I propose that the talkboard guidelines be amended to require TB members to take a leave of absence from their moderation duties while they serve on the TB.

I further propose that the TB recommend to the TB Host that the TB President and Vice-President be made liaison to the moderator corps, and be granted access to moderator forums and meetings.

Among the reasons I think this is a good idea:

- TB is meant to represent the posters. While moderators are also posters, moderators experience FT in a VERY different way than posters. It's not a perfect analogy, but generally their perspective is that of an employee rather than a customer. I for one would prefer that a customer focus group be made up of customers rather than a mix of customers and employees, even if the employees use the service as often as many customers. After all, even though flight attendants fly may more than 1ks both while working and on SA, an airline customer focus group would never include flight attendants. Their perspective is simply different.

Specifically, by splitting duties between TB and moderator a person may have divided loyalties and/or a conflict of interest. Not that they DO, but they COULD. For example: mega-threads. A moderator may find that creating mega-threads is a simple and easy way to moderate a forum. But the TB could conceivably propose recommending that mega-threads be discouraged (I personally think mega-threads are destroying the user experience). A moderator would have to weigh their desire to have an easy way to moderate and save themselves time against the customer's desire to discourage mega-threads via their TB representatives. Such conflicts are easily avoided by having the TB be purely customer-focused.

- The TB is increasingly ceding authority to moderators to make recommendations for FT. I believe this is happening because moderator members of TB see moderators corps discussion issues and taking action so do not feel the need for the TB to weigh in on issues. By creating an actual separation of powers, TB members will only have the perspective of the user experience to guide their actions and recommendations, independent from the actions and decisions of the moderator corps.

- There are many people who desire to serve and only so many slots to go 'round. It's grand to see so many titles under a single person's name, but it would be better to see fewer titles under more people's names.

- Clearly there should be coordination between moderators and the TB. Hence my suggestion that the TB recommend that the president and vp/s represent the tb to the moderator corps on an ongoing basis.

I think this proposal would re-invigorate the TB and make to more focused on the customer/poster experience.