Handling of Complaints at the National Capital FreeNet
Accepted in principle 1995-09-19

Complaints: The Structure
=========================

1) Make a Complaints/Resolutions committee which reports to the Board.
   This will be a three person Board-appointed committee.  At least one of
   the members should be a new volunteer to NCF who is publicly recruited, 
   screened and interviewed for the position. At least one of the members
   should be fluently bilingual.

2) Hold an orientation with the committee members and review all procedures.

3) The committee will have an on-line area and separate account similar to
   the Time Limits Task Force or the Volunteer Coordinators Task Force.  This
   area will include:

- An About file which includes the NCF stance on taking action only as a
   last resort 
- The Acceptable Use Policy and its guidelines
- Procedures for handling complaints
- FAQ on the types of issues which are unlikely to be dealt with by NCF
- A moderated discussion group for posting actions taken, monthly or
   quarterly reports and other relevant information

4) When anyone mails the "complain" alias they will receive an automated
   message stating the guidelines and procedures for handling complaints on
   NCF.

5) The Complaints committee will have the authority to disable/suspend accounts.

6) Office and System Administration staff have the authority to disable an
   account should a user be caught compromising the system or
   administrative procedures. 

Complaints: The Procedures
==========================

a) Creation of the committee and the corresponding area will be announced
   in ncf.announce.

b) Members continue to write to the "complain" alias or to the designated
   NCF ID.

c) An automated message will return to every sender telling them their
   message was received and explaining that the complaint will be logged in
   our database. The auto-return message will also include our AUP, a
   recommendation to read the documents in the on-line Complaints/Resolutions
   area and a list of the types of actions which may warrant a warning or
   other action.

d) The committee administrators will take turns logging the messages in
   the database. Complaints should be logged with reference numbers that
   correspond to our Membership Agreement. (i.e., 1. Privilege of Use; 
   2. Objectionable material, etc.). This will allow for easy searches and
   reporting which could track trends that may impact our insurance or
   relationships with other agencies.

e) Criteria for taking action 

Criteria for a formal warning:

- Three violations of elements of the membership agreement within three
   months or less

Criteria for disabling an account:

Note: this is an interim step used when an issue or behavior needs to be
      clarified

- Any compromise of the system or the administrative procedures
- Refusal to respond to an inquiry from the Complaints committee
- Blatant verbal assaults directed at the Complaints committee in response
   to a warning
- Consensus among the committee members present for a vote 
   (must be more than one and no dissenting vote)

Criteria for suspension of an account:

Note: this is a last resort  measure - the issues must be addressed by the
      member in question and the Board prior to re-instatement. To suspend
      an account, there must be consensus among the committee members
      present for a vote (must be more than one and no dissenting vote).

- Any of the above, plus:
- Repeated violation of the Membership Agreement or mis-use of the system 
- Illegal use of the system
- Attempting to compromise the system 


d) Warnings can be issued by any member of the committee. This action must
   be logged with the other members and in the database.

e) Disabling or suspending an account requires that members agree on the
   action, then request the action from the NCF registrar account. 

f) The registrar will disable/suspend the account as requested. When that
   member attempts to log-on they will see a pre-programmed message stating
   why the account is inaccessible and who to contact. Members of the
   Complaints/Resolutions committee should take turns sharing this
   responsibility.

g) An explanatory note must be sent to the Board from the
   Complaints/Resolutions committee immediately after an account is
   disabled or suspended.

h) Should members of the Board disagree with the action they can hold an
   on-line vote and re-instate the account. NCF members have the right to
   appeal a decision of the Complaints/Resolution committee to the NCF
   Board.

g) The Complaints/Resolution committee will give monthly or quarterly
   reports on activity, including: 

- Average volume of complaints
- Types of complaints being received
- Actions taken

These updates will be posted in the on-line moderated discussion area and
presented to the Board when requested.