<p>I dont understand why we need a mod. What’s wrong with the forum? I think its perfect.
oink!</p>
<p>I suppose it shouldn’t surprise me that the level of support for getting a mod that comes through here more goes up with post count. Some of you younguns’ just aren’t tired of getting asked the difference between CS and CompE yet I guess…</p>
<p>I like what homer has to say, and I like what the other side has to say as well. Both have valid points that are reinforced by constant debate. What does this prove? Nothing. It’s hardly destructive to argue like this, which is why the debate should rage on!</p>
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<p>I offered a suggestion that I know has worked on other sub-forums. I doubt that you will ever see many stickies on this forum. However, that should not stop you from organizing ONE thread that contains the “Best of the Engineering forum” and a FAQ sections. This main thread can serve as the repository of all past discussions that are worth linking. Fwiw, this can be done without moderator’s input, as all that is needed is keeping the thread lively enough to stay on top. OTOH, I am sure that an admin or a mod would be thrilled to sticky ONE thread. </p>
<p>Here is how it works:</p>
<p>Main thread with a catchy title</p>
<p>Dear friends, let this thread be your first stop when visiting this area of CC. </p>
<p>Here are a few pointers in the form of FAQ.</p>
<p>Moderators? Are they here?
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/community-forum-issues/963129-engineering-forum-moderator.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/community-forum-issues/963129-engineering-forum-moderator.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/engineering-majors/963123-we-badly-need-new-sticky.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/engineering-majors/963123-we-badly-need-new-sticky.html</a></p>
<p>EET versus EE
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/engineering-majors/984682-eet-vs-ee.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/engineering-majors/984682-eet-vs-ee.html</a></p>
<p>and so on!</p>
<p>Anyone will be able to add subtitles and links.</p>
<p>Again, we have tried it. Trust me. We could get by doing it that way, but ideally we need someone with the ability to edit the thread so it can stay up to date without eating cluttered.</p>
<p>There’s actually already a FAQ thread that was started recently, but it’s already been buried. That thread, if it does get stickied, needs to be organized, because every new post throws it off and everything goes out of order.</p>
<p>I also want a moderator. Prime example why: We had the rankings for the top engineering schools from like 07 up forever. Well when the new ones came out (08’ I think) I probably bumped it 10 times over 3-6 months to get it stickied and nothing ever happened. </p>
<p>I would vote for anybody who has a ton of posts in the engineering forum. Ken, Maine, bonehead… whoever. I respect all of them and have recieved help from them in figuring out my path for engineering. I owe my college preparation and knowledge of the field to them.</p>
<p>Ken is correct. sry xiggi. We have tried those methods. I voiced my opinion on the other thread.</p>
<p>I also agree the forum needs an active moderator.</p>
<p>I too feel that Boneh3ad would make a good monitor. He’s got a lot of time on his hands, since he’s just doing his AE phd. Heh, Dr. Boneh3ad. That cracks me up.</p>
<p>Bump bump bump.</p>
<p>Can we have an administrator acknowledge our request at the very least? =/</p>
<p>Hello to all.</p>
<p>Thank you for pointing out certain needs of the Engineering Forum with respect to moderation.</p>
<p>Let me chime in with a few pieces of information.</p>
<p>There are a number of moderators here at CC, all volunteer. They have been chosen on the basis of several criteria, chiefly extensive and valuable contributions on the forum over a period of time, along with demonstration of the ability to maintain a “cool head” in the face of any heated discussions which might arise.</p>
<p>I am one of those Moderators, have been for several years.</p>
<p>All Moderators are available to all members and forums within CC and are not restricted to particular subforums. Nor does every subforum have a “specialist” Moderator. </p>
<p>Because Moderators are volunteer, none is on-site full time. So that, even if there were a Specialist for a given subforum, members might notice a need for action when that Moderator is unavailable. The solution is simply to use the “Report Post” function, which you can do not only to report problem posts, but to identify a thread you would like to have considered for a “sticky” or a Featured Thread. Or for any other issue which might improve the utility and friendliness of the site.</p>
<p>That said, I have conferred with other Moderators and I “volunteer” to be your Moderator resource here on the Engineering Forum. I have some interest in this subforum, being both an Engineering spouse and and an Engineering parent. In the latter role, I have recently been through Engineering Admissions, Engineering Transfer, the four years of Engineering undergraduate education, the Engineering job hunt and the beginning of an Engineering career. All as a supportive parent/interested observer.</p>
<p>I will address the issues of threads you would like stickied. There are pros and cons to sticky-ing threads, but we can discuss them here when the question arises. </p>
<p>I will also make myself available via the PM function. If you identify a need for moderation here on the Engineering Forum and would prefer to contact me, please use the PM function. I do remind you that you may receive faster response if you use Report Post - as I may be away from the forum at any given time, but there will usually be at least one moderator available at any given time.</p>
<p>Now on to the specific requests.</p>
<p>From reading this thread I have noticed (I may have missed some; please do not hesitate to let me know). People would like [ul] [<em>]Updated Engineering Rankings sticky thread [</em>]an Engineering FAQ or Engineering Admissions 101 sticky thread [li]a Math Preparation for Engineering Undergrad Major sticky thread [/ul]. Further, people would like these threads to be kept up-to-date and on topic.</p>[/li]
<p>As one member pointed out
This is so true. I started a Transfer Admissions 101 sticky thread on that forum, modeled after the Graduate Admissions sticky thread that someone here also admired. It is an excellent thread. But people do get distracted, start to use it for very individual questions and throw it off track. Such a thread needs regular maintenance.</p>
<p>As a further point of clarification, the way such a thread gets created is not that it is authored by a Moderator. Rather, it is created by one or more forum members with the interest, and the willingness to take the time. A Moderator can do some of the “maintenance work” to keep it up-to-date. But largely that work will be done by members - either by posting on the thread, reporting off-topic posts (via Report Post or PM to me), or identifying posts worthy of being merged into the sticky thread.</p>
<p>So… if any one of you will kindly point me to the FAQ thread which needs clean-up and sticky-ing, I will make a start at that.</p>
<p>Similarly, is there an existing “Math Preparation” thread you find worthy of sticky-ing. Or several that would benefit from merge/clean-up and then sticky? I will also volunteer to do that.</p>
<p>As to keeping the Rankings thread updated, that is the “task” of any member willing to post the newest information. I can then unsticky and old thread or do whatever thread management is needed to highlight the newer information while archiving the old.</p>
<p>I hope this will be a start toward filling your needs.</p>
<p>I am glad our campaign has met with success (it seems), though I am not yet ready to declare it a mission accomplished.</p>
<p>My hope this whole time has been either to get a new moderator named that already frequents the engineering forum or to get an existing moderator to start frequenting the engineering forum. As long as you end up being the latter, then I figure ken285 and I have accomplished what we set out to do.</p>
<p>Now, on to your points:</p>
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<p>The last two of these points probably could be combined into the same thread. I personally don’t really see the need to have a separate thread for math preparation, as it is something that can be summed up in about 2 sentences.</p>
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<p>Or said thread needs to be locked so that no one can post on it after it has been fully organized. Ideally, I would want to make it so that each individual FAQ (or section) is contained in a different post so that they can be linked to directly, all made by the moderator, and the first post would be table of contents with links to the later posts. That would be efficient and very nice to navigate. Of course maintenance would be required, but that would be made easier if it was organized in such a way and locked.</p>
<p>I would be more than willing to get such a post created, however I am incredibly busy right now so it would be difficult for me to start until the end of this semester or so. Perhaps start by stickying [url=<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/engineering-majors/964837-engineering-faq-thread.html]this[/url”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/engineering-majors/964837-engineering-faq-thread.html]this[/url</a>] thread and having people continue to update it with information that they request to be added. It could use a little bit of organization to being with as well.</p>
<p>I can see both sides of this issue. </p>
<p>If we lock it, it stays “clean” and organized. We all like that.</p>
<p>However, if we lock it… I am not sure that it will be as comprehensive and up-to-date as we might like. Because… someone has to go to the effort to PM the Moderator if they want to add… and I wonder if some won’t want to be bothered to make that extra step.</p>
<p>If we allow it to grow organically, it can go off-track… although this can be addressed by Moderator vigilance. Or by member vigilance and use of the Report Post function or PM to the Moderator.</p>
<p>Good to have you here Andale. A continuous presence on this sub-forum by a CC moderator will surely help the flow of information and be beneficial to all members.</p>
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<p>I would suggest CC modify this so it doesn’t say “Report Problem Post” if that is the intention of that function. I never knew we were supposed to that for suggestions. I’ve been around since the old forum and I didn’t know, so I assume many of the newer members also wouldn’t know. It sounds like it would be a simple fix…</p>
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<p>The answer to your question would largely depend on how often you (CC) have time to moderate, whether it be by casual browsing or a direct request from forum members.</p>
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<p>You might also say something near the beginning about contacting a moderator (or you specifically) if you have any updates you would like to add. That would encourage people to actually do it as opposed to assuming it isn’t an option.</p>
<p>@Andale: Thank you, this is very useful.</p>