Re: [Wikimedia-l] Proposed changes to the Wikimedia Foundation Bylaws

[María Sefidari]

El dom., 10 feb. 2019 22:15, Philip Kopetzky 
escribió:

> I just wanted to re-iterate Chris' point - meetings and plans are starting
> to be put together for the summit, so if this is actually happening, it
> should start soon. (Just to appear as non-committal as possible ;-) )
>
> Cheers,
> Philip
>

Hey there - thanks for your messages. Just wanted to signal that info will
be coming out very shortly.

Kind regards,

María



> On Thu, 7 Feb 2019 at 16:43, Chris Keating 
> wrote:
>
> > Hi Maria,
> >
> > I wondered if there was any news about whether the Board had, in the end,
> > adopted any of these proposals.
> >
> > I see that the ASBS process is now on the agenda for the Wikimedia Summit
> > in late March. There is now not much time to figure out who is going to
> run
> > this process and what the process will look like!
> >
> > Many thanks,
> >
> > Chris
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On Fri, Dec 7, 2018 at 3:46 PM María Sefidari 
> > wrote:
> >
> > > Dear all,
> > >
> > > The Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees is considering amending the
> > > Wikimedia Foundation Bylaws. Nataliia Tymkiv, Chair of the Board
> > Governance
> > > Committee, is leading this process. She has posted the proposed changes
> > on
> > > Meta for discussion
> > > <
> > >
> >
> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_bylaws/December_2018_-_Affiliate-selected_trustees,_term_limits,_and_diversity
> > > >
> > > prior to our vote on them during the Board meeting scheduled for
> January
> > > 23, 2019. We invite you to comment on the proposal's talk page. As
> usual
> > in
> > > these cases, two weeks are provided for community comment, from
> December
> > 7
> > > to December 21.
> > >
> > > By making the proposed changes to the Bylaws, the Board intends to
> > achieve
> > > three goals:
> > >
> > > *1. Include User Groups in the trustee selection process*
> > >
> > > Though User Groups have existed as a model of affiliation within the
> > > Wikimedia movement for a number of years, they have not been included
> > > together with Chapters and Thematic Organizations as participants in
> > > selecting Wikimedia Foundation trustees. There are now over 100
> > recognized
> > > User Groups, many of which represent emerging communities within the
> > > Wikimedia movement. The Board believes that the perspectives of User
> > Groups
> > > combined with those of Chapters and Thematic Organizations will lead to
> > the
> > > selection of the best trustee candidates.
> > >
> > > The Board acknowledges that the ongoing Wikimedia movement strategy
> > process
> > > may result in changes to many aspects of the Wikimedia movement,
> > including
> > > the structure of movement affiliates. As a result, any changes we make
> > now
> > > to the Foundation Bylaws regarding the role of affiliates in the
> trustee
> > > selection process may need to be modified again in the future, in turn
> > > requiring additional amendments to the Bylaws. However, the Board did
> not
> > > want to delay providing User Groups with a voice in the upcoming 2019
> > > trustee selection process.
> > >
> > > *2. Raise term limits for trustees from two to three consecutive terms*
> > >
> > > Term limits for trustees were added to the Bylaws in 2015. At the time,
> > > there was a desire on the Board to bring in new voices and specific
> > > skill-sets needed for the growth and development of Wikimedia projects.
> > The
> > > changes made at that time have resulted in some notable successes in
> that
> > > regard. The Board remains committed to seeking out new voices, and
> > > providing the community with ample opportunities to promote such voices
> > as
> > > candidates for the Board.
> > >
> > > As the Wikimedia movement and the Wikimedia Foundation think forward
> > > further to the future, the Board will need to oversee the Foundation in
> > > setting, following through on, and achieving longer-term goals. The
> Board
> > > believes it will be better able to fulfill its role if it allows for
> the
> > > potential of a longer time on the Board for individual trustees who
> bring
> > > essential expertise and insight to the Board. The possibility of
> serving
> > > one additional term on the Board also reduces the amount of time the
> > Board
> > > and Foundation staff spend on trustee recruitment and onboarding.
> Raising
> > > the maximum number of consecutive terms a trustee may serve from two to
> > > three terms achieves these goals, and is also consistent with the
> > practice
> > > of many other boards. Raising the maximum number of terms that can be
> > > served consecutively does not change the fact that the community,
> > including
> > > affiliates, will continue to be able to determine every three years
> > whether
> > > or not to re-elect currently serving trustees or whether to elect new
> > > candidates - just as is the case now.
> > >
> > > *3. Reaffirm the Board’s commitment to diversity*
> > >
> > > The Wikimedia movement is global, built on a 

Re: [Wikimedia-l] Proposed changes to the Wikimedia Foundation Bylaws

[Philip Kopetzky]

I just wanted to re-iterate Chris' point - meetings and plans are starting
to be put together for the summit, so if this is actually happening, it
should start soon. (Just to appear as non-committal as possible ;-) )

Cheers,
Philip

On Thu, 7 Feb 2019 at 16:43, Chris Keating 
wrote:

> Hi Maria,
>
> I wondered if there was any news about whether the Board had, in the end,
> adopted any of these proposals.
>
> I see that the ASBS process is now on the agenda for the Wikimedia Summit
> in late March. There is now not much time to figure out who is going to run
> this process and what the process will look like!
>
> Many thanks,
>
> Chris
>
>
>
>
> On Fri, Dec 7, 2018 at 3:46 PM María Sefidari 
> wrote:
>
> > Dear all,
> >
> > The Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees is considering amending the
> > Wikimedia Foundation Bylaws. Nataliia Tymkiv, Chair of the Board
> Governance
> > Committee, is leading this process. She has posted the proposed changes
> on
> > Meta for discussion
> > <
> >
> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_bylaws/December_2018_-_Affiliate-selected_trustees,_term_limits,_and_diversity
> > >
> > prior to our vote on them during the Board meeting scheduled for January
> > 23, 2019. We invite you to comment on the proposal's talk page. As usual
> in
> > these cases, two weeks are provided for community comment, from December
> 7
> > to December 21.
> >
> > By making the proposed changes to the Bylaws, the Board intends to
> achieve
> > three goals:
> >
> > *1. Include User Groups in the trustee selection process*
> >
> > Though User Groups have existed as a model of affiliation within the
> > Wikimedia movement for a number of years, they have not been included
> > together with Chapters and Thematic Organizations as participants in
> > selecting Wikimedia Foundation trustees. There are now over 100
> recognized
> > User Groups, many of which represent emerging communities within the
> > Wikimedia movement. The Board believes that the perspectives of User
> Groups
> > combined with those of Chapters and Thematic Organizations will lead to
> the
> > selection of the best trustee candidates.
> >
> > The Board acknowledges that the ongoing Wikimedia movement strategy
> process
> > may result in changes to many aspects of the Wikimedia movement,
> including
> > the structure of movement affiliates. As a result, any changes we make
> now
> > to the Foundation Bylaws regarding the role of affiliates in the trustee
> > selection process may need to be modified again in the future, in turn
> > requiring additional amendments to the Bylaws. However, the Board did not
> > want to delay providing User Groups with a voice in the upcoming 2019
> > trustee selection process.
> >
> > *2. Raise term limits for trustees from two to three consecutive terms*
> >
> > Term limits for trustees were added to the Bylaws in 2015. At the time,
> > there was a desire on the Board to bring in new voices and specific
> > skill-sets needed for the growth and development of Wikimedia projects.
> The
> > changes made at that time have resulted in some notable successes in that
> > regard. The Board remains committed to seeking out new voices, and
> > providing the community with ample opportunities to promote such voices
> as
> > candidates for the Board.
> >
> > As the Wikimedia movement and the Wikimedia Foundation think forward
> > further to the future, the Board will need to oversee the Foundation in
> > setting, following through on, and achieving longer-term goals. The Board
> > believes it will be better able to fulfill its role if it allows for the
> > potential of a longer time on the Board for individual trustees who bring
> > essential expertise and insight to the Board. The possibility of serving
> > one additional term on the Board also reduces the amount of time the
> Board
> > and Foundation staff spend on trustee recruitment and onboarding. Raising
> > the maximum number of consecutive terms a trustee may serve from two to
> > three terms achieves these goals, and is also consistent with the
> practice
> > of many other boards. Raising the maximum number of terms that can be
> > served consecutively does not change the fact that the community,
> including
> > affiliates, will continue to be able to determine every three years
> whether
> > or not to re-elect currently serving trustees or whether to elect new
> > candidates - just as is the case now.
> >
> > *3. Reaffirm the Board’s commitment to diversity*
> >
> > The Wikimedia movement is global, built on a vision of reaching every
> > single human being and working toward a strategic goal of knowledge
> equity
> > for all. The Board believes that it can best serve the Wikimedia
> Foundation
> > and the movement by reflecting a wide range of human experiences. We want
> > to underscore and codify this belief in the Bylaws by adding express
> > language affirming our commitment to diversity and inclusion of all
> voices,
> > throughout 

Re: [Wikimedia-l] Proposed changes to the Wikimedia Foundation Bylaws

[Chris Keating]

Hi Maria,

I wondered if there was any news about whether the Board had, in the end,
adopted any of these proposals.

I see that the ASBS process is now on the agenda for the Wikimedia Summit
in late March. There is now not much time to figure out who is going to run
this process and what the process will look like!

Many thanks,

Chris




On Fri, Dec 7, 2018 at 3:46 PM María Sefidari 
wrote:

> Dear all,
>
> The Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees is considering amending the
> Wikimedia Foundation Bylaws. Nataliia Tymkiv, Chair of the Board Governance
> Committee, is leading this process. She has posted the proposed changes on
> Meta for discussion
> <
> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_bylaws/December_2018_-_Affiliate-selected_trustees,_term_limits,_and_diversity
> >
> prior to our vote on them during the Board meeting scheduled for January
> 23, 2019. We invite you to comment on the proposal's talk page. As usual in
> these cases, two weeks are provided for community comment, from December 7
> to December 21.
>
> By making the proposed changes to the Bylaws, the Board intends to achieve
> three goals:
>
> *1. Include User Groups in the trustee selection process*
>
> Though User Groups have existed as a model of affiliation within the
> Wikimedia movement for a number of years, they have not been included
> together with Chapters and Thematic Organizations as participants in
> selecting Wikimedia Foundation trustees. There are now over 100 recognized
> User Groups, many of which represent emerging communities within the
> Wikimedia movement. The Board believes that the perspectives of User Groups
> combined with those of Chapters and Thematic Organizations will lead to the
> selection of the best trustee candidates.
>
> The Board acknowledges that the ongoing Wikimedia movement strategy process
> may result in changes to many aspects of the Wikimedia movement, including
> the structure of movement affiliates. As a result, any changes we make now
> to the Foundation Bylaws regarding the role of affiliates in the trustee
> selection process may need to be modified again in the future, in turn
> requiring additional amendments to the Bylaws. However, the Board did not
> want to delay providing User Groups with a voice in the upcoming 2019
> trustee selection process.
>
> *2. Raise term limits for trustees from two to three consecutive terms*
>
> Term limits for trustees were added to the Bylaws in 2015. At the time,
> there was a desire on the Board to bring in new voices and specific
> skill-sets needed for the growth and development of Wikimedia projects. The
> changes made at that time have resulted in some notable successes in that
> regard. The Board remains committed to seeking out new voices, and
> providing the community with ample opportunities to promote such voices as
> candidates for the Board.
>
> As the Wikimedia movement and the Wikimedia Foundation think forward
> further to the future, the Board will need to oversee the Foundation in
> setting, following through on, and achieving longer-term goals. The Board
> believes it will be better able to fulfill its role if it allows for the
> potential of a longer time on the Board for individual trustees who bring
> essential expertise and insight to the Board. The possibility of serving
> one additional term on the Board also reduces the amount of time the Board
> and Foundation staff spend on trustee recruitment and onboarding. Raising
> the maximum number of consecutive terms a trustee may serve from two to
> three terms achieves these goals, and is also consistent with the practice
> of many other boards. Raising the maximum number of terms that can be
> served consecutively does not change the fact that the community, including
> affiliates, will continue to be able to determine every three years whether
> or not to re-elect currently serving trustees or whether to elect new
> candidates - just as is the case now.
>
> *3. Reaffirm the Board’s commitment to diversity*
>
> The Wikimedia movement is global, built on a vision of reaching every
> single human being and working toward a strategic goal of knowledge equity
> for all. The Board believes that it can best serve the Wikimedia Foundation
> and the movement by reflecting a wide range of human experiences. We want
> to underscore and codify this belief in the Bylaws by adding express
> language affirming our commitment to diversity and inclusion of all voices,
> throughout our communities - new, older and emerging.
>
> Kind regards,
>
> María Sefidari
> Chair, Wikimedia Foundation Board
> ___
> Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at:
> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and
> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l
> New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org
> Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l,
> 

Re: [Wikimedia-l] Proposed changes to the Wikimedia Foundation Bylaws

[Frans Grijzenhout]

Hi all,

I want to express my concerns regarding this proposal to amend the WMF
bylaws at this moment.

It is a clear attempt to change the structure of our movement, and it seems
to be a logic step after the endorsement of the Movement Direction
(“Structure follows strategy”). However this proposal interferes with our
common commitment to the second step of the Movement Strategy.

After the endorsement of the Movement Direction 9 working groups have been
installed. Their basic assignment is: “[...] map the present situation of
their respective Thematic Areas, including the obstacles and opportunities,
as well as changes needed for the movement to advance in our Strategic
Direction. They will identify possible strategies for making these changes
and develop concrete recommendations for the movement on how to *ratify and
implement* [italics mine] them.

This wording is in accordance with the email of Maria Sefidari of July 19,
2018 in which she expressed the commitment of the Board of Trustees to this
process. I quote from her email: “Now our task as a movement is to apply
the Strategic Direction to our own work. We need to answer questions that
define our path forward: What kind of *structures* [again, the italics are
mine] are ideal for achieving our strategic direction?”

Issuing a proposal to change the bylaws clearly trespasses the work of all
those involved in the Wikimedia 2030 Movement Strategy Process. I urge the
Board of Trustees to postpone a decision about this matter and I suggest to
hand over the recommendations of the Affcom to the appropriate working
groups.

Finally: Of course I do not want the Board of Trustees to act passively
during the Movement Strategy Process. But this proposal is only a part of
the bigger problem that we have to solve: the organization of the
affiliates (chapters, user groups, new forms of affiliation) and the whole
decision making process that goes with this, and as such it concerns the
very heart of the international community. It needs a more careful
consideration than the one-time consultation that has now been started.
Let's not undermine this process, let's stick to the process that we have
committed ourselves to.

Frans Grijzenhout (chair WMNL, moderator Affiliate Chairpersons meetings)

*Frans Grijzenhout*, voorzitter / chair
+31 6 5333 9499
-- 
*Vereniging Wikimedia Nederland*
Mariaplaats 3  -  3511 LH Utrecht
Kamer van Koophandel 17189036
http://www.wikimedia.nl/


Op zo 9 dec. 2018 om 00:13 schreef Pine W :

> I think that the proposals are worth considering, although my wish list for
> reforming the WMF Board has other priorities at this time (especially
> regarding transparency, and the changing of the Founder's seat to a
> community-selected seat). I think that these proposals should wait until
> after the Strategy process is further along.
>
> I note the concerns that people have expressed about both proposals, both
> here and on the talk page. I encourage the Board and staff to avoid
> becoming locked into defending the proposals and pushing them through in
> their current forms.
>
> However, I think that the Board should be encouraged to make proposals to
> the community like this, and I thank the Board for making these proposals
> open for public discussion.
>
> Pine
> ( https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Pine )
> ___
> Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at:
> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and
> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l
> New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org
> Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l,
> 
___
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https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and 
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l
New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org
Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, 

Re: [Wikimedia-l] Proposed changes to the Wikimedia Foundation Bylaws

[Pine W]

I think that the proposals are worth considering, although my wish list for
reforming the WMF Board has other priorities at this time (especially
regarding transparency, and the changing of the Founder's seat to a
community-selected seat). I think that these proposals should wait until
after the Strategy process is further along.

I note the concerns that people have expressed about both proposals, both
here and on the talk page. I encourage the Board and staff to avoid
becoming locked into defending the proposals and pushing them through in
their current forms.

However, I think that the Board should be encouraged to make proposals to
the community like this, and I thank the Board for making these proposals
open for public discussion.

Pine
( https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Pine )
___
Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: 
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and 
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l
New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org
Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, 

Re: [Wikimedia-l] Proposed changes to the Wikimedia Foundation Bylaws

[Paulo Santos Perneta]

Indeed, the proposed changes do not seem to be an improvement at all, for
the reasons stated in the talk page.

Paulo

Chris Keating  escreveu no dia sábado,
8/12/2018 à(s) 09:46:

> Same here!
>
> TL:DR – This might not be a great idea, because it’s not what User Groups
> were designed for. And shouldn’t the WMF Board be thinking more broadly
> than this sort of fiddling round the edges?
>
> Chris
>
> Sent from Mail for Windows 10
>
> From: Lane Rasberry
> Sent: 07 December 2018 17:13
> To: Wikimedia Mailing List
> Cc: wikimediaannounc...@lists.wikimedia.org
> Subject: Re: [Wikimedia-l] Proposed changes to the Wikimedia Foundation
> Bylaws
>
> Hello,
>
> I posted some comments and questions to the talk page.
> <
>
> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Wikimedia_Foundation_bylaws/December_2018_-_Affiliate-selected_trustees,_term_limits,_and_diversity
> >
>
> I would appreciate anyone else jumping in to comment, fill in information
> gaps, or advance the conversation in any way.
>
> Thanks -
>
>
> On Fri, Dec 7, 2018 at 10:46 AM María Sefidari 
> wrote:
>
> > Dear all,
> >
> > The Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees is considering amending the
> > Wikimedia Foundation Bylaws. Nataliia Tymkiv, Chair of the Board
> Governance
> > Committee, is leading this process. She has posted the proposed changes
> on
> > Meta for discussion
> > <
> >
> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_bylaws/December_2018_-_Affiliate-selected_trustees,_term_limits,_and_diversity
> > >
> > prior to our vote on them during the Board meeting scheduled for January
> > 23, 2019. We invite you to comment on the proposal's talk page. As usual
> in
> > these cases, two weeks are provided for community comment, from December
> 7
> > to December 21.
> >
> > By making the proposed changes to the Bylaws, the Board intends to
> achieve
> > three goals:
> >
> > *1. Include User Groups in the trustee selection process*
> >
> > Though User Groups have existed as a model of affiliation within the
> > Wikimedia movement for a number of years, they have not been included
> > together with Chapters and Thematic Organizations as participants in
> > selecting Wikimedia Foundation trustees. There are now over 100
> recognized
> > User Groups, many of which represent emerging communities within the
> > Wikimedia movement. The Board believes that the perspectives of User
> Groups
> > combined with those of Chapters and Thematic Organizations will lead to
> the
> > selection of the best trustee candidates.
> >
> > The Board acknowledges that the ongoing Wikimedia movement strategy
> process
> > may result in changes to many aspects of the Wikimedia movement,
> including
> > the structure of movement affiliates. As a result, any changes we make
> now
> > to the Foundation Bylaws regarding the role of affiliates in the trustee
> > selection process may need to be modified again in the future, in turn
> > requiring additional amendments to the Bylaws. However, the Board did not
> > want to delay providing User Groups with a voice in the upcoming 2019
> > trustee selection process.
> >
> > *2. Raise term limits for trustees from two to three consecutive terms*
> >
> > Term limits for trustees were added to the Bylaws in 2015. At the time,
> > there was a desire on the Board to bring in new voices and specific
> > skill-sets needed for the growth and development of Wikimedia projects.
> The
> > changes made at that time have resulted in some notable successes in that
> > regard. The Board remains committed to seeking out new voices, and
> > providing the community with ample opportunities to promote such voices
> as
> > candidates for the Board.
> >
> > As the Wikimedia movement and the Wikimedia Foundation think forward
> > further to the future, the Board will need to oversee the Foundation in
> > setting, following through on, and achieving longer-term goals. The Board
> > believes it will be better able to fulfill its role if it allows for the
> > potential of a longer time on the Board for individual trustees who bring
> > essential expertise and insight to the Board. The possibility of serving
> > one additional term on the Board also reduces the amount of time the
> Board
> > and Foundation staff spend on trustee recruitment and onboarding. Raising
> > the maximum number of consecutive terms a trustee may serve from two to
> > three terms achieves these goals, and is also consistent with the
> practice
> > of many other boards. Raising

Re: [Wikimedia-l] Proposed changes to the Wikimedia Foundation Bylaws

[Chris Keating]

Same here!

TL:DR – This might not be a great idea, because it’s not what User Groups were 
designed for. And shouldn’t the WMF Board be thinking more broadly than this 
sort of fiddling round the edges?

Chris

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

From: Lane Rasberry
Sent: 07 December 2018 17:13
To: Wikimedia Mailing List
Cc: wikimediaannounc...@lists.wikimedia.org
Subject: Re: [Wikimedia-l] Proposed changes to the Wikimedia Foundation Bylaws

Hello,

I posted some comments and questions to the talk page.
<
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Wikimedia_Foundation_bylaws/December_2018_-_Affiliate-selected_trustees,_term_limits,_and_diversity
>

I would appreciate anyone else jumping in to comment, fill in information
gaps, or advance the conversation in any way.

Thanks -


On Fri, Dec 7, 2018 at 10:46 AM María Sefidari 
wrote:

> Dear all,
>
> The Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees is considering amending the
> Wikimedia Foundation Bylaws. Nataliia Tymkiv, Chair of the Board Governance
> Committee, is leading this process. She has posted the proposed changes on
> Meta for discussion
> <
> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_bylaws/December_2018_-_Affiliate-selected_trustees,_term_limits,_and_diversity
> >
> prior to our vote on them during the Board meeting scheduled for January
> 23, 2019. We invite you to comment on the proposal's talk page. As usual in
> these cases, two weeks are provided for community comment, from December 7
> to December 21.
>
> By making the proposed changes to the Bylaws, the Board intends to achieve
> three goals:
>
> *1. Include User Groups in the trustee selection process*
>
> Though User Groups have existed as a model of affiliation within the
> Wikimedia movement for a number of years, they have not been included
> together with Chapters and Thematic Organizations as participants in
> selecting Wikimedia Foundation trustees. There are now over 100 recognized
> User Groups, many of which represent emerging communities within the
> Wikimedia movement. The Board believes that the perspectives of User Groups
> combined with those of Chapters and Thematic Organizations will lead to the
> selection of the best trustee candidates.
>
> The Board acknowledges that the ongoing Wikimedia movement strategy process
> may result in changes to many aspects of the Wikimedia movement, including
> the structure of movement affiliates. As a result, any changes we make now
> to the Foundation Bylaws regarding the role of affiliates in the trustee
> selection process may need to be modified again in the future, in turn
> requiring additional amendments to the Bylaws. However, the Board did not
> want to delay providing User Groups with a voice in the upcoming 2019
> trustee selection process.
>
> *2. Raise term limits for trustees from two to three consecutive terms*
>
> Term limits for trustees were added to the Bylaws in 2015. At the time,
> there was a desire on the Board to bring in new voices and specific
> skill-sets needed for the growth and development of Wikimedia projects. The
> changes made at that time have resulted in some notable successes in that
> regard. The Board remains committed to seeking out new voices, and
> providing the community with ample opportunities to promote such voices as
> candidates for the Board.
>
> As the Wikimedia movement and the Wikimedia Foundation think forward
> further to the future, the Board will need to oversee the Foundation in
> setting, following through on, and achieving longer-term goals. The Board
> believes it will be better able to fulfill its role if it allows for the
> potential of a longer time on the Board for individual trustees who bring
> essential expertise and insight to the Board. The possibility of serving
> one additional term on the Board also reduces the amount of time the Board
> and Foundation staff spend on trustee recruitment and onboarding. Raising
> the maximum number of consecutive terms a trustee may serve from two to
> three terms achieves these goals, and is also consistent with the practice
> of many other boards. Raising the maximum number of terms that can be
> served consecutively does not change the fact that the community, including
> affiliates, will continue to be able to determine every three years whether
> or not to re-elect currently serving trustees or whether to elect new
> candidates - just as is the case now.
>
> *3. Reaffirm the Board’s commitment to diversity*
>
> The Wikimedia movement is global, built on a vision of reaching every
> single human being and working toward a strategic goal of knowledge equity
> for all. The Board believes that it can best serve the Wikimedia Foundation
> and the movement by reflecting a wide range of human experiences. We want
&g

Re: [Wikimedia-l] Proposed changes to the Wikimedia Foundation Bylaws

[Lane Rasberry]

Hello,

I posted some comments and questions to the talk page.
<
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Wikimedia_Foundation_bylaws/December_2018_-_Affiliate-selected_trustees,_term_limits,_and_diversity
>

I would appreciate anyone else jumping in to comment, fill in information
gaps, or advance the conversation in any way.

Thanks -


On Fri, Dec 7, 2018 at 10:46 AM María Sefidari 
wrote:

> Dear all,
>
> The Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees is considering amending the
> Wikimedia Foundation Bylaws. Nataliia Tymkiv, Chair of the Board Governance
> Committee, is leading this process. She has posted the proposed changes on
> Meta for discussion
> <
> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_bylaws/December_2018_-_Affiliate-selected_trustees,_term_limits,_and_diversity
> >
> prior to our vote on them during the Board meeting scheduled for January
> 23, 2019. We invite you to comment on the proposal's talk page. As usual in
> these cases, two weeks are provided for community comment, from December 7
> to December 21.
>
> By making the proposed changes to the Bylaws, the Board intends to achieve
> three goals:
>
> *1. Include User Groups in the trustee selection process*
>
> Though User Groups have existed as a model of affiliation within the
> Wikimedia movement for a number of years, they have not been included
> together with Chapters and Thematic Organizations as participants in
> selecting Wikimedia Foundation trustees. There are now over 100 recognized
> User Groups, many of which represent emerging communities within the
> Wikimedia movement. The Board believes that the perspectives of User Groups
> combined with those of Chapters and Thematic Organizations will lead to the
> selection of the best trustee candidates.
>
> The Board acknowledges that the ongoing Wikimedia movement strategy process
> may result in changes to many aspects of the Wikimedia movement, including
> the structure of movement affiliates. As a result, any changes we make now
> to the Foundation Bylaws regarding the role of affiliates in the trustee
> selection process may need to be modified again in the future, in turn
> requiring additional amendments to the Bylaws. However, the Board did not
> want to delay providing User Groups with a voice in the upcoming 2019
> trustee selection process.
>
> *2. Raise term limits for trustees from two to three consecutive terms*
>
> Term limits for trustees were added to the Bylaws in 2015. At the time,
> there was a desire on the Board to bring in new voices and specific
> skill-sets needed for the growth and development of Wikimedia projects. The
> changes made at that time have resulted in some notable successes in that
> regard. The Board remains committed to seeking out new voices, and
> providing the community with ample opportunities to promote such voices as
> candidates for the Board.
>
> As the Wikimedia movement and the Wikimedia Foundation think forward
> further to the future, the Board will need to oversee the Foundation in
> setting, following through on, and achieving longer-term goals. The Board
> believes it will be better able to fulfill its role if it allows for the
> potential of a longer time on the Board for individual trustees who bring
> essential expertise and insight to the Board. The possibility of serving
> one additional term on the Board also reduces the amount of time the Board
> and Foundation staff spend on trustee recruitment and onboarding. Raising
> the maximum number of consecutive terms a trustee may serve from two to
> three terms achieves these goals, and is also consistent with the practice
> of many other boards. Raising the maximum number of terms that can be
> served consecutively does not change the fact that the community, including
> affiliates, will continue to be able to determine every three years whether
> or not to re-elect currently serving trustees or whether to elect new
> candidates - just as is the case now.
>
> *3. Reaffirm the Board’s commitment to diversity*
>
> The Wikimedia movement is global, built on a vision of reaching every
> single human being and working toward a strategic goal of knowledge equity
> for all. The Board believes that it can best serve the Wikimedia Foundation
> and the movement by reflecting a wide range of human experiences. We want
> to underscore and codify this belief in the Bylaws by adding express
> language affirming our commitment to diversity and inclusion of all voices,
> throughout our communities - new, older and emerging.
>
> Kind regards,
>
> María Sefidari
> Chair, Wikimedia Foundation Board
> ___
> Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at:
> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and
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[Wikimedia-l] Proposed changes to the Wikimedia Foundation Bylaws

[María Sefidari]

Dear all,

The Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees is considering amending the
Wikimedia Foundation Bylaws. Nataliia Tymkiv, Chair of the Board Governance
Committee, is leading this process. She has posted the proposed changes on
Meta for discussion

prior to our vote on them during the Board meeting scheduled for January
23, 2019. We invite you to comment on the proposal's talk page. As usual in
these cases, two weeks are provided for community comment, from December 7
to December 21.

By making the proposed changes to the Bylaws, the Board intends to achieve
three goals:

*1. Include User Groups in the trustee selection process*

Though User Groups have existed as a model of affiliation within the
Wikimedia movement for a number of years, they have not been included
together with Chapters and Thematic Organizations as participants in
selecting Wikimedia Foundation trustees. There are now over 100 recognized
User Groups, many of which represent emerging communities within the
Wikimedia movement. The Board believes that the perspectives of User Groups
combined with those of Chapters and Thematic Organizations will lead to the
selection of the best trustee candidates.

The Board acknowledges that the ongoing Wikimedia movement strategy process
may result in changes to many aspects of the Wikimedia movement, including
the structure of movement affiliates. As a result, any changes we make now
to the Foundation Bylaws regarding the role of affiliates in the trustee
selection process may need to be modified again in the future, in turn
requiring additional amendments to the Bylaws. However, the Board did not
want to delay providing User Groups with a voice in the upcoming 2019
trustee selection process.

*2. Raise term limits for trustees from two to three consecutive terms*

Term limits for trustees were added to the Bylaws in 2015. At the time,
there was a desire on the Board to bring in new voices and specific
skill-sets needed for the growth and development of Wikimedia projects. The
changes made at that time have resulted in some notable successes in that
regard. The Board remains committed to seeking out new voices, and
providing the community with ample opportunities to promote such voices as
candidates for the Board.

As the Wikimedia movement and the Wikimedia Foundation think forward
further to the future, the Board will need to oversee the Foundation in
setting, following through on, and achieving longer-term goals. The Board
believes it will be better able to fulfill its role if it allows for the
potential of a longer time on the Board for individual trustees who bring
essential expertise and insight to the Board. The possibility of serving
one additional term on the Board also reduces the amount of time the Board
and Foundation staff spend on trustee recruitment and onboarding. Raising
the maximum number of consecutive terms a trustee may serve from two to
three terms achieves these goals, and is also consistent with the practice
of many other boards. Raising the maximum number of terms that can be
served consecutively does not change the fact that the community, including
affiliates, will continue to be able to determine every three years whether
or not to re-elect currently serving trustees or whether to elect new
candidates - just as is the case now.

*3. Reaffirm the Board’s commitment to diversity*

The Wikimedia movement is global, built on a vision of reaching every
single human being and working toward a strategic goal of knowledge equity
for all. The Board believes that it can best serve the Wikimedia Foundation
and the movement by reflecting a wide range of human experiences. We want
to underscore and codify this belief in the Bylaws by adding express
language affirming our commitment to diversity and inclusion of all voices,
throughout our communities - new, older and emerging.

Kind regards,

María Sefidari
Chair, Wikimedia Foundation Board
___
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