Website Administrator vs. Building Schedulers

[perryk]

When the new version of the stake/ward website calendar came out, my stake website administrator was instructed by Church headquarters to have all the wards' building schedulers callings changed to "website administrators" on MLS. He was told this was so that the building schedulers could schedule events on the website. I am totally confused. In everything I read in the information provided on the website "help" button, building schedulers are not supposed to be scheduling events (is that correct?). On the other hand, the documentation indicates that building schedulers are supposed to resolve scheduling conflicts which involves editing events. So can building schedulers edit all events without being listed as "website administrators" on MLS?

I am the new stake website administrator and need clarification. Thank you.

[russellhltn]

A building scheduler, in and of itself is only a referee of the scheduling process. They can change any event scheduled at their location, but they are unable to add any events by default.

But, there's nothing to say they can't be given additional rights and/or duties. They can also be made an editor or administrator. But that would only give them rights to their own Ward or Stake - not to all the calendars of the units that meet in that location. That limitation is a serious blow to most people's traditional expectation of a "building scheduler".

In everything I read in the information provided on the website "help" button, building schedulers are not supposed to be scheduling events (is that correct?).

There really is no one way of doing things. The details are up to the local leaders. But there are some things that just do not work in the new system - and that's having one person handle all the events for a multi-ward building.

The system is designed to allow the various organizations to do their own scheduling. But the system can work if it goes though a central person who is within the unit. (Although I'm not sure why you'd want to do it that way. Maybe the leaders are not that computer literate. Or maybe the leaders are having a hard time "letting go".)

Note that the calling of "website administrator" also grants them rights to other applications. That may or may not be a desirable thing.

[allenjpl]

There really is no one way of doing things. The details are up to the local leaders. But there are some things that just do not work in the new system - and that's having one person handle all the events for a multi-ward building.

Try having one "building scheduler" who has been instructed by the stake president to keep a paper calendar, which is the "official" calendar for the stake center. All activities using the stake center other than pre-arranged weekly activities must go through the building scheduler, who puts it on her paper calendar, and then enters it on the stake's online calendar (which is for "information only.")

[russellhltn]

Try having one "building scheduler" who has been instructed by the stake president to keep a paper calendar, which is the "official" calendar for the stake center. All activities using the stake center other than pre-arranged weekly activities must go through the building scheduler, who puts it on her paper calendar, and then enters it on the stake's online calendar (which is for "information only.")

I suppose there's a way around it - if you work hard enough. The question is "why". Does he really not trust his leaders?

[lajackson]

Try having one "building scheduler" who has been instructed by the stake president to keep a paper calendar, which is the "official" calendar for the stake center.

I suppose there's a way around it - if you work hard enough. The question is "why". Does he really not trust his leaders?

Without knowing (or it mattering), I would guess he is simply old school, and is not big into paradigm shifts. And so they set up a stake calendar for the building and have a sister as the editor. We have a building in our stake that runs that way, and probably will, until some folks either die or get released.

It takes a lot of effort to shift to the new way of doing calendars. In areas where leadership is a bit more sparse, we have to pick and choose our battles carefully, and progress is slower.

[russellhltn]

We have a building in our stake that runs that way, and probably will, until some folks either die or get released.

IIRC, term limits for Bishops is 5 years, 10 for Stake Presidents.

[lajackson]

IIRC, term limits for Bishops is 5 years, 10 for Stake Presidents.

Mormon myth, but yes, release is inevitable. Of course, so is . . . nevermind. [grin]