The following is a proposed Wikipedia policy, guideline, or process. The proposal may still be in development, under discussion, or in the process of gathering consensus for adoption.

Shortcuts: WP:DNC WP:NO CONFIDENCE

This page in a nutshell: Administrators may be de-sysopped by ArbCom if it is demonstrated through a Request for Comment that they no longer have the support of the community.

It has long been recognised that it is too difficult to remove sysop access from problematic administrators. Various attempts at addressing this have faltered due in part to concerns about witchhunting, disorderly and disruptive discussion, and the danger that decisions would be made irresponsibly.

This proposal sees to rectify these shortcomings by providing a lightweight, streamlined means of recalling administrators in whom the editing community no longer has confidence that incorporates community consensus and the final judgement of arbitrators. This proposal would achieve this not by creating a new process, but by combining the existing mechanisms of User Requests for Comment and Arbitration Committee motions.

[edit] Procedure

[edit] Step 1: User conduct RfC

Should concerns arise with the behaviour of a specific administrator that could not be resolved by prior dispute resolution, a user conduct request for comment may be filed detailing concerns and seeking responses and discussion from the community and the administrator involved.

[edit] Step 2: Declaration of no confidence

If, at the end of the RfC, an editor in good standing feels that concerns with the administrator have not been addressed and that the retention of administrator status is no longer tenable, they may make a declaration of no confidence in the administrator (example). Others may declare their confidence or lack thereof as appropriate.

[edit] Step 3: ArbCom Motion

Should it emerge after input from a significant number of editors that the administrator has failed on balance to retain the confidence the community, a motion to desysop may be filed with the Arbitration Committee. The Committee may then exercise their own judgement as to whether or not to grant the desysop or to take other courses of action as they see fit.

[edit] Historical precedent

• Wikipedia:Requests for comment/Aitias 2 (specifically the Outside view by Friday) and subsequent Arbitration Committee motion to desysop
• Wikipedia:Village pump/Arbitration Committee Feedback, declarations of (no) confidence in arbitrators