Hello, Do these criteria apply to existing groups? Maybe I misunderstand, but from this proposal it sounds like new groups will be held to

higher standards than any currently recognized organizations. Is that the case? yours, On Fri, Aug 19, 2016 at 8:36 AM, Carlos M. Colina <

wrote: > Dear all, > > On behalf of the Affiliations Committee, I would like to present some > changes to the current chapter and thematic organisation criteria,

> will begin piloting as we officially reopen applications for chapter and > thematic organization status. Until now, the criteria had not clearly > defined what constitutes sufficient programmatic activity to justify > chapter or thematic organisation status. To address this issue, we have

> out three new criteria: > > 1. Diversity of Activities: Chapters and thematic organisations are > expected to plan and conduct a variety of different programs and

> balance online and offline projects; to strive for continuous

> to conduct programs and events at least once every two months. > 2. Planning and Evaluation: Chapters and thematic organisations are > expected to set specific goals and targets for programs, projects,

> events before executing them; to measure the results of programs,

> and events against those targets; and to report on those results to

> Wikimedia Foundation and the wider Wikimedia movement. > 3. External Partnerships: Chapters and thematic organisations are > expected to engage in programmatic partnerships with external groups

> organizations (for example, cultural, academic, or government

> and so on) to promote the Wikimedia movement and to add and improve

> on Wikimedia projects. > > In order to officially reopen the chapter and thematic organization > recognition process, the Board of Trustees has instructed the

> Committee to provisionally use these three new criteria for all new > applicants. In addition, potential chapters and thematic organisations

> continue to be assessed against the existing legal, governance, and > viability criteria; more details, including the benefits and

> these affiliation models, are available on Meta.[1] [2] > > Please note that the use of these three new criteria is a pilot; there > will be opportunities to share feedback about the criteria, as well as > other ways to help define the chapter and thematic organisation

> models, during the upcoming strategy consultation. The Affiliations > Committee and the Board of Trustees will continue to evaluate results

> feedback during the initial pilot period and consider potential

> to the criteria before they are finalized. > > Thank you, > M. > > 1: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Affiliations_Committee/Chapt > er_Summary_Matrix > 2: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Affiliations_Committee/Thema > tic_Organisation_Summary_Matrix > -- > "*Jülüjain wane mmakat* ein kapülain tü alijunakalirua jee wayuukanairua > junain ekerolaa alümüin supüshuwayale etijaanaka. Ayatashi waya junain." > Carlos M. Colina > Socio, A.C. Wikimedia Venezuela | RIF J-40129321-2 |

> <http://wikimedia.org.ve> > Chair, Wikimedia Foundation Affiliations Committee > Phone: +972-52-4869915 > Twitter: @maor_x > > El logotipo y el nombre de Wikimedia, Wikimedia Venezuela > <http://wikimedia.org.ve/wiki/P%C3%A1gina_principal>, Wikipedia, > Wikimedia Commons, Wikimedia Incubator, Wiktionary y otros proyectos > relacionados <https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Our_Projects> son > marcas registradas usadas bajo permiso expreso de su titular, la

-- Lane Rasberry user:bluerasberry on Wikipedia 206.801.0814 lane(a)bluerasberry.com _______________________________________________ Affiliates mailing list Affiliates(a)lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/affiliates

Dear all, On behalf of the Affiliations Committee, I would like to present some changes to the current chapter and thematic organisation criteria, which we will begin piloting as we officially reopen applications for chapter and thematic organization status. Until now, the criteria had not clearly defined what constitutes sufficient programmatic activity to justify chapter or thematic organisation status. To address this issue, we have set out three new criteria: 1. Diversity of Activities: Chapters and thematic organisations are expected to plan and conduct a variety of different programs and events; to balance online and offline projects; to strive for continuous activity; and to conduct programs and events at least once every two months. 2. Planning and Evaluation: Chapters and thematic organisations are expected to set specific goals and targets for programs, projects, and events before executing them; to measure the results of programs, projects, and events against those targets; and to report on those results to the Wikimedia Foundation and the wider Wikimedia movement. 3. External Partnerships: Chapters and thematic organisations are expected to engage in programmatic partnerships with external groups and organizations (for example, cultural, academic, or government institutions, and so on) to promote the Wikimedia movement and to add and improve content on Wikimedia projects. In order to officially reopen the chapter and thematic organization recognition process, the Board of Trustees has instructed the Affiliations Committee to provisionally use these three new criteria for all new applicants. In addition, potential chapters and thematic organisations will continue to be assessed against the existing legal, governance, and viability criteria; more details, including the benefits and limitations of these affiliation models, are available on Meta.[1] [2] Please note that the use of these three new criteria is a pilot; there will be opportunities to share feedback about the criteria, as well as other ways to help define the chapter and thematic organisation affiliate models, during the upcoming strategy consultation. The Affiliations Committee and the Board of Trustees will continue to evaluate results and feedback during the initial pilot period and consider potential revisions to the criteria before they are finalized. Thank you, M. 1: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Affiliations_Committee/ Chapter_Summary_Matrix 2: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Affiliations_Committee/ Thematic_Organisation_Summary_Matrix -- "*Jülüjain wane mmakat* ein kapülain tü alijunakalirua jee wayuukanairua junain ekerolaa alümüin supüshuwayale etijaanaka. Ayatashi waya junain." Carlos M. Colina Socio, A.C. Wikimedia Venezuela | RIF J-40129321-2 | www.wikimedia.org.ve <http://wikimedia.org.ve> Chair, Wikimedia Foundation Affiliations Committee Phone: +972-52-4869915 Twitter: @maor_x El logotipo y el nombre de Wikimedia, Wikimedia Venezuela <http://wikimedia.org.ve/wiki/P%C3%A1gina_principal>, Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, Wikimedia Incubator, Wiktionary y otros proyectos relacionados <https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Our_Projects> son marcas registradas usadas bajo permiso expreso de su titular, la Fundación Wikimedia, Inc. <http://www.wikimediafoundation.org>, una organización sin fines de lucro. Otros nombres y marcas pertenecen a sus respectivos propietarios. Asociación Civil Wikimedia Venezuela (Wikimedia Venezuela) | RIF.: J-40129321-2 | Los Teques, Estado Miranda. Venezuela _______________________________________________ Affiliates mailing list Affiliates(a)lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/affiliates

Dear all, On behalf of the Affiliations Committee, I would like to present some changes to the current chapter and thematic organisation criteria, which we will begin piloting as we officially reopen applications for chapter and thematic organization status. Until now, the criteria had not clearly defined what constitutes sufficient programmatic activity to justify chapter or thematic organisation status. To address this issue, we have set out three new criteria: 1. Diversity of Activities: Chapters and thematic organisations are expected to plan and conduct a variety of different programs and events; to balance online and offline projects; to strive for continuous activity; and to conduct programs and events at least once every two months. 2. Planning and Evaluation: Chapters and thematic organisations are expected to set specific goals and targets for programs, projects, and events before executing them; to measure the results of programs, projects, and events against those targets; and to report on those results to the Wikimedia Foundation and the wider Wikimedia movement. 3. External Partnerships: Chapters and thematic organisations are expected to engage in programmatic partnerships with external groups and organizations (for example, cultural, academic, or government institutions, and so on) to promote the Wikimedia movement and to add and improve content on Wikimedia projects. In order to officially reopen the chapter and thematic organization recognition process, the Board of Trustees has instructed the Affiliations Committee to provisionally use these three new criteria for all new applicants. In addition, potential chapters and thematic organisations will continue to be assessed against the existing legal, governance, and viability criteria; more details, including the benefits and limitations of these affiliation models, are available on Meta.[1] [2] Please note that the use of these three new criteria is a pilot; there will be opportunities to share feedback about the criteria, as well as other ways to help define the chapter and thematic organisation affiliate models, during the upcoming strategy consultation. The Affiliations Committee and the Board of Trustees will continue to evaluate results and feedback during the initial pilot period and consider potential revisions to the criteria before they are finalized. Thank you, M. 1: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Affiliations_Committee/ Chapter_Summary_Matrix 2: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Affiliations_Committee/ Thematic_Organisation_Summary_Matrix -- "*Jülüjain wane mmakat* ein kapülain tü alijunakalirua jee wayuukanairua junain ekerolaa alümüin supüshuwayale etijaanaka. Ayatashi waya junain." Carlos M. Colina Socio, A.C. Wikimedia Venezuela | RIF J-40129321-2 | www.wikimedia.org.ve <http://wikimedia.org.ve> Chair, Wikimedia Foundation Affiliations Committee Phone: +972-52-4869915 Twitter: @maor_x El logotipo y el nombre de Wikimedia, Wikimedia Venezuela <http://wikimedia.org.ve/wiki/P%C3%A1gina_principal>, Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, Wikimedia Incubator, Wiktionary y otros proyectos relacionados <https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Our_Projects> son marcas registradas usadas bajo permiso expreso de su titular, la Fundación Wikimedia, Inc. <http://www.wikimediafoundation.org>, una organización sin fines de lucro. Otros nombres y marcas pertenecen a sus respectivos propietarios. Asociación Civil Wikimedia Venezuela (Wikimedia Venezuela) | RIF.: J-40129321-2 | Los Teques, Estado Miranda. Venezuela _______________________________________________ Affiliates mailing list Affiliates(a)lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/affiliates

What harm is avoided by eliminating the ambiguity you refer to, Pine?

How is that damage ameliorated by, as you suggest, re-classifying a chapter as a user group?

Does the Affiliations Committee have a list of existing chapters which do not meet the proposed criteria? I think we should at least get a sense for that, and those chapters should be notified and be put on the path to meeting standards or losing their status. What's the harm in letting chapters which can't meet the proposed high standards drop into user group status? This will also force the committee and board to figure out reasonable requirements. I realize that chapters have special privileges and the process would be something like a probation period followed by a graceful revocation of privileges. I'm not super knowledgeable about this topic, but I've heard that chapters becoming inactive is a problem. The solution is to anticipate that and create a process for handling chapter inactivity non-disruptively. What's the current process? On Aug 20, 2016 9:50 PM, "Pine W" &lt;wiki.pine(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote: attached Chapter or it _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/ wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines New messages to: Wikimedia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, <mailto:wikimedia-l-request@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe>

Does the Affiliations Committee have a list of existing chapters which do not meet the proposed criteria? I think we should at least get a sense

that, and those chapters should be notified and be put on the path to meeting standards or losing their status.

for Hi Ben, The closest is this table for eligibility for the Wikimedia Conference: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Conference_ 2016/Eligibility_Criteria That did not apply the same criteria as AffCom are using, but you can see that there were 2 chapters which appeared to be entirely inactive, and a further 3 that had some kind of activity but were not reporting activity in the terms required by their chapter agreements or grants. In general, I think that it is sensible to have a method of inactive chapters to be de-recognised - just as it is also useful for User Groups working towards chapter status to know what they are meant to be working towards. Regards, Chris Keating User:The Land _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/ wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines New messages to: Wikimedia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, <mailto:wikimedia-l-request@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe>

Does the Affiliations Committee have a list of existing chapters which do not meet the proposed criteria? I think we should at least get a sense

that, and those chapters should be notified and be put on the path to meeting standards or losing their status.

This process seems to be very harsh as written. For example, it says: "an organization’s recognition may be terminated immediately

There's no mention of any sort of ombudsperson, or appeal process in

I feel that this is a separate issue. There should be no privilege attached to already being a chapter. It is unfair to apply one set of criteria to existing chapters, and a much tighter set of criteria to aspiring chapters. Chapter status should be linked with a substantial level of current or recent activity in Wikimedia. Chapter activity levels may decrease for many reasons, some of which are beyond their control, such as if a fire breaks out in their office, or if an especially strong community organizer leaves the country. If such things happen and the activity level or membership level of the organization decrease, it is reasonable (if not desirable) to have the organization, which now would resemble a user group rather than a chapter, actually be categorized as a user group until the organization recovers. I would call this "truth in advertising". It's not comfortable, but it is the reality, and it would give the group a strong incentive to re-energize itself and return its levels of membership and activity to the levels that it once had, rather than allowing it to keep the privileges of chapter status with few of the responsibilities and expectations.

Hello Pine, El 19/08/2016 a las 06:28 p.m., Pine W escribió: Hi Carlos, In general, I like the new criteria. I would like to suggest making the criteria entirely quantitative, so

there is minimal subjectivity about whether or not affiliates are meeting these standards and therefore there is likely to be less controversy

the status of affiliates. The problem of making the criteria entirely quantitative is that the context where affiliates operate is not the same across the world. We cannot apply a rigid, based in fixed numbers criteria because the

of Estonia or The Netherlands, to give an example, is not the same of Venezuela, where people need to queue for hours just to buy a loaf of bread, if they happen to be lucky enough to find a bakery operating, or where scheduled 4-hour daily blackouts are the norm across the country except for the capital. If all affiliates operated in the same conditions, that would be another story. --