CastleCops Staff: Host

From CastleCopsWiki

Hosts are members of the volunteer staff chosen on the basis of demonstrated technical competence or strong interest in a particular area of the site, ability to communicate in a clear and concise manner, sound judgement, and friendly demeanor. Host titles include the specific forum category for which the host is responsible. Hosts are normally selected from within the ranks of staffmembers here or at similar sites. Hosts may participate in discussions and provide assistance in many areas of the site as well as performing other staff functions but have special responsibilites within the category which they host.

Host responsibilities, in order of priority, are as follows:

1. To provide a welcoming, friendly, and nurturing atmosphere for site visitors.
   
   In the execution of this responsibility hosts are expected to:
   
   • Comport themselves in a manner consistent with the (Castlecops Vision).
     
   • Guide discussions rather than dominating them, to include keeping them reasonably on-topic.
     
   • Stimulate discussion and conversation through the introduction of relevant topics and information.
     
   • Ensure, as far as possible, the technical accuracy of information provided within the category whether from site resources or visitors.
     
   • Correct erroneous suggestions made by visitors in a polite manner including a brief explanation of why the suggestion is incorrect for the situation.
     
   • Encourage questions and participation in discussion by visitors who appear timid or reluctant.
     
   • Use persuasion rather than discipline to defuse tense situations as far as possible.
     
     
2. To assist administrators and moderators in the maintenance of the site in any or all of the following ways:
   
   • Moving misplaced posts to the proper forum.
     
   • Closing topics which have been resolved.
     
   • Using the moderating tools available to them to keep the forums in their area of responsibility looking neat and well organized. This includes removing duplicate posts, splitting topics that branch off-topic when the branch is viable, and removing "shadow topics" when no longer required.
     
   • Maintaining board discipline by cautioning visitors posting outside of forum rules, violating forum etiquette, or providing incomplete/erroneous information.
     
   • Identifying visitors who consistently violate the preceding and bringing it to the attention of other staff members.
     
   • Take immediate action when posts are not in accordance with the CastleCops (Acceptable Use Policy) (AUP). This includes, but is not limited, to obvious 'spammers', obscene, threatening, or demeaning language, and hyperlinks to known or suspected dubious sites.
     
     
3. To assist in maintaining the integrity and spirit of the CastleCops domain by:
   
   • Reading and keeping themselves abreast of changes to the (Castlecops Vision), (AUP), forum rules, and established staff policies and procedures.
     
   • Providing constructive comments on policies and procedures which are under staff discussion.
     
   • Initiating change through staff channels.

This article is part of the CastleCops Staff: Roles and Responsibilities series.

Primary roles Administrator (Admin) | First Responder (1R) | Forum Admin | Host Moderator | Rootkit Expert (ReX) | Rootkit Responder (RR) | Security Expert (SE) | Special Response Team (SRT) | Webmaster

Ancillary roles Mentor | MVP | Phishing Squad | Team AdAware | Team Lead | Trainee | Wiki Sysop

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