With the growing popularity of the Animal Crossing franchise and the rapidly growing membership of ACC, the staff of ACC has decided to form a committee designated with the task of coming up with and brainstorming various ideas for improving the site -- the Site Improvements Committee (SIC). Ideas could range anywhere from improving existing site features, introducing new site features, various ways for improving the community, ideas for graphical/layout improvements for the site, and general suggestions for keeping the site family friendly and safe for everyone.

Also, some of the members of the committee will have access to help maintain various sections of content for the site (the items database and event calendar, for example). This also may include other new sections that we may introduce later.

The committee will have its own ACC forum for discussing these ideas, to which only they and the staff will have access. They will also have access to the beta site where they can help test new features as well as offer suggestions for improving features before they are released to the public.

As far as how large the committee will be, this has not been determined. We are going to start with 10 but this number may increase should the need arise.

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Here will be the responsibilities of the committee:

Active Participation on SIC Board - Members of the committee are expected to actively participate and offer feedback in discussions. This, of course, means they need to be an active part of the community. Inactive members will be removed from the committee.

Monitor Site Support Board - The Site Support board is the main venue through which members send suggestions and complaints about the site and the community. So the committee will be expected to help monitor this board to push legitimate concerns and good ideas to the committee for discussion.

Beta Testing and Providing Feedback - Members of the committee will be expected to help test new and updated features, and provide feedback on these features.

Help Manage Site Content - As mentioned above, we will look for some members of the committee to help maintain various areas of content throughout the site.

Help Run Official Contests and Events - Members will help to organize and run official ACC contests and events. - Update 09/03/2008

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Members will be selected based on the following required qualifications:

Proven Site Activity - How much of an active part you are in the community. We will look for members that have been an active part of the community for at least one month. New members can submit applications, but will not be selected until after they have been an active part of the community for at least one month.

Creativity - How original and cool your ideas are, and how well they go with the purpose of the site. Also how well you are able to take other ideas and build upon them.

Responsibility - How well you handle being a part of a committee and being responsible for important tasks on the site. Also how well you use discretion by not sharing information with public members that is shared in the committee.

Maturity - How well you work on a team with others and handling others constructively criticizing your ideas.

Communication - How well you are able to express your ideas and brainstorm with others effectively without going off topic.

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In addition, the following things are not required but will be added bonuses:

Animal Crossing Skills - Of course, since this an Animal Crossing site, the more you know about the game and the better you are at it, the more ideas you may have about new features for the site.

Technical and Graphical Skills - Members that have technical or graphical skills are better at understanding what it takes to implement certain ideas, and can help weigh the benefits of ideas vs. what it would take to add them to the site. Also, members that have these skills may be asked to help out with various tasks that require these skills.

Parental Skills - Parents that have experience with children -- especially children that are of the age to play and enjoy Animal Crossing -- are encouraged to send applications because they have a unique understanding of various considerations that should be made when improving and maintaining ACC. This experience is extremely valuable to the goals of this committee, and in helping keep the site safe for everyone.

Creative Writing - Members that are experienced and creative writers would be valuable in adding content to the site, and sharing ideas about adding or improving existing content.

Note: How old do you have to be in order to be on the committee? Obviously, older members are more likely to have the required and optional qualifications. However, younger members are just as likely to be selected as a member of the committee, as long as you meet the required qualifications. In fact, we would like to have a good balance of younger and older members, so that the committee can cover the demographics of the site.

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So now you know the objectives and qualifications of the committee -- but how do you become a member of the Site Improvements Committee? Follow these instructions:

1) Submit an application to the staff by using this link.

2) Be sure to "sell yourself" by listing examples of why you think you should be on the committee and how you meet the qualifications.

3) If you have concrete examples of your qualifications, be sure to include links. For example, links to a website you made or contribute to, or links to threads on ACC that may help prove your qualifications.

4) Submit only one application -- additional applications or follow ups to your application will be ignored.

5) Wait for the staff to contact you. You will be contacted if you are selected. You will not be contacted if you are not selected.

If you have any questions about this, post them on the Site Support board, and I will either address them there, or create another announcement answering the more common questions.