Promotion policy (May 2017)

*A. Promotions 
:*1. General
::*a. Promotions at ESB fall into two categories: request roles and non-request roles.
:::*i. Request roles require a promotion request for the following positions: bureaucrat, administrator, and assistant, discussion moderator, and chat moderator.
:::*ii. Non-request roles do not require a promotion request for the rollback position.
::::*a. Anyone seeking promotion to rollback may contact an administrator, as rollbacks are promoted at the discretion of any administrator.
::*b. When a user is promoted, they have more privileges than the average user. They are expected to use these powers with good judgment and follow all the rules.
:*2. Anyone seeking to be an administrator, bureaucrat, assistant, discussion moderator, or chat moderator must make the request by filling out a form so the community can discuss the request.
::*a. Requests for chat moderator are must be done so here: ESB:Requests for chat moderator
::*b. Requests for discussion moderator are must be done so here: ESB:Requests for discussion moderator
::*c. Requests for assistant are must be done so here: ESB:Requests for assistant
::*d. Requests for administrator are must be done so here: ESB:Requests for adminship
::*e. Requests for bureaucrat are must be done so here: ESB:Requests for bureaucrat
:*3. Application process
::*a. Anyone making any promotion request must follow these procedures.
::*b. They must create a request page using the associated form, ensuring they answer the questions and follow the proper requirements. There are no right or wrong answers, the questions are there to help the community make a decision.
::*c. The questions for all requests are as follows:
:::*i. Why do you believe you are qualified to be promoted to this position?
:::*ii. Have you had experience with this position before?
:::*iii. What are your best contributions to Encyclopedia SpongeBobia and why?
:::*iv. How do you plan to use your rights if your request is successful?"
:::*v. Have you been in a situation in which you needed the user rights for this position at that moment but were unable to act?
:::*vi. Is there anything else you want to add?
::*d. Applicants shall not use any images to advertise "support" for them, so as to discourage unqualified users who seek the support of others who do not consider their qualifications.
::*e. Applicants shall not force other users to support them. Applicants are allowed to notify other users of such discussion, without imposing an agenda (such as using images to advertise for support, as in clause 3, above).
::*f. Nominating another user for any position requiring a request form is prohibited unless the nominating user is an administrator or bureaucrat. All other nominations will be closed as invalid.
::*g. Administrator and bureaucrat requests can be posted on the forum to seek more input, and they can also be highlighted.
:*4. Voting
::*a. All users are welcome to participate in promotion discussions.
::*b. Any user who participates in such a discussion and is subsequently blocked, their vote will not count if they are still blocked at the point in which the request is closed.
::*c. Any requestee or nominee editing or removing votes from such a discussion will have their entire request or nomination invalidated and they are prohibited from making such a request for any position for thirty (30) days.
:*5. Length of request
::*a. Promotion requests are to last no shorter than seven (7) days from the time the applicant makes the request.
::*b. Some promotion requests may end early if one of the following criteria is met.
:::*i. If an applicant has the support of at least 90% of participating administrators, they may be promoted after three (3) days.
:::*ii. If more than half (50%) of active administrators do not support the user's application, the request is unsuccessful and may be closed.
:::*iii. If a promotion request has 0% support from administrators after three (3) days, it may be closed early as unsuccessful.
:*6. Closing requests
::*a. Any applicant that has 70% support of all votes shall be promoted after the seven (7) days.
::*b. Only bureaucrats can close administrator requests, as they have the ability to promote those that are successful in their application.
::*c. If a user makes a promotion request but fails to be promoted, they must wait at least seven (7) days before making another request. Any bureaucrat can waive this rule by supporting the request.
:*7. Invalid requests
::*a. Anyone who makes a promotion request in which they leave any of the questions blank, must answer the questions within two (2) hours of the creation of their request or else the request will automatically be closed as invalid.
::*b. Anyone who makes a promotion request and does not meet the listed requirements, the request must be closed as invalid unless otherwise stated.
::*c. Any user that receives a valid block while having a pending promotion request, the request will automatically be closed as invalid. The user will be prohibited from making any request for thirty (30) days, starting the time their block ends. Any bureaucrat can waive this rule by supporting the request.
*B. Requirements 
:*1. General requirements
::*a. General requirements apply to promotion requests and those involved in the decision process determine whether or not the user meets the requirements per the success or failure of the request.
::*b. The user must demonstrate that all their contributions are positive, and further the goal of improving the wiki.
::*c. The user must demonstrate use of proper spelling and grammar.
::*d. The user must demonstrate that they can hold the position with maturity.
::*e. Any exceptions to these requirements may be waived by a unanimous vote of all bureaucrats.
:*2. Requirements for all positions
::*a. At least three (3) months must have passed since the user's first edit.
:::*i. For chat moderators and rollbacks, only one (1) month must have passed since the user's first edit.
::*b. The user must have at least one hundred (100) edits.
::*c. The user must have a clean block record for at least three (3) months, not counting invalid blocks.
::*d. The user must have support from a majority of all administrators.
::*e. The user must have support from a majority of all bureaucrats. If the request fails to do so, it requires 75% support of administrators who are not bureaucrats for the request to pass unless otherwise stated.
:*3. Discussion moderator requirements
::*a. The user must be a current chat moderator for at least two (2) months.
::*b. The user must have at least two hundred (200) edits, of which at least one hundred (100) are board thread edits.
:*4. Assistant requirements
::*a. The user must have at least five hundred (500) edits, of which at least two hundred and fifty (250) are main namespace edits.
:*5. Administrator requirements
::*a. The user must be a current assistant for at least two (2) months.
::*b. The user must have at least 2,000 edits, of which at least 1,000 are main namespace edits.
::*c. The user must have a clean block record for at least five (5) months, not counting invalid blocks.
:*6. Bureaucrat requirements
::*a. The user must be a current administrator for at least one (1) year.
::*b. The user must have at least 4,000 edits, of which at least 2,000 are main namespace edits.
::*c. The user must have a clean block record for at least one (1) year, not counting invalid blocks.
::*d. The user must demonstrate good reasons for any questionable edits.
::*e. The user must have full support of all other active bureaucrats.
*C. Repromotions 
:*1. This section covers policies in regards to users who may request promotion following resignation or retirement.
:*2. Any user that retires, retires, or quits and returns and wishes to be repromoted, they must follow the same procedures and requirements as if they were a user who had never been promoted before.
:*3. If a retired or resigned user returns to ESB, they cannot be promoted to any position until three (3) months following the announcement of their return or decision not to retire or resign.
:*4. Any requirement of the repromotion policy can be waived at the majority vote of all bureaucrats. This can be overruled by a majority vote of all administrators (sysop only).