This is an essay. It contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. This page is not an encyclopedia article, nor is it one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines, as it has not been thoroughly vetted by the community. Some essays represent widespread norms; others only represent minority viewpoints.

Note: In the essay below, my conclusion that Adminship is a big deal is based on the evidence as I interpret it, not a reflection of how I feel adminship should be perceived.

It is common to hear the 2003 quote by Jimbo Wales in reference to adminship (sysop is the technical name for adminship):

• "becoming a sysop is not a big deal" gmane archive entry.

What adminship should be and what it is are two different things. The community's view of the importance of handing out adminships is shown daily at the WP:RFA page. Currently, it is clear from WP:RFA, adminship is a big deal despite the hopes of many that it would remain not a big deal.

Evidence:

• desysopping and resysoppings.
• People who have left WP (or threatened to) over adminship status.
• RfA Oppose votes (reasons for)
• Radiant's observation

Solutions:

• Consensus should be for change in the status quo, so to desysop someone should require a consensus to desysop, not a consensus to sysop.
• The ArbCom is not correct to say that they are giving the community the choice over a desysopped admin, because it is the ArbCom that has decided which sysops to subject to an RfA and who not to. (Well over a hundred of the current admins would fail to pass RfA if they had to go through it now)
• One picks up enemies when engaged in any administrative position. The failure of past ArbCom members to be reelected shows that no one is immune. Failure to win a second time (in ArbCom or as an Admin) is a measure of your involvement (picking up enemies) rather than a measure of your suitability for the job.
• Other sanctions can be applied. If adminship should be no big deal, then why not temporarily revoke it as a punishment, rather than require an unrealistic resysopping hurdle.