roles.html

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<h2>Roles</h2>

<p>The following roles are available in the SRCF:</p>

<ul>
<li><a href="#sysadmin">System administrator</a></li>
<li><a href="#committee">Committee:</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="#chair">Chair</a></li>
<li><a href="#secretary">Secretary</a></li>
<li><a href="#treasurer">Junior Treasurer</a></li>
<li><a href="#publicity">Publicity Officer</a></li>
<li><a href="#co-opt">Co-opted roles</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>

<h3 id="sysadmin">System administrator</h3>

<p>The job of sysadmin is not particularly a glamorous one, but it is
one of the most important: the SRCF could struggle along without a
committee, but without the sysadmin team the service would grind quickly
to a halt.</p>

<p>Much of the day-to-day administration of the SRCF involves responding
to user requests, either by running one of the SRCF scripts to create a
database or add a user or whatever, or by explaining patiently why what
they want is stupid. The simplest requests can be dealt with by anyone
with a shell and a keyboard, but occasionally a closer familiarity with
what is actually going on, and some greater ingenuity and problem
solving, is required.</p>

<p>The admins are also responsible for developing and maintaining the
scripts and tools to make life easier for both themselves and the users,
so software-engineer types will have some opportunity to exercise their
skills. The SRCF has been writing scripts for more than a decade, and
some 2000-vintage Python and Perl is still in operation, so there's
plenty of modernisation work to do.</p>

<p>Since system administration is a shared responsibility, the amount
demanded of any individual is not too severe. Each admin is mostly
welcome to pick and choose which tasks they are willing and able to deal
with, and focus on those. If you do nothing at all, and do not intend to
start doing anything, we would appreciate it if you would give up your
admin rights to simplify bookkeeping, but as long as you are doing
<em>something</em>, even if that's just approving membership requests or
fixing the permissions on a group account, you are freeing up the time
of people who can do more involved things, like script development or
service deployment.</p>

<p>Some experience of system administration is preferable, but of course
we realise that the SRCF is a place that many people go to <em>gain</em>
that experience; however, knowing your way around the Linux command line
is probably essential if you are to carry out any serious administrative
work. If you lack that experience but are still keen to help the SRCF,
don't be discouraged – there's a good chance we will be able to find
something else for you to do. Just <a
href="mailto:executive@srcf.net">ask</a>!</p>

<h3 id="committee">Committee</h3>

<p>The committee as a whole is responsible for appointing sysadmins and
making decisions on behalf of the society, e.g. what to do when some
user makes an unusual request, or offers help of some kind, or violates
the Terms of Service. They meet at least once a term for this purpose,
usually in a pub. What goes on in these meetings is detailed in the
minutes, and all our minutes are published, so if you're interested just
<a href="minutes">take a look</a>.</p>

<p>Each role has additional responsibilities, which are detailed
below:</p>

<h4 id="chair">Chair</h4>

<p>The Chair is in some sense the public face of the SRCF: they are
likely to be the one writing and sending announcements to the users
regarding e.g. the AGM, and they will be the primary point of contact
for anyone who wants to know What The SRCF Thinks on some issue.</p>

<p>Their job is to make sure everyone else is doing their job, as well,
so how much work is involved depends a little on how good the rest of
the committee is. For example, if the Junior Treasurer suddenly does a
vanishing act, it will be up to the chair to pick up the pieces
(although someone else may be <a href="#co-opt">co-opted</a> for the
role).</p>

<h4 id="secretary">Secretary</h4>

<p>The Secretary records the minutes of each meeting and writes them up
afterwards to be published on the <a href="minutes">minutes
page</a>. These are an important part of helping users to understand
what the society does, and reminding the committee of their day-to-day
duties, so getting them done promptly and accurately is essential.</p>

<p>They may also have minor constitutional duties, e.g. some forms need to
be signed by the Secretary.</p>

<h4 id="treasurer">Junior Treasurer</h4>

<p>The Junior Treasurer is responsible for ensuring we have an accurate,
up-to-date record of how much money the SRCF has, where it goes, and
where it comes from. They will have their address published on the <a
href="donate">donation page</a> so will occasionally receive cheques,
which they then need to take to the bank to pay in.</p>

<p>They are also responsible for maintaining our bank accounts, so some
paperwork will need doing, and statements will need to be checked to
ensure everything that we expect, and only those things, are in
there.</p>

<p>At the end of the (calendar) year, the SRCF (like all registered
societies) needs to compile a report of its finances and submit it to
the Proctors. Finding and filling the relevant forms is a tedious but
not altogether difficult task.</p>

<h4 id="publicity">Publicity Officer</h4>

<p>As you'd expect, the Publicity Officer is responsible for attempting
to make sure that everyone who could benefit from the services of the
SRCF is aware of this fact. Organising the stash we occasionally sell
has historically been their duty, and they will often also write notices
for the Chair to send out (or to send out themselves) to our mailing
lists regarding any social or society events we organise.</p>

<p>Reminding everyone that the SRCF exists every now and then helps to
gather the user support – staff volunteers and donations – that we rely
on. People are often very willing to help when we ask!</p>

<h4 id="co-opt">Co-opted roles</h4>

<p>The Committee has the right, according to the constitution, to
co-opt any members of the SRCF to fill any additional roles as it sees
fit. This has in the past been used where two people wanted one role and
both seemed suitable: elect one and co-opt the other. The constitution
is vague on what the co-opting mechanism is for, so much is left to the
imagination.</p>

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