[Foundation-l] wikicouncil

[Florence Devouard]

It was already mentionned several times and I would like to revive that 
and really finalize it.

I really do think we need this wikicouncil type of thing. I know it will 
never be the perfect thing for everyone. I know there will always be 
complains that this project or that language is not represented enough.

Still, I do believe it will be more beneficial than the current situation.

In most big projects, sub-groups have been created over time, such as 
Admin groups or arbcom groups. Interprojects, sub-groups have also been 
created, such as stewards.

We need, badly, a way to get a feeling of what communities think. 
Foundation list does not provide this. Meta does not provide this. We 
really can not do project wide polls any more as we did back in 2004.
One way out of this is to gather a group of representatives, in the same 
way that parliaments can represent citizens, and give to this group a 
certain authority to make decisions on behalf of the wikimedians. There 
are many cases right now where either these decisions are made by the 
board (and I do not think the board should do that), or by random 
sub-groups, or by ... no one.


I envision for it roles such as

* defining and deciding policies projects wide - such as steward 
policies, oversight-policies, checkusers-policies. Giving the final 
stamp of approval of stewards
* defining the eligibility rules for candidates or voters to the 
elections of the board of WMF
* deciding of the rules for opening or closing new languages
* being the body being polled for various changes proposed by WMF
* proposing projects and looking for funds (from chapters or wmf)

The limits of what this group could do is only our imagination, and the 
willingness of its members. It should not be advisory only, but have 
authority as well.
Benefits would also be more transparency, more control by the community 
(as opposed to official organization), easier way to communicate both 
ways between wmf and communities.

The council can be pretty large. Actually, it should be pretty large.

I know some members expressed interest to work on such a proposition. 
Those who are interested, please contact me privately and we'll start 
working on that in january.

Thanks

Ant