Webmaster or President: Whos in charge of website

[Jorbar1551]

Im the webmaster for a CA dive club, and have created two websites for them. The club is new, and i was chosen by the club founder/president to be the webmaster and an officer. Sometimes, the webmaster is just a scribe, but i was chosen to be a club officer. Anyway, here's my problem:

We have a monterey diving page which includes information about what monterey is like, what to wear, etc... We also have an area where i put links to the noaa weather page, and a link to possibly the greatest weather page ever created. The problem is, the webpage was created by a person who created another dive club in the same area. The president says that we will not link our page to another page created by an officer of another competting dive club. The webpage is very nice, but he claims that because the guys email address is on the page, we cannot link it from ours.

Here are my arguments:
1) If you go to that guys website, and click on the dive club page, it explains that they have no officers in that club. It is an anarchy. The webmaster is only a scribe. Anyone and everyone can lead an event or whatever. There are no officers to that club!

2) We are trying to provide information to the diver. The more helpful, the better.

3) On our last website, i had the same link on the same page, president made no complaints

4) In our last monthly newsletter, i did an article that was written by that guy, and i gave him credit, listing his name in our newsletter. President made no complaints

5)president made me webmaster, therefore, i feel i should be in control of the site not him.

6) Before we published the site on the web, all officers including president went over website with a fine comb. He didnt make any complaints.


7) The president wouldnt budge, I asked him why? He said he didnt like the guy, and that the guy was a tool. I then asked if he had ever met him. of course the president said he had never met him, but the owner of a dive shop has, and therefore gave the president his opinion. I have never met him, so who am I to not like him?

8) He asked for other dive clubs, and dive shops websites that link to that same weather page, If i found some, he said he might approve it. About a day later, i sent him an email with 8 local clubs that link to the same page. He pretty much ordered me to take down the link

Heres the worst part... Keep in mind, that he said we would not link any other clubs officers email to our site. In our last weekly update, the president sends out an email to all club members,saying that some of us are going to another dive clubs meeting, and giving a direct link to the other clubs website. The other club is a competiting club, and is located less than 10 miles away from my house. Sounds like a double standard to me.

We then got in verbal email fights, and he blamed me for the website being two months late. The website was put up january 15, and i told him it should be up by jan 1st. I also told him 3 months in advance that I was working on my moms business website, which was a priority, and he said okay.

Who's right, whos wrong? I need some more points to argue. Hes only got one point, and i believe i have a lot stronger points. what should i do short of leaving the club, and telling the president to go F himself?

Jordan

 

[Diver0001]

There are two rolls that need to be clear.

Typically, as webmaster your roll is to develop the structure of the website, the technology (software, hardware, networking). You also need to ensure security of the site, maintenance on the disks and servers, monitor contracts/licences with 3rd parties and signal issues, provide the budget-owner with input about costs etc. etc. etc.

A second roll is the roll of content editor/contributor. It's the roll of this person to decide what goes up on the site. Probably everyone in the club functions to one degree or another as content contributors and it looks like in your club the president is functioning as the content editor.

It sounds to me like these rolls are not clearly defined nor assigned in your club. Time to have a talk.

R..

 

[Rick Murchison]

In a "normal" organization, Webmasters execute; the president decides.
IOW, the webmaster can recommend and even champion ideas for the website, but the ultimate decision belongs to the person/organization that "hired" the webmaster to do the site. If the boss decides to do something different, the webmaster has basically two choices... (1) execute the wishes of the pres with a cheery "aye aye," or (2) resign the position.
This particular issue doesn't sound to me like a big deal; I think you may be letting some "pride of authorship (he's stepping on my good idea)" cloud your judgment on what's really important - a good website for your club. If the weather page you want is so good you just have to have it, and the absence of links to your club's competitor is really important too (which members of your club those two competing ideas are important to doesn't really matter), well, you'll just have to build a page that has all the same stuff on it without the link. And if you build it yourself you can make it even better, right?
Have fun.
Rick

 

[Web Monkey]

Whoever has their name on the web-hosting contract controls the site content. Whoever has their name on the Domain Name registration owns the name.

Other than that, you're pretty much out of luck.

Terry

problem is, the webpage was created by a person who created another dive club in the same area. The president says that we will not link our page to another page created by an officer of another competting dive club. The webpage is very nice, but he claims that because the guys email address is on the page, we cannot link it from ours.

 

[Walter]

Check your club bylaws. If it's not covered, then it's up to either the board or a vote of the entire club. Presidents of clubs rarely have a great deal of power (webmasters even less) when it comes to making decisions. That power is usually placed in the board, however the ultimate authority rests with the entire membership.

 

[chip104]

I don't fully agree with your point #5. You have a lot of control over the website, but you don't have exclusive control of its content. I think of the webmaster as a press release officer - any info that the dive club wants to relay to the divers / members / public / etc will be given to the webmaster to put up on the site (content to be decided by the board of officers).

Anyway, I agree with what uncle ricky said, I wouldn't care for something such as linking another web page - it seems trivial to the overall picture. In any organization you should pick and choose your fights - hang your ego at the door. It's more important to keep the team cohesive than to feed your pride. Been there done that.

But if you really feel the need to pursue this, I second walter's suggestion. You should be able to bring this up at the next officers meeting and have a vote on it.

I say just relax and enjoy the diving. Once you get caught up in the petty politics it won't be fun anymore. But if you don't trust in your president's leadership or dislike the direction the club is going, then find another club to join that will best suited to your style.

Hope this gets worked out.



edit: I just looked at the site. It's pretty good with or without the link. Nice job!

 

[dgreenh]

I am the webmaster for several sites. My job on all of them (except my own) is to put the information provided to me on the website. I can and do make suggestions but the final decision about content is not mine.