may not be nominated for the Committee.
5. If the person is a member of the Committee (including Control or
Deputy Control) or the UK Voting Organisation, their membership shall be
suspended for the duration of the Ostracism (but for the avoidance of
doubt Ostracism does not affect the date that their membership would
otherwise end).
6. Control, the Committee and the UK Voting Organisation shall be
entitled to ignore any communication from the person; however, for the
avoidance of doubt, their input MAY be considered where the guidelines
do not require a specific number of people (for example, if they make an
objection to a fast track, the Committee may consider the reason given
to be sufficient to stop it and, if so, the fact that the objector was
Ostracised shall not affect this).
7. The person is not prevented from posting within the uk.* hierarchy,
and moderators of moderated groups (other than uk.net.news.announce)
shall not take account of Ostracism in making moderation decisions.
END PROPOSAL
PROCEDURE:
This is a request for discussion, not a call for votes. In this phase of
the process, any potential problems with the proposal should be raised
and resolved. The discussion period will continue for a minimum of 10
days, starting from when this RFD is posted to uk.net.news.announce
(i.e. until April 11th) after which a Call For Votes (CFV) may be
posted by a neutral vote taker if the discussion warrants it.
Alternatively, the proposal may proceed by the fast-track method. Please
do not attempt to vote until this happens.
This RFD attempts to comply fully with the "Guidelines for Group Creation
within the UK Hierarchy" as published regularly in uk.net.news.announce.
Please refer to this document if you have any questions about the process.
DISTRIBUTION:
This RFD has been posted to the following newsgroups:
uk.net.news.announce
uk.net.news.management
uk.net.news.config
Proponent:
"Clive D.W. Feather" <cl...@demon.net>
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