CaveChat Admin Position Open - Looking for Volunteers

[Cheryl Jones]

After three years of terrific service to the NSS, Wayne Harrison is resigning as administrator of CaveChat, the NSS online Forum. http://www.cavechat.org

So I am searching for someone to fill this position, to be responsible for CaveChat as well as head the sub-committee that is responsible for the NSS Flickr group, Online Cavers, and any similar Web groups that may be developed in the future.

With over 2200 members, the NSS Forum is the largest and most dynamic cyber-community of cavers in the US, as well as a very important public presence for the NSS. CaveChat is the first introduction many new cavers have to the NSS, it's culture, and members, and to responsible caving.

The NSS Flickr Photo Pool provides an place for cavers to share caving photos, and OnlineCavers.com is the social networking site just for cavers.

The administrator of the NSS Forum answers directly to the NSS OVP, and has the following responsibilities:

1. Overall operation, look, and feel of the CaveChat forum.

2. Maintaining and upgrading the CaveChat forum software (currently phpBB 3), including creating back up copies of the Forum regularly.

3. Selecting and guiding Forum moderators.

4. Promoting CaveChat, including:
a) Keeping links up to date on various NSS and I/O sites.
b) Seeking out other caving Web sites that might host a link to the Forum.
c) Submitting articles, notes, and/or ads about the Forum to the NSS News and on caver list-servs to spread the awareness of the Forum and its benefits.
d) Promoting the Forum at NSS Conventions

5. Chair the sub-committee that has overall responsibility not only for CaveChat, but also for the NSS Flickr photo group http://www.flickr.com/groups/caving_photos/pool/ and the nation's largest networking site for cavers, NSS Online Cavers http://www.onlinecavers.com. (Online Cavers has a team of administrators in place. The Flickr group requires little if any admin work.)

Applicants should be familiar with operating online forums and phpBB 3 software, or be willing to learn the operation of phpBB3 software. They should also have some familiarity with php coding (enough to copy and paste forum modifications and upgrades.)

In addition, applicants should have experience with ftp and mySQL open source database software. Familiarity with Dreamweaver is a plus.

Applicants ideally will be an active members of the CaveChat community and have a familiarity with the participating members, culture, and the site's Terms of Service. Previous experience as a moderator or administrator of an online forum a plus.

If you are interested in this important position, and feel you have the skills and time, contact the NSS Operations VP Cheryl Jones at ovp@caves.org.

(Please circulate this message widely among cavers.)