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Béria Lima | 1 Feb 2012 01:05
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Call for nominations: chapter-appointed seats on the WMF Board of Trustees

The Wikimedia chapters are seeking to appoint two candidates to sit on the
Wikimedia Foundation's Board of Trustees for two years, starting 1 July
2012. The two new members of the board will help to decide the future
direction of the world’s leading non-profit website. Wikimedia project are
constructed by hundreds of thousands of volunteers worldwide, supported by
a growing number of staff and an international network of chapters. Board
membership is unpaid.

The chapters wish to appoint two excellent board members and believe this
can best be achieved by selecting from a large number of varied and skilled
candidates. Therefore, the chapters call for nominations by everyone who
believes they or someone they know would be suitable. The chapters ask that
this call for candidates be distributed as widely as possible through such
forums as mailing lists, village pumps, and blogs.

The successful candidates will be committed to the Wikimedia mission and
willing and able to engage constructively with the stakeholders of the
movement, including the volunteers and the chapters that provide it with
essential support. The successful candidates will have:

   - The ability to provide expertise to the board in its goal of
   implementing a coherent vision on how the projects’ communities, the
   foundation, the chapters, and other affiliated groups work together;

   - Sensitivity to complex issues surrounding the multiplicity of
   languages, cultures, and jurisdictions served by the foundation’s projects;

   - Knowledge and understanding of the governance of international
   non-profit organizations, balancing autonomy and subsidiarity;
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Risker | 1 Feb 2012 04:28
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Re: Call for nominations: chapter-appointed seats on the WMF Board of Trustees

Thanks for letting us all know about this, Beria.

So...a few questions.

Why is the discussion happening on chapterswiki, instead of in an open
place where all Wikimedians can at least read the discussion?

Will the names of the candidates be published for the entire Wikimedia
community to see?  Will opinions from non-chapter members (who make up 97%
of Wikimedians) be considered?

Thanks,

Risker/Anne

On 31 January 2012 19:05, Béria Lima <berialima@...> wrote:

> The Wikimedia chapters are seeking to appoint two candidates to sit on the
> Wikimedia Foundation's Board of Trustees for two years, starting 1 July
> 2012. The two new members of the board will help to decide the future
> direction of the world’s leading non-profit website. Wikimedia project are
> constructed by hundreds of thousands of volunteers worldwide, supported by
> a growing number of staff and an international network of chapters. Board
> membership is unpaid.
>
> The chapters wish to appoint two excellent board members and believe this
> can best be achieved by selecting from a large number of varied and skilled
> candidates. Therefore, the chapters call for nominations by everyone who
> believes they or someone they know would be suitable. The chapters ask that
> this call for candidates be distributed as widely as possible through such
(Continue reading)

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Béria Lima | 1 Feb 2012 04:43
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Re: Call for nominations: chapter-appointed seats on the WMF Board of Trustees

Hi Risker. let's go by question.

*Why is the discussion happening on chapterswiki, instead of in an open
> place where all Wikimedians can at least read the discussion?
> *

Everthing that is in Chapters wiki is replicated in meta. All the links in
the Call for Candidates (CfC) are from meta. Everyone can read the
discussion. So far the only discussion in chapters wiki was the election
for moderators, and the review of the CfC wording. We are not trying to
exclude the community - by the contrary - we would be glad to have the
community involved in the process, not only with questions, but also as
candidates.
*
*
>
> * Will the names of the candidates be published for the entire Wikimedia
> community to see?  *

The real names, obviously not. The usernames may be published - IF the
candidate has no problem with that.

> *Will opinions from non-chapter members (who make up 97% of Wikimedians)
> be considered?*
>

With questions and suggestions, of course will. But with votes, No. There
are a vote for elect the community members of the Board, that happened last
year and will occur again next year. This vote is decided only by the
chapters according with WMF bylaws itself. Quoting: "Be*ginning in July
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MZMcBride | 1 Feb 2012 05:17

Vice President?

Hi.

Erik took on the temporary title "VP of Engineering and Product Development"
after Danese left.[1] Just recently it was codified on wmfwiki.[2]

I don't really think much of job titles anywhere, but it seems strange to
have a Vice President without having a President.[3] Mostly just noting for
posterity.

MZMcBride

[1] http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikitech-l/2011-June/054040.html
[2] https://wikimediafoundation.org/w/index.php?diff=78986&oldid=78985
[3] https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Staff_and_contractors

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Stuart West | 1 Feb 2012 05:20
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Re: Vice President?

That's kind of an American thing I think.  Many organizations here have Vice Presidents, but instead of
having a President have someone with the title CEO or Executive Director instead.

On Jan 31, 2012, at 8:17 PM, MZMcBride wrote:

> Hi.
> 
> Erik took on the temporary title "VP of Engineering and Product Development"
> after Danese left.[1] Just recently it was codified on wmfwiki.[2]
> 
> I don't really think much of job titles anywhere, but it seems strange to
> have a Vice President without having a President.[3] Mostly just noting for
> posterity.
> 
> MZMcBride
> 
> [1] http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikitech-l/2011-June/054040.html
> [2] https://wikimediafoundation.org/w/index.php?diff=78986&oldid=78985
> [3] https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Staff_and_contractors
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> foundation-l mailing list
> foundation-l@...
> Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/foundation-l

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Jussi-Ville Heiskanen | 1 Feb 2012 06:35
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Re: Vice President?

On Wed, Feb 1, 2012 at 6:20 AM, Stuart West <stuwest@...> wrote:
> That's kind of an American thing I think.  Many organizations here have Vice Presidents, but instead of
having a President have someone with the title CEO or Executive Director instead.
>
>
> On Jan 31, 2012, at 8:17 PM, MZMcBride wrote:
>
>> Hi.
>>
>> Erik took on the temporary title "VP of Engineering and Product Development"
>> after Danese left.[1] Just recently it was codified on wmfwiki.[2]
>>
>> I don't really think much of job titles anywhere, but it seems strange to
>> have a Vice President without having a President.[3] Mostly just noting for
>> posterity.
>>
>> MZMcBride
>>
>> [1] http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikitech-l/2011-June/054040.html
>> [2] https://wikimediafoundation.org/w/index.php?diff=78986&oldid=78985
>> [3] https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Staff_and_contractors

The problem you have, there, is thinking "president" is a title in
some historical inalienable sense. It isn't. Grammatically it can
still be used in the plain sense as denoting "he who presides".

--

-- 
--
Jussi-Ville Heiskanen, ~ [[User:Cimon Avaro]]
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Risker | 1 Feb 2012 06:49
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Re: Call for nominations: chapter-appointed seats on the WMF Board of Trustees

Thanks for your prompt responses, Beria.  I have a few follow-ups.

On 31 January 2012 22:43, Béria Lima <berialima@...> wrote:

> Hi Risker. let's go by question.
>
> *Why is the discussion happening on chapterswiki, instead of in an open
> > place where all Wikimedians can at least read the discussion?
> > *
>
>
> Everthing that is in Chapters wiki is replicated in meta. All the links in
> the Call for Candidates (CfC) are from meta. Everyone can read the
> discussion. So far the only discussion in chapters wiki was the election
> for moderators, and the review of the CfC wording. We are not trying to
> exclude the community - by the contrary - we would be glad to have the
> community involved in the process, not only with questions, but also as
> candidates.
>

Excellent; I am pleased to see that the chapters are becoming more
transparent in this respect.  However, if the plan is to mirror the
discussion on Meta, why not just have it there in the first place?

> *
> *
> >
> > * Will the names of the candidates be published for the entire Wikimedia
> > community to see?  *
>
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phoebe ayers | 1 Feb 2012 09:41
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Re: Call for nominations: chapter-appointed seats on the WMF Board of Trustees

On Tue, Jan 31, 2012 at 9:49 PM, Risker <risker.wp@...> wrote:
> Thanks for your prompt responses, Beria.  I have a few follow-ups.
>
> On 31 January 2012 22:43, Béria Lima <berialima@...> wrote:

>> >
>> > * Will the names of the candidates be published for the entire Wikimedia
>> > community to see?  *
>>
>>
>> The real names, obviously not. The usernames may be published - IF the
>> candidate has no problem with that.
>>
>
>
> I'm sorry, I have a problem with that.  All other candidates for Board
> seats must publicly disclose their real name in their candidate
> presentation (because the identities of Board members are a matter of
> public record, it is not possible to hold a position on the Board of
> Trustees anonymously or under a pseudonym).

Heh, indeed. Whether the candidates are public outside the chapters or
not, if you are not ok with your real name being plastered all over
the place (fame! infamy! occasional random emails!) then being on the
board is probably not for you.

-- phoebe

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Yaroslav M. Blanter | 1 Feb 2012 09:51
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Re: Call for nominations: chapter-appointed seats on the WMF Board of Trustees


> Heh, indeed. Whether the candidates are public outside the chapters or
> not, if you are not ok with your real name being plastered all over
> the place (fame! infamy! occasional random emails!) then being on the
> board is probably not for you.
> 
> -- phoebe
> 

I would even say that for the chapter candidates (in distinction to the
community candidates, who nominate themselves using their account) BOTH the
real name and the WM account (if it exists) should be made public before
the nomination is accepted.

Cheers
Yaroslav

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Milos Rancic | 1 Feb 2012 10:17
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Re: Call for nominations: chapter-appointed seats on the WMF Board of Trustees

On Wed, Feb 1, 2012 at 04:28, Risker <risker.wp@...> wrote:
> Thanks for letting us all know about this, Beria.
>
> So...a few questions.
>
> Why is the discussion happening on chapterswiki, instead of in an open
> place where all Wikimedians can at least read the discussion?
>
> Will the names of the candidates be published for the entire Wikimedia
> community to see?  Will opinions from non-chapter members (who make up 97%
> of Wikimedians) be considered?

It's about cabal, obviously.

To be honest, I think that the process is broken, too, but that's the
deal between the chapters and there was not enough of will to change
it. Because, at the end, it produces decision, which is the goal of
the process.

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