Nathan wrote:
Thanks Florence. I agree that the financial relationship, if there is a formal one, between the Foundation and Chapters should be clarified as soon as possible.
I'll throw out a couple of reasons why the Chapters receive less attention to their finances, though:
- the chapters have no assets other than donations, i.e. no control over
Wikimedia projects
The only real assets from that perspective, are the trademarks. One could envision a chapter becoming big enough to be able to host a sad abandonned Wikipedia if the Foundation gets in trouble. The moral control only go as far as the community wants to give control.
- laws regulating the chapters are known only to those who are likely to be
members, and may have no relation to what I at least am familiar with regarding US law
True, but that does not lessen the interest of controls... not counting that we might have a US chapter in the future :-) Also, even on this list, there are many who are more familiar, say, with UK law than with US law (eg, frequent discussion over libel issues in UK).
- discussions about controls and etc. are probably more likely to be found
on chapter mailing lists, rather than Foundation-l.
Correct. I just launched a discussion over COI policy on the french chapter list :-) However, if we turn out to really be a global mouvement, might be worth including such requirements in chapter approval.
- If a Chapter crashes and burns and its founders go to jail, the effect on
the Foundation will be in the area of public relations only, and then possibly not significant. (aside from any lost donation income from that chapter).
If a board member of Wikimedia Foundation (even Jimmy) goes to jail, the effect on the Foundation will be only in the area of public relations...
There are others, I'm sure. Still, I think clarifying the expectations of the community and Foundations regarding management issues is important. The power of the Foundation may be no more than formal disassociation and revoking, if possible, permission to use marks of Wikimedia. That, at least, will help with any PR fallout.
Nod
Ant
Nathan _______________________________________________ WikiEN-l mailing listd WikiEN-l@lists.wikimedia.org To unsubscribe from this mailing list, visit: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikien-l