Hoi,
Fae what I object to is assuming going to a conference with " too big" a
delegation is a waste of money by definition. In your reply you mention *
you were a chair of the chapter and, * you do not know Katherine Ruth.
Given that you were the chair of the chapter, you should be happy new
people are joining the fray; it shows the chapter is vibrant and new people
join.
In WIkipedia there was a time when we had disdain for rules. I applaud this
sentiment; rules for rules sake is neither effective nor cost effective.
My point is very much that it is for the chapter to decide if they spend
their money wisely. It is for members of a chapter to question this at an
appropriate time and at an appropriate place. When other considerations
exist like agreements not to send too many people, then it is for the
people involved to address these issues.
Really Fae, as you are no longer the chair, why rule "from the grave"?
Thanks,
GerardM
On 31 March 2014 15:36, Fæ <fae...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On 31 March 2014 14:08, Gerard Meijssen <gerard.meijs...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Hoi,
> > When there is enough money to go around, efficacy should be the primary
> > consideration. When charitable funds are available and they are not spend
> > because of misplaced frugality, it is obvious to me that priorities are
> out
> > of kilter.
> >
> > Your second arguments makes more sense but also up to a point. When the
> > bigger chapters are more able to do what is right by all chapters, it
> means
> > that they should be present and listen more and impose less. When the
> > German chapter sends fewer people, it does not imply that what these
> people
> > have to say carries less weight. When fewer people mean that the existing
> > needs for us as a world community are not heard, it is not effective at
> > all. When people are effective at a conference and are the ones who
> decide
> > on how to move forward, where to spend money they should be at the
> > conferences where the combined efforts may be aligned.
> >
> > Money should only be a consideration when there is not enough and when it
> > is not spend effectively.
> > Thanks,
> > GerardM
>
> Gerard, I am unclear if you believe that from the information
> available this appears to be an effective use of Wikimedia funds. For
> one chapter to break the rules and send significantly more
> representatives to this conference than the others when they are not
> even the host does not appear effective to my eyes, rather than
> "misplaced frugality".
>
> A rationale for a higher UK representatives might be that London is
> the host for Wikimania this year, however the attendees going for
> other reasons were excluded from the count of 8. From my quick check,
> there are actually 10 members of Wikimedia UK going to the conference.
>
> It is reasonable to assume that they are being funded to do so through
> Wikimedia funds, however as there are no complete open list I cannot
> check this fact.
>
> In addition we should take care to ensure appropriate transparency
> when using our funds. It is almost impossible to fully assess how many
> employees are attending in proportion to unpaid volunteers (which
> implies costs beyond travel and accommodation), or whether named
> representatives have any experience or interests in the Wikimedia
> projects, as many names are given no link or context. For example,
> being a past Chair of the chapter I am familiar with most people
> active in it, however, oddly, this is the first time I have seen the
> name Katherine Ruth published and there is no information available
> about her on the UK wiki.
>
> Fae
> --
> fae...@gmail.com https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Fae
>
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