Policies of the East Kingdom Web Minister
(Revised June 2007)

Table of Contents

I. Definitions

II. Requirements

III. Creation/Removal/Resignation

A. Authority
B. Appointment of Local web ministers
C. Resignation of Local web ministers
D. Removal of Local web ministers

IV. Responsibilities

A. Financial
B. Reporting

V. Web Page Contents

A. Disclaimer
B. Links
C. Forbidden or inappropriate material
D. Privacy
E. Reprinting Material from Other Sources

VI. Miscellaneous

Appendix A - Permission to Publish Personal Information

  1. Definitions
    1. A Web Minister is a person responsible for maintaining the content of a page or pages on the World Wide Web. This title is intended to designate the person who exercises editorial control over the content of the page, not the person who maintains the underlying computer system on which the page resides. While these may be the same individual, the SCA is no more concerned with the regulation of the computer service itself than it is with the choice of printers for a paper newsletter.
    2. The office of web minister is closely related to, but not subordinate to the office of chronicler. It is hoped that local web ministers and chroniclers will work closely together for the good of their groups. However, as the two jobs have rather different requirements and responsibilities, it is not appropriate that one should be subordinate to the other. Also, separating the jobs allows groups to have one without the other. Some groups which aren't required to have a chronicler may still wish to have a web minister. This is perfectly acceptable.
    3. The offices of chronicler and web minister are separate and equal offices, however there is no prohibition on the same person holding both offices if that meets with the approval of the local group.
  2. Requirements
    1. Local web ministers must be paid members of the SCA, Inc., and must have regular access to Pikestaff. This means that either they should have their own subscription, or that someone at the same address must be a subscriber. They are also expected to READ the Web Minister's column in Pikestaff regularly. From time to time updates to these policies will appear there. There are simply too many groups in the East Kingdom to do a mailing to all the web ministers every time some policy statement needs to be made.
    2. There are no formal requirements other than the membership requirement imposed by Corpora for the position of Local web Minister. However there are several strongly recommended qualifications:
      1. The ability to create and maintain web pages.
      2. The ability to create and manipulate graphic images, or have a skilled graphics person available.
      3. Access to reasonably priced web page hosting. This could be a section of a group members personal web page allotment that comes with most internet access, but is not recommended. A group’s web page needs a permanent home, not one that changes every time the office does. Contact the Kingdom Web Minister to discuss hosting your groups website as part of the eastkingdom.org domain.
  3. Creation/Removal/Resignation
    1. Authority
      1. The final authority to create and remove local web ministers rests with the Kingdom Web Minister. Local seneschals may make recommendations, which will usually be followed, however they do not have the authority to take unilateral action regarding the creation or removal of a local web minister.
    2. Appointment of Local web ministers
      1. When a local group needs a new Web minister, they should follow whatever selection process they are comfortable with locally. Once they have selected a volunteer who is acceptable to the local group, that person may request to be added to the roster of warranted web ministers. The process for doing so consists of sending a letter to the Kingdom Web Minister stating that they have been selected by their local group to be their web minister. This letter should ideally be signed by the prospective web minister, the Local Seneschal and the outgoing web minister. Since the outgoing web minister is not always available, depending on their reasons for giving up the job, their signature may be omitted if necessary. This letter, accompanied by proof of the prospective web minister's eligibility and e-mail address, should be sent to the Kingdom Web Minister. Proof of eligibility includes proof of residency within the group and membership. These requirements may be satisfied with a single current Pikestaff label, or a combination of a membership card and ID with legal address. E-mail is acceptable for an initial warrant request. Scanned proof of eligibility is sufficient, with jpg as the preferred image format.
      2. There are too many groups in the East Kingdom to send out individual hard copy warrants. You are officially warranted when you receive a confirmation e-mail from the Kingdom Web Minister.
    3. Resignation of Local web ministers
      1. Local web ministers may resign at any time. It is expected that they will give sufficient notice (30 – 90 days) and attempt to find a replacement before leaving the job (circumstances permitting).
      2. Outgoing Web ministers are required to turn over all files (paper and electronic); financial records; login names and passwords and other supplies promptly and in good order.
    4. Removal of Local web ministers
      1. A local web minister may only be removed by the Kingdom Web Minister. Should a local group be unhappy with its web minister, they have the option of requesting of the web minister that they resign. The web minister is free to decline. Should they be unable to come to a mutually agreeable resolution of the situation, they may then request that the Kingdom Web Minister remove the local officer.
      2. Acceptable reasons for removal of a local web minister include:
        1. Non-performance of their duties.
        2. Repeated inclusion of inappropriate material, as defined by the Corporate publications policy.
        3. Repeated omission of required information, as defined by the Corporate publications policy.
      3. This is not an exclusive list. Other valid reasons for removal may exist, depending on circumstances. However, removal is a last resort. The first resort should always be discussing the situation between the involved parties. All complaints in which that has not happened before bringing it to the attention of the Kingdom Web Minister will be rejected until that has happened.
      4. No local web minister will be removed from office without first being warned that there is a problem and given an opportunity to either explain why the situation that appears to be a problem isn't really one, or fix the problem.
      5. All removal requests must be made in writing.
  4. Responsibilities
    1. Financial
      1. If there are expenses associated with the existence of a web page maintained by a warranted web minister, they should be handled by the local Exchequer in accordance with the financial policies of the East Kingdom and the SCA, Inc.
    2. Reporting
      1. The local web minister's primary report is the local groups web page. In addition, they are required to report to the Kingdom Web Minister annually. These reports are due by January 31st. They should consist of the web minister's name (legal and SCA), their address and phone number, group name, e-mail address and their proof of membership. If a valid and current proof of membership is on file with the Kingdom Web Minister, you still have to file a report, but you do not have to include proof of membership.
      2. Failure to report by February 15 will result in a notice being sent to the local web minister in question. If no response is forthcoming within 30 days the local web minister will be suspended, and their local Seneschal informed that they should select a replacement.
      3. If a local web minister's membership expires before the annual reporting date, the local web minister must send a photocopy of their new membership card to the Kingdom Web Minister as well as their name (legal and SCA), address and phone number, group name and e-mail address immediately. This is in addition to their annual report.
      4. An e-mailed scan of your membership card or other proof of membership IS NOT acceptable. If you have to send in proof of membership, it has to be sent via USPS or other acceptable carriers. In all other cases, e-mail is acceptable for reporting or warranting requests.

     

  5. Web Page Contents
    1. Disclaimer

      2. An SCA web page maintained by a warranted web minister must include the following disclaimer:

      "This is the recognized Web Page for the <group name and status> of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. The maintainer of this page is <your name, with link to your e-mail address>. It is not a corporate publication of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc., and does not delineate SCA policies. In cases of conflict with printed versions of material presented on this page or its links, the dispute will be decided in favor of the printed version."

    2. Links
      The Web Minister should make every effort to insure that his links to documents are up to date. Links to other SCA-related web pages should differentiate clearly between those which connect to other recognized pages, and those which connect to other pages of interest. You are free to have as many of the latter as you like, so long as it is clear when someone follows a link off your page, onto something with which the SCA has not agreed to have its name associated.
    3. Forbidden or inappropriate material

      4. The web page shall not contain any material that is forbidden or inappropriate in printed newsletters, as listed in section I.B.14.a of the Corporate Publications policy. A copy of the Corporate Publications policy is attached for your convenience.

    4. Privacy

      5. The web page should include contact of local officers. Local web ministers must follow the corporate privacy policy approved at the April 2000 meeting of the Board of Directors. This policy states:

      "Personal information will not be published on any SCA-recognized Internet site without first gaining permission from the individuals involved. Permission must be received in writing."

      While the Board of Directors has indicated that an e-mail exchange asking for permission and receiving an affirmative response back is considered "written" for the purpose of this policy, you are strongly encouraged to use the from in Appendix A instead of e-mail. It is recommend that you keep this "permission slip" on file until 3 to 6 months after the individuals information has been removed from the site.

      Publishing on the Web potentially has a much greater exposure than in a paper or electronic newsletter, and the privacy of those officers who are concerned about that fact should be respected.

      Local Group address books should only be made available on the web if all persons whose information is listed have given their permission. Individual web ministers are free to implement more restrictive policies in regards to privacy of personal information, but must meet the minimum standards laid out here.

    5. Reprinting Material from Other Sources
      1. It is imperative that we respect copyrights. Placing copyrighted material on your group's website without permission is a very serious matter. Reprinting material by someone with a litigious temperament could result in very serious legal charges, both against the offending local officer and the SCA itself. As such, if copyrighted material appears on your group's website without the appropriate permission from the author, you will get one warning. If it happens a second time, your warrant will be immediately suspended, and your group will be asked to select a replacement

  6. Miscellaneous
    1. All Local web ministers are expected to have a copy of the Society Publications policy in their files, and to have familiarized themselves with its requirements. Copies are available from the Kingdom Web Minister, or on-line at http://www.sca.org/officers/chronicler/policy.html.

Appendix A - Permission to Publish Personal Information

Permission to Electronically
Publish Personal Information

 

 

I, ___________________________________________________, known in the
                                (Modern Name)

SCA as ___________________________________________________ hereby
                               (SCA Name)

give permission for the following personal information to be published on

___________________________________ Web Site (Check all that apply):
(Group Name)

__ Modern Name __ Address __ Phone Number __ E-Mail Address

This permission will be valid until rescinded.

 

____________________________________________________
Legal Signature

 

_________________
Date

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