Because the signs are not functioning correctly, I have enabled a /rankup command on the Semi-Vanilla server. This can be used anywhere, but it will still check to make sure you are eligible for the next rank. It will basically work the same but you do not have to visit a sign to advance to the next rank. Sorry for the convenience.
Thanks for the heads up, though the lack of views probably means there will still be a ton of players bugging staff about it *sigh*