THIS IS AN UNAPPROVED DRAFT

When the IRC Council appoint an new operator to an IRC channel, they will begin a three (3) month probation period, after which their operator status will be reviewed by the IRC Council and either fully approved or rejected. The IRC Council reserve the right to extend this probation period after review, or terminate operator status before the probation period is complete.

What is probation

The probation period will last for three (3) months from the point a new operator is approved by the IRC Council, this period is like a test run for an operator. It will be used to see how the new operator reacts to the new powers and expectations and to give the new operator a chance to see what it's like being an operator.

Why have a probation

When a new operator is appointed they gain operator status in one or more channels. It is unreasonable to expect a new operator to suddenly become familiar with the responsibilities and pressures associated with this new power. Some people will react well to this, some less so. This probation period is as much a chance for the new operator to become familiar with this new role as it is for the IRC Council and IRC operators to guide and assess the new appointment. This is important because being an IRC operator is not for everyone, and not everyone can handle the responsibility and pressures, or wants to.

Is probation a punishment

No, when a new operator is appointed they will automatically start the probation period, consider this a trial run. The IRC Council does, however, reserve the right to give an existing operator a probation period. This is not a punishment, just a chance to review in detail the actions of an operator over the probation period.

What is expected of an operator on probation

Nothing extra is expected during the probation that is not expected of any other operator, the new operator will have all the powers and responsibilities any other operator would have. As a new operator it is common to be unsure about how to act/react in certain circumstances, the other IRC operators and IRC Council are there to help. The probation period is just a formal process every new operator goes through to gain practical experience.

What happens after the probation is complete

Once the probation period for a operator is complete, the IRC Council will review the appointment and discuss any issues with the new operator. The IRC Council will either:

• Accept the new appointment

  • In this case, the operator becomes a full operator, there is no difference between a full operator and one on probation. This is simply a formal approval process.

• Reject the new appointment.

  • If, for some reason, the IRC Council feel that they cannot approve the appointment, and that no progress can be made, the council will reject the appointment and operator status will be removed.

• Extend the probation period.

  • In the case where the IRC Council in unwilling or unable to accept the appointment in full, possibly because of issues that arose during the probation, the council has the option to extend the probation of the new operator. The IRC Council will discuss any issues with the new operator and explain exactly why the extended probation was applied to them.