Thank you for that statement, James. I am principally concerned about an allegation that James leaked confidential information. If that is true, then that could be a serious problem and I can see how that would lead other trustees to feel that the "least bad" option is to remove James from the Board. Also, if that accusation is true, I think we as a community would be concerned about James' suitability for other roles in the community that involve confidentiality.
On the other hand, the Board's handling of this situation is a cause of significant concern. Some of the Board's actions to this point have been inconsistent with the standards of professionalism that I feel that the employees, donors, and community would reasonably expect from one of the world's most visible open-knowledge organizations. I would propose an investigation into the facts and circumstances of this situation by an outside party which has expertise in governance matters. It seems to me that the alternative to an external investigation is to have (another) long-running dispute about governance at WMF, which I think would be a far worse outcome than anything resulting from an external investigation that leads to public knowledge of the facts and appropriate steps being taken to address any issues that come to light in the report. I regret that we are dealing with this difficult situation on New Year's. I hope that this is a learning opportunity for all of us. Pine > 2016-01-02 1:31 GMT+01:00 James Heilman <jmh...@gmail.com>: > > > Dear all > > > > I have been accused of three things: > > > > > > 1. > > > > Giving staff unrealistic expectations regarding potential board > > decisions. I have always stated to staff that I only represented 10% > of > > the > > board and have never given assurances that I could convince other > > trustees. > > I would be interested in hearing staff weigh in on this accusation > but I > > consider it unfounded. > > > > > > > > 1. > > > > Releasing private board information. I have not made public, private > > board discussions during my time on the board. I have however pushed > for > > greater transparency both within the WMF and with our communities. I > > have > > made myself informed by discussing issues with trusted staff and > > community > > members and used independent judgement. > > > > > > > > 1. > > > > Publishing the statement about my removal on Wikimedia-l. I was not > > asked by other board members at any time before its publication to > > produce > > a joint statement or to delay publishing the statement I had put > > together a > > few days prior. The first proposal to collaborate I believe was by > > myself > > here > > > > > https://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimedia-l/2015-December/080502.html > > I was also not informed that the meeting was going to continue for the > > purpose of producing such a statement. > > > > > > I have always acted in what I believe are the best interests of the > > movement and the WMF. > > > > -- > > James Heilman > > MD, CCFP-EM, Wikipedian > > > > The Wikipedia Open Textbook of Medicine > > www.opentextbookofmedicine.com > > _______________________________________________ > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines > > New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe> > > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines > New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe> > _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe>
