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

What is the introductory period

As it is difficult to determine the suitability of someone of being an operator without them actually being an operator, all new operators will go through an introductory period. This period is like a test run for an operator, it will be used to see how the new operator reacts to the new role and expectations, and to give the new operator a chance to see what it's like being an operator. The period will last for three (3) months from the point a new operator is approved by the IRC Council.

Why have an introduction

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 role. Some people will react well to this, some less so. This 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.

What is expected of an operator during the introductory period

Nothing extra is expected 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 introductory period is just a formal process every new operator goes through to gain practical experience.

What happens after the introductory period is complete

Once the introductory 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 in their introductory period. 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 introductory 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 introduction, the council has the option to extend the introductory period of the new operator. The IRC Council will discuss any issues with the new operator and explain exactly why the extended introduction was applied to them.

CategoryIRC