Special Item: Academy Official Status

The Council voted to shelve the issue of waiving the Academy joining fees while we formulated a more appropriate way of transforming the Academy into the official training center of OE.

Council Discussion on the Academy

Quote :

I think that we keep this topic open and in our spare time try to formulate a few agreeable options for the Academy that we can put into a major vote.


DoM,

I rather like the idea of having the Academy offered as part of starting a character. Perhaps there could be a clickable option such as "Enroll in Academy Training" or pilots could apply later if they choose no but find it would be helpful. Many MMOs have a tutorial or training system for new players and this could serve as that. It is definitely worth a try if it increases newbie retention.



It would be time consuming to lay out all the details of the Academy as an official training center so I propose we try to come up with a general outline (or alternatives) of it and some of the more important points.

I think as part of the major vote we should state that the Academy falls under the authourity of the Dev's with the Council serving in an advisory capacity with the ability to vote upon Academy matters that the Dev's deem appropriate. We must take into consideration the very real recruitment and retention issue that faces OE. The countless tweaking that an official training system could benefit from could not be realistically handled by the Council.

But this would also potentially be time consuming for day to day matters which the Dev's should not have to sacrifice more time for. So while the authourity over the Academy lies with the Dev's, they appoint 2-3 Administrators or Moderators to look after the Academy's day to day affairs much in the same way that the OE Forums are under the direction of the Dev's but are run by Moderators.
These could be semi-permanent positions chosen by the Dev's like moderators as I feel that breaking up the Adminstrators serving time into a term could be taxing on Dev time and that having elections for the Academy Administrators would drag politics into an area where it should not be involved as Stellar pointed out.

The Moderators (alt characters) in turn would look after accepting/removing Instructors based on usefulness and activity (Dev's over their shoulders should prevent Admins from showing favouritism towards Instructors from their faction or biased advertisement towards specific factions) and ensure quality training, information and tutorials are provided.

Instructors (also alt's) would, like Moderators, not advertise their identity as to create favouritism towards joining a particular faction. They would handle the everyday training of new pilots and keep info and guides up to date. Only so many would be allowed in as is needed to provide newbies with support and those not providing much support would be removed.

Cadets would be kicked upon reaching medium class, as they currently are, and be given the opportunity to achieve Honour Student level before graduation through helping other new pilots or completing certain difficult challenges.

And of course joining fees would be paid for by the Gov and go back into the Gov as part of its budget.

This is my rough idea to adapt a training faction into an official training center to increase its effectiveness and deal with a recurring issue.



Stellar,

I believe that my rough proposal touches on most of your concerns to avoid wasted efforts, mismanagement and politicizing of the Academy.

I would like to hear what everyone thinks and hopefully this is an agreeable start to work from. Alternative approaches are also welcome.

1. The Academy is the official Pilot Training Center of Outer Empires.

2. Final authourity over the Academy is with the Dev's.

3. The Government Council may vote on issues concerning the Academy if deemed appropriate by the Dev's.

4. All new players to Outer Empires will be prompted upon first log in or sign up whether to enroll in the Academy to receive Basic Pilot Training. If a new player declines they may still apply manually.

5. The joining fees for Cadets will be taken out of the Government Budget, which will eventually cycle back into itself.

6. Cadets will be provided with quality and unbiased information and training by the Academy Instructors and Directors.

7. Cadets will graduate from the Academy upon reaching medium class. During their training they will be presented with the opportunity of making the Honour Roll by a mix of accomplishing particularly difficult challenges and aiding other new pilots, as laid out by the Staff.

8. Graduates may request an applicable graduation letter or honour roll scroll from the Instructors.

9. Staff are to provide fair training and are not to push Cadets towards any particular career, faction, political party, etc. This includes the disclosure of Staff identities to Cadets.

10. The Academy is to be comprised of the following ranks:

Director - A private alternate character and member of the Academy Staff. Appointed by Dev's to be a leader (or leaders) of the Academy. They are responsible for accepting, cycling and removing Instructors and overseeing the training.

Instructor - A private alternate character and member of the Academy Staff. Accepted, cycled and removed at the discretion of the Director(s). Trains Cadets by providing orientation, game guides, information about the galaxy, advice, challenges, etc.

Honour Student - A Cadet that has displayed exceptional skill or promise, as determined by the Staff.

Cadet - New Pilot in Outer Empires that has joined the Academy to receive basic training and orientation. Cadets may only be up to the rank of MC A1.

The Academy is in favour of becoming an official training center and the Dev's have given the initial thumbs up to the above proposal.

The Council will go over the articles in this charter and adjust as necessary. This is to be a public referendum when it can be actioned.

Shelved til the Second Council is elected. They can revisit the issue.