Iowa State Chess Association - Webmaster Rules
Login
Home
Join!
Rules and Regulations
Tournaments
Crosstables
Correspondence
News
Iowa Player List
Qualifying Points
Clubs
President's Corner
Editorials
Scholastics
Scholastic Side
Additional Links
Champions
Board Members
Change Password
IASCA Message Board
 
Surrounding States
Illinois
Kansas
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
Oklahoma
South Dakota

WEBSITE REGULATIONS AND WEBMASTER RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Background. Since the acquisition of the newly revised Iowa State Chess Association (IASCA) website located at http://www.iowachess.org and established on July 21, 2003, the IASCA Board of Directors feel it would be helpful to have a set of procedures and/or guidelines to follow when submitting content for online publication.

2. Webmaster Responsibilities: The following are the duties and responsibilities of the IASCA Webmaster. The Webmaster will:
a. Update the website with all content relevant to Iowa Chess accurately and in a timely manner. This includes, but is not limited to:
(1) Tournament Life Announcements (TLAs);
(2) Tournament results and crosstables;
(3) News for and about Iowa chessplayers
b. Collaborate with the Iowa Chess News En Passant Editor to ensure that any content published online will detract from the content published in the state's quarterly publication;
c. Publish all official announcements from the IASCA Board of Directors as soon as approved and released;
d. Monitor server downtime and follow-up with GlobalFront Web Services any periods of prolonged server non-availability;
e. Ensure all fees relating to the website are paid promptly and in full to GlobalFront Web Services;
f. Answer all inquiries to and about the website and/or the IASCA from private emails or responses received via the Feedback section, responses to which will be copied to the IASCA officers;
g. Have creative license to add, modify, and delete both the appearance of www.iowachess.org and the content published therein. This shall include, but not be limited to:
(1) Writing and releasing short press releases concerning news relevant to Iowa Chess and/or about IASCA members in the News Briefs section (the accuracy of which shall be webmaster’s sole responsibility);
(2) Adding online polls to gain feedback from IASCA members on topics relevant to Iowa Chess, responses to which will be provided to the Board of Directors;
(3) Collaborate with the En Passant Games Editor to decide which games are chosen for the “Game of the Month” section and published online. If no entries are submitted or the Games Editor is not available, the IASCA Webmaster shall reserve the right to choose games played during that month and make the choice for “Game of the Month” for themselves (requesting the assistance of stronger players for annotations if necessary);
(4) Review all submissions received, both from IASCA members and other sources, and to have authority to publish or reject any content submitted at his or her discretion, basing acceptance or rejection on what would be in the best interest of Iowa Chess; and
(5) Reserve the right to correct, edit and/or paraphrase any submissions received for publication online.

3. Guidelines for Submission. The IASCA website exists to provide chess information and entertainment for its members; therefore, it is imperative that the content contained in it is accurate and constantly being updated to ensure current and especially prospective members get as much information and enjoyment out of it as possible. The IASCA Board of Directors wants to make this site one that people visit often, but in order to keep it updated with fresh content, the Webmaster will need help from the IASCA membership in the form of submissions. The following outlines the procedures to follow when submitting content for the various sections of the website: NOTE: Not all pages are included in this as some pages will not change very often (e.g. the Homepage, Join!, Bylaws, etc.) and others may be added as time goes on:
a. Polls: Polls are the most reliable, cost-effective way to get immediate feedback from IASCA members. This is one of the best improvements made to the IASCA website. Procedure: To request a poll question be published, members need only communicate them to any member of the Board of Directors, either in person, by post, or electronically. If the officer or director feels the question has merit and that the IASCA could benefit from getting the opinions of our members on the subject, the officer or director should email the Webmaster to request the question be added. The question will be posted online in the form of a poll with the responses being emailed directly to the Board of Directors (if requested).
b. Tournaments: This includes any tournament scheduled to take place in the state of Iowa and/or any tournament being organized by a club that is an IASCA affiliate (no matter where the actual tournament site will be) has the right to have their TLA published on the IASCA website. Regional tournaments (events taking place outside the state but close in proximity) that IASCA members may wish to participate in will also be included from time to time, at the Webmaster’s discretion. Procedure: All tournaments submitted for inclusion on the IASCA website must first pass through the Iowa Tournament Clearinghouse Manager. If no major conflict exists (e.g. the proposed event is not scheduled on the same date as another Iowa event or at least is not competing for the same type of players), the Clearinghouse Manager will then contact the Webmaster to approve the publication of the TLA online. After this approval, the TLA will then be posted.
c. News Briefs: This section is dedicated to brief, factual announcements for and about IASCA business, tournaments, and members. Anyone (IASCA member or not) may submit any chess-related news for consideration. If, in the opinion of the Webmaster, the submission would be of interest to the IASCA membership, the submission will be included on the IASCA website. This includes, but is not limited to, official announcements from the IASCA Board of Directors to the membership, tournament synopses, obituaries of Iowa (or noteworthy regional) players and former players, announcements from Iowa clubs, and news about Iowa players (whether chess-related or otherwise). To preserve journalistic integrity, all materials published in this section will be subject to verification. Procedure: Submissions should be addressed to the Webmaster and may be communicated in any form convenient for the submitting party. Upon receipt and, if necessary, verification, the news will be published online.
d. Games: Many people enjoy sharing their games and seeing them published online or on paper. Iowa being a relatively small state with fewer chessplayers than most, the idea of having only a "Game of the Month" would be too limiting in that it may become exclusive to a small group of elite players. Thus, the Games section was created in which any IASCA member, regardless of rating, can share his or her games with others.
Procedure: Members can submit self-annotated games (e.g. their personal thoughts during the game, not just computer analysis) via email or disc in PGN or ChessBase (CBH) format (zipping all the ChessBase files and sending it in ZIP format is acceptable) to the Webmaster for inclusion in the Games section. No other format can be utilized and games submitted in any other manner will not be published. To submit a game for consideration as Game of the Month, members should email them (with their annotations) in the same format described above to the En Passant Games Editor. Selectees for Game of the Month will be notified of their selection via email.
e. Editorials. A section created to allow chessplayers who enjoy writing to share their chess-related essays, opinions, and articles with other chess players. Procedure: Anyone may submit any chess-related writing for publication in the IASCA Editorial section provided it is original, clean, and suitable for all ages. Writers wanting their piece considered for publication should submit their editorial to the Webmaster, either electronically or via U.S. Postal Service, and include their name and contact information (name, address, email address, phone number). People who submit entries for publication but wish to remain anonymous will have their anonymity honored, but must furnish all contact information to the Webmaster for verification purposes. Upon verification of the sender and submission originality, the piece will be posted on the IASCA website. NOTE: The Webmaster reserves the right to paraphrase and/or otherwise edit all submitted material for content, clarity, and brevity, if necessary.
f. Links and Downloads: These areas are included for the sole purpose of the information, enjoyment, and entertainment of IASCA members. Procedure: Anyone wishing to have a link, file, or form added to the Links or Download sections of the IASCA website need only submit the URL or file to the Webmaster for consideration. If found to be appropriate for posting on the IASCA website, the file or URL will be added.

4. Advertising on the IASCA Website: In the short time the new website has been online it has received almost twelve-thousand visitors. Many are probably not unique hits, but nevertheless, it means people are coming back because of the constant updates and entertainment value. That fact alone makes this website the premier chess website in the state and qualifies it as a high-traffic site. For people selling chess merchandise or services with a customer-base in Iowa, advertising on our site will be a huge benefit. Here are the rules for advertising on the IASCA website:
a. Membership Benefits: One of the benefits of being an IASCA member is the right to advertise merchandise and services online without paying any additional fees.
b. Outside Advertising: Outside people and companies wanting to place a banner or advertisement on the IASCA website will have the opportunity to market their products on our site since what they're selling could potentially benefit our members; however, if the proprietors aren’t IASCA members or affiliates themselves they will be required to remit the following payment(s) to the IASCA:
(1) Banners. Outside people or companies that wish to place a banner advertisement on the IASCA website will pay $5.00 per month to have it placed on the IASCA's homepage. If the banner is to be placed on in the navigation bar on the left side of the site (the contents of which are visible on every page), they will pay $10.00 per month. A banner on any other page (e.g. the News Briefs or Tournament announcement section), prospective vendors will pay $3.00 per month for this service. Acceptable banners will be small but visible, being placed (at the Webmaster's discretion) in an area visitors are most likely to see.
(2) Other Advertisements/Announcements. Other, non-graphical ads will be placed in the News Briefs section where they will be visible at the top of the page. Prospective vendors will pay $3.00 per month for the web space advertising their products/merchandise.
NOTE: Payment will be made directly to the IASCA Treasurer. Upon receipt, the Treasurer will notify the Webmaster and the advertisement placed online. The prices for prospective vendors and non-IASCA members will not be negotiable; however, they are currently open to discussion between Board members and subject to change pending the Board's review.
It is sincerely hoped that all IASCA members, as well as chessplayers outside the state, will get much enjoyment out of the IASCA’s website and will visit frequently. With that in mind, the IASCA Webmaster is charged with doing their utmost to ensure that the IASCA website is the most frequently updated, accurate, entertaining, and useful state chess association website in the nation.
Any questions concerning these recommendations can be directed to the current IASCA Webmaster via email at webmaster@iowachess.org.