Wikimedia UK, together with the other chapters, are currently drafting the
process that will be used next year to choose the members of the Wikimedia
Foundation's board who sit in the "chapter-selected" seats, We would appreciate
any comments you have on this process, so we can feed them back before it is
approved.
First, I'll summarise the background as best as I can, for those who aren't
familiar. Apologies if I state something thay everyone knows!
Wikipedia, Commons, Wikinews and the other projects are owned by the Wikimedia
Foundation, a US charity incorporated in Florida. In April 2008, the Foundation
announced [1] a change in the way the Foundation's Board is made up: in the
future, it will consist of ten members, as follows:
- Three members elected by the Wikimedia community (registered users who have
made more than a certain number of edits)
- Two members selected by the 21 recognised chapters throughout the world
- Four "specific expertise" members appointed by the Board
- One "community founder" member being Jimmy Wales
The three elected seats will be decided in July 2009 and every two years
thereafter.
The chapters were asked to fill the two chapter seats as soon as possible and
then in odd years thereafter. First they were asked to draft a process that
would be agreed by the Foundation and then to select two people following that
process. In the event, the chapters moved to discuss nominations before the
process had been agreed by the Foundation; following discussions at the
Chapters Meeting in Berlin in April a compromise was proposed: to maintain
continuity, the current chair was nominated alongside the top person to come
out of the discussions. This was eventually accepted by a majority of the
chapters and the new people were appointed a few days ago [2]. Wikimedia UK
only joined the discussions at the end - only after we were formally recognised
as a chapter in January.
So that the process is cleaner in 2010, the chapters want to prepare a formal
process so that this can be approved by the Foundation Board before the
nomination begins again. The current proposal for this process is at [3] with
proposed changed at [4]. I've copied the proposal below.
At this stage, Wikimedia UK has been asked to give its input into what we think
the process should be. A committee of 2/3 people will then be appointed from
all the chapters to re-draft the process which will then come back to us for
approval.
====
Proposal:
Every even numbered year the chapters will select two people to take seats on
The Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) board. The chapters and WMF board agree that
these board members are not intended to represent the chapters, they are
expected to act in the best interests of the WMF at all times. These selections
will be made by 1st July of each year. The following steps will be taken:
1. By 1st April: The chapters will appoint a moderator to manage the
election. This is intended to be very simple, sometime a few weeks before that
date someone should nominate a moderator and if no-one objects (which they
should only do if they have a serious problem with the candidate's ability to
do the job in an fair and impartial manner) that person will be moderator. The
moderator should not be a candidate, but they can participate in the process.
The moderator is responsible for keeping the community updated with the
progress through this process and will serve as liaison to the WMF board.
2. By 1st May: Chapters will nominate at most two candidates each by
supplying the following information on the chapters wiki:
1. The name of the nominee
2. The name of the nominating chapter
3. A statement from the chapter in support of the nominee
4. A statement from the nominee in support of themselves, confirming
they are willing and eligible to take a seat on the WMF board
3. From 1st May to 15th June: The chapters will discuss the candidates on
the chapters wiki and will attempt to reach a consensus on which two to select.
If, at any time during this period, the moderator feels a consensus has been
reached he will clearly state who he/she believes the chapters have chosen and
if no chapter has objected after a week, those nominees will be selected and
the moderator will inform the WMF board. If a chapter objects, the chapters
will go back to discussion. This process can be repeated as many times as
appropriate during the period.
4. If no consensus has been reached by 15th June the moderator will
announce a vote. Each chapter will vote for two candidates by posting on the
chapters wiki and, on 1st July, the moderator will count the votes and the two
candidates with the most votes will be selected and the moderator will inform
the WMF board. In the event of a tie, the moderator will toss a coin.
The method(s) used by individual chapters to make any decisions required of
them are entirely up to the chapter in question, however chapters are advised
that the names of candidates and any discussion and votes are confidential and
should be restricted to the chapters wiki.
[1]
http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Board_of_Trustees/Restructure_Announcement
[2] http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/2009-May/052037.html
[3] http://chapters.wikimedia.ch/Committee_proposals#Process_for_the_future
(note: limited availability)
[4]
http://chapters.wikimedia.ch/Talk:Appointment_process/Committee_proposals#Comments_on_Process_for_the_future
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