# How did I get downgraded from Charter Member to Guest? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [May 28, 2009, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-downgraded-from-charter-member-to-guest/497936 "2009-05-28T15:57:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-downgraded-from-charter-member-to-guest/497936/1 "2009-05-28T15:57:17Z")
What am I, chopped liver? I have taken great pride in being a Charter Member, having read Cecil in the Reader from the inception of the column, and having actually had two letters published in two of the Great Master’s books. It gives me great heartburn to see that I’ve been downgraded to virtual lurker or something. Does this have to do with my subscription status? Have I missed some significant deadline? Is it something I said? Is my apartment too messy? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-downgraded-from-charter-member-to-guest/497936/2 "2009-05-28T16:02:50Z")
Come on move along please. There’s far too many of your type around here if you ask me. I’ll call the mods. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-downgraded-from-charter-member-to-guest/497936/3 "2009-05-28T16:03:54Z")
It does appear you somehow overlooked the email we sent you (could be in your spam filter), the announcement that was on top of every forum page for quite a bit, and all the notes on resubscription in About This Message Board. Yes, your subscription expired 5/21. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-downgraded-from-charter-member-to-guest/497936/4 "2009-05-28T16:11:52Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > It does appear you somehow overlooked the email we sent you (could be in your spam filter), the announcement that was on top of every forum page for quite a bit, and all the notes on resubscription in About This Message Board. > > Yes, your subscription expired 5/21. Sorry. Well, now, that’s certainly some bullshit. How do I re-up my subscription? ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-downgraded-from-charter-member-to-guest/497936/5 "2009-05-28T16:23:34Z")
> [@CC](#): > > Well, now, that’s certainly some bullshit. How do I re-up my subscription? For the princely sum of $14.95, you, too, can become a “Member” of the SDMB. Go to User CP and then click on Paid Subscriptions. Sadly, you are now no longer qualified to be a “Charter Member” of the SDMB. That dog already hunted. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-downgraded-from-charter-member-to-guest/497936/6 "2009-05-28T16:28:57Z")
And ask the mods to change your name to **CC Charter** and you will be: CC Charter Member ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-downgraded-from-charter-member-to-guest/497936/7 "2009-05-28T16:32:44Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > And ask the mods to change your name to **CC Charter** and you will be: > > CC Charter > Member If I wanted as much grief as you’re giving me, **Ask,** I could have just had my wife stay home from work! ---
**Author:** ![alterego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6bbea6/32.png) [@alterego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alterego)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-downgraded-from-charter-member-to-guest/497936/8 "2009-05-28T16:35:58Z")
> [@CC](#): > > If I wanted as much grief as you’re giving me, **Ask,** I could have just had my wife stay home from work! Ooh good one. I’m sure the wife would love to see that. What’s your real name, btw? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-downgraded-from-charter-member-to-guest/497936/9 "2009-05-28T16:52:15Z")
> [@alterego](#): > > What’s your real name, btw? 😃 Elton John ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-downgraded-from-charter-member-to-guest/497936/10 "2009-05-28T16:59:07Z")
Glad you’re back, CC. ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-downgraded-from-charter-member-to-guest/497936/11 "2009-05-28T17:05:38Z")
Well, I will always feels slightly diminished as a result of my new pedestrian status, but I’m here for the duration. And actually, I did see an e-mail from the SDMB, but I think I understood that as a member in perpetuity - for the price of an annual re-up - I didn’t have to do anything. Clearly, I was wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-downgraded-from-charter-member-to-guest/497936/12 "2009-05-28T17:08:02Z")
When I see these threads every May, I just take out insurance, by renewing. (You can do it up to 12 months in advance of the subscription expiring). So I renewed a few days ago, and I’m good until May 2011. ---
**Author:** ![j\_sum1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8baadc/32.png) [@j\_sum1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j_sum1)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-downgraded-from-charter-member-to-guest/497936/13 "2009-05-29T00:19:18Z")
I missed the deadline also. I thought I had re-subscribed months ago and ignored the notice. Is there no way that Charter status can be restored? ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-downgraded-from-charter-member-to-guest/497936/14 "2009-05-29T01:02:55Z")
Once a Charter Membership has been allowed to lapse it cannot be reinstated. There’s nothing any of us can do to fix this. I am so sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-downgraded-from-charter-member-to-guest/497936/15 "2009-05-29T02:23:10Z")
> [@CC](#): > > And actually, I did see an e-mail from the SDMB, but I think I understood that as a member in perpetuity - for the price of an annual re-up - I didn’t have to do anything. I should note here, in fairness, that you did say, “Clearly, I was wrong”. I don’t understand. As a member in perptuity for the price of an annual re-up, you believed that you needed to do nothing? Really? _Really?_ Am I being whooshed here? You really didn’t realize that you would have to make your annual payment? The way you wrote what your wrote, it same across to me as “Gosh, I can’t believe I did nothing and nothing happened!” Sorry about that. I was probably rude even to bring it up. I was just hoping that you were whooshing people. And I felt that if you you weren’t, the only right thing to do was set you straight on how the world works. You do something; something happens. You do nothing; nothing happens. Oh. And welcome back. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![leander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bcef8e/32.png) [@leander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leander)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-downgraded-from-charter-member-to-guest/497936/16 "2009-05-29T12:29:33Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > Once a Charter Membership has been allowed to lapse it cannot be reinstated. There’s nothing any of us can do to fix this. I am so sorry. This is not true. You have a policy (and a very bad one at that) that prevents you from reinstating Charter Membership. In actuality, you can very easily change a user’s title to CM. Please don’t conflate “can” and “will”. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-downgraded-from-charter-member-to-guest/497936/17 "2009-05-29T12:33:42Z")
No, I can’t move someone back into the Charter Member database and make it stick. None of the admins can. Neither can the mods. And we don’t set policy on subscriptions. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-downgraded-from-charter-member-to-guest/497936/18 "2009-05-29T12:35:46Z")
> [@leander](#): > > This is not true. You have a policy (and a very bad one at that) that prevents you from reinstating Charter Membership. In actuality, you can very easily change a user’s title to CM. > > Please don’t conflate “can” and “will”. I have no doubt that an Admin _could_ manually change the title under the member’s name, but that would only change the title, not revert their subscription price. ---
**Author:** ![leander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bcef8e/32.png) [@leander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leander)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-downgraded-from-charter-member-to-guest/497936/19 "2009-05-29T12:46:16Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > I have no doubt that an Admin _could_ manually change the title under the member’s name, but that would only change the title, not revert their subscription price. 99% of the complaints are about the lost title, not the extra 7 bucks. For some reason dopers are crazy about that title. TPTB have decided to draw a line in the sand around a stupid and arbitrary issue. But suggesting that you cannot change the CM title is disingenuous. ETA - if you wanted to, you could change any and every title you wanted to CM. But you \*choose \*not to. That pisses a lot of people off. And suggesting you cannot is disingenuous. ---
**Author:** ![zuma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9c0ed/32.png) [@zuma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zuma)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-downgraded-from-charter-member-to-guest/497936/20 "2009-05-29T13:12:21Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > I should note here, in fairness, that you did say, “Clearly, I was wrong”. I don’t understand. As a member in perptuity for the price of an annual re-up, you believed that you needed to do nothing? Really? _Really?_ Am I being whooshed here? You really didn’t realize that you would have to make your annual payment? The way you wrote what your wrote, it same across to me as “Gosh, I can’t believe I did nothing and nothing happened!” Sorry about that. I was probably rude even to bring it up. I was just hoping that you were whooshing people. And I felt that if you you weren’t, the only right thing to do was set you straight on how the world works. You do something; something happens. You do nothing; nothing happens. Oh. And welcome back. 🙂 Your’re not being whooshed. I think he mistakenly thought he had set up a recurring subscription. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-downgraded-from-charter-member-to-guest/497936.md?page=2)