Without needing to go into further detail, it is because to be a membership organization, pseudonyms aren't acceptable; all members must provide their full legal names and addresses. I also cannot think of a membership organization that does not charge a membership fee, although I suppose it is possible; but anything requiring a financial contribution would limit the membership to those who have the money to pay to join, which is antithetical to the movement's philosophy.
Risker/Anne On Thu, 8 Oct 2020 at 13:41, Todd Allen <[email protected]> wrote: > Why would we "not want it to be a membership organization"? In fact, many > of us want exactly that, since the WMF seems to think it can lord it over > the communities instead of fulfilling its role of serving them. > > The new Board rules basically say that the Board itself gets to say how the > community-based members are selected, instead of having actual bylaws as to > how it happens. I'd like to see it done very simply: Those eight seats > (forming a majority) on the Board should be elected (not nominated, > elected) by the community, with the Board having no veto power over the > results of the election. > > Todd > > On Wed, Oct 7, 2020 at 12:45 PM Brad Patrick <[email protected]> wrote: > > > This is a very, very old and tired argument. If you do not understand > > United States non-profit corporations, go educate yourself about those > > first. If your perspective is non-US based, you may have a different > frame > > of mind which is irreconcilable with the way WMF is. Take all the time > you > > need to see the differences before attacking WMF for (a) what it is and > (b) > > why it isn't what you want it to be. > > > > WMF exists legally, and has as its foundation organizational principle, > > authority vested in a Board. WMF is not a membership organization. You > > would not want it to be a membership organization (as a matter of law). > > > > Please temper your criticism accordingly. > > > > Brad Patrick > > Former WMF General Counsel > > > > On 10/7/20, 12:47 PM, "Wikimedia-l on behalf of Paulo Santos Perneta" < > > [email protected] on behalf of > > [email protected]> wrote: > > > > I knew they are theoretically self-appointed, but was under the > > impression > > that at least until now an appearance of democracy and legitimacy > > towards > > the community has been respected, which no longer seems to be the > case. > > I wonder what would be the legitimacy of a self-appointing body in > the > > eyes > > of the Wikimedia Movement, and all the communities which are part of > > it? > > > > Regards, > > Paulo > > > > Adam Wight <[email protected]> escreveu no dia quarta, > > 7/10/2020 à(s) > > 17:20: > > > > > Greetings, this is a semiautomated response pointing out that the > > > Wikimedia Foundation Board is not elected, it's self-appointing. > The > > > so-called "elections" are in fact nominations to be considered by > the > > > Board. Therefore, the Bylaws have not been broken. > > > > > > This is an unfortunate arrangement, please see [1] for some > > background > > > about the conversion from a membership organization to a > > non-membership > > > organization which is no longer legally required to hold elections. > > > > > > Regards, > > > > > > Adam W. > > > [[mw:User:Adamw]] > > > > > > [1] > > > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_membership_controversy > > > > > > On 10/7/20 5:55 PM, Paulo Santos Perneta wrote: > > > > The terms of 3 BoT members expired last month, and the BoT itself > > decided > > > > to extend them? What is the legitimacy of that? And why is a BoT > > which is > > > > expected to be in a mere interim management waiting for > elections, > > > > presenting profound changes to its Bylaws [1]? > > > > > > > > [1] - > > > > > > > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Board_noticeboard/October_2020_-_Proposed_Bylaws_changes > > > > > > > > Best, > > > > Paulo > > > > > > > > Nataliia Tymkiv <[email protected]> escreveu no dia quarta, > > > 7/10/2020 > > > > à(s) 16:49: > > > > > > > >> Hello, > > > >> > > > >> I can answer a few of the questions raised in this thread. > > > >> > > > >> When the Board postponed the community selection of trustees, we > > also > > > >> extended the terms of the trustees in the affected seats (María > > > Sefidari, > > > >> Dariusz Jemielniak, and James Heilman)[1]. Their terms were > > originally > > > set > > > >> to expire last month, but because of that term extension they > are > > still > > > >> serving as trustees, and as such María remains the Board Chair > and > > > Dariusz > > > >> and James continue on as Committee Chairs[2]. > > > >> > > > >> Raju Narisetti and Esra'a Al Shafei have been reappointed to the > > Board > > > for > > > >> an additional three-year term[3][4]. > > > >> > > > >> The current members of the Board of Trustees are listed on the > > Wikimedia > > > >> Foundation website[5]. > > > >> > > > >> We do not currently have a shortage of trustees on the Board, > and > > we > > > have > > > >> had a quorum for every decision we have made this year. We have > > > published > > > >> some outstanding Board records, many of which were just approved > > at our > > > >> recent meeting in September[6][7]. > > > >> > > > >> I have just sent an email to this list, as well as posted an > > update to > > > >> Meta-Wiki, with a request for feedback on matters related to the > > > >> Foundation’s Bylaws and trustee selection[8]. That announcement > > contains > > > >> more information about the postponed community selection of > > trustees. > > > >> > > > >> Best regards, > > > >> > > > >> antanana / Nataliia Tymkiv > > > >> > > > >> Vice Chair, Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees > > > >> > > > >> [1] > > > >> > > > >> > > > > > > https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Resolution:Postponement_of_Community_Selection_of_Trustees_and_Extension_of_Community_Selected_Trustee_Terms_until_next_selection_process > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> [2] > > > >> > > > >> > > > > > > https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Resolution:Board_Officers_and_Committee_Membership,_2019 > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> [3] > > > >> > > > >> > > > > > > https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Resolution:Renewing_Raju_Narisetti%27s_Appointment_to_the_Board_of_Trustees,_2020 > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> [4] > > > >> > > > >> > > > > > > https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Resolution:Renewing_Esra%27a_Al_Shafei%27s_Appointment_to_the_Board_of_Trustees,_2020 > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> [5] https://wikimediafoundation.org/role/board/ > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> [6] https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Meetings > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> [7] https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Resolutions > > > >> > > > >> [8] > > > >> > > > >> > > > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Board_noticeboard/October_2020_-_Call_for_feedback_about_Bylaws_changes_and_Board_candidate_rubric > > > >> < > > > >> > > > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Board_noticeboard/July_2020_-_Call_for_feedback_about_Bylaws_changes_and_Board_candidate_rubric > > > >> > > > >> *NOTICE: You may have received this message outside of your > normal > > > working > > > >> hours/days, as I usually can work more as a volunteer during > > weekend. > > > You > > > >> should not feel obligated to answer it during your days off. > > Thank you > > > in > > > >> advance!* > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> On Thu, Oct 1, 2020 at 9:52 PM Bill Takatoshi < > > [email protected]> > > > >> wrote: > > > >> > > > >>> After I asked my questions on September 4, I was sent the > message > > > >>> below by some role account I've never heard of, asking about > > claims > > > >>> that have used the names of five other people. I don't edit > > under my > > > >>> real name, but I have never used the names in the linked forum > > > >>> postings. > > > >>> > > > >>> The linked posts also claim that the Foundation's nonprofit > > status is > > > >>> at risk. I am not a lawyer, but I am skeptical of that claim > even > > > >>> though five Trustees whose three-year terms expired in August > > > >>> apparently voted on a Resolution in a Board meeting on > September > > 24. > > > >>> According to Section 4 of the Bylaws, "A quorum shall consist > of > > a > > > >>> majority of Trustees then in office." Section 6 says, "the > Board > > may > > > >>> continue doing business as a Board during the vacancy of any > > Trustee > > > >>> position." Therefore, since four of the five remaining Trustees > > all > > > >>> voted in favor, the Resolution was properly carried, in my > > layperson's > > > >>> view. I am less certain about the propriety of allowing a > Trustee > > > >>> whose three year term expired to continue to serve as Chair. > > > >>> > > > >>> The lack of any update or even ETA for an update on > > > >>> > > > >>> > > > >> > > > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Wikimedia_Foundation_elections/2020#Postpone%3F > > > >>> is baffling. Elections have never been held in person, only > > online, > > > >>> and so the excuse that they were postponed because of the > > pandemic > > > >>> crisis seems extremely suspicious. Indefinitely delaying > > elections for > > > >>> such a vacuous reason makes the Foundation look like the worst > > of the > > > >>> bad actors in today's international political climate. Doesn't > > the > > > >>> cancelled travel of the pandemic crisis give the Foundation > more > > time > > > >>> to hold elections, not less? Whether non-profit status is at > > risk or > > > >>> not, I would hope that the Foundation, Board, and Elections > > Committee > > > >>> would be more interested in upholding the principles of good > > > >>> governance than failing to even announce a new schedule or even > > a date > > > >>> by which a new schedule will be announced. > > > >>> > > > >>> -Will > > > >>> > > > >>> On Mon, Sep 14, 2020 at 10:31 PM Gender Desk < > > [email protected]> > > > >>> wrote: > > > >>>> Mr. Takatoshi, > > > >>>> > > > >>>> Wikipediocracy has suggested that you have also used the names > > "Rogol > > > >>> Domedonfors, Renée Bagslint, Jennifer Pryor-Summers, Felicity > > Braingut, > > > >>> Thomas Townsend and others." > > > >>> http://wikipediocracy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=11567 > > > >>>> Can you comment on that? > > > >>>> > > > >>>> Regards, > > > >>>> Genderdesk > > > >>>> > > > >>>> genderdesk.wordpress.com > > > >>> > > > >>> On Mon, Sep 14, 2020 at 7:38 PM Samuel Klein < > [email protected]> > > > wrote: > > > >>>> Can anyone from the elections committee comment? What is the > > current > > > >>>> plan? //S > > > >>>> On Fri, Sep 4, 2020 at 8:05 PM Bill Takatoshi < > > > [email protected] > > > >>>> wrote: > > > >>>> > > > >>>>> How long can the Foundation legally postpone Board of > Trustees > > > >>> elections? > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> > > > >> > > > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Wikimedia_Foundation_elections/2020#Postpone%3F > > > >>>>> has a comment from April saying, "Once things get moving > again, > > > >>>>> appopriate [sic] date for the election will be decided and an > > > >>>>> announcement will be made." > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> > > > >> > > > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_Board_of_Trustees#Current_members > > > >>>>> suggests that five board members terms end on "Wikimania > 2020" > > -- but > > > >>>>> is that accurate? > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> > > > >> > > > > > > https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Resolution:Term_Limit_Proposal_for_Bylaws > > > >>>>> is clear that "All Board terms are three years" and "the term > > of each > > > >>>>> such appointment shall not exceed three years." > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> Who are the current members of the Board of Trustees? > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> Can the board achieve a quorum in its present state? > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> Who is the Chair currently? > > > >>>>> > > > >>>> -- > > > >>>> Samuel Klein @metasj w:user:sj +1 > > 617 529 > > > >>> 4266 > > > >>> > > > >>> _______________________________________________ > > > >>> 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: [email protected] > > > >>> Unsubscribe: > > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > > >>> <mailto:[email protected] > > ?subject=unsubscribe> > > > >>> > > > >> _______________________________________________ > > > >> 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: [email protected] > > > >> Unsubscribe: > > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > > >> <mailto:[email protected] > > ?subject=unsubscribe> > > > >> > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > 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: [email protected] > > > > Unsubscribe: > > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > > <mailto:[email protected] > ?subject=unsubscribe> > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > 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: [email protected] > > > Unsubscribe: > > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > > <mailto:[email protected] > ?subject=unsubscribe> > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > 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: [email protected] > > Unsubscribe: > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > <mailto:[email protected]?subject=unsubscribe> > > _______________________________________________ > > 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: [email protected] > > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > <mailto:[email protected]?subject=unsubscribe> > > > _______________________________________________ > 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: [email protected] > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > <mailto:[email protected]?subject=unsubscribe> > _______________________________________________ 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: [email protected] Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, <mailto:[email protected]?subject=unsubscribe>
