FORVM`s Classical Numismatics Discussion Board

Numismatic and History Discussion Forums => Ancient Coin Forum => Topic started by: Pep on August 04, 2004, 01:31:51 am

Title: Rules for the Awards (Official Long Version)
Post by: Pep on August 04, 2004, 01:31:51 am
Here are the rules for our Awards:

1.  Recipient websites and discussion lists are valuable educational tools and promote ancient numismatic study.
1a.  We actually have three awards.  The first is the "Forvm Award For Numismatic Excellence" that covers sites which are totally, mainly, or has a sizeable section about coins.  Then there are the "Forvm Award For Classical Studies" and "Forvm Award For Medieval Studies" for non-numismatic history/archeological sites that still are quite educational and/or useful to the collecting community.
2.  A website with commercial aspect(s) may receive an Award for its non-commercial educational content(s).
2a.  Educational sites or content(s) that require payment for access are ineligible.
2b.  Sites will not be eligible simply because one can say their vast inventories listed for sale, past or present, are educational.
2c.  Dealers must always adhere to ethical business practices (lifetime guarantee of authenticity, reasonable return policy if customer not satisfied with coin, etc.).  However, the Award will not be an official endorsement of such.
3.  Websites that serve solely as search engines or listings of links are not eligible.  There must be relevant information on the sites themselves such as original content, public domain reprints, or articles/information/images submitted or permitted by the owners of said intellectual property.
3a.  Sites may only hotlink to the content of others' with permission from said owners.
3b.  Sites must have a notation of their authorship, an identifiable organization behind them, and/or contact information to be eligible.
4.  Personal coin galleries as of 3/12/07 are ineligible for a Forvm Website Award, unless they are accompanied by other separate website content eligible for an Award.  Galleries awarded before this date are grandfathered and can still participate in the Annual Website Awards as well.  Coin databases, which are built from several sources and/or from a scholastic source (public-domain and/or permitted by the author who is not also the webmaster) and are an attempt to be a complete or near-complete reference for given area(s), are eligible before and after the abovementioned date.
5.  Recipients, if they choose to do so, should make the award logo a clickable link on their websites to the main page of FORVM Classical Numismatics Discussion Board at https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php (https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php).
6.  Recipients will be selected by the board members by approval polls (yes or no).  Board members may change or remove their votes in a poll as long as it is open.
6a.  Nominations are to be submitted to one of us Awards Committee members at:
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?board=32;action=display;threadid=12001 (https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?board=32;action=display;threadid=12001)
We will review the site for the appropriate criteria, vote on it within the Committee and, if it is approved, start the public poll.  Do not start a poll of your own.
6b.  One veto from a Committee member will render a nomination ineligible for public polling for the duration of that Committee's mandate.  One Committee may consider nominations that, if approved for public polling, will run during the next Committee.  If a member of the former Committee does not continue on to the new Committee, any vetoes cast by said member concerning such nominations will be negated.  Members of the new Committee may exercise veto power over such nominations.  Such nominations that would run in the first round during the new Committee may be vetoed up until 0000 GMT 7 August.
6c.  Webmasters are free to nominate their own sites.
6d.  Standard Award polling may only take place from February to May and from 4 August to October.
6e.  Each poll will remain open for two weeks unless otherwise noted.
6f.  If a site in polling goes offline for more than a few days, then its poll will be paused.  When it returns, the poll will be continued for one week if at pausing time it was closer to its closing date than starting date; it will be continued for two weeks if it was closer to its starting date.  If the site remains down for more than 45 Standard Award Polling Days, then its paused poll will be deleted.  If it returns after that, re-nomination will be needed.
6g.  If the site is rejected in public polling, the poll will be deleted one week after it closes.
6h.  A site rejected in public polling will be eligible for re-nomination one year after said poll closes.
6i.  A site that receives a tie in its poll will be considered voted down.  However, such a site will be eligible again six months after said poll closes.
Title: Re:Rules for the Awards (Official Long Version)
Post by: Pep on August 13, 2004, 11:19:26 pm
(continued)

7.  Recipients of a Forvm Website Award will be listed in corresponding threads in the "Website Awards" section of FORVM's Classical Numismatics Discussion Board and in FORVM's NumisWiki.  Sites that win an Award for certain content(s) will have the URLs with said content(s) listed instead of their homepages.  The content(s) will also be named in parenthesis next to the site names.  The Award will not be an endorsement of the commercial aspect(s) of said sites.  The dates that the awards were given will be listed.  Sites owned by board members will have their FORVM usernames listed too.  Ownership of sites such as discussion boards is defined as those who actually own/control the webspace and/or those who serve as "administrators" or in other similar capacities.  Those who serve as "moderators" or in similar supportive roles are not included in this definition.  Sites or content in languages other than English will have said languages noted.
7a.  Recipient websites that go offline for an extended period of time will have such observation noted by their listings in the award recipients topics.  If they remain offline for more than six months, they will be moved to the "Recipient Websites That Have Gone Offline For More Than Six Months" section at the bottom of the award recipients topics.  Sites that remain online but whose specifically-awarded section(s) go offline will be treated in like manner.  If restored content is considered to be significantly different from that which was awarded, it will need to win in another public poll to be restored to the section of online recipients.
8.  If a recipient website with specifically-awarded section(s) adds other qualifying section(s), the Committee will decide whether to expand the Award to include them as well.
9.  Recipient websites are eligible for free hosting by FORVM ANCIENT COINS.  Free sites will have the URL https://www.forumancientcoins.com/recipientsitename.  A Recipient may also use the free site as a back-up site if desired.  If the Recipient's site is commercial in nature, then only the educational non-commercial content(s) that were awarded qualify.  A Recipient who wants free hosting simply needs to provide the site name and a password to our webmaster at webmaster@forumancientcoins.com.
10.  Issues pertaining to the operation of the Awards will be decided upon by the Forvm Website Awards Nomination Committee, except when submitted to the public by said body.
10a.  A tie within the Committee will be broken by casting vote of the Chairperson.
10b.  A tie within a public poll will result in one 3-day extension in the time said poll is open.  If the tie remains after that, then it will be broken by casting vote of the Chairperson in a public post.
11.  At the end of each year, there will be an Annual Awards Process to give Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards to the most acclaimed of our Recipients of the Standard Award For Numismatic Excellence.  Recipients must display the Standard (and/or Annual, if applicable) Award Logo(s) they previously won to be eligible.  Recipients in the "Recipient Websites That Have Gone Offline For More Than Six Months" Section are ineligible.
11a.  A Recipient who comes in First Place in a given year will be eligible to win the Gold only one more time.  Upon winning the Gold a second time such a site will be given a special Lifetime Award and will not be eligible to run again in the Annual Awards.
11b.  All Standard Award Polls will cease during the Annual Awards Process.
11c.  During the later part of November and into early December, nominations will be accepted as such:  a member submits up to five sites they would like to see in the Finalists Poll for Numismatic Excellence.  Normally, the eight sites that receive the most nominations plus any sites that tie with the eighth site on that list will be entered into the Finalists Poll.  Sites must receive at least two nominations in order to be eligible for said poll, except when less than six sites receive two or more nominations.  If fewer than eight sites are nominated, then that will just be the number of sites in said poll.
11d.  During the later part of December, the Finalists Poll for Numismatic Excellence itself will take place.  Board members may vote for up to three candidates and change or remove their votes in the poll as long as it is open.  The sites that garner the most votes will receive the respective Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards.  Sites that tie for First, Second or Third Place will all receive the respective Awards.
Title: Re: Rules for the Awards (Official Long Version)
Post by: Pep on February 05, 2006, 02:32:20 am
(continued)

12.  There will be an annual elections process to choose members of the Forvm Website Awards Nomination Committee (six seats), including the Chairperson.  It will take place during June and July; new terms begin every August 4th.  Board members may change or remove their votes in a poll as long as it is open.
12a.  Committee member candidates, from the time they declare their candidacies, must also be members of FORVM's Classical Numismatics Discussion Board.  Membership on said Discussion Board must be maintained by Committee members until the end of their service on said Committee.
12b.  Candidates for Chairperson must have at least 100 posts and one year of membership on FORVM's Classical Numismatics Discussion Board at the time of their declarations for said office.
12c.  A public post will be made by the highest-ranking willing person not running for a seat listed in Rule 12d by June 1st asking for any candidates from the public to run for the office of Chairperson.  Another public post will be made on that day for people to declare their candidacies for the standard seats.  Candidates must have a Yahoo! account or obtain one by August 4th in order to communicate with the Committee.  The deadline for responses to all calls is 0000 GMT 1 July.
12d.  Time as a *Former Chairperson -> Time as a *Former Vice-Chairperson -> Time as a *Former Committee member -> Moderators as listed from top to bottom on the Index Page of FORVM's Classical Numismatics Discussion Board (FORVM Staff and *Current-Term Committee Members excluded) -> President of FORVM Ancient Coins -> Time as a registered member of FORVM's Classical Numismatics Discussion Board -> Alphabetical
*Such persons must not have been members of the current term at any time during the year.
12e.  The regular award polls will cease during Committee member elections.
12f.  There will be a competitive poll starting on or near July 1st for the office of Chairperson (unless a Rule 12g situation occurs).  It will run for a 10-day period.  If the incumbent loses, then he/she may still run for a standard seat afterwards.  An incumbent will be labeled as such.
12g.  There will be a competitive poll to fill the standard seats of the Committee.  It will run for a 14-day period right after the Chairperson's poll ends (unless a Rule 12g situation occurs).  Incumbents will be labeled as such.
12h.  If there is an equal or lesser number of candidates than seats, then those candidates will be admitted to the next Committee automatically without election.
12i.  If by 0000 GMT 1 July there are fewer declared candidates than seats, a first-come, first-served policy will be in effect for as long as necessary to fill the vacant seat(s).
12j.  If there is a tie between certain candidates that involves fifth place, then there will be a 7-day runoff between said candidates.
12k.  The Vice-Chairperson will be either chosen in the new Committee if consensus can be reached or by a 10-day public election poll held after standard seat elections.
13.  Seniority in the Committee is as follows:

Chairperson -> Vice-Chairperson -> Time as a Former Chairperson -> Time as a Former Vice-Chairperson -> Time as a Committee member -> Time as a registered member of FORVM's Classical Numismatics Discussion Board -> Alphabetical

Seniority may only be invoked by a Standard Committee member in a case where all members above said member's level are unable to perform the duties of Chairperson in a normal time frame, especially in the case of events scheduled in the Rules.  Seniority is also to be used in determining the listing order of Committee members in "The Forvm Website Awards Nomination Committee (Comitia Curiata)" thread.
14.  Committee members must not accept or receive any gifts from the business of "FORVM Ancient Coins", especially for their services in the Forvm Website Awards Program, while they are on the Committee or after they declared their candidacies to serve on it.  They may receive compensation, regularly available to all in the general public, for goods and services rendered to FORVM the business or to the resources it provides as well as any free goods and services offered by FORVM the business to the general public.  FORVM Staff are prohibited from serving on the Forvm Website Awards Nomination Committee, except for those temporarily given that title and power for the purpose of uncompensated improvements to the FORVM website.
14a.  Committee members, from the time they declare their candidacies, must not accept or receive any gifts from members of the Classical Numismatics Discussion Board or owners of websites eligible for a Forvm Website Award, especially for their services in the Forvm Website Awards Program.  All goods and services which are not part of a shopping bonus and have a definable commercial value that are accepted or received from such people must be paid for in said value or exchanged for gifts of similar value (for example, in Holiday observances and coin trading). Footnote (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FORVM_Awards_Committee/message/1319)
15.  Committee members may be removed from the Committee for actions that hinder the operation or compromise the integrity of the Forvm Website Awards.  Committee members who are removed from office are forever banned from holding said office again.
15a.  In order to launch a removal proceeding, a member of FORVM's Classical Numismatics Discussion Board must start an impeachment thread calling for such action.  The Committee member concerned and that person's alleged offense(s) must be named in the first post.  Then, another member of said Discussion Board must second the motion in a post to that thread.  Both accusing members must have at least 100 posts and one year of membership on said Discussion Board.  The impeachment thread will remain open for two weeks.  The motion must be seconded within that time frame or the thread will be deleted.  If deletion happens, the specific alleged offense(s) mentioned in that thread may not be used to launch any future proceedings against said member.
15b.  When an impeachment thread is started, any Standard Award polls and/or Operational polls currently running will be paused.  Their resumption will be based on the schedule in Rule 6f.  Any paused polls that are unable to resume before 0000 GMT 18 May may reopen when the next Committee begins.  Time in May after that deadline will not count towards the 45 Days of Rule 6f.  If the Annual Awards are in progress, the impeachment thread will be immediately locked until their conclusion.  Impeachment threads may not be started from 0000 GMT 1 June to 0000 GMT 4 August, unless Committee member elections have ended for that session.
15c.  If an impeachment thread is successful, then a public poll will be started asking whether the Committee member involved should be removed from office.  A 3/5ths majority is required for removal.  The poll will remain open for two weeks.  If that majority exists when the poll closes, then said member will immediately be removed from the Committee.  If a 3/5ths majority is not reached, then the specific alleged offense(s) considered may not be used to launch any future proceedings against said member.  The public removal poll and impeachment thread will also be removed after one week.
15d.  Any website candidate(s) and/or Award Recipients actively involved in the offense(s) that result in removal of a Committee member from office shall themselves be barred from participating in the Forvm Website Awards.  Any existing Awards, Standard and/or Annual, held by said website(s) shall automatically be revoked.  If such Awards are not removed from said website(s), Rule 17j will be invoked.
15e.  Any website nominations previously vetoed and Operational measures rejected in Committee by a removed Committee member may be reintroduced for consideration by that same Committee.  A Committee member that is the subject of an impeachment thread may not collect nominations for the Annual Awards while said thread exists.  If all Committee members are subjected to such threads at that time, then the Annual Awards must be paused until the removal processes are all resolved.
15f.  Records of all deleted impeachment threads and public removal polls will be kept by the Chairperson of the Committee.
16.  Criticism of websites - Libelous/profane/harsh/etc. comments will not be tolerated; mild criticism is o.k. when it can be backed up by facts.  A word of wisdom:  Let a "no" vote simply express your disapproval unless you really just have to say something about your decision.  Offending posts will be deleted by a moderator and the poster notified; the administration will be notified too if it is very serious.
17.  Revocation Policy - If standards on a Recipient's website fall to unacceptable levels (especially the customer service of commercial sites), then the Award can be revoked by a special public poll approved by the Committee.
17a.  Awarded content that subsequently becomes accessible only through payment will have its Award revoked automatically.
17b.  A member of FORVM's Classical Numismatics Discussion Board with at least 100 posts and one year of membership on said Discussion Board may submit request(s) for Award revocation.  Said request(s) must be submitted by Personal (Private) Message to a Committee member.  A request will be shared with the rest of the Committee in open discussion in that body's Yahoo! Group.  Personal (Private) Messages between Committee members pertaining to the matter are prohibited.  A Committee decision must be made within two weeks.  If a public poll is not authorized, the discussion will be stricken from the public record of the Yahoo! Group one week after the debate is closed.  Also, the specific alleged offense(s) considered may not be used to launch any future proceedings against the accused Award Recipient.
17c.  Award Recipients must be notified immediately when any calls for revocation are made against them and of the identity of member(s) placing said calls.  They must be allowed to respond to the charges and have said communications considered in the Committee debate and, if need be, the public poll.
17d.  A call for revocation may be placed against a website candidate still in the polls for an initial Standard Award.  Such a poll will remain open but the reply feature will be locked.  A link to the Committee's discussion on the matter will be provided.
17e.  The public poll must be approved by a majority of Committee members.  The Chairperson may not break a tie, such a vote will defeat the call for revocation.  If approved, the public poll will run for one week.  A minimum of 50 voters in the turnout is required for the results to be binding.  A 2/3rds majority is required to approve the revocation.  A link to the Committee's discussion on the matter will be provided.  If a 2/3rds majority and/or sufficient turnout is not reached, then the specific alleged offense(s) considered may not be used to launch any future proceedings against the accused Award Recipient.  The public poll and Committee discussion will also be removed from the public record after one week.
17f.  When a public poll is started, any Standard Award polls and/or Operational polls currently running will be paused.  Their resumption will be based on the schedule in Rule 6f.  Any paused polls that are unable to resume before 0000 GMT 18 May may reopen when the next Committee begins.  Time in May after that deadline will not count towards the 45 Days of Rule 6f.  If the Annual Awards are in progress, the public poll may not be held until their conclusion.  Calls for revocation may not be considered by the Committee from 0000 GMT 1 June to 0000 GMT 4 August.
17g.  Any Award Recipients that have their Awards revoked shall be barred from participating in the Forvm Website Awards.  If such Awards are not removed from said website(s), Rule 17j will be invoked.
17h.  All mention (polls, Recipient Listings, etc.) of Recipients that have their Awards revoked, except for those that require payment for access, will be deleted from the FORVM Discussion Board and posts in the Yahoo! Group dealing with the revocation will face the same.
17i.  Records of all deleted Committee discussions and public revocation polls will be kept by the Chairperson of the Committee.
17j.  Blacklist - If the webmaster refuses to remove a revoked Award then there will be a blacklist available on the FORVM Discussion Board for everyone to view.  The blacklist will also document those who steal the Award image for their own sites.  Please notify a member of the Committee if you discover a stolen Award.

These rules have been decided upon in public or in Committee by polls and/or discussions.  They are open for amendments though as situations arise and warrant.  If you know of such a situation, post it under a new topic and we'll discuss it.
Title: Re: Rules for the Awards (Official Long Version)
Post by: Danny S. Jones on August 26, 2010, 03:44:09 am
For the past month (Aug. 2010), discussion has been made in committee to simplify many of the award rules. To this end, the following amendments were suggested and put to an official committee vote. By unanimous consent of the FORVM Website Awards Committee (Comitia Curiata) the following amendments to the official rules have been approved:

(Amendment I.) Allow a special extended session for the 7th Comitia Curiata to
serve in office until December 31, 2011. From thence forth, the term of the committee
shall be January 1 through December 31 of each year. Therefore, committee member
elections should be held in November - December of each year starting in 2011.

(Amendment II.) Awards should be conducted in quarterly sessions according to the following:
                 First Quarter: Standard Award Polling Session
                 Nominations and Discussion: January
                 Website Award Polling: Feb/Mar
                 (Poll closing, last day of March)

                 Second Quarter: Standard Award Polling Session
                 Nominations and Discussion: April
                 Website Award Polling: May/June
                 (Poll closing, last Day of June)

                 Third Quarter: Standard Award Polling Session
                 Nominations and Discussion: July
                 Website Award Polling: Aug/Sept
                 (Poll closing, last day of September)

                  Fourth Quarter: Annual Award Polling Session
                  Oct/Mid-Nov Nom Submissions
                  Annual Award Polling: Mid-Nov/Dec polling
                  (Poll closing, last day of December)

(Amendment III.) Allow up to three nominations per category to publicly poll each quarter.
If there are more than three nominations in a single category in one quarter,
the committee will vote to decide the top three that should go on to public
polling. Other nominations may be considered again the following quarter.

(Amendment IV.) Website nominations will be limited to committee members and FORVM
discussion board members with a rank of Legionary or higher.




Explanations of these rule changes will be posted in another thread. Discussion on the topic may be held there.
Previous nominations will poll this calendar year under the old rules.

Respectfully Submitted,
Danny Jones
7th Comita Curiata